The presence of antibiotics in water resources can be limited by means of a biochar-enhanced photocatalyst developed by researchers in China. The composite material, composed of biochar, titanium dioxide and graphitic carbon nitride, has demonstrated the ability to break down sulfadiazine, a widely used sulfonamide antibiotic that is frequently detected in water.

The key component is biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, into a semiconductor photocatalytic system by means of a sol gel synthesis method. The material formulated by researchers from Henan University of Urban Construction and Henan Normal University removed over 98% of sulfadiazine within one hour under simulated sunlight irradiation. The capacity to degrade the antibiotic was more than three times greater than that of pure titanium dioxide and graphitic carbon nitride catalysts.

Computational simulations point to the value of the biochar in modifying the electronic structure of the titanium dioxide/graphitic carbon nitride heterojunction, enabling faster electron transfer and improved catalytic activity. The material described in the journal Biochar also maintained strong degradation performance with only moderate decline in activity after five cycles of reuse, indicating its potential for practical environmental applications.