Photocatalytic degradation of dye by a copper(II) Schiff base metal complex under visible light irradiation

Abstract

The Schiff base ligand and its metal complexes with divalent transition metal ions viz., Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been synthesized and characterized through melting point and spectral analysis such as IR, 1HNMR, 13C NMR, and GC-MS. The mononuclear complexes have a 1:2 metal to ligand mole ratio, and the metal (II) ions are coordinated with the atoms of phenolic oxygen and imine nitrogen. In this study, a Cu(II) complex was applied as a heterogeneous photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of Naphthol Blue Black dye (NBB) under visible light irradiation. Different parameters such as effect of light irradiation time, catalyst concentration, dye concentration, presence of oxidizing agent H2O2 and pH conditions were used to analyze the photocatalytic activities of Cu(II) complex. The results revealed that Cu(II) complex exhibits outstanding potential for realistic use in removing organic contaminants and pollutants for the treatment of authentic effluents from waste water.