Adsorption-photocatalytic processes for removal of pentachlorophenol contaminant using FeNi/SiO/ZnO magnetic nanocomposite under simulated solar light irradiation.

The adsorption followed by photocatalytic degradation process was examined for the pentachlorophenol (PCP) removal from aqueous solution. These processes were accomplished by using FeNi/SiO/ZnO magnetic nanocomposite as an adsorbent-photocatalytic agent and under the irradiation of solar light. The magnetic nanocomposite used was first synthesized and then was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy.