Synthesis of ZnO immobilized on recycled polyethylene terephtalate for sonocatalytic removal of Cr(VI) from synthetic, drinking waters and electroplating wastewater

Abstract

In this study, Cr(VI) was removed sonocatalytically by the zinc oxide nanoparticle coated with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabricated through a facile co-precipitation method. The crystal structure, functional groups on the surface, morphology, surface composition and oxidation states of the nanomaterials were investigated by XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX and XPS techniques. Environmental parameters including solution pH, catalyst dose, hexavalent chromium concentration, H2O2 content, purging gases, organic compounds and type and anions strength on the sonotocatalytic removal of Cr(VI) were also investigated. Additionally, the contribution of each process, reusability, Cr(VI) reduction from actual water and electroplating wastewater were evaluated. Under the optimal conditions, [Cr(VI)]0=20 mg/L, nanocomposite loading=1.6 g/L and pH=5, 99.92% of Cr(VI) was removed within 60 min. By increaing, Cr(VI) concentration (5–50 mg/L), kobs decreased to values between 0.1498 and 0.0063 min−1 and the calculated electrical energy per order (EEo) increased from 148.68 to 3535.24 kWh.m−3, respectively. The presence of purging gases, organic compounds and ionic strength negatively affected Cr(VI) reduction. Examination of radical scavengers showed that the most active radicals in Cr(VI) removal were O2•− and h+. The removal of the Cr(VI) using the US/ZnO-PET method (99.92%) was higher than that of the US/ZnO method (70.78%). The catalyst activity was well maintained up to eight consecutive cycles. In addition, the removal efficiency was approximately 72.23 and 68.55% for drinking water and real electroplating wastewater samples, respectively. The results of toxicity in the sonotocatalytic removal of Cr(VI) by Daphnia magna showed LC50 and toxicity unit (TU) 48 h, which was equal to 81.46 and 1.227 vol percent.