The degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants by the dual effect process has been studied using allophane nanocomposites modified with different proportion of copper oxides (CuxO) and 30% w/w of titanium dioxide (TIO2) as photocatalysts. The dual effect process is based on the simultaneous use of heterogeneous Fenton and photocatalysis, being possible to perform the reaction under visible light. The allophane-CuxO-TiO2 catalysts were prepared and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with EDX, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible diffusive spectrophotometry and Tauc plot. Catalytic efficiencies were determined by atrazine (ATZ) degradation (used as model molecule of recalcitrant organic pollutant) in absence and presence of UV light (365 nm, 125W) and were followed by HPLC. According to catalysts characterization, it was possible to prepare aggregates of nanocomposites of allophane-CuxO-TiO2 without the loss of the main allophane structure and with the presence of TiO2 anatase crystalline structure. The ATZ degradation increased with the percentage of copper oxide, achieving a 100% of degradation in 3-hour reaction time using the catalyst of allophane-CuxO-TiO2 with 10% w/w of CuxO under UV light. In addition, it was possible to decrease the bandgap of the prepared nanocomposites in comparison with pure TiO2, being a catalyst with a great potential to be used under visible light, which will be evaluated in further studies.

Recalcitrant organic pollutant degradation by the dual effect process using nanocomposites of allophane-CuxO-TiO2

ACS Spring 2022

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