Photodegradation of Phenol Using TiO2, ZnO and TiO2/ZnO Catalysts in an Annular Reactor

Journal article

Authors / Editors

Ochieng, Aoyi

Research Areas

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Publication Details

Author list: Brooms TJ, Onyango MS, Ochieng A

Publisher: ALLERTON PRESS INC

Place: NEW YORK

Publication year: 2017

Journal acronym: J WATER CHEM TECHNO+

Volume number: 39

Issue number: 3

Start page: 155

End page: 160

Number of pages: 6

ISSN: 1063-455X

eISSN: 1934-936X

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

In recent years the incorporation of ZnO as a semiconductor into other catalysts, for enhancing photodegradation processes, has gained attention. This paper describes the synthesis of a blend of metal oxide (TiO2/ZnO) photocatalyst and subsequent testing of the catalyst for the degradation of phenol in an annular photoreactor. The concentration of phenol before and after degradation was determined using Ultra-Violet-Spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Calcined TiO2/ZnO composite material with a mass loading ratio of 1: 1 exhibited the highest percentage phenol removal compared to the unblended TiO2 and ZnO systems at pH 7.2 and temperature of 25 degrees C. It was shown that about 98% phenol degradation could be achieved at initial phenol concentration of 10; 20 and 50 ppm, except for 100 ppm which gave less than 50% degradation. Thus, TiO2/ZnO blend as photocatalyst can be used for degradation of phenol in water. The pseudo-first order reaction kinetics fitted well the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model in almost all concentration ranges tested.

Keywords

Annular reactor, phenol, photocatalytic degradation, Semiconductors

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