Removal of dibutyl phthalate from aqueous environments using a nanophotocatalytic Fe, Ag-ZnO/VIS-LED system: modeling and optimization. Issue 12 (18th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Akbari-Adergani, B.; Saghi, M. H.; Eslami, A.; Mohseni-Bandpei, A.; Rabbani, M.
• Is Part Of: Environmental technology. Volume 39:Issue 12(2018)
• Page Start: 1566
• Page End: 1576
• Publication Date: 2018-06-18
• Subjects: (Fe, Ag) co-doped ZnO -- Dibutyl phthalate -- visible-LED -- optimization -- RSM; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; 628.05
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2017.1332693
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-3330

Abstract

ABSTRACT: An (Fe, Ag) co-doped ZnO nanostructure was synthesized by a simple chemical co-precipitation method and used for the degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in aqueous solution under visible light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation. (Fe, Ag) co-doped ZnO nanorods were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, elemental mapping, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis. A Central Composite Design was used to optimize the reaction parameters for the removal of DBP by the (Fe, Ag) co-doped ZnO nanorods. The four main reaction parameters optimized in this study were the following: pH, time of radiation, concentration of the nanorods and initial DBP concentration. The interaction between the four parameters was studied and modeled using the Design Expert 10 software. A maximum reduction of 95% of DBP was achieved at a pH of 3, a photocatalyst concentration of 150 mg L −1 and a DBP initial DBP concentration of 15 mg L −1 . The results showed that the (Fe, Ag) co-doped ZnO nanorods under low power LED irradiation can be used as an effective photocatalyst for the removal of DBP from aqueous solutions.