Use of semi-conducting bismuth sulfide as a photocatalyst for degradation of rose bengal

Different methods have been adopted for the removal and degradation of dyes from effluents of textile, dyeing and printing industries. These methods have their own merits and drawbacks. In the present investigation, bismuth sulfide has been used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of rose Bengal. The effect of different parameters like the pH, concentration of dye solution, amount of semiconductor and light intensity on the rate of reaction has been investigated. The reaction follows pseudo-first order kinetics. The optimum conditions were obtained as: [rose Bengal] = 1.60·10–5 M; Bi2S3 = 0.10 g; pH = 8.5, and light intensity = 50.0 mW·cm–2. The rate constant was 4.68·10–5 sec–1. A mechanism has been proposed for the degradation of rose Bengal involving hydroxyl radicals.