Degradation of Remazol Yellow FG Dye by Utilizing TiO2/zeolite Clinoptilolite-Ca and Application to Solok Batik Wastewater by Photolysis

Remazol Yellow FG (RY) is a reactive azo dye widely used in the batik industry and can pollute water bodies when discharged. This study investigated the ability of a TiO?/zeolite clinoptilolite-Ca composite as a photocatalyst for RY degradation via photolysis and determined the optimum degradation conditions. We prepared the TiO?/zeolite catalyst by supporting TiO? on activated natural zeolite clinoptilolite. The results showed that the optimum degradation of RY in a synthetic solution was achieved using 1 g of TiO?/zeolite catalyst, a solution volume of 10 mL, and an irradiation time of 75 minutes, resulting in a degradation percentage of 91.90%. The TiO?/zeolite catalyst exhibited higher degradation efficiency than TiO? and zeolite alone, indicating a synergistic contribution of photocatalytic and adsorption processes. Under optimum conditions, batik wastewater containing 47.35 mg/L RY was reduced to 28.76 mg/L, corresponding to 39.25% degradation. UV-Vis analysis showed a decrease in absorbance at the maximum wavelength of approximately 418 nm after degradation, while HPLC analysis revealed a decrease in the main peak intensity accompanied by the appearance of new peaks, indicating the formation of intermediate compounds during the degradation process. Characterization of the TiO?/zeolite catalyst before and after degradation using FTIR showed no structural changes, indicating that TiO?/zeolite was successfully used as a catalyst. These results demonstrate that TiO?/zeolite is a promising photocatalyst for reducing Remazol Yellow FG in batik wastewater through photolysis. Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):SDG 6: Clean Water and SanitationSDG 9: Industry, Innovation and InfrastructureSDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production