Efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of 17α-ethinyl estradiol by a multifunctional Ag–AgCl/ZnFe2O4 magnetic nanocomposite

Abstract

The visible light active magnetic photocatalyst ZnFe₂O₄ was prepared via a facile hydrothermal and deposition–precipitation method using UV irradiation for photoreduction of Ag over AgCl for various durations. The Ag–AgCl/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposite (NC) showed efficient photocatalytic activity for the degradation of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a recalcitrant endocrine disrupting compound. The pseudo rate constant (k′) of as-synthesized Ag–AgCl/ZnFe₂O₄ NC photo-reduced for 60 minutes was higher by a factor of 18.3 times compared to the ZnFe₂O₄ alone. In this Ag–AgCl/ZnFe₂O₄ NC, plasmon-excited Ag nanoparticles (NP) served as electron-transfer media, while ZnFe₂O₄ also participated in the charge transfer, besides serving as a support for Ag–AgCl. The electron transfer from ZnFe₂O₄ to Ag to AgCl in the Ag–AgCl/ZnFe₂O₄ NC enhances the interfacial charge transfer, and also contributes to the stability of the composite. Further, the composite can be magnetically separated for reuse. Hence, Ag–AgCl/ZnFe₂O₄ has a good potential in the field of environmental applications.