Photocatalytic degradation of nonylphenol using nitrogen-doped carbon-based nanoparticles from calamansi peel waste/
Joraine B. Aragon, Ederwisa D. Cadigal, and Pia Monica M. Punzal.--
- Manila: Technological University of the Philippines, 2025.
- viii, 86pages: 29cm.
Bachelor's thesis
College Of Science.--
Includes bibliographic references and index.
Water pollution caused by nonylphenol, an endocrine-disrupting compound, poses a serious environmental concern in several rivers in Metro Manila. This study evaluates the photocatalytic degradation of nonylphenol using nitrogen-doped carbon-based
nanoparticles (NC-BNPs) from calamansi peel waste synthesized through the calcination- to-reflux method. Various analytical instruments were used for the characterization of the
synthesized C-BNPs and NC-BNPs, such as a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer, a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, a Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer, and a Spectrofluorophotometer. Results obtained from UV-Vis analysis revealed that NC-BNPs possess enhanced optical properties compared to C-BNPs. These findings were further validated by spectrofluorophotometer results, which displayed broader emission peaks and higher fluorescence intensity for NC-BNPs. The successful incorporation of nitrogen into the C-BNP matrix was confirmed through FTIR analysis, where the presence of a peak at 3297 cm-1—attributed to a primary amide—indicated
nitrogen doping. SEM mapping and EDX Spectroscopy further verified the nitrogen- doping as NC-BNPs contained nitrogen with 50.87% weight. Moreover, the morphology
and particle size distribution of the NC-BNPs were analyzed using SEM and ImageJ version 1 software. The nanoparticles were of irregular shapes with non-uniform morphology and had an approximate mean size of 15.3 nm with a standard deviation of 3.591, which indicated that there was a wider size distribution range of an integration of small and large particles compared to the average size. Photocatalytic performance was assessed under sunlight exposure, comparing control, C-BNPs, and NC-BNPs setups. Results showed that nonylphenol with NC-BNPs achieved a significantly higher degradation efficiency of 37.13% compared to 14.05% for C-BNPs. Optimization of photocatalytic conditions revealed that pH 6, an initial nonylphenol concentration of 100 ppm, and 3 mL of NC-BNPs yielded the highest degradation rates. The study demonstrates that NC-BNPs derived from agricultural waste present a sustainable and effective solution for degrading harmful organic pollutants in water systems.