Study of the impact of combination of ZnO nanoparticles with ultraviolet radiation (photocatalytic process) on the removal of anionic surfactant linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS) from aqueous solutions using Taguchi statistical method

Abstract

AbstractSurfactants or surface-active agents are molecules with hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail. They have been widely used as active ingredient in soap and detergent formulations. Detergents are synthetic, organic materials with cleansing and dissolution properties. Among the anionic surfactants, linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS) has the highest consumption and is used in high concentrations in household detergents as washing powders, dishwashing liquids, and other household cleaners. LAS can have an impact of inhibiting the biological activity in the soil, which plays an important role in soil fertility and nutrient cycles. Removing pollutants in advanced oxidation processes is mainly based on producing the hydroxyl free radicals with potential high oxidation as well as the fact that many organic compounds can be converted into minerals. In the past two decades, photocatalyzing by semiconducting materials such as zinc oxide (ZnO) has received much attention due to its high sensitivity, high sta...