Development of composite catalyst containing renewable biochar blended with zinc oxide and copper diphenyl amine for visible light photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

IntroductionEffective wastewater management remains a significant challenge in Pakistan, with conventional methods often falling short in addressing the release of harmful pollutants into water bodies.MethodThis study explores the use of a novel composite photocatalyst combining biochar, zinc oxide...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aroosha Saif, Syeda Itrat Rizvi, Zarneen Shaukat, Mamoona Saif, Sobia Tabassum, Rizwan Khalid, Fahad Javed, Nazih Y. Rebouh, Faiza Hassan, Qamar uz Zaman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1500907/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:IntroductionEffective wastewater management remains a significant challenge in Pakistan, with conventional methods often falling short in addressing the release of harmful pollutants into water bodies.MethodThis study explores the use of a novel composite photocatalyst combining biochar, zinc oxide (ZnO), and copper diphenylamine (Cu-DPA) to improve wastewater treatment under visible light. The composite was prepared by varying the Cu-DPA content in ZnO, with ratios of 50%, 40%, 30%, and 17%, alongside standard biochar ZnO and Cu-DPA formulations. Characterization techniques, including FTIR, XRD, and UV-visible spectroscopy were used to analyze the composite's properties. Photocatalytic performance was assessed by degrading Methylene Blue, a common dye pollutant, under visible light.ResultsThe results showed that while ZnO alone achieved 78% degradation, the composites with different Cu-DPA ratios demonstrated varying efficiencies, with the biochar-enhanced ZnO/Cu-DPA composite achieving the highest degradation rate of 97% in 80 min.DiscussionThis composite exhibited good reusability over seven cycles. This research highlights the potential of the biochar ZnO/Cu-DPA composite as an effective, eco-friendly solution for wastewater treatment, offering significant improvements in photocatalytic performance and sustainability.
ISSN:2571-581X