Journal
MATERIALS EXPRESS
Volume 5, Issue 3, Pages 201-210Publisher
AMER SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHERS
DOI: 10.1166/mex.2015.1230
Keywords
Photocatalytic Inactivation; E. coli; Nanocomposite; AgBr/ZnO; Microwave
Funding
- University of Mohaghegh Ardabili
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Microwave irradiation was applied for preparation of AgBr/ZnO nanocomposites by one-pot method at 5 min. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX) and UV-Vis. diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) techniques. Photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was investigated on the nanocomposites under visible-light irradiation. Among the prepared nanocomposites, the sample with 0.237 mole fraction of AgBr exhibits the highest activity. The inactivation rate constant on the nancomposite is about 2.3 and 1.9-fold greater than for the ZnO and AgBr nanoparticles, respectively. The inactivation rate constant increases with weight of the photocatalyst up to 0.5 g/L and then decreases. Moreover, the rate constant increases with pH of solution up to 8.4 and then decreases. Influence of various scavengers demonstrates that holes play a vital role in achieving well inactivation of E. coli. In addition, no remarkable bacterial colony can be detected within 96 h after the inactivation which reveals that the photocatalytic inactivation leads to almost an irreversible damage of the bacteria. Finally, the photocatalyst retains more that 70% of its activity after seven cycles.
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