title: Catalytic thermolysis in treating Cibacron Blue in aqueous solution: Kinetics and degradation pathway.
abstract: A thermal degradation pathway of the decolourisation of Reactive Cibacron Blue F3GA (RCB) in aqueous solution through catalytic thermolysis is established. Catalytic thermolysis is suitable for the removal of dyes from wastewater as it breaks down the complex dye molecules instead of only transferring them into another phase. RCB is a reactive dye that consists of three main groups, namely anthraquinone, benzene and triazine groups. Through catalytic thermolysis, the bonds that hold the three groups together were effectively broken and at the same time, the complex molecules degraded to form simple molecules of lower molecular weight. The degradation pathway and products were characterized and determined through UV-Vis, FT-IR and GCMS analysis. RCB dye molecule was successfully broken down into simpler molecules, namely, benzene derivatives, amines and triazine. The addition of copper sulphate, CuSO4, as a catalyst, hastens the thermal degradation of RCB by aiding in the breakdown of large, complex molecules. At pH 2 and catalyst mass loading of 5 g/L, an optimum colour removal of 66.14% was observed. The degradation rate of RCB is well explained by first order kinetics model.
authors.affiliation: School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Claire Xin-Hui
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia. Electronic address: ttteng@usm.my.
authors.forename: Tjoon-Tow
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia; School of Environmental Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, 02600, Perlis, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yee-Shian
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Norhashimah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morad
authors.affiliation: School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rafatullah
mesh_terms: D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002384:Catalysis; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014227:Triazines / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D004396:Coloring Agents; D014227:Triazines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C012842:Cibacron Blue F 3GA; D019327:Copper Sulfate
keywords: Anthraquinone; Benzene; Kinetics; Mechanism; Thermal degradation; Triazine