Parameters affecting the photodegradation rate of imidacloprid catalyzed by ZnO nanoparticles

Herein, a study of imidaclopridphotodegradation in water catalyzed by zinc oxide nanoparticles and some parameters affecting its rate of degradation like ZnO load, imidacloprid initial concentration, reaction temperature, initial pH of the solution and doping with 5% (w: w) silver. At first zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared via a solvothermal method with an average diameter about 26.6 nm, then it is doped with silver by a photo-reduction method using silver nitrate and ethylene glycol in day light. The obtained samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, SEM/EDX, UV-VIS spectrum and FTIR. The imidacloprid degradation rate was monitored using UV-VIS spectrophotometer.