Study of Fe3O4/ZnO Nano Composite Efficiency in Ponceau 4R Dye Photodegradation Process and Optimization of Operational Parameters

The presence of azo dyes in wastewater has caused serious environmental and health problems that need an urgent solution. Therefore, the key purpose of this work was to assess the efficiency of using Fe3O4/ZnO nanocomposite catalyst for the photodegradation of Ponceau 4R azo dye. For this purpose, The Fe3O4/ZnO catalyst was fabricated and characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The optimal conditions, including pH, catalyst concentration, dye concentration, H2O2 concentration, temperature, and UV-C irradiation time, for Ponceau 4R azo dye photodegradation were determined using One Factor at a Time (OFAT) experimental design method. The photocatalytic degradation of Ponceau 4R azo dye followed PFO. In this design, each factor was examined at four levels. The optimal conditions for this process, as shown by the results, were a dye concentration of 15 mm/L, a pH of 6, a catalyst concentration of 25 mm/L, H2O2 concentration of 20 mm/L, and an irradiation time of 80 minutes at 35 °C. The effectiveness of dye degradation was significantly enhanced with the combined use of Fe3O4/ZnO nanocomposite, H2O2, and UV light. The k equal to 0.0643 min−1 appeared as an outcome of the photocatalytic degradation.