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Abstract
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The increasing presence of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic ecosystems has become a major environmental challenge, primarily owing to the environmental stability of these compounds and their capacity to pose serious threats to human health and ecosystems. Conventional wastewater treatment systems are often ineffective in removing these bioactive compounds, emphasizing the urgent need for advanced and sustainable remediation technologies. MXenes, a sophisticated category of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, are developing nanomaterials that have garnered substantial attention in recent research as high-performance photocatalysts for the cleanup of water contaminated by pharmaceuticals. The exceptional photocatalytic performance and efficient charge separation of these materials are largely attributed to their distinctive features, such as remarkable electrical conductivity, high specific surface area, inherent hydrophilicity, and the ability to customize surface functional groups. This review consolidates recent progress on MXene-based photocatalysts for the photodegradation of pharmaceuticals (e.g., tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole). Recent studies have demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic efficiencies; for example, Ti₃C₂Tₓ/Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ completely degraded tetracycline within 20 min under visible light, CN/MXene/black phosphorus achieved over 99% ciprofloxacin removal in 60 min, and Ti₃C₂/g-C₃N₄ maintained almost 100% diclofenac degradation efficiency after five successive cycles, confirming excellent recyclability and stability. Also, synthesis methods and types of MXene, degradation mechanisms, kinetic study, and synergistic effects in MXene-based heterostructures are critically discussed. Finally, the current limitations and future research perspectives are highlighted to guide the rational design of MXene-derived materials for efficient and sustainable water purification.
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