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Domination of methylene blue over rhodamine B during simultaneous photocatalytic degradation by TiO2 nanoparticles in an aqueous binary solution under UV irradiation

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Abstract

Simultaneous photocatalytic degradation of an aqueous mixture of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) by anatase TiO2 catalyst under UV light irradiation was investigated. In the mixed solution, degradation rate and efficiency of MB (0.151 ± 0.013 min‒1, 92.3 ± 1.2%) was found to be much higher than for RhB (0.025 ± 0.003 min‒1, 20.5 ± 0.6%). This was in contrast to the degradation rate and efficiency of MB and RhB when they were in solution alone (0.173 ± 0.019 min‒1, 93.1 ± 1.1% and 0.115 ± 0.005 min‒1, 96.1 ± 1.2%). The domination of MB over RhB in the simultaneous photocatalysis was further confirmed by adding different molar fractions of each dye and using H2O2-assisted methods. These results can be explained by considering that the planar MB molecules have steric interactions inhibiting Coulombic attraction for RhB to the catalyst surface and suppressing its photocatalytic degradation efficiency. This paper provides an important insight into the governing factors during simultaneous photocatalytic removal of synthetic dyes during the treatment of multicomponent wastewater.

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Acknowledgements

JH is grateful to NCKU90 for providing his Distinguished Visiting Scientist position.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, BE1410, Brunei Darussalam

    Nurul Amanina A. Suhaimi, Nurulizzatul Ningsheh M. Shahri, Junaidi H. Samat & Anwar Usman

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI, Depok, 16424, Indonesia

    Eny Kusrini

  3. Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, HICoE-Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610, Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

    Jun Wei Lim

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1, University Road, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan, ROC

    Jonathan Hobley

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Suhaimi, N.A.A., Shahri, N.N.M., Samat, J.H. et al. Domination of methylene blue over rhodamine B during simultaneous photocatalytic degradation by TiO2 nanoparticles in an aqueous binary solution under UV irradiation. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 135, 511–527 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-021-02098-2

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