A magnetically retrievable ferrocene
appended supported ionic liquid
phase (SILP) photocatalyst containing a molybdate anion has been synthesized
and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction,
energy dispersive spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer
analysis. The optical properties of the photocatalyst were probed
by photoluminescence and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.
The discharge of undesirable dye effluents from textile industrial
plants in the environment is the major concern of environmental pollution
and toxicity. In this context, we employed the as-prepared SILP photocatalyst
for degradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV light (365 nm) irradiation,
and subsequently, recycling studies were performed. The histological
alteration in gills of the fish is employed as a tool for monitoring
toxins in the environment. In view of this, the histo-toxicological
assessment on freshwater fish Tilapia mossambica gills asserted the damage of secondary gill lamellae due to MO.
Conversely, structural modifications in the gill architecture were
not observed by virtue of photodegraded products confirming that the
degraded product is nontoxic in nature. Additionally, the normal behavior
of fishes on exposure to photodegraded products reveals that research
findings are beneficial for the aquatic ecosystem.