Fenton-Like Degradation of Organic Pollutants Using Rice Husk-Based Catalysts

The Fenton-like degradation of organic pollutants in industrial wastewater can generally be carried out with rice husk-based catalysts. The transition metal Fe is the most-used impregnated metal for the preparation of such catalysts. Supported catalysts like rice husk silica-supported iron catalysts were prepared using the sol-gel method and characterized using different analyzing techniques such as SEM, BET surface area, FT-IR, and X-ray diffraction. The rice husk-based catalysts can be prepared in two the ways, i.e., either by using raw rice husks or by using rice husk ash. But the use of raw rice husks for catalyst preparation is a cost-effective process. This chapter discusses the sol-gel method for the preparation of rice husk-based catalysts and the results of different characterizations. Moreover, the effectiveness of the catalysts for the degradation of various organic pollutants is discussed. The chapter also extends the discussion to the influence of several experimental parameters such as pH, catalyst loading, oxidant (H₂O₂) concentration, and temperature on the process’s efficiency.