Photocatalytic degradation kinetics and mechanism of antivirus drug-lamivudine in TiO2 dispersion

► Photocatalytic degradation kinetics of antivirus drug lamivudine. ► The degradation kinetics was optimized by the single-variable-at-a-time. ► The degradation kinetics was optimized by central composite design. ► The contribution of reactive species was investigated with addition of scavengers. ► Six intermediates were identified and a degradation mechanism was proposed.