Photocatalytic Degradation of MB with Yeast-supported ZnS Hybrid Microspheres

Abstract

Yeast cells were utilized as novel bio-carriers in the synthesis of yeast/ZnS (YC/ZnS) composite microspheres in this paper. The as-produced particles are characterized by SEM, TEM and XRD. Employing the as-obtained YC/ZnS hybrid as new photocatalysts, we studied the main influencing factors in the photocatalytic degradation of low concentration methylene blue wastewater. The results indicated that the ZnS hybrid particles were of core-shell structure with the 450–500 nm shell of ZnS covering yeast carriers. In the degradation experiments, pH, dosage of YC/ZnS and UV illumination distance had significant influence on the degradation of methylene blue wastewater. The degradation rate reached 95.2% under the optimal conditions when 10 mg/L methylene blue aqueous solution was photocatalyzed with 3g/L YC/ZnS at pH8, 20–30°C and illumination distance 50 cm.

Keywords:

• Yeast
• carriers
• ZnS
• MB
• photocatalyst