Synergistic photo-fenton degradation of methylene blue using Fe-Ti bimetal oxide nanoparticles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1747404Keywords:
Fe-Ti bimetal oxide, nanoparticles, methylene blue, photocatalysis, photo fentonAbstract
The present study addresses the urgent need for efficient treatment of dye-polluted wastewater, particularly methylene blue (MB), which is a prevalent pollutant in the textile industry and poses serious environmental hazards. The main objective was to synthesise Fe-Ti bimetal oxide (FeTiO₂) nanoparticles via the co-precipitation method and evaluate their performance in degrading MB under laboratory conditions. The nanoparticles were characterised using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope – Energy Dispersive Spectra (SEM-EDS), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Different batch experiments were conducted in the laboratory to check the efficiency of the synthesised nanoparticles in reducing the MB concentrations using Fenton and modified photo-Fenton reactions. The results revealed that the synthesised nanoparticles showed improved reduction kinetics for modified photo-Fenton reactions, with a k value of 0.719 min-1 compared to only the Fenton reaction with a k value of 0.389 min-1. The reactions followed pseudo-first-order reduction. The mechanism of accelerated electron transfer due to the synergistic effect of ultraviolet light and FeTiO2/H2O2 in modified photo-Fenton reactions could be attributed to the higher reduction potential. The reappearance of MB was not observed in post-experimental samples, suggesting that MB was completely degraded into simple end products such as CO2, water, sulphates, and nitrate. The present study demonstrates the practical potential of FeTiO₂ nanoparticles for efficient and eco-friendly treatment of textile industry wastewater in real-world applications.
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