Manganese ferrite nanoparticle: Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic dye degradation ability

In this paper, manganese ferrite nanoparticle (MnFe2O4) (MFN) was synthesized. Photocatalytic degradation of dye using MFN and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from colored wastewater was studied. Reactive dyes, Reactive Red 198 (RR198), and Reactive Red 120 (RR120), were used as model compounds. The characteristics of MFN were investigated using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope. Dye degradation was studied using UV-vis spectrophotometer and ion chromatography. The effects of MFN dosage, salt, and initial dye concentration on dye degradation were evaluated. Formate, acetate, and oxalate anions were detected as dominant aliphatic intermediate. Inorganic anions (nitrate and sulfate anions) were detected as the mineralization products of dyes during the degradation processes. The results indicated that the MFN could be used as a magnetic catalyst to degrade reactive dyes from wastewater.