Abstract
In order to enhance the photocatalytic activity of AgBr/Ag3PO4, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) was employed as dopant in the development of heterojunction Ag/AgBr/Ag3PO4. This Ag/AgBr/Ag3PO4 (Ag/BrP) heterojunction has been developed by simple photo-deposition method. The results of photocatalytic activity test using methyl orange as targeted pollutant clearly indicated that the activity of Ag/BrP increased up to maxima as a function of Ag NPs loading and tended to decrease upon further loading. The Ag/BrP with the best photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light condition showed much more efficient than AgBr/Ag3PO4 in degrading microcystins (MC－LR, －YR and －RR) which are a group of hepatotoxins. Besides, MC－YR was observed to be much more easily removed than MC－LR and MC－RR since it can strongly adsorb onto the surface of the catalyst. These results indicated that an appropriate dosage of Ag NPs on AgBr/Ag3PO4 could accelerate the photocatalytic activity of AgBr/Ag3PO4 by the combined actions among Ag NPs, AgBr and Ag3PO4.
