Synthesis of amorphous Al2O3 nanoparticles using arabic gum as the photocatalyst in degradation of direct red 128 from aqueous solution

Dyes are widely used in the variety of industries such as textile, plastic, paper, leather, printing, and cosmetic industries. Most dyes are toxic and it is essential to treat the dyeing wastewater prior to their discharge into the environment. The emission of organic pollutants is a potential danger to the receiving water [1]. Various chemical, biological, and physical methods have been used for degrading dyes. Among all the techniques presented, photocatalytic degradation is one of the most efficient methods for wastewater treatment [2,3]. We have synthesized amorphous Al2O3 nanoparticles using arabic gum via sol-gel procedure, which is simple and eco-friendly. This study has evaluated the efficiency of obtained NPs in the photocatalytic degradation of direct red 128 from an aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The prepared nanoparticles were then characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The photocatalytic studies were carried out at different initial dye concentration, photocatalyst dosage, and irradiation time. Based on the results, amorphous Al2O3 NPs can degrade of DR128.