"SUNLIGHT MEDIATED PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF RhB BY BiOCl/Fe PHOTOCATALYST"

Sunlight mediated photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye was studied using chemical coprecipitation (CC) method using BiOCl/Fe (T = 500C ) photocatalyst. BiCl3 was used as the starting material along with hydrochloric acid in the chemical coprecipitation of BiOCl/Fe. The photocatalytic behavior of the prepared BiOCl/Fe was tested through the degradation of RhB dye. The degradation of organic molecules follows first order kinetics. The effect of various parameters such as initial dye concentration, catalyst loading, pH of the medium, reusability of photocatalyst on the photodegradation of RhB dye were investigated. An actual textile effluent containing RhB as a major constituent along with other dyes and dyeing auxiliaries was treated using chemical co precipitation synthesized BiOCl/Fe. The reduction in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the treated effluent revealed a complete mineralization of the organic molecules. It was found that photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B from aqueous solutions by BiOCl/Fe is an effective, economical and environment friendly.