Degradation of Nitroaromatic Pollutant by Titanium dioxide/Zinc Phthalocyanine: Study of the Influencing Factors

Abstract

This study suggests that Effective photocatalyst ZnPc/TiO2 based in the association between a semiconductor titanium dioxide TiO2 and zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) can be applied successfully for the photocatalytic degradation of 4-Nitrophenol that has been classified as first-degree toxic pollutants. ZnPc/TiO2 composite was prepared. Complete degradation was achieved after irradiation with solar light. Zinc phthalocyanine and ZnPc/TiO2 photocatalyst were synthesized. The effect of various parameters, such as photocatalyst loading, 4-Nitrophenol concentration, type of catalyst, pH of aqueous solution, type current gas and addition of H2O2 on photocatalytic oxidation were investigated. The degree of mineralization was tested by Total Organic Carbon experiment indicating that 4-Nitrophenol was completely mineralized. This composite ZnPc/TiO2 is able to perform efficiently degradation of 4-nitrophenol using solar irradiation. anhydride (≥99%), ammonium chloride (≥99.5 %), urea (95%), ammonium molybdate (99,98 %), zinc acetate (≥99 %), ethanol (≥99.5 %), nitrobenzene (≥99.0 %), methanol (≥99 %), dimethylformamide (DMF) ( 99.8 %), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) (≥99.7 %), NaOH (≥98 %), H2SO4 (95.0-98.0%) were commercially purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Germany). The pH of the solution was adjusted before irradiation using NaOH or H2SO4.