Improved photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet dye and pathogenic bacteria using g-C3N4 supported phosphotungstic acid heterojunction

Abstract

The g-C3N4/PTA photocatalyst composite was prepared by immobilizing high redox ability phosphotungstic acid (PTA) as an efficient acceptor of photogenerated electrons, on metal-free graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The photocatalytic property of g-C3N4/PTA composite was tested by photodegradation of methyl violet (MV) dye as a simulated organic contaminant in water. In presence of visible light illumination, the results showed high MV degradation (95.63 %) has been incredibly achieved after short irradiation time and at specific conditions (g-C3N4/PTA photocatalyst dose = 0.5 g/l, pH = 6.8 and MV dye concentration = 10 ppm). Antibacterial results exhibited that the synthesized g-C3N4/PTA heterostructure had high ability to decrease the density of E. coli pathogenic bacterium after 180 min of visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic degradation activities were attributed to the impact of synergistic of PTA and g-C3N4 in the synthesized hybrid, which increases the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes.