Synthesis of nanophotocatalyst for sewage water treatment
A method of synthesizing a ZnO nano-photocatalyst is provided, including providing an aqueous extract comprising pigeon droppings, filtering the aqueous extract to produce a filtrate, precipitating a solution of zinc nitrate with the filtrate to obtain a paste, and calcining the paste to obtain ZnO nanoparticles, wherein the ZnO nanoparticles are suitable for use as a nano-photocatalyst in sewage water treatment applications.
1 . A method of producing a ZnO nano-photocatalyst comprising:
providing an aqueous extract comprising pigeon droppings;
filtering the aqueous extract to produce a filtrate;
mixing zinc nitrate with the filtrate to obtain a paste; and
calcining the paste to produce the ZnO nano-photocatalyst.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filtering comprises:
filtering the aqueous extract through gauze to produce a first filtrate; and
filtering the first filtrate through filter paper to produce a second filtrate.
3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
suspending about 20 g of pigeon droppings in about 100 mL of water to provide the pigeon droppings aqueous extract.
4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising mixing about 2 g of the zinc nitrate with about 100 mL of the filtrate to obtain the paste; wherein the zinc nitrate comprises zinc nitrate hexahydrate.
5 . The method of claim 4 , comprising mixing the zinc nitrate hexahydrate and the filtrate under constant stirring at about 60° C.
6 . The method of claim 1 , comprising calcining the paste in a muffle furnace at about 400° C. for about 4 hours to produce the ZnO nano-photocatalyst.
7 . A method of treating sewage, comprising:
providing an aqueous extract comprising pigeon droppings;
filtering the aqueous extract to produce a filtrate;
mixing zinc nitrate with the filtrate to obtain a paste;
calcining the paste to obtain a ZnO nano-photocatalyst; and
applying the ZnO nano-photocatalyst to the sewage;
wherein the ZnO nano-photocatalyst catalyzes degradation of at least one organic compound in the sewage.
8 . The method of treating sewage of claim 7 , wherein the filtering comprises:
filtering the aqueous extract through gauze to produce a first filtrate; and
filtering the first filtrate through filter paper to produce a second filtrate.
9 . The method of treating sewage of claim 7 , comprising:
suspending about 20 g of pigeon droppings in about 100 mL of water to provide the pigeon droppings aqueous extract.
10 . The method of treating sewage of claim 7 , comprising mixing about 2 g of the zinc nitrate with about 100 mL of the filtrate to obtain the paste; wherein the zinc nitrate comprises zinc nitrate hexahydrate.
11 . The method of treating sewage of claim 10 , comprising mixing the zinc nitrate hexahydrate and the filtrate under constant stirring at about 60° C.
12 . The method of treating sewage of claim 7 , comprising calcining the paste in a muffle furnace at about 400° C. for about 4 hours to obtain the ZnO nano-photocatalyst.