Simple Response Surface Methodology: Investigation on Advance Photocatalytic Oxidation of 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid Using UV-Active ZnO Photocatalyst

Kian Mun Lee; Sharifah Bee Abd Hamid

doi:10.3390/ma8010339

Simple Response Surface Methodology: Investigation on Advance Photocatalytic Oxidation of 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid Using UV-Active ZnO Photocatalyst

Materials (Basel). 2015 Jan 19;8(1):339-354. doi: 10.3390/ma8010339.

Authors

Kian Mun Lee¹, Sharifah Bee Abd Hamid²

Affiliations

¹ Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Center (NANOCAT), Institute of Postgraduate Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. leekianmun@um.edu.my.
² Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Center (NANOCAT), Institute of Postgraduate Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. sharifahbee@um.edu.my.

Abstract

The performance of advance photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA) strongly depends on photocatalyst dosage, initial concentration and initial pH. In the present study, a simple response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to investigate the interaction between these three independent factors. Thus, the photocatalytic degradation of 4-CPA in aqueous medium assisted by ultraviolet-active ZnO photocatalyst was systematically investigated. This study aims to determine the optimum processing parameters to maximize 4-CPA degradation. Based on the results obtained, it was found that a maximum of 91% of 4-CPA was successfully degraded under optimal conditions (0.02 g ZnO dosage, 20.00 mg/L of 4-CPA and pH 7.71). All the experimental data showed good agreement with the predicted results obtained from statistical analysis.

Keywords: 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid; central composite design; photocatalytic degradation; response surface methodology; zinc oxide.