PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF PHENOL WASTEWATER USING TiO 2 -PRECIPITATED CALCIUM CARBONATE COMPOSITE

Abstract

Degradation of phenol wastewater by photocatalytic process using TiO 2 -PCC nanocomposite has been carried out in the batch photo-reactor system equipped with UV lamps. TiO 2 -PCC nanocomposites were synthesized from commercial TiO 2 nanoparticles (Degussa P25) and local PCC (Padang and Yogyakarta). Each PCC was to be combined with TiO 2 by weight ratio composition of PCC:TiO 2 at 0:100, 20:80, 90:10, and 100:0. TiO 2 -PCC nanocomposites have been synthesized and characterized by XRD (X-Ray Diffractometer), PSA (Particle Size Analyzer), and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The results showed that the PCC vaterite showed a better performance than any other types of PCC. In TiO 2 -PCC composite, the PCC is more dominant to take role as a support (rather than adsorbent). PCC was unable to decrease the concentration of phenolwastes, but the degradation performance increased sharply with small amount of TiO 2 addition. 10% TiO 2 -PCC vaterite nanocomposite were able to perfectly degrade of 10 ppm phenol solution in about 80 minutes. The use of PCC as a support for TiO 2 were also considered to have an added value in term of catalyst separation from the wastewater system at the end of the reaction, because TiO 2 -PCC tends to form deposits so that it would be easier to separate catalyst from treated pollutant solution. Keywords: Adsorption, Photocatalysis, Phenol, Precipitated calcium carbonate, TiO 2.