Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants
Abstract Heterogeneous photocatalysts have been widely used for the removal of various organic pollutants from wastewater. The main challenge so far resides in the sustainability of the process, with regard to the synthesis and the application under visible light. In this study the precipitated mate...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Environmental Systems Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-022-00271-7 |
| _version_ | 1811210991799631872 |
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| author | Jean Bedel Batchamen Mougnol Frans Waanders Seteno Karabo Obed Ntwampe Elvis Fosso-Kankeu Ali Rashed Al Alili |
| author_facet | Jean Bedel Batchamen Mougnol Frans Waanders Seteno Karabo Obed Ntwampe Elvis Fosso-Kankeu Ali Rashed Al Alili |
| author_sort | Jean Bedel Batchamen Mougnol |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Heterogeneous photocatalysts have been widely used for the removal of various organic pollutants from wastewater. The main challenge so far resides in the sustainability of the process, with regard to the synthesis and the application under visible light. In this study the precipitated materials from the Moringa oleifera seed (MO), groundnut shells (GS) and apatite (A) agrowastes were functionalized with zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag) solution, to produce a novel bioheterophotocatalysts. Various analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for the characterization of the novel photocatalysts. It was proven that agrowastes can also enhance the photocatalytic activity of a ZnO-based photocatalyst as pure metals. The combination of MO/GS/A/ZnO/Ag in a 1:1:1 ratio resulted in a lower band gap of 1.59 eV, as compared to the band gap of 2.96 eV for ZnO/Ag. These photocatalysts' efficiency was also tested on the photodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) derived from coal leaching in various water sources such as acidic mine drainage, alkaline mine drainage and sewage wastewater. From MO/GS/A/ZnO/Ag, the removal efficiency was found to be 69.59%, 61.07% and 61.68%, compared to 52.62%, 37.96 and 44.30% using ZnO/Ag in acidic mine drainage, alkaline mine drainage and sewage wastewater for 60 min under solar irradiation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:05:23Z |
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| id | doaj.art-e0f76d1b787449a58495c645109537be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2193-2697 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:05:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Systems Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0f76d1b787449a58495c645109537be2022-12-22T03:46:54ZengSpringerOpenEnvironmental Systems Research2193-26972022-11-0111111610.1186/s40068-022-00271-7Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutantsJean Bedel Batchamen Mougnol0Frans Waanders1Seteno Karabo Obed Ntwampe2Elvis Fosso-Kankeu3Ali Rashed Al Alili4Water Pollution Monitoring and Remediation Initiatives Research Group, Centre of Excellence in Carbon-Based Fuels, North-West UniversityWater Pollution Monitoring and Remediation Initiatives Research Group, Centre of Excellence in Carbon-Based Fuels, North-West UniversityWater Pollution Monitoring and Remediation Initiatives Research Group, Centre of Excellence in Carbon-Based Fuels, North-West UniversityDepartment of Mining Engineering, College of Science Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Florida Science CampusDEWA R&D Centre, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)Abstract Heterogeneous photocatalysts have been widely used for the removal of various organic pollutants from wastewater. The main challenge so far resides in the sustainability of the process, with regard to the synthesis and the application under visible light. In this study the precipitated materials from the Moringa oleifera seed (MO), groundnut shells (GS) and apatite (A) agrowastes were functionalized with zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag) solution, to produce a novel bioheterophotocatalysts. Various analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for the characterization of the novel photocatalysts. It was proven that agrowastes can also enhance the photocatalytic activity of a ZnO-based photocatalyst as pure metals. The combination of MO/GS/A/ZnO/Ag in a 1:1:1 ratio resulted in a lower band gap of 1.59 eV, as compared to the band gap of 2.96 eV for ZnO/Ag. These photocatalysts' efficiency was also tested on the photodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) derived from coal leaching in various water sources such as acidic mine drainage, alkaline mine drainage and sewage wastewater. From MO/GS/A/ZnO/Ag, the removal efficiency was found to be 69.59%, 61.07% and 61.68%, compared to 52.62%, 37.96 and 44.30% using ZnO/Ag in acidic mine drainage, alkaline mine drainage and sewage wastewater for 60 min under solar irradiation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-022-00271-7Heterogeneous photocatalystBand gapAcidic mine drainageAlkaline mine drainagePAHs |
| spellingShingle | Jean Bedel Batchamen Mougnol Frans Waanders Seteno Karabo Obed Ntwampe Elvis Fosso-Kankeu Ali Rashed Al Alili Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants Environmental Systems Research Heterogeneous photocatalyst Band gap Acidic mine drainage Alkaline mine drainage PAHs |
| title | Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants |
| title_full | Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants |
| title_fullStr | Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants |
| title_short | Synthesis of eco-friendly ZnO-based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants |
| title_sort | synthesis of eco friendly zno based heterophotocatalysts with enhanced properties under visible light in the degradation of organic pollutants |
| topic | Heterogeneous photocatalyst Band gap Acidic mine drainage Alkaline mine drainage PAHs |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-022-00271-7 |
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