Modified MCM-41 as photocatalysts for azo dyes degradation.

VERÓNICA ELÍAS; EMA SABRE; ULISES AGÚ; SANDRA CASUSCELLI; GRISELDA A. EIMER

Congreso; 4th International IUPAC Conference on green chemistry; 2012

The growing increase in water pollution has caused several environmental problems. In this regard, considerable efforts in green chemistry and purification technologies have being made in order to reduce the environmental impact1. In particular, azo-dyes that are present in the effluents of the textile industries are hardly degraded by the conventional biological treatments. Hence, Heterogeneous Photocatalysis emerge as an alternative effective method for the treatment of aqueous contaminants reaching even the complete mineralization of organic compounds. This process involves the radiation of a semiconductor particle to produce electron/hole pairs which are responsible for the generation of highly oxidative radical species (OH· or O2·-). Several features are necessary in a solid to act as a photocatalyst: high surface area, efficient use of solar radiation and easy recovery from aqueous effluent. Bearing in mind these desired properties; the scope of this work is modifying MCM-41 silicates with Cr and Ti to develop solids active with visible radiation. In this way, it could be develop a process that takes account the principles of the green chemistry allowing the efficient use of solar radiation for water pollution remediation