Photocatalysis of sulfasalazine using Gd-doped PbSe nanoparticles under visible light irradiation: Kinetics, intermediate identification and phyto-toxicological studies

Undoped and Gd-doped PbSe nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic activity of the catalysts was evaluated through the degradation of sulfasalazine (SSZ) under visible light irradiation. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, XRD, and XPS techniques. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of SSZ in the presence of 8% Gd-doped PbSe (80.67%) was higher than that of undoped PbSe (42%). The order of the inhibitory effect of different inorganic ions was HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- > F-. The photocatalytic degradation intermediates were identified using GC-MS. Phytotoxicity of SSZ and its intermediates formed in photocatalytic process were evaluated. (C) 2015 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.