Ultrasound Assisted Photocatalytic Degradation of Isoproturon and Triasulfuron Herbicides Using Visible Light Driven Impregnated Zinc Oxide Catalysts

Abstract Herbicides in wastewater are considered as a serious issue to environmental pollution. Different impregnated metal zinc oxide (Cu/ZnO and Ni/ZnO) as catalyst were prepared through wet impregnation method. The prepared impregnated catalysts were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) Analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, band gap and surface area. The degradation of selected herbicides Isoproturon and triasulfuron were investigated using combine effort of photocatalysis and sonication. The experimental parameters such as pH, irradiation time, photocatalyst dose, effect of oxidants, diverse ion effect, herbicide concentration and catalyst reusability have been optimized. The percent removal of isoproturon was found to be 99% and 98% at pH 7 and triasulfuron was 98% and 99% at pH 6 and 7 using (Cu/ZnO and Ni/ZnO) photocatalysts respectively.