Use of zinc oxide nanorods in the photocatalytic degradation activity of tricosane hydrocarbon from produced water under visible light irradiations

The research work aims to synthesize and study the characterizations of ZnO nanorods (ZnO NRs) used in the photocatalytic process under visible region for the oxidation and degradation of tricosane an organic compound present in produced water (PW). The degradation of tricosane was achieved at 66 % under the solar simulator and 61 % under natural sunlight irradiation determined by the GC-MS/MS. Whereas the degradation was 7.5 % without ZnO NR under a solar simulator and 5.7 % in direct sunlight. The degradation follows pseudo first-order photocatalytic degradation kinetics with rate constant (k) of 0.2285 min−1 under solar simulator, and k = 0.1602 min−1 under sunlight irradiations. Photocatalytic degradation is more efficient at 6.64 pH when subjected to solar simulator, and 6.87 pH when exposed to sunlight irradiations. The TOC has reduced to 59 % and 57 % respectively. The presence of effects of salts and heavy metal compounds under visible light irradiation played a prominent role in the activity of the photocatalytic, which contributed to raising the efficiency rate of tricosane degradation. The tricosane removal rate reached 75.6 % and 83.5 % in the presence of salts CaSO4 and MgSO4, while about 71.8 % and 68.6 % were achieved in the presence of heavy metals CuSO4 and FeSO4, respectively. [Display omitted] •The ZnO nanorods were used as an active photocatalyst under different sources of irradiation.•Photocatalyst succeeded in the degradation of tricosane in aqueous solution under light irradiation.•GC-MS/MS, pH, and TOC evaluate the performance of the photocatalysis process.•The effect of the presence of salts and heavy metals on the photocatalysis process was examined.