Oxidation of fast green FCF by the solar photo-Fenton process

This study was conducted to assess the removal efficiency of fast green FCF (a dye) from aqueous medium using the photo-Fenton process. Fenton's reagent, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ferric ions (Fe3+), used to generate hydroxyl radicals ((center dot)011), was used to attack the target contaminant and degrade it. A visible light source was used to provide the radiation needed in the photo-Fenton method (i.e. H2O2/Fe3+). The effects of varying the parameters of ferric ion, fast green FCF and hydrogen peroxide concentrations, as well as pH, and light intensity on the reaction rate were determined. More effective and faster than Fenton's reagent in removing fast green FCF, the results show that the photo-Fenton method completely oxidizes and degrades fast green FCF into CO2 and H2O. A tentative mechanism for photobleaching of the dye is proposed.