Photocatalytic Degradation of Gentian Violet Using Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

This research was carried out to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of Gentian Violet dye using doped zinc oxide nanoparticles as catalyst. The photocatalysis was carried out under UV-irradiation and in dark which serves as control. The morphological structures of nanomaterials were investiged by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The absorption spectra wavelength and absorption edge wavelength of the as-synthesized photocatalyst was determined by UV- Visible spectrophotometer. The effect of catalyst dosage on the degradation process was assessed by varying the catalyst from 0.1-0.4g/100ml. Results reveal catalysts doses of ZnO nanoparticles 0.3g/100ml dose with the percentage degradation (ZC 71.5%, ANZ 94.5%, AZ 76.5%, NZ 91.2%) as the most suitable catalyst dosage for degrading GV under UV irradiation at 120 mins time. The result also shows that the highest percentage of photocatalytic degradation was achieved using silver-nitrogen co-doped zinc oxide photocatalyst (ANZ) both under solar and Uv irradiation. Under solar irradiation NZ tend to give better degradation than (AZ). Photocatalytic degradation in the dark is negligible. Degradation of gentian violet dye in the absence of light was performed to demonstrate that the presence of light and catalyst was essential for the photo degradation to occur.