Use of strontium aluminate powders in the photocatalytic removal of dyes present in water

Abstract

The removal of Iris No. 17 fabric dye in water using strontium aluminate powders doped with europium and dysprosium, and the radiation from an ultraviolet C lamp during photocatalysis, is reported. The degradation of the dye was studied by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, for two concentrations of strontium aluminate powder and five of the dye for one hour. The chemical composition and morphology of strontium aluminate powders was studied using X-ray scattered energy spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. The pH, total dissolved solids, and electrical conductivity of the water samples before and after treatment were measured using the Handy-Lab 680 multiparameter. It is evident in the morphology of the strontium aluminate powders a synthesis by reaction in solid state, and a chemical composition by weight of strontium oxide and small amounts of europium and dysprosium. The photocatalytic treatment reports an efficiency of 100% in the removal of the dye for the strontium aluminate powder concentration of 500 mg/L, while for 1000 mg/L an efficiency of 98% was found, likewise for a concentration of 60 mg/L and one hour of ultraviolet radiation a first order reaction kinetics in the degradation of the dye was evidenced.