Premium
Enhanced visible light photocatalysis with E‐waste‐based V 2 O 5 / zinc–ferrite : BTEX degradation and mechanism
Author(s) -
Mohan Harshavardhan,
Lim JeongMuk,
Lee SeWon,
Jang Jum Suk,
Park YoolJin,
Seralathan KamalaKannan,
Oh ByungTaek
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.6442
Subject(s) - btex , photocatalysis , catalysis , nanocomposite , materials science , degradation (telecommunications) , leaching (pedology) , nuclear chemistry , scanning electron microscope , zinc , ferrite (magnet) , diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform , chemical engineering , chemistry , metallurgy , nanotechnology , ethylbenzene , composite material , organic chemistry , telecommunications , environmental science , computer science , soil science , engineering , soil water
BACKGROUND BTEX removal is attracting increased attention owing to the detrimental impacts caused to human health, the foremost being neurological impairments. Thus, this study intended to assess the efficiency of zinc–ferrite/V 2 O 5 (ZFV) nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of BTEX isomers in aqueous solution. Furthermore, the developed catalyst was magnetically separable, which may reduce the ecological impacts of the catalyst. RESULTS The ZFV nanocomposite was prepared by a solvothermal process using V 2 O 5 (extracted from treated E‐waste) and zinc–ferrite (synthesized through a chemical co‐precipitation method). The integration of elements in the ZFV nanocomposite was confirmed using powder X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, Raman, diffuse reflectance and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies and scanning electron microscopy. Maximum BTEX degradation of 95% was achieved at 50 mg L −1 initial BTEX concentration, 0.50 g L −1 catalyst and pH 3. A minor decrease in the degradation efficiency (10%) of the catalyst was observed at the fifth cycle. The presence of H 2 O 2 increased the degradation efficiency to 98% owing to the prevention of electron–hole recombination, while NaCl (60%), Na 2 CO 3 (63%), NaNO 3 (80%) and Na 2 SO 4 (72%) decreased the degradation efficiency due to their hydroxyl scavenging properties. The degradation pathway was elucidated using gas chromatography with mass spectral studies. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study relating to BTEX degradation using the magnetic ZFV nanocomposite and the degradation mechanism throw light on the environmental applications of the ZFV composite. The composite could be an alternative for the remediation of BTEX‐contaminated wastewaters. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry