Glycine-Group-Functionalized Polymeric Materials Impregnated with Zn(II) Used in the Photocatalytic Degradation of Congo Red Dye.

Abstract

Reducing the ecological impact of dyes through wastewater discharge into the environment is a challenge that must be addressed in textile wastewater pollution prevention. Congo red (CR) dye is widely used in experimental studies for textile wastewater treatment due to its high organic loads used in its preparation. The degradation of organic dyes of the CR type was investigated using the photocatalytic activity of functionalized polymers. We have employed photodegradation procedures for both polymer-supported glycine groups (Code: AP2) and polymer-supported glycine-Zn(II) (Code: AP2-Zn(II)). A photocatalysis efficiency of 89.2% was achieved for glycine pendant groups grafted on styrene-6.7% divinylbenzene copolymer (AP2) and 95.4% for the AP2-Zn(II) sample by using an initial concentration of CR of 15 mg/L, a catalyst concentration of 1 g/L, and 240 min of photocatalysis. The findings provided here have shown that the two materials (AP2 and AP2-Zn(II)) may be effectively employed in the heterogeneous photocatalysis method to remove CR from water. From the perspective of the degradation mechanism of CR, the two photocatalysts act similarly.