Photocatalytic Degradation for Treating Multipesticide Residues Using [Ru(bipy)3] Cl2-Doped TiO2/SiO2 Based on Surface Response Methodology

This study aimed to develop and optimize an efficient photocatalytic process employing ruthenium [Ru(bipy)(3)](2+) doped TiO2-SiO2 for degrading synthetic wastewater containing six classes of pesticides (bentazone, carbofuran, clomazone, diuron, tebuconazole and pyraclostrobin). To optimize the degradation conditions for the six pesticides and assess the effect of two variables (reaction time and adsorption equilibrium time) on the heterogeneous photocatalytic process, a 22 experimental design with a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used. The CCRD was suitable for optimizing the heterogeneous photocatalysis, and the generated surface responses indicated that the best removal conditions were 15 min adsorption equilibrium time and 110 min reaction time. Under these conditions, a pesticide removal between 71.00 and 99.98% was obtained. Furthermore, the system yielded an excellent degree of synthetic wastewater mineralization, with 97.60% total organic carbon (TOC) removal after 110 min.