Photocatalytic removal of C.I. Basic Red 46 using TiO2nanoparticles immobilized on glass beads

C.I. Basic Red 46, commonly used as a textile dye, could be photocatalytically removed using supported TiO2 nanoparticles irradiated by a UV lamp. All the experiments were performed in a batch reactor equipped with a 30 W UV-C lamp emitted around 254 nm. The investigated photocatalyst was industrial Degussa P25 (crystallites mean size 21 nm) immobilized on glass beads by a heat attachment method. The catalyst was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, BET techniques. The process of the dye decolorization in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles was experimentally studied through changing the initial dye concentration, UV light intensity and initial pH. The effect of pH on the rate of decolorization efficiency was followed in the pH range 3.5-11. Basic pH range was found to favor the decolorization efficiency. The decolorization of BR46 follows pseudo-first order kinetic according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The values k1 and k2 were found to be 0.273 mg l-1 min-1 and 0.313 (mg l-1)-1, respectively.

Keywords:

TiO2 Nanoparticles , Photocatalysis , Wastewater Treatment , Textile Dye