Graduate Program
Chemistry
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
2010
Thesis Director
Jon Blitz
Thesis Committee Member
Daniel Sheeran
Thesis Committee Member
Sean Peebles
Thesis Committee Member
Svetlana Mitrovski
Abstract
Organic contaminants specially dyes, presents in water is a major environmental problem. Organic compounds can be degraded completely in the presence of photocatalysts and UV radiation. The kinetics of degradation of three dyes was studied using a variety of UV photocatalytic materials. The dyes (methylene blue, malachite green, chrysodoine R) were chosen based on their polarity differences. Catalysts consisting of pure TiO2, mixed oxides of TiO2 containing SiO2, and others containing SiO2 and iron oxide, SiO2/ ZrO2/ CeO2, and CeO2/SiO2 were studied. The TiO2/ SiO2 and SiO2/ZrO2/CeO2 catalysts exhibited the highest degradation rates for methylene blue. The more hydrophobic pure TiO2 catalyst showed a greater degradation rate for the hydrophobic dyes malachite green and chrysoidine R than for hydrophilic methylene blue. The more hydrophilic TiO2/SiO2 catalyst showed a great degradation rate for methylene blue than for the hydrophobic dyes malachite green and chrysoidine R. These degradation rates also correlate with the amount of dye physically adsorbed to the catalyst surface and the adsorption properties of the surface.
The TiO2 coated SiO2 materials and the SiO2/ZrO2/CeO2 catalysts showed the highest degradation rates for methylene blue. Low concentrations (
Recommended Citation
Bandaranayake, Bimali, "Degradation Of Organic Matter In Water In The Presence Of Catalyst And Uv Radiation" (2010). Masters Theses. 77.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/77
