Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B Using Zinc Oxide Activated Charcoal Polyaniline Nanocomposite and Its Survival Assessment Using Aquatic Animal Model

Zinc oxide activated charcoal polyaniline (ZACP) nanocomposite were prepared using a simple precipitation method. The as-synthesized photocatalyst was characterized by XRD, SEM, HRTEM, EDX, UV–vis, PL, XPS, and BET techniques. Results confirmed the successful incorporation of activated charcoal polyaniline (AC/PANI) on ZnO nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized ZACP was assessed by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) using visible light irradiation. The improved photocatalytic activity of the sample was ascribed to the synergetic effect between AC/PANI and ZnO which effectively separates the electron hole pair on the interface of PANI and ZnO. Survival assessment was carried out using Artemia salina (AS) to determine the detoxification potential of the degraded products. In survival assessment, treated dye solution exhibited less toxic effect when compared to the untreated dye solution. A mechanism was also proposed for the degradation of RhB dye using ZACP under visible light irradiation.