TiO2/Arabic Gum for Degradation of Pollutants in Water
, Luzia M. C. Honório 1, Alan I. S. Morais 1, Luciano C. Almeida 2, Ramón Peña Garcia 3, Edson C. Silva-Filho 1, Marcelo B. Furtini 1 and Josy A. Osajima 1,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript delivers pivotal insights within the domain of wastewater treatment, introducing an innovative approach to combat the degradation of specific contaminants. The methodologies adopted and the subsequent results showcased are compelling. Nevertheless, the manuscript could benefit from certain refinements and the inclusion of more detailed information to bolster its clarity and depth. Upon addressing these nuances, the paper will undoubtedly amplify its resonance and value within the scientific community and can be accepted with minor revisions.
1. Regarding Figure 2b, it's evident that the y-axis doesn't commence at zero. This oversight may inadvertently skew the data representation, leading to an underestimation of the bandgap value. If the y-axis does not start from zero, the processed data will yield a smaller bandgap than the actual value.
2. The authors allude to the generation of hydroxyl radicals during the photocatalytic process. To fortify this claim, undertaking Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) tests would be advantageous. Such tests would not only validate the emergence of hydroxyl radicals but also shed light on their instrumental role in the degradation mechanism.
3. In Figure 5a, an intriguing observation is made: the degradation rate of methylene blue is expedited at a concentration of 0.5g/l in contrast to 1.0g/l. This is somewhat paradoxical, as conventional wisdom suggests that a denser concentration would degrade more sluggishly. It behooves the authors to elucidate this anomaly. Could this be attributed to the saturation of active sites, or might there be an alternative mechanism in motion? A lucid discourse on this particularity would enrich our grasp of the photocatalytic dynamics.
The manuscript is generally well-written with a clear structure and logical flow of ideas. The language used is mostly appropriate for an academic audience, and the technical terms are employed correctly.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your attention and for the reviewers’ comments on our manuscript ‘ TiO2/Arabic Gum for degradation of pollutants in water (Manuscript - sustainability-2621209)’. We agree with the comments and suggestions, which have been of great help in improving the quality of our article and guiding our research. We revised the article after carefully studying the reviewers' comments and responded to them point by point. Manuscript revisions are highlighted in red. Critical revisions and detailed responses to referee comments are listed below. We also made several other changes after carefully re-reading the manuscript, highlighted in red.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The reviewer's comments are attached in a separate Word document
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
In the present manuscript, the authors should check for language corrections. English needs to be carefully checked and again polished also, to remove vague sentences.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your attention and for the reviewers’ comments on our manuscript ‘ TiO2/Arabic Gum for degradation of pollutants in water (Manuscript - sustainability-2621209)’. We agree with the comments and suggestions, which have been of great help in improving the quality of our article and guiding our research. We revised the article after carefully studying the reviewers' comments and responded to them point by point. Manuscript revisions are highlighted in red. Critical revisions and detailed responses to referee comments are listed below. We also made several other changes after carefully re-reading the manuscript, highlighted in red.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
It is an interesting topic. This paper is well written and well-organized. It should be accepted after minor revision. Some suggestions:
Please highlight the novelty/originality of this study for sustainable development in the last paragraph of Introduction section.
In Introduction section, please mention the sustainable utilization of TiO2/Arabic Gum nanoparticles
In Material section, page 5, section 2.4, please state the importance of photocatalytic performance.
In conclusion section, for which pollutants TiO2/Arabic gum nanoparticles are promising material in wastewater treatment?
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your attention and for the reviewers’ comments on our manuscript ‘ TiO2/Arabic Gum for degradation of pollutants in water (Manuscript - sustainability-2621209)’. We agree with the comments and suggestions, which have been of great help in improving the quality of our article and guiding our research. We revised the article after carefully studying the reviewers' comments and responded to them point by point. Manuscript revisions are highlighted in red. Critical revisions and detailed responses to referee comments are listed below. We also made several other changes after carefully re-reading the manuscript, highlighted in red.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 4 Report
The authors reported the sol-gel synthesis of TiO2/Arabic Gum nanoparticles for photodegradation of methylene blue and ciprofloxacin. The submission can be accepted after revision taking into account the following points:-
1. The title should be revised to be clear, and informative. Redundant words such as ‘Facile synthesis approach of’; and ‘emergent’ should be removed.
2. ‘TiO2/Arabic Gum’ cannot be used after calcination at 400 oC. Arabic Gum is supposed to convert into carbon.
3. Mass spectra showing the fragmentation and products of degradation should be added.
4. Recyclability should be included.
5. The materials after photocatalysis should be fully characterized.
6. A comparison with previously published photocatalysts should be discussed and summarized in a Table.
7. There are several materials for methylene blue degradation e.g Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 2022, 10 (6), 108848; RSC advances 2022, 12 (12), 7075-7084. These References are suggested to be discussed showing the advantages and disadvantages with the prepared materials.
8. The language should be revised and typos should be corrected.
Professional service or native speaker should be conducted.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you very much for your attention and for the reviewers’ comments on our manuscript ‘ TiO2/Arabic Gum for degradation of pollutants in water (Manuscript - sustainability-2621209)’. We agree with the comments and suggestions, which have been of great help in improving the quality of our article and guiding our research. We revised the article after carefully studying the reviewers' comments and responded to them point by point. Manuscript revisions are highlighted in red. Critical revisions and detailed responses to referee comments are listed below. We also made several other changes after carefully re-reading the manuscript, highlighted in red.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors addressed all the comments appropriately. Now the manuscript can be accepted for publication in the Journal "Sustainability"
English is fine
