The practical utility of the synthesis FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 magnetic nanoparticles as an efficient photocatalyst for the humic acid degradation

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 239; p. 124723
• Main Authors: Khodadadi, Maryam, Al-Musawi, Tariq J., Kamani, Hossein, Silva, Marcela Fernandes, Panahi, Ayat Hossein
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Degradation; Environmental parameters; FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles; Humic acid; Kinetics; Photocatalytic reactions; Degradation; Kinetics; Photocatalytic reactions; Environmental parameters; FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles; Humic acid
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124723

Humic acid (HA) compounds in drinking water and wastewater disinfection processes are viewed as precursors of highly toxic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic disinfection by-product chemicals. In recent times, these compounds have gained considerable attention of scientists for their successful removal from aqueous solutions to permissible limits. To achieve this aim, the present study investigated, for the first time, the photocatalytical performance of the synthesis FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles for the HA degradation under different environmental conditions. The photocatalytic reactions were performed using ultraviolet (UV) radiation, whose intensity was fixed at 2500 μW/cm2 throughout the experimental study. The characterization study performed, using specific diagnostic techniques, revealed the presence of several good morphological, magnetic, and catalytic specifications of the synthesized nanoparticles. The use of the simplified form of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation sufficiently describes the experimental data of the HA kinetic degradation, as it shows a high coefficient of regression values. Furthermore, the complete HA degradation was reached under conditions of pH = 3; initial HA concentration = 10 mg/L; FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles dosage = 0.01 g/L; and reaction time >30 min. Thus, the results obtained from this research suggested that the catalyst of FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles was an attractive, novel, and effective agent, which could be used for the degradation of HA in the photocatalytic processes. [Display omitted] •FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles are, for the first time, used for humic acid degradation.•FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 nanoparticles possess unique photocatalytic characterization.•The degradation efficiency of humic acid reached 100% under optimized conditions.•The kinetic degradation could be explained using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model.•The performance of FeNi3@SiO2@TiO2 catalyst proves its efficacy in HA removal.