Solar photocatalysis mediated by ZnO for the removal of last traces of Indigo carmine dye pollutant from water

Solar photocatalysis as a potential green technology for the removal of traces of the dye pollutant Indigo carmine (IC) from water is investigated using ZnO as the catalyst. Degradation/decolorization alone does not result in complete decontamination as seen from the significant Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of water even after the parent compound has disappeared completely. The degradation proceeds through many intermediates which also get mineralized eventually but slowly. Oxalic acid is identified as a stable slow mineralizing degradation product which itself is formed from other transient intermediates. Effect of various parameters such as catalyst dosage, concentration of the dye, pH, temperature, presence of contaminant salts etc. on the degradation is investigated and quantified. Oxidants such as S2O82- and H2O2 have only moderate influence on the degradation. The degradation follows variable kinetics depending on the concentration of the substrate. The reaction proceeds very slowly in the absence of O2 indicating the importance of reactive oxygen species and hydroxyl free radicals in photocatalysis. H2O2 formed insitu in the system undergoes concurrent decomposition resulting in stabilization in its concentration. The study demonstrates that solar photocatalysis can be used as a viable tool for the purification of water contaminated with traces of IC.