Microwave-enhanced Fenton-like degradation by surface-modified metal–organic frameworks as a promising method for removal of dye from aqueous samples

Abstract

In the current research, the sulfonated metal–organic framework loaded on iron oxide nanoparticles, Fe3O4 @MIL-100(Fe)-OSO3H, has been synthesized and utilized as a Fenton-like catalyst for the decolorization of aqueous solutions containing methyl orange (MO) dye as a model organic pollutant. The morphology and structure of the catalyst were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, thermo-gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The effects of various parameters on MO degradation were investigated and the optimum conditions for MO degradation were found to be an initial concentration of MO of 100 mg/L, initial concentration of H2O2 of 40 mg/L, pH 3.0, and microwave power of 500 W. The results indicated that the removal of the MO was fast; the kinetic data followed a pseudo first-order model and under microwave irradiation time of 6 min it degraded up to 99.9%. Thus, microwave-induced Fenton-like degradation using Fe3O4 @MIL-100(Fe)-OSO3H is a promising technology for the removal of dye from wastewater.