title: Use of pectin-thorium (IV) tungstomolybdate nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.
abstract: Pectin-thorium (IV) tungstomolybdate (Pc/TWM) nanocomposite was prepared by mixing biopolymer pectin with its inorganic counterpart thorium (IV) tungstomolybdate (TWM) using the sol-gel method. The nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Distribution coefficient, thermal stability, pH titrations, elution and concentration behaviour were investigated to explore the ion exchange behaviour of nanocomposite material. Pc/TWM exhibited higher ion exchange capacity (1.10 mequiv/g) than its inorganic counterpart (0.62 mequiv/g). The Pc/TWM nanocomposite ion exchanger was thermally stable as it retained 59% of its ion exchange capacity upto 400°C. The pH titrations study revealed the bifunctional nature of Pc/TWM. In order to explore the environmental applicability of the Pc/TWM nanocomposite material, its antibacterial and photocatalytic activities was investigated. 76% of methylene blue dye was photocatalytically degraded after five hours exposure. It also totally inhibited Escherichia coli at 400 μg/ml concentration of Pc/TWM nanocomposite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India. vinodfcy@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vinod Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Shilpi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pathania
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Kothiyal
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D002384:Catalysis; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D007474:Ion Exchange; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010368:Pectins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010782:Photolysis; D013472:Sunlight; D013910:Thorium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017973:Tungsten Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004396:Coloring Agents; D017973:Tungsten Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D013910:Thorium; D008982:Molybdenum; D010368:Pectins; D008751:Methylene Blue