Abstract

Photocatalytic Degradation of Textile Dye Wastewater Using Green Synthesized Ag/ZnO Nano-Composite Catalyst Under Solar Radiation

Author(s): Wudneh A. Shewa, V. Gunasekar, V. Ponnusami and Jerald A. Lalman

A solar active photocatalyst (Ag/ZnO) was synthesized and optimization of the photocatalytic degradation of textile dye bath effluent using the synthesized catalyst was performed by the Taguchi experimental design method. The optimum factor values for maximum percentage COD removal were: initial dye bath effluent concentration - 500 mg L-1, Ag/ZnO concentration - 1000 mg L-1 and irradiation time - 90 min. Under optimized conditions percent COD removed from the dye bath effluent was 60.2 ± 8.3%. These results could serve as a basis for the future development of a sustainable and eco-friendly method to treat pollutants in textile dye effluents using a pilot-scale facility.