Effect of heat treatment on the photocatalytic activity of alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles: towards diclofenac elimination

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Mimouni I., BOUZIANI A., Naciri Y., Boujnah M., El Belghiti M. A., El Azzouzi M.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH, vol.29, no.5, pp.7984-7996, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)

• Publication Type: Article / Article
• Volume: 29 Issue: 5
• Publication Date: 2022
• Doi Number: 10.1007/s11356-021-16146-w
• Journal Name: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
• Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, IBZ Online, ABI/INFORM, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Environment Index, Geobase, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
• Page Numbers: pp.7984-7996
• Keywords: alpha-Fe2O3, Fenton, Diclofenac, Photocatalysis, OH center dot radicals, HEMATITE ALPHA-FE2O3, FENTON DEGRADATION, FACILE SYNTHESIS, DRUG DICLOFENAC, METHYL-ORANGE, PHOTODEGRADATION, WATER, PERFORMANCE, DECOMPOSITION, OXIDATION
• Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized via a straightforward method. XRD, FTIR, SEM, ESR, and DRS techniques investigated the influence of various calcination temperatures on the crystal structure, optical, and photocatalytic properties of the samples. The obtained results demonstrated that the average crystallite size increased with the increase in the calcination temperature. Measured and computed optical properties were in accordance and the bandgap energy decreased with the increase in the calcination temperature. The highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency for diclofenac (DCF) was obtained with the sample calcinated at 300 degrees C (96%). The photocatalytic process occurs because of the presence of OH center dot radicals. The addition of H2O2 led to the inhibition of OH center dot radicals that H2O2 scavenged.