Original Research Article
Year: 2015 | Month: June | Volume: 2 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 343-347
Optimization of Photocatalytic Degradation of Reactive Blue Dye Using Zinc Oxide Catalyst
Loum Janani, Kanwezi Henry, Kamalha Edwine
Department of Textile and Ginning Engineering, Busitema University, PO Box 236, Tororo, Uganda.
Corresponding Author: Loum Janani
ABSTRACT
In this study, parameters for photocatalytic oxidation of reactive blue dye with zinc oxide as photo catalyst was optimized. Dye solution (10 mg/l) was used to contact with the zinc oxide catalyst under UV light at various reaction conditions viz; contact time; pH; and catalyst dose. The degradation of the dye was followed by measurement of absorbance of the solution using a UV Spectrophotometer adjusted at a maximum wavelength (λmax) of 629 nm with distilled water as the blank. The optimum conditions established for degradation were; catalyst dose of 5.0 g/l, a neutral pH of solution at 7.0, and contact time of 180 minutes (3.0 hours).
Keywords: photocatalytic, oxidation, photocatalyst, degradation, reactive blue dye.