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Alternative natural dyes in water purification: Anthocyanin as TiO2-sensitizer in methyl orange photo-degradation

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Fri, 2013-03-01 22:55 — Nidal Zatar
Journal Title, Volume, Page: 
Solid State Sciences, 13, (2011) 1268-1275
Year of Publication: 
2011
Link: 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1293255811001051
Authors: 
Nidal Zaatar
Semiconductor & Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SSERL), Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, PO Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
Current Affiliation: 
Semiconductor & Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SSERL), Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, PO Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
[email protected]
Ahed Zyoud
Semiconductor & Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SSERL), Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, PO Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
Iyad Saadeddin
Semiconductor & Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SSERL), Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, PO Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
Muath H. Helal
Semiconductor & Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SSERL), Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, PO Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
Guy Campet
Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux (ICMCB), 87 Avenue du Dr. A Schweitzer, 33608 Pessac, France
Moulki Hakim
Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux (ICMCB), 87 Avenue du Dr. A Schweitzer, 33608 Pessac, France
DaeHoon Park
R&D Center, Dansuk Industrial Co., Ltd., #1239-5, Jeongwang-Dong, Shiheung-Si, Kyonggi-Do, South Korea
Hikmat S. Hilal
Semiconductor & Solar Energy Research Laboratory (SSERL), Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, PO Box 7, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine
Preferred Abstract (Original): 

Natural molecular dye, anthocyanin, is described here as safe sensitizer for TiO2 particles in photo-degradation of organic contaminants in water. The dye is a promising replacement for the more costly and hazardous heavy metal based systems, such as CdS particles and Ru-compounds. TiO2/anthocyanin effectively catalyzed the photo-degradation of methyl orange contaminant under solar simulator radiation. The new TiO2/anthocyanin catalyst showed comparable efficiency to earlier systems, while avoiding their hazardous nature. When supported onto activated carbon (AC) particles, the resulting AC/TiO2/anthocyanin system showed enhanced efficiency and ease of recovery from the catalytic reaction mixture. The natural dye molecules showed the tendency to degrade under photo-degradation conditions, just like earlier hazardous sensitizers. However, complete mineralization of anthocyanin occurred leaving no traces of organic species in solution. Sensitizer degradation caused deactivation of the supported catalyst on recovery. Such a shortcoming was overcome by re-treatment of the recovered catalysts with fresh dye.

Effects of different reaction parameters on the catalyst efficiency were studied. A mechanism, similar to earlier CdS-sensitized catalyst systems, is proposed for the TiO2/anthocyanin catalyst.