Use of TiO photocatalyst supported on residues of polystyrene packaging and its applicability on the removal of food dyes.

This work proposes the use of plastic residues, more specifically polystyrene packaging, to support TiO, used as a photocatalyst in the degradation of erythrosine and Brilliant Blue food dyes. The scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses exhibited the surface coating and the presence of TiO in the material, respectively. The UV/HO/TiO process was used in the preliminary study, given the high percentage of degradation, operational advantages and greater reductions in peaks related to the aromatic rings when compared to the other processes studied.