Investigation of Photocatalytic Degradation of Congo Red by Using Nano-sized Barium Chromate Catalyst

Abstract

Water pollution is a burning problem all over the world and there is a pressing demand to search green chemical routes to solve this problem. In this context, photocatalysis has emerged as a promising technology for waste water treatment, so that it may be reused. The present study involves the photocatalytic degradation of congo red dye in presence of semiconducting barium chromate powder used as a photocatalyst. The progress of the reaction was monitored spectrophotometrically. The effect of variation in different parameters like pH, concentration of dye, amount of semiconductor and light intensity was studied. A tentative mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of dye has been proposed, where hydroxyl radical has been observed as an active oxidizing species.