Microwave-induced carbon nanotubes catalytic degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous solution

In this study, a new catalytic degradation technology using microwave induced carbon nanotubes (MW/CNTs) was proposed and applied in the treatment of organic pollutants in aqueous solution. The catalytic activity of three CNTs of 10-20nm, 20-40nm, and 40-60nm diameters were compared. The results showed that organic pollutants such as methyl orange (MO), methyl parathion (MP), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), bisphenol A (BPA), and methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution could be degraded effectively and rapidly in MW/CNTs system. CNTs with diameter of 10-20nm exhibited the highest catalytic activity of the three CNTs under MW irradiation. Further, complete degradation was obtained using 10-20nm CNTs within 7.0min irradiation when 25mL MO solution (25mg/L), 1.2g/L catalyst dose, 450W, 2450MHz, and pH=6.0 were applied. The rate constants (k) for the degradation of SDBS, MB, MP, MO and BPA using 10-20nm CNTs/MW system were 0.726, 0.679, 0.463, 0.334 and 0.168min(-1), respectively. Therefore, this technology may have potential application for the treatment of targeted organic pollutants in wastewaters.