Degradation of bisphenol-a using a sonophoto Fenton-like hybrid process over a LaFeO3 perovskite catalyst and a comparison of its activity with that of a TiO2 photocatalyst

Oxidation of bisphenol-A (BPA) was investigated using a sonophoto Fenton-like hybrid process under visible light irradiation in the presence of iron-containing perovskite LaFeO3 catalysts. For this purpose, firstly the perovskite catalyst (LaFeO3) was prepared by the sol-gel method and calcined at different temperatures (500, 700, and 800 ◦C). The prepared catalysts were characterized using XRD, SEM, FTIR, nitrogen adsorption, UV-vis DRS, and ICP/OES measurements. Among the prepared catalysts the catalyst that was calcined at 500 ◦C showed better catalytic activity with respect to degradation and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction (of 21.8% and 11.2%, respectively, after 3 h of reaction duration) than the other catalysts calcined at 700 ◦C and 800 ◦C. The catalytic activity of the LaFeO3 perovskite catalyst calcined at 500 ◦C was compared with that of a TiO2 photocatalyst containing Fe and prepared by the sol-gel method. Better photocatalytic activity in terms of degradation of BPA, total organic carbon (TOC), and COD reductions was observed with the LaFeO3 perovskite catalyst under visible light. The degradation, COD, and TOC reductions after 6 h of oxidation were 34.8%, 26.9%, and 8.8% for the LaFeO3 perovskite catalyst, and 33.1%, 19.7%, and 4.9% for the Fe/TiO2 catalyst, respectively.