Advanced Nanomatericals for Solar Photocatalysis

Solar photocatalysis as a potential green technology for the removal of traces of the dye pollutant Indigo carmine (IC) from water is investigated using ZnO as the catalyst. Degradation/decolorization alone does not result in complete decontamination as seen from the significant Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of water even after the parent compound has disappeared completely. The degradation proceeds through many intermediates which also get mineralized eventually but slowly. Oxalic acid is identified as a stable slow mineralizing degradation product which itself is formed from other transient intermediates. Effect of various parameters such as catalyst dosage, concentration of the dye, pH, temperature, presence of contaminant salts etc. on the degradation is investigated and quantified. Oxidants such as S2O82- and H2O2 have only moderate influence on the degradation. The degradation follows variable kinetics depending on the concentration of the substrate. The reaction proceeds very slowly in the absence of O2 indicating the importance of reactive oxygen species and hydroxyl free radicals in photocatalysis. H2O2 formed insitu in the system undergoes concurrent decomposition resulting in stabilization in its concentration. The study demonstrates that solar photocatalysis can be used as a viable tool for the purification of water contaminated with traces of IC.

Download Full-text

Ultra‐Fast Microwave Synthesis of WO 3 Nanostructured Films for Solar Photocatalysis

physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters ◽

10.1002/pssr.202100196 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daniela Nunes ◽

Ana Rita Fragoso ◽

Tomas Freire ◽

Mariana Matias ◽

Ana Carolina Marques ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microwave Synthesis ◽

Nanostructured Films ◽

Solar Photocatalysis

Download Full-text

Solar degradation of contaminants in water: TiO2 solar photocatalysis assisted by up-conversion luminescent materials

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2016.06.010 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 155 ◽

pp. 194-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

M.E. Borges ◽

M. Sierra ◽

J. Méndez-Ramos ◽

P. Acosta-Mora ◽

J.C. Ruiz-Morales ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Luminescent Materials ◽

Solar Photocatalysis

Download Full-text

Emerging Solar Photocatalysis

Solar RRL ◽

10.1002/solr.202100252 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. 2100252

Author(s):

Jiaguo Yu ◽

Tierui Zhang ◽

Nianqiang Wu

Keyword(s):

Solar Photocatalysis

Download Full-text

Solar photocatalysis for water disinfection: materials and reactor design

Catalysis Science & Technology ◽

10.1039/c4cy00006d ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 1211-1226 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Donal A. Keane ◽

Kevin G. McGuigan ◽

Pilar Fernández Ibáñez ◽

M. Inmaculada Polo-López ◽

J. Anthony Byrne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reactor Design ◽

Water Disinfection ◽

Materials Synthesis ◽

Comprehensive Review ◽

Solar Photocatalysis ◽

Photocatalytic Mechanism ◽

Recent Developments

This comprehensive review addresses the fundamentals of photocatalytic mechanism, recent developments in materials synthesis and reactor design.

Download Full-text

Polymer-based immobilized Fe2O3–TiO2/PVP catalyst preparation method and the degradation of triclosan in treated greywater effluent by solar photocatalysis

Journal of Environmental Management ◽

10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113305 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 296 ◽

pp. 113305

Author(s):

Sarath Chandra Pragada ◽

Arun Kumar Thalla

Keyword(s):

Preparation Method ◽

Catalyst Preparation ◽

Solar Photocatalysis

Download Full-text

Solar Photocatalytic Detoxification and Disinfection of Water: Recent Overview

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.2390948 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 129 (1) ◽

pp. 4-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 140

Author(s):

Julián Blanco-Galvez ◽

Pilar Fernández-Ibáñez ◽

Sixto Malato-Rodríguez

Keyword(s):

Water Treatment ◽

Research And Development ◽

Water Disinfection ◽

Water Contaminants ◽

Toxic Compounds ◽

Solar Photocatalysis ◽

Experimental Systems ◽

Solar Reactors ◽

Photocatalytic Processes

During the last few years, there has been a plethora of research and development in the area of solar photocatalysis (TiO2 and photo-Fenton). This overview, of the most recent papers on the use of sunlight to produce the O∙H, comments on those most relevant to the development of the technology and summarizes most of the recent research related to the degradation of water contaminants, and how solar photocatalysis (coupled with biotreatment) could significantly contribute to the treatment of very persistent toxic compounds. Various solar reactors for photocatalytic water treatment based mainly on nonconcentrating collectors developed during the last few years are also described in detail. This review also reports the use of the photocatalytic processes (TiO2) to inactivate microorganisms present in water, placing special emphasis on those applications that make use of sunlight. Work on water disinfection mechanisms in the last decade is summarized in the last part of this overview, with attention to some experimental systems developed to optimize this disinfection technology.

Download Full-text

Degradation of recalcitrant organic contaminants by solar photocatalysis

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2007.397 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 55 (12) ◽

pp. 119-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

L. Mansouri ◽

L. Bousselmi ◽

A. Ghrabi

Keyword(s):

Organic Contaminants ◽

Order Kinetic ◽

Biological Degradation ◽

Solar Photocatalysis ◽

Photocatalytic Reactor ◽

Operational Conditions ◽

Toc Removal ◽

The Matrix ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

Refractory Organic Pollutants

Biological pre-treated landfill leachates of Djebel Chakir contains some macromolecular organic substances that are resistant to biological degradation. The aim of the present work is to assess the feasibility of removing refractory organic pollutants in biological pre-treated landfill leachate by solar photocatalyse process. Leachate pollutant contents are studied to assess their contribution to leachate pollution and their treatability by solar photocatalyse process. Phenol is chosen as model of pollutants, to evaluate its removal and the efficiency of the photocatalytic system. The experiments were carried out in suspended photocatalytic reactor, using TiO2 Degussa P25, under sunlight illumination (UV-A: 15–31 W/cm2). Under optimum operational conditions, applied to single reactant (phenol), the system presents a TOC removal of 90% (the degradation follows a first-order kinetic). Based on the TOC removal, the results shows that the degradation of biological pre-treated leachate follows a zero-order kinetic. After 5 h of sunlight exposure, 74% of COT is removed. The TOC removal is the best without any correction of the pH and at the TiO2 concentration of 2.5 g/L. The photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants as well as the formation and disappearance of the by-products were followed by GC/MS. The solar photocatalysis processes induce several modifications of the matrix leading to more biodegradable forms: all the remaining and new compounds generated after the biological pre-treatment of leachate are degraded and other types of organics appear, mainly carboxylic acid, aliphatic hydrocarbons and phtalic acids.

Download Full-text