Synthesis of High Efficient CS/PVDC/TiO2-Au Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic Degradation of Carcinogenic Ethidium Bromide in Sunlight

El-Ella Hussein Gad, Amr Abo; Youssef, Ahmed; Ghannam, Hala El-Shahat; Zedan, Abdallah F.; Aboulthana, Wael Mahmoud; Al-Sherbini, Al-Sayed

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2020.21987.2313

Synthesis of High Efficient CS/PVDC/TiO2-Au Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic Degradation of Carcinogenic Ethidium Bromide in Sunlight

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Ph.D Candidate , Department of Measurements, Photochemistry and Agriculture Applications, National Institute of Laser Enhanced Science (NILES), Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

² National Research Centre, 30 El-Tahrir Street

³ National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries

⁴ Department of Laser Applications in Metrology, Photochemistry and Agric., National Institute of Laser Enhanced Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

⁵ 33 Bohouth St., P.O. 12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

⁶ Prof. of Photochemistry and Nano chemistry, Department of Measurements, Photochemistry and Agriculture Applications, National Institute of Laser Enhanced Science (NILES), Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/ejchem.2020.21987.2313

Abstract

Ethidium bromide (EtBr) is one of the most broadly used dyes in molecular biology laboratories. It was considered a strong mutagenic, carcinogenic and possesses a major safety problem for the researchers and environmental hazards during the disposal process. In the current study chitosan (CS) and polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) based on different morphologies of TiO2-Au nanocomposites were prepared, namely as CS/PVDC/TiO2-Au nanocomposites. Firstly, the titanium dioxide nanowires (TiO2-NWs, gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) and TiO2-NWs doped by Au-NPs (TiO2-Au) were successfully fabricated and well-evaluated using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Furthermore, chitosan was prepared from crabs shell wastes and blended with PVDC then different loadings of TiO2-Au nanocomposites were incorporated onto the nanocomposites films. The prepared CS/PVDC/TiO2-Au nanocomposites films were characterized using UV-Visible spectra, Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), XRD and TEM. Moreover, the CS/PVDC/TiO2-Au nanocomposites were used for photodecomposition of EtBr under sunlight irradiation from~ 400-600 W/m2 with and without aeration as well as assaying integrity of the EtBr after decomposition by horizontal gel electrophoresis. The results established that the CS/PVDC/TiO2-Au nanocomposites were sufficient to remove ~70-90 % of the EtBr through the irradiated time course and ~ 60 % of the dye was degraded in the first one hour.

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