Kaolin-Calcium Carbonate-Titanium Dioxide (K-C-T) Composites for Decolourisation of Reactive Dye Effluent

Abstract

Synthetic dyes in textile effluents cause serious environmental and aquatic life hazards if discharged in water bodies without decolorisation and removal of toxic substances. Efforts have been made to produce composites of Kaolin-CaCO3-TiO2 (K-C-T Composite) using the proportions of 1:1:1, 1:2:1 and 1:1:2 through calcination and assess their potential to remove colour from the effluents of Reactive Black 5 dye. Photocatalytic-composite adsorbent has been characterised for morphological structure, phase determination, band gap and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy for colour removal and dye decomposition studies. Studies show a maximum of 82% and 80% colour removal efficiency using 1:1:1 and 1:1:2 proportions of K-C-T composites respectively, calcined at 1000 and#176;C. Surface area of the composite samples, state of titanium dioxide in the composite and band gap of the composite influences the colour removal from the effluent significantly.