Influence of parameters on the heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of pesticides and phenolic contaminants in wastewater: a short review

Photodegradation of neonicotinoid insecticides in water by semiconductor oxides

The photocatalytic degradation of three neonicotinoid insecticides (NIs), thiamethoxam (TH), imidacloprid (IM) and acetamiprid (AC), in pure water has been studied using zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) as photocatalysts under natural sunlight and artificial light irradiation. Photocatalytic experiments showed that the addition of these chalcogenide oxides in tandem with the electron acceptor (Na2S2O8) strongly enhances the degradation rate of these compounds in comparison with those carried out with ZnO and TiO2 alone and photolytic tests. Comparison of catalysts showed that ZnO is the most efficient for the removal of such insecticides in optimal conditions and at constant volumetric rate of photon absorption. Thus, the complete disappearance of all the studied compounds was achieved after 10 and 30 min of artificial light irradiation, in the ZnO/Na2S2O8 and TiO2/Na2S2O8 systems, respectively. The highest degradation rate was noticed for IM, while the lowest rate constant was obtained for AC under artificial light irradiation. In addition, solar irradiation was more efficient compared to artificial light for the removal of these insecticides from water. The main photocatalytic intermediates detected during the degradation of NIs were identified.

Degradation of Tetracycline with BiFeO₃ Prepared by a Simple Hydrothermal Method

BiFeO₃ particles (BFO) were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method and characterized. BFO was pure, with a wide particle size distribution, and was visible light responsive. Tetracycline was chosen as the model pollutant in this study. The pH value was an important factor influencing the degradation efficiency. The total organic carbon (TOC) measurement was emphasized as a potential standard to evaluate the visible light photocatalytic degradation efficiency. The photo-Fenton process showed much better degradation efficiency and a wider pH adaptive range than photocatalysis or the Fenton process solely. The optimal residual TOC concentrations of the photocatalysis, Fenton and photo-Fenton processes were 81%, 65% and 21%, while the rate constants of the three processes under the same condition where the best residual TOC was acquired were 9.7 × 10⁻³, 3.2 × 10⁻² and 1.5 × 10⁻¹ min⁻¹, respectively. BFO was demonstrated to have excellent stability and reusability. A comparison among different reported advanced oxidation processes removing tetracycline (TC) was also made. Our findings showed that the photo-Fenton process had good potential for antibiotic-containing waste water treatment. It provides a new method to deal with antibiotic pollution.

Photolytic and thin TiO₂ film assisted photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethazine in aqueous solution

This paper deals with the photolytic and the photocatalytic degradation of sulfonamide antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMT) dissolved in Milli-Q water and in synthetic wastewater. Besides the direct photolysis, oxidation processes including UV/H2O2, UV/TiO2, and UV/TiO2/H2O2 using UV-A and UV-C radiation were investigated. Pseudo-first-order kinetics was observed for the degradation of SMT in all investigated processes. Additions of an electron acceptor (H2O2) and a catalyst (TiO2 film) accelerated the photolytic degradation of SMT for both the UV-A- and the UV-C-based processes. The most efficient process was UV-C/TiO2/H2O2 with complete degradation of SMT obtained in 10 min. The UV-A-based processes have been less efficient in terms of irradiation time required to totally degrade SMT than the UV-C-based processes. It was also confirmed that different wastewater components can significantly reduce the degradation rate of SMT. An almost ninefold reduction in the rate constant of SMT was observed for the specific synthetic wastewater. Although UV-A radiation experiments need more time and energy (2.7 times more electrical energy was consumed per gram of demineralized SMT) than UV-C experiments, they have a potential for practical use since natural UV-A solar radiation could be used here, which lowers the overall cost of the treatment. Five degradation products were detected during the degradation processes, and their structural formulae are presented. The structural formulae were elucidated based on mass spectra fragmentation pattern obtained using the tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and NMR analysis.

Photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue by silver ion-doped titania: Identification of degradation products by GC-MS and IC analysis

An anionic triphenyl methane dye, methyl blue ((disodium;4-[4-[[4-(4-sulfonatoanilino)phenyl]-[4-(4-sulfonatophenyl)azaniumylidenecyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene]methyl]anilino]benzene sulfonate) was degraded photocatalytically with undoped micro-TiO2- and Ag(+)-doped micro TiO2 in a slurry-type batch reactor under UV irradiation and the efficiency was compared with that obtained using nano-TiO2- and Ag(+)-doped nano-TiO2. The influence of different parameters, i.e., photocatalyst loading, dye concentration, initial pH, temperature, depth of solution, interfering ions and electron acceptors on the dye degradation was investigated. The decolorization and mineralization efficiency was better for Ag(+)-doped micro-TiO2 than undoped micro-TiO2. Nano-TiO2 was more efficient than micro-TiO2, while Ag(+)-doped nano-TiO2 was the most efficient of all. Cost analysis showed degradation using micro-TiO2- and Ag(+)-doped micro-TiO2 are much cheaper than that using nano-TiO2 and Ag(+)-doped nano-TiO2. Therefore Ag(+)-doped micro-TiO2 was used for the detailed study. The degradation products formed were identified using GC-MS analysis after photocatalytic degradation for 180 min with Ag(+) -doped micro TiO2. Ion chromatography analysis was carried out for anions to identify the end products of degradation.

Influence of crystal structure of nanosized ZrO2 on photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange

Nanosized ZrO2 powders with near pure monoclinic, tetragonal, and cubic structures synthesized by various methods were used as catalysts for photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange. The structural and textural properties of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, UV-vis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N2 adsorption measurements. The performance of synthesized ZrO2 nanoparticles in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under UV light irradiation was evaluated. The photocatalytic activity of the pure monoclinic ZrO2 sample is higher than that of the tetragonal and cubic ZrO2 samples under optimum identical conditions. The characterization results revealed that monoclinic ZrO2 nanoparticles possessed high crystallinity and mesopores with diameter of 100 Å. The higher activity of the monoclinic ZrO2 sample for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange can be attributed to the combining effects of factors including the presence of small amount of oxygen-deficient zirconium oxide phase, high crystallinity, large pores, and high density of surface hydroxyl groups.

Solar photocatalytic degradation of chlorophenols mixture (4-CP and 2,4-DCP): Mechanism and kinetic modelling

The solar-photocatalytic degradation mechanisms and kinetics of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) using TiO2 have been investigated both individually and combined. The individual solar-photocatalytic degradation of both phenolic compounds showed that the reaction rates follow pseudo-first-order reaction. During the individual photocatalytic degradation of both 4-CP and 2,4-DCP under the same condition of TiO2 (0.5 g L(-1)) and light intensities (1000 mW cm(-2)) different intermediates were detected, three compounds associated with 4-CP (hydroquinone (HQ), phenol (Ph) and 4-chlorocatechol (4-cCat)) and two compounds associated with 2,4-DCP (4-CP and Ph). The photocatalytic degradation of the combined mixture (4-CP and 2,4-DCP) was also investigated at the same conditions and different 2,4-DCP initial concentrations. The results showed that the degradation rate of 4-CP decreases when the 2,4-DCP concentration increases. Furthermore, the intermediates detected were similar to that found in the individual degradation but with high Ph concentration. Therefore, a possible reaction mechanism for degradation of this combined mixture was proposed. Moreover, a modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetic model considering all detected intermediates was developed. A good agreement between experimental and estimated results was achieved. This model can be useful for scaling-up purposes more accurately as its considering the intermediates formed, which has a significant effect on degrading the main pollutants (4-CP and 2,4-DCP).

Cubic Ag/AgBr–graphene oxide nanocomposite: sono-synthesis and use as a solar photocatalyst for the degradation of DCF as a pharmaceutical pollutant

In this study, novel Ag/AgBr/graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were successfully preparedviaa facile and fast sonochemical route for the first time, and ultrasound has a key role in the preparation process.

Comparison of the solar photocatalytic activity of ZnO–Fe2O3 and ZnO–Fe0 on 2,4-D degradation in a CPC reactor

A comparative study of the catalytic activity of ZnO–Fe₂O₃ and ZnO–Fe⁰ 0.5 wt% materials was carried out for the degradation of commercial 2,4-D herbicide using a compound parabolic collector (CPC) reactor.

Synthesis of nitrogen-doped ZnO by sol–gel method: characterization and its application on visible photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-D and picloram herbicides

The photocatalytic performance of modified 30% wt. N-ZnO nanoparticles under visible light irradiation was demonstrated by the oxidation of picloram and 2,4-D.

Optimization of operating parameters for efficient photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli based on a statistical design of experiments

In this work, the individual and interaction effects of three key operating parameters of the photocatalytic disinfection process were evaluated and optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) for the first time. The chosen operating parameters were: reaction temperature, initial pH of the reaction mixture and TiO2 P-25 photocatalyst loading. Escherichia coli concentration, after 90 minutes irradiation of UV-A light, was selected as the response. Twenty sets of photocatalytic disinfection experiments were conducted by adjusting operating parameters at five levels using the central composite design. Based on the experimental data, a semi-empirical expression was established and applied to predict the response. Analysis of variance revealed a strong correlation between predicted and experimental values of the response. The optimum values of the reaction temperature, initial pH of the reaction mixture and photocatalyst loading were found to be 40.3 °C, 5.9 g/L, and 1.0 g/L, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, E. coli concentration was observed to reduce from 10(7) to about 11 CFU/mL during the photocatalytic process. Moreover, all these results showed the great significance of the RSM in developing high performance processes for photocatalytic water disinfection.

Investigation of the Photodegradation of Reactive Blue 19 on P-25 Titanium Dioxide: Effect of Experimental Parameters

The photocatalytic decolorization and degradation of an anthraquinone-based reactive dye, C.I. Reactive Blue 19, was carried out in laboratory-scale experiments with the systematic variation of several operational parameters, including electron acceptor (hydrogen peroxide) concentration, initial pH, use of buffer solution, aeration, and the specific chemical nature of the buffer solution. Photodegradation was performed under simulated natural light, and conditions were chosen to mimic those found in industry. Mineralization and decolorization were monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy and total organic carbon analysis, and kinetics were modelled using an in-series first-order combination mechanism. Reaction products were examined and monitored by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Under the conditions explored, the reaction rate was found to depend not only on pH and electron acceptor concentration, but also on the specific chemical nature of the buffer used.

Overview of the PCDD/Fs degradation potential and formation risk in the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to wastewater treatment

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are a family of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that have received considerable public and scientific attention due to the toxicity of some of their congeners, more specifically those with chlorine substitution in the 2,3,7,8 positions. The environmental management and control of PCDD/Fs is addressed at a global level through the Stockholm Convention that establishes that POPs should be destroyed or irreversibly transformed in order to reduce or eliminate their release to the environment. Several technologies, including advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as photolysis, photocatalysis and Fenton oxidation, have been considered as effective methods for destroying PCDD/Fs in polluted waters. Nevertheless, during the remediation of wastewaters it is critical that the treatment technologies applied do not lead to the formation of by-products that are themselves POPs, especially if PCDD/Fs precursors or chlorine are present in the reaction medium. Despite the high effectiveness of AOPs in the oxidation of major contaminants, scarce references deal with the monitoring of PCDD/Fs in the course of the oxidation process, revealing that a detailed assessment of non-combustion technologies with respect to PCDD/Fs formation is still lacking. This study reports a review of the state of the art related to the potential remediation and/or formation of PCDD/Fs as a result of the application of AOPs for the treatment of polluted waters, warning on the correct selection of the operating conditions.

Hydrodynamic and kinetic study of a hybrid detoxification process with zero liquid discharge system in an industrial wastewater treatment

This work focused on the degradation of toxic organic compounds such as methyl violet dye (MV) in water, using a combined photocatalysis/low pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO) system. The performance of the hybrid system was investigated in terms of the degradation efficiency of MV, COD and membrane separation of TiO2. The aim of the present study was to design a novel solar reactor and analyze its performance for removal of MV from water with titanium dioxide as the photocatalyst. Various operating parameters were studied to investigate the behavior of the designed reactor like initial dye concentration (C = 10-50 mg/L), loading of catalyst (CTiO2 = 200-800 mg/L), suspension flow rate (QL = 0.3-1.5 L/min), pH of suspension (5-10), and H2O2 concentration (CH2O2 = 200-1000 mg/L). The operating parameters were optimized to give higher efficiency to the reactor performance. Optimum parameters of the photocatalysis process were loading of catalyst (400 mg/L), suspension flow rate (0.5 L/min), H2O2 concentration (400 mg/L), and pH = 5. The designed reactor when operating at optimum conditions offered a degradation of MV up to 0.9527 within one hours of operation time, while a conversion of 0.9995 was obtained in three hours. The effluent from the photocatalytic reactor was fed to a LPRO separation system which produced permeate of turbidity value of 0.09 NTU which is closed to that of drinking water (i.e., 0.08 NTU). The product water was analyzed using UV-spectrophotometer and FTIR. The analysis results confirmed that the water from the Hybrid-System could be safely recycled and reuse. It was found that the kinetics of dye degradation was first order with respect to dye concentration and could be well described by Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. A power-law based empirical correlation was developed for the photocatalysis system, related the dye degradation (R) with studied operating conditions.

Electrochemical oxidation of imazapyr with BDD electrode in titanium substrate

In this work we have studied the treatment of imazapyr by electrochemical oxidation with boron-doped diamond anode. Electrochemical degradation experiments were performed in a one-compartment cell containing 0.45 L of commercial formulations of herbicide in the pH range 3.0-10.0 by applying a density current between 10 and 150 mA cm(-2) and in the temperature range 25-45 °C. The maximum current efficiencies were obtained at lower current densities since the electrochemical system is under mass transfer control. The mineralization rate increased in acid medium and at higher temperatures. The treatment was able to completely degrade imazapyr in the range 4.6-100.0 mg L(-1), although the current charge required rises along with the increasing initial concentration of the herbicide. Toxicity analysis with the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri showed that at higher pollutant concentrations the toxicity was reduced after the electrochemical treatment. To clarify the reaction pathway for imazapyr mineralization by OH radicals, LC-MS/MS analyses we performed together with a theoretical study. Ions analysis showed the formation of high levels of ammonium in the cathode. The main final products of the electrochemical oxidation of imazapyr with diamond thin film electrodes are formic, acetic and butyric acids.

Abatement of spinosad and indoxacarb residues in pure water by photocatalytic treatment using binary and ternary oxides of Zn and Ti

The photodegradation of indoxacarb, a broad spectrum foliar insecticide and spinosad, a natural insecticide containing two active ingredients, spinosyn A (major component) and spinosyn D (minor component), was studied in aqueous suspensions of binary (ZnO and TiO2) and ternary (Zn2TiO4 and ZnTiO3) oxides under artificial light (300-460 nm) irradiation. As expected, the influence of the semiconductor materials on the degradation of both was very significant in all cases. Photocatalytic experiments showed that the addition of semiconductors in tandem with Na2S2O8 as electron acceptor strongly improved the removal of indoxacarb and spinosad in water compared with the photolytic tests. The reaction rates significantly increased, especially for the ZnO/Na2S2O8 and TiO2/Na2S2O8 systems. The first-order equation (monophasic model) satisfactorily explained the disappearance process, although it offered no explanation for the small concentrations remaining in the process.

Effect of water composition on the photocatalytic removal of pesticides with different TiO2 catalysts

The objective of this work is double-firstly to explore the photocatalytic efficiency of five different commercial TiO2 catalysts in the photodegradation of a mixture of pesticides classified by the EU as priority pollutants and secondly to analyze the correlation between their physicochemical properties and the inhibition of the studied photocatalytic process when natural water was employed. Photocatalytic efficiencies when ultrapure water was used seem to point out that surface area was not a prerequisite for the photodegradation of the selected mixture of pesticides. On the other hand, significant differences in total organic carbon (TOC) conversions were obtained with the two studied water compositions. On one side, Evonik materials appear to be mostly inhibited when natural water was employed, whereas on the other, it should be remarked that anatase Sigma-Aldrich (SA) and, particularly, Hombikat UV100 (HBK) materials presented a very limited photo-efficiency inhibition or even a higher initial rate of TOC removal when a natural water matrix was used, probably due to their specific surface properties (PZC, S BET). Therefore, heterogeneous photocatalysis has proved to be a promising technology for the degradation of the selected mixture of pesticides where the final photo-efficiency of the five commercial titania catalysts studied here responds to a complex balance between its surface and structural properties.

Photocatalytic ozonation of terephthalic acid: a by-product-oriented decomposition study

Terephthalic acid (TA) is considered as a refractory model compound. For this reason, the TA degradation usually requires a prolonged reaction time to achieve mineralization. In this study, vanadium oxide (VxOy) supported on titanium oxide (TiO2) served as a photocatalyst in the ozonation of the TA with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), having a bandwidth centered at 452 nm. The modified catalyst (VxOy/TiO2) in combination with ozone and LEDs improved the TA degradation and its by-products. The results obtained by this system were compared with photolysis, single ozonation, catalytic ozonation, and photocatalytic ozonation of VxOy/TiO2 with UV lamp. The LED-based photocatalytic ozonation showed almost the same decomposition efficiency of the TA, but it was better in comparison with the use of UV lamp. The oxalic acid accumulation, as the final product of the TA decomposition, was directly influenced by either the presence of VxOy or/and the LED irradiation. Several by-products formed during the TA degradation, such as muconic, fumaric, and oxalic acids, were identified. Besides, two unidentified by-products were completely removed during the observed time (60 min). It was proposed that the TA elimination in the presence of VxOy/TiO2 as catalyst was carried out by the combination of different mechanisms: molecular ozone reaction, indirect mechanism conducted by ·OH, and the surface complex formation.

Silica coating and photocatalytic activities of ZnO nanoparticles: effect of operational parameters and kinetic study

Silica-coating ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using the hydrothermal method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). It was found that ultrafine core/shell structured silica-coating ZnO nanoparticles were successfully obtained. TEM analysis revealed a continuous and uniform silica coating layer of about 8nm in thickness on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of silica-coating ZnO core/shell nanoparticles in methylene blue aqueous solution was investigated. The effects of some operational parameters such as pH value, nanocatalyst loading and initial MB concentration on the degradation efficiency were discussed. Kinetic parameters were experimentally determined and a pseudo-first-order kinetic was observed. Thus, the main advantage of the coating is the stability of the photocatalysts and the better performance in acidic or alkaline solutions. Compared to ZnO the maximum apparent rate constant is obtained at pH 8.5 (pH 11.5 in case of bare ZnO). Moreover, the Langmuir adsorption model was applied to describe the equilibrium isotherm at different MB concentration. The applicability of the Langmuir isotherm suggests monolayer coverage of the MB onto surface of silica-coating ZnO nanoparticles. The kinetics of the adsorption with respect to the initial dye concentration, were also investigated. The pseudo-first-order and second-order kinetic models were used and the rate constants were evaluated. The kinetic studies revealed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model better represented the adsorption kinetics, suggesting that the adsorption process may be chemisorption.

The investigation of the LED-activated FeFNS-TiO2 nanocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of organophosphate pesticides in water

This study evaluated the preparation and characterization of an efficient doped TiO2 as a novel catalyst for degradation of diazinon model pesticide using LED-activated photocatalysis. TiO2 was doped using N, NS, FeNS, and FeFNS. The FeFNS-doped TiO2 showed the highest catalytic activity in LED/photocatalysis. FeFNS-doped TiO2 is a mesoporous nanocrystal powder with a mean pore diameter of 10.2 nm, a specific surface area of 104.4 m(2)/g and a crystallite size of 6.7 nm. LED/photocatalysis using FeFNS-doped TiO2 improved diazinon degradation by 52.3% over that of as-made plain TiO2 at an optimum solution pH of 7. The diazinon degradation in LED/photocatalysis using FeFNS-doped TiO2 increased from 44.8% to 96.3% when the catalyst concentration increased from 25% to 300%at a reaction time of 100 min. The degradation and mineralization of diazinon during LED/photocatalysis with FeFNS-doped TiO2 catalyst followed the pseudo-first-order reaction model with the rate constants of 0.973 h(-1) and 0.541 h(-1), respectively. The FeFNS-doped TiO2 was found to be an efficient catalyst that was photoactivated using UV-LED lamps. LED/photocatalysis with FeFNS-doped TiO2 catalyst is a promising alternative to conventional UV/TiO2photocatalysis for producing free OH radicals for use in the degradation and mineralization of water toxic contaminants.

A review on catalytic applications of Au/TiO2 nanoparticles in the removal of water pollutant

Nanomaterials are showing great potential for the improvement of water treatment technologies. In recent years, catalysis and photocatalysis processes using gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have received great attention due to their effectiveness in degrading and mineralizing organic compounds. This paper aims to review and summarize the recently published works and R & D progress in the field of photocatalytic oxidation of various water pollutants such as toxic organic compounds (i.e. azo dyes and phenols) by Au-NPs/TiO2 under solar, visible and UV irradiation. Extensive research which has focused on the enhancement of photocatalysis by modification of TiO2 employing Au-NPs is also reviewed. Moreover, the effects of various operating parameters on the photocatalytic activity of these catalysts, such as size and loading amount of Au-NPs, pH and calcination, are discussed. The support type, loading amount and particle size of deposited Au-NPs are the most important parameters for Au/TiO2 catalytic activity. Our study showed in particular that the modification of TiO2, including semiconductor coupling, can increase the photoactivity of Au/TiO2. In contrast, doping large gold NPs can mask or block the TiO2 active sites, reducing photocatalytic activity. The optimized loading amount of Au-NP varied for each experimental condition. Finally, research trends and prospects for the future are briefly discussed.

Photodegradation of bisphenol A in aqueous medium: monitoring and identification of by-products by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

Environmental bisphenol A (BPA) contamination is currently a matter of concern. This compound can disrupt the endocrine system by mimicking natural hormones and cause adverse effects on different organisms. In addition, it has been suggested that BPA can impair brain development, especially in fetuses and children. To efficiently remove BPA from contaminated water and wastewaters, several emerging technologies have been developed. Most are based on photodegradation. However, by-products resulting from the application of such methods have not been properly characterized.

METHODS

The photodegradation of BPA was conducted using two different methods: photocatalysis (TiO2/UV-A and TiO2/UV-C systems) and direct photolysis (UV-A and UV-C radiation). The degradation process was continuously monitored to identify and observe the by-products formed under these conditions. Direct infusion electrospray ionization coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry in negative ion mode [ESI(-)-HRMS] and liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC/HRMS) were employed to monitor these by-products.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the TiO2/UV-C system was the most efficient in causing both BPA depletion and mineralization of the organic matter in solution. Moreover, accurate mass data allowed for the assignment of molecular formulae for seven by-products, many of them unprecedented, formed under these conditions. Thus, a route for the photodegradation of BPA in aqueous medium could be proposed based on these results. Finally, additional tests revealed that the by-products showed a higher toxicity against Artemia salina than the primary precursor.

CONCLUSIONS

All of these findings indicate that the identification of by-products arising from oxidative treatments is of primary importance because such compounds can be more hazardous than their precursors.

Minimization of methabenzthiazuron residues in leaching water using amended soils and photocatalytic treatment with TiO2 and ZnO

In the present work, potential groundwater pollution by methabenzthiazuron (MTBU) and the effect of three different amendments (composted sheep manure, composted pine bark and spent coffee grounds) on its mobility were investigated under laboratory conditions. The efficiency of ZnO and TiO2 suspensions in the photocatalytic degradation of MTBU in leaching water was also investigated. The relative and cumulative breakthrough curves were obtained from disturbed soil columns. The presence and/or addition of organic matter drastically reduced the movement of the herbicide. On other hand, photocatalytic experiments showed that the addition of ZnO and TiO2 strongly enhances the degradation rate of this herbicide compared with the results of photolytic experiments under artificial light. ZnO appeared to be more effective in MTBU oxidation than TiO2. The results obtained point to the interest of using organic wastes and heterogeneous photocatalysis for reducing the pollution of groundwater by pesticide drainage.

The Photodegradation of Organic Compounds by ZnO Nanopowder

The commercialized ZnO nanopowder has been employed in this study to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of two organic compounds, Methylene Blue (MB) and Phenol Red (PR) in an aqueous suspension of ZnO nanoparticles under UV light irradiation. This study has considered ZnO as the photocatalyst because it has been reported as a suitable substitute for TiO2 in certain application. For the characterization of the ZnO photocatalyst, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specific surface area analysis (BET), and UV-visible spectroscopy were exploited. X-ray diffractometry result for the ZnO nanoparticles exhibit normal crystalline phase features. All observed peaks can be indexed to the pure hexagonal wurtzite crystal structures, with the space group of P63mc. From the XRD pattern, no diffraction peaks from other impurities have been observed. In addition, TEM measurement shows that most of the nanoparticles are spherical and rod-like in shape and fairly monodispersed. A significant degradation of the organic compounds were observed in the presence of the catalyst without the irradiation of the UV light and the degradation increases significantly when irradiated with the UV light for a certain period of time. Besides, for the same period of irradiation, the photodegradation of the organic compounds was increased as the photocatalyst loading increases. The BET measurement for ZnO was 11.9 m2/g. The effect of some parameters such as initial concentration of organic compounds and photocatalyst loading were also determined. Keywords: Nanostructures; Methylene blue; Phenol red; Zinc oxide; Heterogeneous photocatalyst

Influence of parameters on the photocatalytic degradation of phenolic contaminants in wastewater using TiO2/UV system

The photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous suspension using commercial TiO2 powder (Degussa P-25) irradiated with UV light was investigated. Photodegradation was compared using a photocatalyst (TiO2 alone), direct photolysis (UV alone) and TiO2/UV in a single batch reactor with mercury lamp irradiation. The study focused on the influence of various operating parameters on phenol treatment efficiency, including catalyst dosage, initial concentration of phenol, temperature, pH and change in pH were systematically investigated. The highest phenol degradation rate was obtained at pH 9.0, temperature 60°C and catalyst dose of 2 g L(-1) with higher mineralization efficiency (in terms of TOC reduction). Experimental results showed that under optimized conditions the phenol removal efficiency was 98% and 100% for the TiO2/UV and TiO2/UV/H2O2 system, respectively. No significant effect on addition of chloride and metal ions was observed. Photodegradation of phenol followed first-order kinetics. To test whether the phenol removal was possible for wastewater using a TiO2/UV system, the degradation study was conducted with the real obtained wastewater. The removal of phenol from obtained wastewater and the synthetic wastewater containing phenol was comparable. The TiO2/UV system developed here is expected to be useful for the treatment of wastewater containing phenol.