Decolorization of Methyl Orange by a Heterogeneous Sono-Fenton Process Using FeMnO۳ Nanocatalyst

Dyes, organic compounds with complex structures are often toxic, carcinogenic, mutated, biodegradable and one of the most important pollutants in the textile and dye industry. Widespread use of dyes in the textile industry and large amounts of wastewater containing dyes cause pollution and environmental problems. The entry of dyes into water reduces the penetration of light and disorders photosynthesis. On the other hand, these materials may enter the human food chain. Also, the presence of dyes will reduce the transfer of oxygen and other gases to the water. Therefore, there is a need for extensive research to find a suitable method for the destruction of colored materials. This study is an experimental research in a laboratory scale with the aim of evaluating the efficiency of the new FeMnO۳ magnetic nanocomposite for the degradation of Methyl orange in the presence of H۲O۲ as a heterogeneous Fenton- like catalytic degradation in aqueous solution. So FeMnO۳ magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized by hydrothermal method. The synthesized catalyst was identified using methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), X-ray diffraction(XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and visible-ultraviolet spectroscopy, and the results confirmed the catalyst structure. The effect of the various factors on the degradation of the Methyl orange, such as the amount of the synthesized catalyst, time of irradiation, hydrogen peroxide concentration and pH of the initial solution, were also studied. Based on the results after optimizing the parameters, the maximum degradation efficiency of Methyl orange by the synthetic catalyst was ۹۳%. Therefore using this technique and process was recommended for dye pollutants degradation from aqueous environments.