Immobilization of green BiOX (X= Cl, Br and I) photocatalysts on ceramic fibers for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants and efficient regeneration process

Abstract Visible-light-driven photocatalysis using BiOX (Cl, Br and I) have gained tremendous interest due to their efficient performance, unique optical properties, and high chemical stability. In the present approach, the BiOX (X = Cl, Br and I) were synthesized by Azadirachta indica (A.I.) leaf extract assisted hydrolysis route followed by their immobilization on Alumina (Al2O3)-based ceramic fiber sheet as supporting material. The main objective of the present work was to eliminate the separation problem of the powder photocatalysts from the aqueous medium and evaluate their efficacy for the photocatalytic disintegration of organic contaminants in the long run. Furthermore, the as-prepared BiOX-ceramic fiber (CerF) samples i.e. BiOCl-CerF, BiOBr-CerF, and BiOI-CerF were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and BET-technique, which suggested that the BiOX were successfully embedded in the host matrix of ceramic fibers with an enhanced specific surface area. The photocatalytic activity of the BiOX-CerF samples was evaluated by varying operational parameters such as pH (2, 7 and 11), initial concentrations (20, 40 and 60 mg L−1) and in certain combinations. The results revealed that the higher pH value was more favorable for bisphenol A (BPA) and Ampicillin (AMP) degradation, while the MO was completely degraded at all pH range. Moreover, the stability test was performed and high stability of the immobilized samples was observed for five cycles without leaching out in the aqueous medium. The present study could offer new outcomes for advancing the large-scale applications of supported materials for environmental remediation.