Novel Sodium Alginate/Polyvinylpyrrolidone/TiO2 Nanocomposite for Efficient Removal of Cationic Dye from Aqueous Solution

The combination of adsorption and photodegradation processes is an effective technique for the removal of dye contaminants from water, which is motivating the development of novel adsorbent-photocatalyst materials for wastewater treatment. Herein, novel nanocomposite porous beads were developed using titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes embedded in a sodium alginate (SA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix using calcium chloride solution as a crosslinker. The prepared nanocomposite beads' performance was examined as an adsorbent-photocatalyst for the breakdown of methylene blue in aqueous solutions. Several operation factors influencing the dye decomposition process, including photocatalyst dosage, illumination time, light intensity, and stability were investigated. The findings demonstrated that the removal activity of the beads changed with the TiO2 weight ratio in the composite. It was found that SA/PVP/TiO2-3 nanocomposite beads presented the greatest deterioration efficiency for methylene blue dye (98.9%). The cycling ability and reusability of the prepared SA/PVP/TiO2 nanocomposite beads recommend their use as efficient, eco-friendly materials for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated with cationic dyes.