Solar Photocatalytic Mineralization of Dye New Coccine in Aqueous Phase Using Different Photocatalysts

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2016-04, Vol.227 (4), p.1, Article 118
• Main Authors: Khalik, Wan Fadhilah, Ho, Li-Ngee, Ong, Soon-An, Wong, Yee-Sian, Yusoff, Nik Athirah, Ridwan, Fahmi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: absorbance; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chemical oxygen demand; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Copper oxide; cupric oxide; Cuprite; decolorization; Earth and Environmental Science; Electron microscopes; energy; Environment; Environmental monitoring; ferric oxide; Hydrogeology; Irradiation; Light; Methylene blue; Mineralization; Morphology; Oxidation; particle size; Photocatalysis; photocatalysts; Photodegradation; Photovoltaic cells; Pollutants; scanning electron microscopes; scanning electron microscopy; Semiconductors; Soil Science & Conservation; solar radiation; Titanium dioxide; Water Quality/Water Pollution; zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-016-2822-2

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of band gap of photocatalyst on the decolorization of dye new coccine (NC). The concentration of NC in the present of CuO, Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZnO reduced to 50.5, 23.3, 0.1, and 0 mg L⁻¹, respectively, after 5 h solar light irradiation. The concentration of NC in dark condition only decreased to 48.140, 45.079, 35.269, and 31.045 mg L⁻¹ with CuO, Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZnO as photocatalysts, respectively, after 5 h contact time. The absorbance peaks and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of NC in the presence of TiO₂ and ZnO decreased to baseline and zero compared to the CuO and Fe₂O₃. The COD concentration of NC with CuO, Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZnO as photocatalysts reduced to 21, 13, 0, and 0 mg L⁻¹, respectively, after 12 h of solar irradiation. The surface morphology of photocatalysts was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and it was found that the particle size of CuO, Fe₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZnO ranging 250–375, 250–600, 40–100, and 60–500 nm, respectively. In summary, the higher band gap energy level indicated greater photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of NC.