Efficient Degradation of Diazinon Pesticide under Visible Light Irradiation Using CeO₂ Functionalized Magnetite Graphene Oxide Heterojunction-Based Photocatalyst

Controlling the structure of cerium dioxide (CeO₂)-based photocatalysts for the removal of organic contaminants in water is essential. Herein, GO/Fe₃O₄/CeO₂ heterojunction photocatalyst is designed by a clear and simple method for photodegradation of diazinon under visible-light excitation. SEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, VSM, and UV–vis were used to analyze the crystallinity and morphology of the GO/Fe₃O₄/CeO₂ heterojunction. The UV–Vis analysis revealed a bandgap value of 3.19, 3.08, and 2.98 eV, respectively, for GO, GO@Fe₃O₄, and GO@Fe₃O₄@CeO₂. The effects of important parameters such as pH (2.0–9.0), photocatalyst dose (10–40 mg), and contact time (0–180 min) were also investigated. The maximum diazinon degradation rate was found to be 97.9% in 60 min. In conclusion, the results indicated that GO@Fe₃O₄@CeO₂ nanocomposite could be used as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of organic contaminants from water medium.