DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i10.009

Pages: 747-752

Zinc oxide nanorods having the size 100 to 250 nm diameter and 1 to 2 µm length was synthesized by reaction with zinc acetate and triethanolamine. The synthesized nanoparticles are characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy (FTIR). The photo-catalytic activity of zinc oxide nanorods on pesticide azoxystrobin residues in water was investigated. The decontamination of the pesticide residues was studied in Milli-Q water, pH 4, pH 7 and pH 9 water solutions under sunlight in natural climatic conditions. Kinetic parameters such as rate constant (k), DT50 and DT90 were calculated using the dissipation data of all pesticides. The degradation order was pH 4 < Milli-Q water < pH 7 < pH 9 for azoxystrobin. The optimum concentration of catalyst required for the rapid decontamination of pesticide residues in water was established by varying the amount of catalyst in the range of 0.02 to 0.1 g/L. The optimum concentration of catalyst was 0.06 g/L. The effective concentration of humic acid required for the rapid decontamination of pesticide residues in water was established by varying the amount of humic acid in the range of 5 to 20 mg/L. The effective concentration of humic acid was 15 mg/L for azoxystrobin. The effect of cations, anions and surfactant on the decontamination of pesticide in water were carried out by adding 10-2 mole/L concentrations of cations (Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+), anions (SO42-, Cl-,ClO4-, CO3- and HCO3-) and surfactant (CTAB, SDS and Brij-35). There was no effect except Cu2+ was observed.