S. Tajmiri, E. Azimi, M.R. Hosseini, Combined photocatalytic-adsorptive removal of water contaminants using a biologically prepared CdS-diatomite nanocomposite, Materials Chemistry and Physics (2021) 258: 123913.

Cadmium sulfide nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm were synthesized using Bacillus licheniformis and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Differential Thermogravimetry (DTG), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The biologically synthesized nanoparticles were stabilized on the purified diatomite powder. The purification process included acidic leaching and calcination steps. Proper fixation of the semiconducting nanoparticles was proved by electron microscope images, and elemental analysis. Maximum immobilization of 19.64 mg/g (nanoparticles/diatomite) was obtained under the determined optimum condition. The combined adsorptive-photocatalytic capability of the manufactured nanocomposite was examined by eliminating methylene blue and chromium (Cr VI) under ultraviolet (UVA)-visible (360–450 nm …