A Laboratory-based Experiment on the Efficacy of Graphitic Carbon Nitride Doped with Tungsten Chloride in the Purification of Industrial Wastewater through Degradation of Organic Dye Pollutant

Abstract

Water is an essential commodity whose quantity and quality needs to be secured for easier accessibility at both the industrial, public and household levels. However, its availability in adequate quality and quantity has continued to decline worldwide. Indeed, rise in human population coupled with the climate change phenomena have greatly impacted on the quality of water resources through increased organic and inorganic pollution. Rhodamine B (RhB) dye is a common organic pollutant majorly in industrial wastewater and with numerous environmental and human health effects. The application of graphitic carbon nitride (G-C3N4) in the purification of industrial wastewater to enhance the removal of RhB is a technology of interest to most environmental quality regulators and agencies. The study was therefore aimed at investigating the performance of graphitic carbon nitride doped with tungsten chloride in the degradation of organic dye pollutant rhodamine B dye from industrial wastewater. The study showed that the as-prepared hybrid photo catalyst exhibits an improved photo degradation performance because of its synergetic effect. Indeed, the photo excited electrons from g-C₃N₄ were able to efficiently separate and are injected to the conductive band of WO₃. The optimum photo activity occurred at the optimum ratio of 0.25WO₃/g- C₃N₄. There was also stability and efficiency within the hybrid catalyst within the photo degradation process. Indeed, the composite indicates a high activity for degradation of RhB under visible light irradiation. The presence of g-C₃N₄ proved to be beneficial for enhancement in photo catalytic activity of the g-C₃N₄-WO₃ composite and proved to be one of the best alternative modes of n the degrading organic dye pollutant Rhodamine B dye from wastewater.