Abstract

STRINGHINI, F. M et al. Photocatalytic activity of ZnAl₂O₄ spinel for procion red degradation under UV irradiation. Lat. Am. appl. res. [online]. 2015, vol.45, n.1, pp.51-55. ISSN 0327-0793.

In this work, ZnAl₂O₄ spinel was used as photocatalyst for dye degradation in aqueous solutions under UV irradiation. This material was prepared by a route with chitosan as template. The effects of process variables, such as, initial dye concentration and photocatalyst concentration were investigated. Kinetic parameters were obtained and the reaction order was determined. The results revealed that both studied variables presented strong influence on the dye degradation efficiency, which attained 100% in some cases. It was found that the dye photocatalytic degradation under UV irradiation followed a first order kinetic behavior. The results indicated that ZnAl₂O₄ spinel can be used to treat dye containing effluents

Keywords : Zinc Aluminate; ZnAl₂O₄; Photocatalysis; Dye; UV Irradiation; Kinetics.