Synthesis of a Novel Photocatalyst Based on Silicotitanate Nanoparticles for the Removal of Some Organic Matter from Polluted Water

Abstract

The use of waste from various agricultural sectors has recently drawn increased interest from the scientific, technological, ecological, economic, and social fields. As such, in this study, a novel production of an affordable and environmentally friendly photocatalyst of silicotitanate (S1, S2, and S3) made from silica solution (extracted from rice husk ash) and various molar ratios of titanium (IV) 2-ethylhexyl-oxide is reported. Following that, chitosan/silicotitanate (CHMix) nanocomposite material was created through a crosslinking reaction between chitosan and fabricated silicotitanate (S2). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), as well as N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and zeta potential measurements were used to characterize each of the fabricated samples. Additionally, in comparison to neat chitosan, the newly fabricated material’s (CHMix) photocatalytic reactivity was investigated using two synthetic anionic dyes, reactive blue and Congo red, with decolorization rates of up to 95.76% and 99.9%, respectively. The decolorization results showed that CHMix is the most efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of reactive blue and Congo red. Reactive blue and Congo red’s molecular structures were almost completely broken when equilibrium was reached using sunlight, and the decolorization rate for both dyes was close to 100%. As a result, the combination of chitosan and silicotitanate, or CHMix, has an effective photocatalytic capability for dye degradation in both natural and concentrated sunlight.

Aquatic assessment of the chelating ability of Silica-stabilized magnetite nanocomposite to lead nitrate toxicity with emphasis to their impact on hepatorenal, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, histopathological, and bioaccumulation parameters in Oreochromis niloticus and Clarias gariepinus

“…The (SiO 2 /Fe 3 O 4 ) NPs were prepared through the hydrolysis of a silica solution obtained from rice husk [ 33 ] using the sol-gel phenomenon. This process combined 50 ml of ethanol with 0.2 g of previously prepared magnetite nanoparticles.…”

In situ green synthesis of hybrid lead nanoparticles encased in phytochemicals for antimicrobial applications

“…The ex situ methodology is a two‐phase process that involves the synthesis of nanoparticles followed by their immobilization onto a compound surface. To ensure a strong bond, the surface must be functionalized with materials such as alginate, silica, polyacrylamide, or polyvinyl alcohol 15–17 …”

Influence of ozone supply mode and aeration on photocatalytic ozonation of organic pollutants in wastewater using TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles

“…Among these, metal nano oxides are the most common semiconducting photocatalysts due to their significant specific surface area, broad solar spectrum absorption, chemical stability, non-toxicity, abundance, and cheapness. Recent research has introduced various inorganic semiconductor nanomaterials, including ZnO, ZnS, Wo 2 , CdS, SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , and ZrO 2 as efficient photocatalysts [ 37 ]. The most commonly used photocatalysts are ZnO and TiO 2 , which are non-toxic, cheap, and photochemically stable, and are commercially available in different crystalline forms and particle properties.…”