Facile photocatalytic reduction of carcinogenic Cr() on Fe-doped copper sulfide nanostructures

In this study, Fe-doped copper sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) were investigated for the solar-assisted reduction of Cr VI ions in raw water. The Fe-doped NPs were synthesized by decomposing copper( ii ) N , N -diphenylmethylpiperazinecarbamodithioate via a facile single-step, one-pot solvothermal method in the presence of iron salt. The Cr VI photoreduction data were fit to a pseudo-first-order kinetic model and a Langmuir model. The CuS/Cu 2 S NP reduction ability for Cr VI increases with an increase in dopant percentage. The best catalyst (9% Fe-doped) was able to reduce Cr VI (10 −4 M K 2 Cr 2 O 7 ) to Cr III in raw water using an initial amount of 10 mg in 6 min with a reduction efficiency of up to 100%. The photocatalytic activity was examined while varying five different parameters: sunlight, diffused light, change in pH, and changes in the concentration of the catalyst and the temperature. This new approach presents an active, simple, and cost-effective means for wastewater treatment. This article reports Fe-doped copper sulfide nanostructures and their ability to photocatalytically reduce carcinogenic Cr( vi ). The best result is shown by 9% Fe-doped CuS, which reduces Cr( vi ) in 6 min in the presence of sunlight.