Abstract
Background: Volatile organic compounds are the major environmental pollutants causing adverse effects on the human health and the environment, therefore, tremendous effort has been put toward eliminating these compounds. Methods: In this study, the effect of synthesized nanoparticles on the removal of styrene from gas phase by photocatalytic process under UV irradiation in the cylindrical photoreactor was studied. The activated carbon-zinc oxide (AC-ZnO) catalysts were prepared at different weight ratios (6%, 12%, and 18%) of ZnO. The prepared catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The effects of various parameters, such as concentrations of styrene, various weight percentage (wt%) of nanoparticles, and UV irradiation, were investigated. The efficiency of the AC-ZnO catalyst was determined based on its adsorption capacity, breakthrough time, and removal efficiency. Results: It was revealed that the photocatalytic removal efficiency of styrene was high in the presence of both ZnO nanoparticle and AC under UV light. Under optimal conditions, the efficiency of UV/ACZnO 18%, UV/AC-ZnO 12%, and UV/AC-ZnO 6% catalysts was 77%, 86%, and 83%, respectively. By increasing the concentration of input styrene, the photocatalytic removal efficiency was reduced, while the adsorption capacity of styrene increased. Conclusion: According to the results, the AC-ZnO 12% exhibited higher activity compared to other photocatalysts. Also, the amount of stabilized ZnO nanoparticles on the activated carbon affects the elimination rate of styrene.
Highlights
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the major pollutants released from various industrial processes [1]
The results showed that the stabilization of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the activated carbon reduced the styrene adsorption
The results indicated that activated carbon-zinc oxide (AC-ZnO) 12% in the presence of UV irradiation more effectively removed styrene because styrene adsorbed by activated carbon (AC) in the composite ACZnO could be continuously decomposed by UV in the presence of the ZnO photocatalyst on the composite
Summary
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the major pollutants released from various industrial processes [1]. Volatile organic compounds are the major environmental pollutants causing adverse effects on the human health and the environment, tremendous effort has been put toward eliminating these compounds. Methods: In this study, the effect of synthesized nanoparticles on the removal of styrene from gas phase by photocatalytic process under UV irradiation in the cylindrical photoreactor was studied. The activated carbon-zinc oxide (AC-ZnO) catalysts were prepared at different weight ratios (6%, 12%, and 18%) of ZnO. Results: It was revealed that the photocatalytic removal efficiency of styrene was high in the presence of both ZnO nanoparticle and AC under UV light. The amount of stabilized ZnO nanoparticles on the activated carbon affects the elimination rate of styrene. Removal of styrene by the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles coated on the activated carbon adsorbent in the presence of UV irradiation.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have