Cobalt impregnated mixed Al, Fe-pillared montmorillonite as a catalyst for decolorization of tartrazine in the reaction with Oxone®

Abstract

Mixed Al, Fe pillared clay (AlFePILC) was synthesized from Na-exchanged Wyoming clay (Na-Wy) rich in montmorillonite. In the pillaring process Na-Wy was modified with a mixed intercalating (Al, Fe) solution with molar ratio of Fe3+/(Al3++Fe3+) = 10%. The obtained AlFePILC was impregnated with cobalt using the incipient wetness impregnation method, dried at 110 ºC and calcined at 450 ºC (Co-AlFePILC). Co-AlFePILC was tested as a catalyst in catalytic oxidation of tartrazine in the presence of Oxone®. Decolorization was monitored at wavelength =426 nm, while degradation of aryl groups was followed at =257 nm using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The influence of the mass of the catalyst on degradation process was followed in the mass range from 10 mg to 50 mg at 30 °C. It was found that mass increase was beneficial for the decolorization rate. The effect of temperature was investigated from 30 ºC to 60 ºC. The decolorization was over 90% after only 10 minutes for the temperature of 60 ºC, while with the temperature decrease, the decolorization rate decreased. Co-AlFePILC was found to be an efficient catalyst in degradation of tartrazine in the presence of Oxone®.