Preparation of Ni loaded TiO2 photocatalyst for photodegradation of phenanthrene in water and soil

Abstract

This research focused on the impregnation, characterization, and application of TiO2 and Ni-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts for the treatment of phenanthrene (PHEN), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) chemical and pollutant found in water and soil sources. The synthesis and integration of well-crystallized Ni nanoparticles in the TiO2 matrix are indicated by XRD and FE-SEM studies. The optical analysis revealed that trace embedding of Ni in the TiO2 matrix resulted in a reduced energy absorption edge, with Eg values of 3.19 and 3.04 eV for TiO2 and Ni-loaded TiO2, respectively. When compared to TiO2, electrochemical tests revealed that Ni-loaded TiO2 had a lower electrochemical impedance to charge transport and a lower rate of charge recombination. The photocatalytic performance of TiO2 and Ni-loaded TiO2 for the degradation of 100 ml of 1 mg/l PHEN solution showed that after 55 and 40 minutes of simulated sunlight illumination, respectively, the Ni-loaded TiO2 had 100% removal efficiency, demonstrating that the Ni-loaded TiO2 presented a higher photocatalytic efficiency than various reported photocatalysts in the literature for the treatment of PHEN due to the creation of intermediate states in the semiconductor’s energy band-gap and efficient separation of electron–hole pairs. The ability of Ni-loaded TiO2 to treat PHEN in prepared genuine samples of soil and industrial wastewater was investigated, and the results demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed photocatalyst in the treatment of PHEN in both industrial wastewater and soil.