Incorporated ZnO onto nano clinoptilolite particles as the active centers in the photodegradation of phenylhydrazine

ZnO was incorporated into nano particles of clinoptiloite by ion exchanging the zeolite in a zinc nitrate aqueous solution followed by calcinations process. All raw and modified samples were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, DRS, TG-DTG, SEM, BET and TEM. The prepared catalyst was used in the photocatalytic degradation of phenylhydrazine (PHZ) and the best experimental parameters were obtained as: 0.25 g L−1 of the catalyst, 20 ppm pollutant concentration and pH = 8. The degradation extent was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy and the results were confirmed by HPLC and the chemical oxygen demand (COD).