Supporting Information

Degradation of Fluoroquinolone-Based Pollutants and

Bacterial Inactivation by Visible-Light-Active Al-Doped

TiO2 Nanoflakes

Ravinder Kaushik, Pankaj Kumar Samal, and Aditi Halder*

School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi, Mandi, Himachal
Pradesh 175005, India
*Corresponding author: aditi@iitmandi.ac.in Phone-01905-276139
Corresponding author Orcid Id: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0399-9705

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Figure S1. (a) SEM Images 1.5%AT and 3%AT photocatalyst.

Figure S2. (a) HRTEM images, (b-d) Elemental mapping images by TEM of 1%AT catalyst.

Figure S3. SAED pattern of 1%AT showing its amorphous nature.

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Figure S4. N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms of all the prepared catalysts.

Figure S5. Kubelka−Munk functions derived to find out band gap for all the photocatalysts.

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Figure S6. (a) Deconvolution XPS spectra for O1s for 1%AT, and (b) Core level Al 2p spectra for all
the photocatalysts.

Figure S7. Molecular structure of norfloxacin.

Figure S8. Time dependent adsorption of norfloxacin by (a) 0%AT, (b) 0.5%AT, (c) 1%AT, (d)
1.5%AT and (e) 3%AT.

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Figure S9. First order fitting for adsorption of norfloxacin by all the prepared photocatalysts.

Figure S10. Time dependent adsorption followed by degradation of norfloxacin by (a) 0%AT, (b)
0.5%AT, (c) 1%AT, (d) 1.5%AT and (e) 3%AT.

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Figure S11. Schematic representation of norfloxacin degradation by 1%AT catalyst.
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Figure S12. Plausible intermediates calculated with HRMS during norfloxacin degradation by 1%AT
photocatalyst.

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Figure S13. Digital images of CFU of E. coli treated with different concentration of 1%AT catalyst, (a)
10 µg/mL, (b) 50 µg/mL, (c) 100 µg/mL, (d) 200 µg/mL, (e) 200 µg/mL in dark and (f) untreated bacteria
as control.

Figure S14. Digital images of CFU of (A) E. coli and (B) S. aureus treated with 50 µg/mL concertation
of different catalysts in visible light, (a) 0%AT, (b) 0.5%AT, (c) 1%AT, (d) 1.5%AT, (e) 3%AT and (f)
untreated bacteria as control.

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Figure S15. Digital images of CFU of (A) E. coli and (B) S. aureus treated with 50 µg/mL concertation
of different catalysts in Dark, (a) 0%AT, (b) 0.5%AT, (c) 1%AT, (d) 1.5%AT and (e) 3%AT.

Table S1: Relative percentage of doped-Al as measured through EDAX for the various prepared
samples.

Sample ID Doped Al (% with

respect to Ti)
0%AT -
0.5%AT 2.5
1%AT 3.2
1.5%AT 5.0
3%AT 7.8

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Table S2. Pore volume and surface area calculation from nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms for
all samples.
Sample Pore volume Multipoint BET
ID (cc/g) surface area (m2/g)
0%AT 0.07 202
0.5%AT 0.17 231
1%AT 0.38 355
1.5%AT 0.24 280
3%AT 0.22 266

Table S3. Elemental composition of prepared photocatalysts calculated by XPS analysis with std.

deviation.

Sample ID Elements (%)

Ti Al O C
0%AT 25.3 ±0.07 - 52.0 ±0.33 22.4 ±0.19
0.5%AT 19.3 ±1.21 1.2 ±0.14 38.8 ±4.01 39.6 ±3.22
1%AT 20.8 ±0.32 1.6 ±0.17 44.4 ±3.08 32.5 ±2.16
1.5%AT 22.2 ±0.10 1.9 ±0.04 48.8 ±1.21 27.8 ±1.60
3%AT 21.9 ±0.51 2.3 ±0.07 49.3 ±0.86 26.1 ±0.91

Table S4. Second-order apparent rate constants, extent of sorption and respected correlation
coefficient values (R2) during adsorption of norfloxacin.
Samples ID 0%AT 0.5%AT 1%AT 1.5%AT 3%AT

sorption extent (%) 18 21 53 27 31

(kap,) 0.632 0.615 1.182 0.635 0.680
R2 0.999 0.999 0.999 0.999 0.999

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Table S5. parameters obtained from langmuir and freundlich isotherm.

Langmuir isotherm Freundlich isotherm

R2 0.992 0.953

Slope 0.003 0.614

Table S6. Elemental composition of 1%AT after and before adsorption. Calculated from the XPS

analysis by using Avantage surface chemical analysis software.

Element 1%AT
Before Adsorption after Adsorption
Ti 19.9 9.80
O 41.8 41.7
Al 1.90 1.42
F 0.00 2.01
C 32.6 40.5

Table S7. Showing apparent rate constants, the extent of degradation and respected correlation
coefficient values (R2) during degradation of norfloxacin.
Samples ID 0%AT 0.5%AT 1%AT 1.5%AT 3%AT light
Control
Degradation extent 35 45 93 59 61 7
(%)
(kap, X 10-4 min-1) 27 37 143 55 61 2
R2 0.968 0.979 0.987 0.992 0.964 0.913

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Table S8. Literature on visible light active TiO2 nanoparticles used to remove pollutants from the water.
Details are summarized to compare the reported data available in literature with our catalysts results.
Photocatalyst CCat Surface Pollutant (conc.) Degradation Light source Ref.
(mg/L) area Rate (intensity)
2
(m /g)

1
TiO2-Te 1200 250.5 RhB, 10 mg/L 2h, 99% 400 W
(Visible)
2

NiO−TiO2 1000 13.5 MB, 10 mg/L 2h, 100% 125 W (UV)

3
CNNS/TiO2 1000 87.9 RhB, 10 mg/L 2h, 100% 500 W
(Visible)

4
F-TH 350 15.4 RhB, 4 mg/L 1.2h, 99% 300 W (SSL)

5
TNTAs-12 h 200 - MB, 15 mg/L 3h, 60% 300 W (SSL)

TiO2−MIL-101(Fe) 100 181 CP, 30 mg/L 1h, 92% 300 W (SSL) 6

+ H 2O 2

7
TiO2/g-C3N4 500 163 RhB, 10 mg/L 20 mins, 500 W (SSL)
100%

CuxO−TiO2 500 - MB, 10 mg/L 10h, 95% 250 W 8

(Visible)

9
MIL-100(Fe)/P25 + 50 307 TC, 100 mg/L 1h, 85% 450 W (SSL)
H 2O 2

1%AT 300 355 NFX, 160 mg/L 2h, 93% This

45 W (Visible)
work
Here, MB = Methylene Blue, RhB = rhodamine B, TC = Tetracycline, NFX = norfloxacin, CP =
Ciprofloxacin, SSL = simulated Solar Light.

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 Terephthalic acid was dissolved in water prior to the addition of different TiO2 samples followed by
mild-ultra-sonication (bath sonication). Now, irradiate the samples with UV-lamps (as described in main
manuscript) for 30 mins. After 30 min irradiation PL measurements were performed with the help of an
Agilent Technologies Cary Eclipse fluorescence spectrometer with an excitation wavelength of 320 nm
and emission at 420 nm. All prepared samples for PL measurement have TiO2 concentration 1mg and
terephthalic acid concentration was 1 mg in 10ml DI water.

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