Title : Combining Biochar with Metal Oxides for Improved Water Disinfection: A Study on Photodegradation of Methyl Orange
Abstract:
The objective of water disinfection is a crucial step towards improving global health quality. Methyl orange (MO), a commonly used anionic azo dye, poses a significant health risk due to its carcinogenic and toxic properties. To address this issue, cost-effective and highly efficient methods for water disinfection are necessary. Photodegradation is a promising approach that can effectively remove contaminants without creating secondary contaminants. The use of solid carbons such as biochar can enhance the efficiency of photodegradation. However, pure biochar has limited chemical functionality, and may not effectively remove dyes from wastewater. Combining biochar with metal oxides (MO) can provide multiple benefits, such as an increased number of functional groups, more pore structure, and a larger surface area, resulting in higher adsorption capacitance. Metal oxides, such as TiO2 and ZnO, have high photocatalytic activity and have been used as photocatalysts for the last three decades. In this study, TiO2/BC, and ZnO/BC nanocomposite photocatalysts were prepared by sol-gel and hydrothermal autoclave methods to degrade MO from wastewater. The results demonstrate the potential of these composites for effective water disinfection.
