Exploring the mechanistic insights of Fe3+-doped LiZnBO3 nanosheets for visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of mineral pollutants in wastewater

Novel LiZnBO3 nanosheets doped with iron ions (Fe3+-doped LZB) were synthesized in this study using an in-situ hydrothermal technique. The doping concentrations varied (1, 3, and 5 mol%) without the use of any surfactant or template. The effectiveness of the synthesized materials was evaluated by assessing their photocatalytic efficiency through the degradation of potassium butyl xanthate (PBX) under visible light. PBX is extensively used as a flotation agent in the mining industry, and its toxic nature poses a significant environmental pollution risk. Hence, it is crucial to develop efficient methods for degrading PBX. According to the findings, the optimized Fe3+-doped LZB photocatalyst demonstrated significantly better PBX degradation efficiency than pure LZB. Specifically, the optimized sample achieved a PBX degradation efficiency of 96.15% within 80 min under visible light, while pure LZB achieved only 32.17%. In addition, the optimized sample demonstrated a significantly higher rate constant of 0.0385 min−1 for the photodegradation of PBX, which was about 7.55 times faster compared to pure LZB. The observed improvement in photocatalytic performance was ascribed to the incorporation of iron ions at a suitable concentration, which not only augmented the absorption of visible light but also promoted the efficient separation of photogenerated charges. This study therefore represents a significant advancement in the development of effective photocatalytic techniques for the treatment of mineral processing wastewater.