Influence of solar and UV radiation on the photocatalytic removal of organophosphorus acephate pesticide

Acephate is an organophosphorus pesticide that is widely used to protect a variety of crops worldwide. This study examined the removal of commercial acephate pesticide in the aqueous medium via advanced oxidation process with Silicon carbide (SiC) and Zerovalent Iron (ZVI) under Solar and UV light. The parameters addressed in this study are the pH of the system, the amount of catalyst, and the effect of irradiation time on single and mixed systems. The process exemplified 93.3% and 88.6% removal with UV light and Sunlight, respectively, in the presence of oxidant and ZVI, whereas 85.1% and 82.2% removal were observed with SiC and oxidant along with UV light and Sunlight irradiation after 360 min under optimum conditions. The degradation products produced during the photocatalytic processes were assessed using FTIR analysis. The developed SiC/ZVI-assisted advanced oxidation process shows great promise as an economical and environmentally friendly laboratory technology for the treatment of wastewater, particularly with regard to the remediation of industrial effluents and agricultural runoff containing Acephate pesticide.