Alginate@ZnCO₂O₄ for efficient peroxymonosulfate activation towards effective rhodamine B degradation: optimization...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Advanced oxidation processes are crucial for degrading persistent organic pollutants.
• Peroxy-monosulfate (PMS) activation is a promising method for pollutant degradation.
• Developing efficient and stable PMS activators is essential for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel ZnCo2O4/alginate composite as an effective PMS activator.
• To optimize the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) using the synthesized catalyst and PMS.
• To investigate the catalytic performance, stability, and reusability of the ZnCo2O4/alginate catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Facile chemical synthesis of ZnCo2O4/alginate composite.
• Characterization using FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, and TEM.
• Optimization of RhB degradation using Box-Behnken Design (BBD) based Response Surface Methodology (RSM).
• Radical quenching tests to elucidate the degradation mechanism.

Main Results:

• The ZnCo2O4/alginate catalyst was successfully synthesized and characterized.
• Optimal conditions for RhB degradation (98% efficacy) were determined: 1 g/L PMS, 1 g/L catalyst, 25 mg/L RhB, 40 min.
• The catalyst exhibited excellent stability and reusability over multiple cycles.
• Quenching studies confirmed the significant role of sulfate (SO4•−) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals.

Conclusions:

• ZnCo2O4/alginate is a highly effective and stable catalyst for PMS-based degradation of RhB.
• BBD-RSM provides a robust framework for optimizing catalytic processes.
• The study highlights the potential of composite materials for environmental remediation applications.