Application of response surface methodology for optimization of azocarmine B removal by heterogeneous photo-Fenton process using hydroxy-iron–aluminum pillared bentonite

•The photo-Fenton catalytic activity of hydroxy-iron–aluminum pillared bentonite was tested under different reaction conditions.•Hydroxy-iron–aluminum pillared bentonite shows high photocatalytic activity.•Response surface methodology was used to optimize operating variables.•The optimum operating conditions for azocarmine B decolorization were found. Hydroxy-iron–aluminum pillared bentonite (H-Fe–Al-B) was synthesized with ion exchange method, and its catalyst characteristics were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS). The photo-Fenton catalytic activity of H-Fe–Al-B was tested under different reaction condition using azocarmine B (ACB) as model pollutant under ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation. The effects of three operating variables, initial dye concentration, initial pH value and H2O2 concentration on the decolorization efficiency of ACB were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design. The results showed that hydroxy aluminum iron ions intercalated into the interlayer spaces of bentonite successfully and H-Fe–Al-B had high photocatalytic activity. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the proposed quadratic model could be used to navigate the design space. The proposed model was approximately in accordance with the experimental case with correlation coefficients R2, Radj2 and Rpred2 correlation coefficients of 0.9996, 0.9991 and 0.9934, respectively. The optimum conditions for ACB decolorization were dye concentration of 143.7mg/L, pH of 4.2 and H2O2 concentration of 17.7mM, respectively. The predicted decolorization rate under the optimum conditions determined by the proposed model was 99.6%. Confirmatory tests were carried out under the optimum conditions and the decolorization rate of 99.5% was observed, which closely agreed with the predicted value.