Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> Pharmaceutical residues such as paracetamol are increasingly detected in aquatic environments, raising concerns about their persistence and potential ecological impact. In this study, a solar-driven photocatalytic membrane reactor (PMR) was developed using low-cost ceramic membranes fabricated from Matmata-Gabes clay (southern Tunisia) and functionalized with TiO <sub>2</sub> P25. The membranes were prepared by uniaxial pressing followed by sintering at 1000°C, while TiO <sub>2</sub> was immobilized via dip-coating and calcined at 450°C. The influence of catalyst loading and operating conditions was systematically investigated under both UV irradiation and natural sunlight. The results indicate that increasing TiO <sub>2</sub> loading improves surface hydrophilicity with the water contact angle decreasing to 17.5°, but excessive deposition reduces membrane porosity and permeability. Optimal performance was achieved at 0.6 g/L 1.0 and g/L of TiO <sub>2</sub> loading solution concentration under UV and solar conditions, respectively leading to degradation efficiencies of 74.9% and 55.5% after 5.5 h of treatment. In addition, horizontal membrane configuration (0° inclination) enhanced photon utilization resulting in improved reaction kinetics. Although permeate flux declined over time due to fouling, the photocatalytic layer contributed to partial self-cleaning under irradiation. Over five consecutive cycles, the membranes retained more than 35% of their initial activity, indicating moderate stability. These findings demonstrate the potential of combining locally available materials with solar photocatalysis as a sustainable approach for decentralized water treatment, particularly in regions with high solar irradiance. </p>