Photocatalytic removal of methylene blue dye from simulated industrial wastewater over neat and methyl orang sensitized zinc oxide

Abstract

The current study involves removal of methylene blue dye (MB) from the simulated industrial wastewaters over neat and methyl orange sensitized zinc oxide Sensitization of zinc oxide surface using methyl orange (MO) as a photosensitizer was performed by impregnation method. Surface sensitization with this photosensitizer was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder x- ray diffraction (XRD). Removal of MB dye from aqueous solution was followed by measuring the absorbance of the supernatant liquid at 665 nm. Sensitized zinc oxide with MO showed higher activity in dye removal in comparison with the neat form under the same reaction conditions.