Flower-like and nanorods ZnO deposited on rGO as efficient photocatalysts for removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

PCBs were used for several decades as coolants, lubricants in transformers, plasticizers, and dielectric fluids, being highly carcinogenic and representing a severe environmental problem in soil and water. Pure and modified TiO 2 has been the most studied photocatalyst looking to degrade PCBs into l...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanocomposites 2022-12, Vol.8 (1), p.204-214
Main Authors: Merlano, Aura S., Albiter, Elim, Valenzuela, Miguel A., Hoyos, Lina M., Salazar, Ángel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carcinogens
Composite materials
degradation
dichlorination
Graphene
Microwaves
Morphology
Nanocomposites
Nanoparticles
Nanorods
Organic compounds
PCB
PCBs
Performance degradation
Photocatalysis
Photocatalysts
Photodegradation
Pollutants
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Soil water
Titanium dioxide
toxic products
Zinc oxide
Zinc oxides
ZnO-rGO
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Summary:PCBs were used for several decades as coolants, lubricants in transformers, plasticizers, and dielectric fluids, being highly carcinogenic and representing a severe environmental problem in soil and water. Pure and modified TiO 2 has been the most studied photocatalyst looking to degrade PCBs into less toxic products. Lately, ZnO-graphene composites have played an essential role in the photocatalytic degradation of various toxic organic compounds. In this work, ZnO nanostructures were coupled with reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-rGO) via a one-pot microwave-assisted hydrothermal route. As a result, the composites exhibited improved photocatalytic performance for PCBs degradation compared to ZnO nanoparticles. Thus, this research provides an in-situ method to grow different morphologies of ZnO on rGO.
ISSN:2055-0324
2055-0332
DOI:10.1080/20550324.2023.2168938