In vitro analysis of novel trimetallic (Ag-Cu-Ni TNC) to handle benzene and benzopyrene pollutants in an aqueous environment

Abstract

In this study, a trimetallic nanocomposite comprising Silver Copper-Nickel (Ag-Cu-Ni TNC) was synthesized and analysed for its efficiency in degrading benzene and benzopyrene, which has five fused benzene rings. Fabrication of trimetallic nanocomposites were characterized using UV spectroscopy, FTIR studies, SEM EDAX, and DLS results. XRD confirmed the cubic crystalline Fcc structure of Ag-Cu-Ni TNC. Photocatalytic degradation analysis revealed that Ag-Cu-Ni TNC has the efficient photocatalytic ability, and the optimum condition required for efficient degradation of benzene and benzopyrene was identified as 2 μg/mL of PAH molecule, 10 μg/mL of Ag-Cu-Ni TNC at pH 5, stirring time of 2 h placed under UV light. Based on these optimum conditions, kinetic and isotherm studies were performed, revealing that the adsorption of benzene and benzopyrene by Ag-Cu-Ni TNC fits well with the Pseudo-second order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model. Thus, our study's adsorption of PAH molecule from aqueous solution takes place through chemisorption and involves heterogeneous adsorption phenomena.

Keywords: Adsorption; Nanocomposite; PAH; Photocatalytic degradation; UV light.