Biomaterials in Heterogeneous Photocatalysis: Photodegradation of violet crystal by materials synthesized from natural resources

Gentian violet, also known as crystal violet, is a dye that belongs to the class of cationic triphenylmethane dyes. It is widely used in the textile, paper, pharmaceutical, and food industries, among others. This pollutant occurs naturally as a result of industrial effluent discharges, which can have a direct impact on living organisms and the environment. This study focuses on the removal of crystal violet using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), specifically heterogeneous photocatalysis employing a photocatalyst prepared via an environmentally friendly chemical method. The degradation of this substance was monitored using UV/visible spectrophotometry. The results indicated that an acidic pH (pH = 3) was optimal, with a degradation rate reaching 85% after 180 minutes of treatment.