Enhancing decolorization of Eriochrome Blue Black R during nano-size zero-valent iron treatment using ultrasonic irradiation

Abstract

The effectiveness of nano-size zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles for treatment of Eriochrome Blue Black R (EBBR), a representative azo dye, under ultrasonic irradiation was determined. The influence of experimental variables such as, initial solution pH, NZVI dosage, irradiation time, initial dye, NaCl, and Na₂CO₃ concentrations on removal efficiency of color were investigated. It was found that the kinetic rate constant of sonocatalytic destruction of EBBR in presence of NZVI was significantly enhanced under acidic conditions. The degradation rate constants of dye increased by increasing of NZVI dose and irradiation time, but decreased by increasing the initial dye concentration. Although, increasing NaCl concentration from 0.1 to 1% (w/v) improved the kinetic removal rate from 0.16 to 0.29 min⁻¹ but, presence of Na₂CO₃ had no significant effect on the degradation rate. The UV–vis spectrum showed that complete decolorization of synthetic solutions contain 100 ppm EBBR by 0.3 g/L NZVI at initial pH solution 3, occurred at 20 min ultrasonic irradiation.

Keywords:

• Decolorization
• Nano-size zero-valent iron
• Eriochrome Blue Black R (EBBR)

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research Council for the support of this work.