Study on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in water using Ag/ZnO as catalyst by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry

A nanocrystal catalyst Ag/ZnO was successfully synthesized using a simple solvothermal method in this study. This catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that this catalyst was composed of metallic Ag and ZnO. The photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) was investigated in aqueous suspension containing Ag/ZnO catalyst under UV irradiation. Liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry was applied to the analysis of the samples coming from the photocatalytic degradation of MO. The experimental results showed that there were four intermediates existing in the photocatalytic reaction. MO could be mineralized in the Ag/ZnO suspension after 60 min illumination.