Improving of photocatalytic activity of barium ferrate via bismuth and copper co-doping for degradation of paracetamol under visible light irradiation

Abstract Nanosized Ba1-xBixFe1-xCuxO3 (12–50 nm) with x values of 0, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 system was prepared using the Pechini method. Structural, morphological, surface and optical characterizations were performed for the prepared samples. Cubic phase was the predominant phase for the undoped BaFeO3 and Bi and Cu co-doped BaFeO3 samples. Minor phases of monoclinic Ba2Fe2O5, orthorhombic BaFe2O4 and orthorhombic BaCO3 were identified for all the prepared samples. Ba0.95Bi0.05Fe0.95Cu0.05O3 sample has the lowest band gap (2.43 eV). 98.1% paracetamol removal was achieved with 0.75 g/L of Ba0.95Bi0.05Fe0.95Cu0.05O3 at pH 9 after 120 min. The paracetamol degradation follows the pseudo first-order kinetics. HO• is the main oxidative species responsible for the paracetamol degradation. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis was performed at the end of the photocatalytic degradation experiment under optimum operating condition using Ba0.95Bi0.05Fe0.95Cu0.05O3 to explain the reaction mechanism and identify the intermediate by-products which is confirmed by ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy study at different reaction times.