A study on the degradation efficiency and mechanisms of ethyl violet by HPLC–PDA–ESI–MS and GC–MS

Abstract

This study employed HPLC–PDA–ESI–MS analysis to characterize the mechanisms underlying the degradation of ethyl violet dyes. A nanostructural ZnO film was fabricated on the surface of the Zn foil of Alkaline-Manganese dioxide–Zinc Cells through a simple oxidation reaction in aqueous solution at room temperature. Our results indicate that the ZnO nanostructure/Zn-foil has outstanding potential for future applications in the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. The nanostructural polycrystalline ZnO was characterized using XRD, SEM, and XPS. To identify the underlying mechanism involved in ZnO/Zn-assisted degradation of EV dye, we separated and characterized 26 intermediates using HPLC–PDA–ESI–MS and GC–MS. Specifics related to the quantities of the intermediates provide an indication of possible degradation pathways associated with the decolorization of EV dyes.