Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants

The growing demand of industries has led to environmental degradation due to excessive release of toxic chemicals. Nanotechnology has developed to combat the impacts integrated with industrial revolution. The present investigation proposes a remediation model for toxic dyes and poly aromatic hydroca...

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Main Authors: Maryam Abbasi, Uzaira Rafique, Ghulam Murtaza, Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2018-09-01
Series:Arabian Journal of Chemistry
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535217302605
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author Maryam Abbasi
Uzaira Rafique
Ghulam Murtaza
Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf
author_facet Maryam Abbasi
Uzaira Rafique
Ghulam Murtaza
Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf
author_sort Maryam Abbasi
collection DOAJ
description The growing demand of industries has led to environmental degradation due to excessive release of toxic chemicals. Nanotechnology has developed to combat the impacts integrated with industrial revolution. The present investigation proposes a remediation model for toxic dyes and poly aromatic hydrocarbons by effective use of nanotechnology. For this purpose, zinc sulphide (ZnS), silver sulfide (Ag2S) and bimetallic ZnS-Ag2S are synthesized from a single source precursor and evaluated as potential photocatalytic agents. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by a range of techniques like UV–visible, PL, XRD, EDX, TEM and TGA. The results indicated that prepared nanoparticles were crystalline, spherical in shape, possess obvious atomic planes with a size in the range of 6–12 nm.Each of the synthesized material was tested as potential photocatalyst candidate for the degradation of representative azo-dyes (Crystal Violet, Congo Red) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (Naphthalene, Phenanthrene and Pyrene) under visible light irradiation source. The degradation efficiency of the synthesized nanoparticles was calculated to be more than 70% for Crystal Violet and 80%for Congo Red upon contact with the dye solutions for 50 min and pseudo second order kinetic model was found to be the best fit. The synthesized nanoparticles were also effective in its own significance for the degradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The fragmentation study of polyaromatic hydrocarbons using nanoparticles postulates that phthalic acid pathway is the predominant mechanism for PAHs. It is recommended that environmental compartment with mix pollutants can conveniently be treated with a single material to an appreciable extent. The study offers economical and environment friendly remediation model. Keywords: Single source precursor, Azo-dyes, Poly aromatic hydrocarbons, Environmental remediation, Photocatalysis
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spelling doaj.art-cc35d83c041649dd9f8d2ca908a3d55d2022-12-21T23:59:43ZengElsevierArabian Journal of Chemistry1878-53522018-09-01116827837Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutantsMaryam Abbasi0Uzaira Rafique1Ghulam Murtaza2Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf3Department of Environmental Science, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, PakistanDepartment of Environmental Science, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, PakistanDepartment of Environmental Science, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, PakistanDepartment of Environmental Science & Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China; International Water, Air & Soil Conservation Society 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Corresponding author at: Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.The growing demand of industries has led to environmental degradation due to excessive release of toxic chemicals. Nanotechnology has developed to combat the impacts integrated with industrial revolution. The present investigation proposes a remediation model for toxic dyes and poly aromatic hydrocarbons by effective use of nanotechnology. For this purpose, zinc sulphide (ZnS), silver sulfide (Ag2S) and bimetallic ZnS-Ag2S are synthesized from a single source precursor and evaluated as potential photocatalytic agents. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by a range of techniques like UV–visible, PL, XRD, EDX, TEM and TGA. The results indicated that prepared nanoparticles were crystalline, spherical in shape, possess obvious atomic planes with a size in the range of 6–12 nm.Each of the synthesized material was tested as potential photocatalyst candidate for the degradation of representative azo-dyes (Crystal Violet, Congo Red) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (Naphthalene, Phenanthrene and Pyrene) under visible light irradiation source. The degradation efficiency of the synthesized nanoparticles was calculated to be more than 70% for Crystal Violet and 80%for Congo Red upon contact with the dye solutions for 50 min and pseudo second order kinetic model was found to be the best fit. The synthesized nanoparticles were also effective in its own significance for the degradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The fragmentation study of polyaromatic hydrocarbons using nanoparticles postulates that phthalic acid pathway is the predominant mechanism for PAHs. It is recommended that environmental compartment with mix pollutants can conveniently be treated with a single material to an appreciable extent. The study offers economical and environment friendly remediation model. Keywords: Single source precursor, Azo-dyes, Poly aromatic hydrocarbons, Environmental remediation, Photocatalysishttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535217302605
spellingShingle Maryam Abbasi
Uzaira Rafique
Ghulam Murtaza
Muhammad Aqeel Ashraf
Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants
Arabian Journal of Chemistry
title Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants
title_full Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants
title_fullStr Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants
title_short Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic performance of ZnS coupled Ag2S nanoparticles: A remediation model for environmental pollutants
title_sort synthesis characterisation and photocatalytic performance of zns coupled ag2s nanoparticles a remediation model for environmental pollutants
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535217302605
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AT ghulammurtaza synthesischaracterisationandphotocatalyticperformanceofznscoupledag2snanoparticlesaremediationmodelforenvironmentalpollutants
AT muhammadaqeelashraf synthesischaracterisationandphotocatalyticperformanceofznscoupledag2snanoparticlesaremediationmodelforenvironmentalpollutants