Abstract
The photocatalytic reduction of Cu (II), Pb (II), Cd (II) and Cr (VI) ions in aqueous solution has been investigated. The photocatalyst utilized was nano titanium dioxide, composed of 80% anatase and 20% rutile; the UV light source was a 15 W UV bulb with a wavelength of 254 nm. The results obtained indicated a reduction efficiency order as follows; Cr6+ > Cu2+ > Pb2+ > Cd2+. It was observed that these results correlate with the respective reduction potentials of the metal ions. The effect of pH on the photocatalytic reduction of the metal ions was also carried out and results obtained indicated that with the exception of Cr (VI) ions, higher percentage removal of metal ions from their aqueous solution was recorded at alkaline pH than at acidic pH. This was attributed to an extensive formation of precipitate by the metal ions at alkaline pH. Kinetic studies revealed that the removal of metal ions from their solutions largely followed the pseudo- first-order kinetics. Therefore, the results of this study will be useful in metal ion removal from industrial waste water using photocatalytic process.
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