Photocatalytic Degradation of Naphthalene Using Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from the Nigella Sativa

By using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), it is possible to decompose toxic organic compounds soluble in water under UV radiation and in the presence of metal oxides. In this research, CuO nanoparticles were synthesized using the extract of a native plant called Nigella Sativa. The samples were then characterized by SEM, XRD, and EDX techniques. The results showed that the synthesized CuO nanoparticles are spherical and have an average size of about 100 nm. Then, the removal percentage of naphthalene, as an organic compound in textile wastewater, was investigated by photocatalytic processes in the presence of copper oxide nanoparticles. According to the GC-MS analysis, the toxic organic compounds such as naphthalene, decane, undecane, dodecane, decahydro-2,3-dimethyl, methylmethylenecyclohexane, decahydro-1,5-dimethyl, tridecane, tetradecane, and hexadecane constitute the main pollutants in textile wastewater. In this work, about 95% of 2-methylmethylenecyclohexane, naphthalene, decahydro-1,5-dimethyl, hexadecane, and decahydro-2,3-dimethyl can be eliminated by CuO nanoparticles under UV radiation. The highest and lowest removal percentages in the photocatalytic degradation process were 88% and 48%, respectively, for naphthalene and decahydro-2,3-dimethyl.

Photocatalytic،Nanoparticles Synthesized