Photocatalytic activity of iron doped nanocrystalline titania for the oxidative degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol

One-Step Synthesis of Ag2O/Fe3O4 Magnetic Photocatalyst for Efficient Organic Pollutant Removal via Wide-Spectral-Response Photocatalysis-Fenton Coupling

Photocatalysis holds great promise for addressing water pollution caused by organic dyes, and the development of Ag₂O/Fe₃O₄ aims to overcome the challenges of slow degradation efficiency and difficult recovery of photocatalysts. In this study, we present a novel, environmentally friendly Ag₂O/Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanocomposite synthesized via a simple coprecipitation method, which not only constructs a type II heterojunction but also successfully couples photocatalysis and Fenton reaction, enhancing the broad-spectrum response and efficiency. The Ag₂O/Fe₃O₄ (10%) nanocomposite demonstrates exceptional degradation performance toward organic dyes, achieving 99.5% degradation of 10 mg/L methyl orange (MO) within 15 min under visible light irradiation and proving its wide applicability by efficiently degrading various dyes while maintaining high stability over multiple testing cycles. Magnetic testing further highlighted the ease of Ag₂O/Fe₃O₄ (10%) recovery using magnetic force. This innovative approach offers a promising strategy for constructing high-performance photocatalytic systems for addressing water pollution caused by organic dyes.

Selective, stepwise photodegradation of chlorothalonil, dichlobenil and dichloro- and trichloro-isophthalonitriles enhanced by cyanidin in water

Chlorothalonil, a widely used chloroisophthalonitrile fungicide, is highly toxic to aquatic organisms and amphibians. It is essential to understand the persistence and fate of chlorothalonil in aquatic environments. Cyanidin is one of the most common phytopolyphenolics in nature and is a strong antioxidant. This study was designed to understand fate of chlorothalonil and its analogs in surface water in the presence of cyanidin under sunlight and artificial lights. The photodegradation rates of chlorothalonil were increased by 9.6, 19, 26 and 9.1 fold, respectively, under solar, high-pressure mercury lamp (HPML), UV and Xenon lamp light irradiation, in comparison to the cyanidin-free control. Cyanidin also enhanced 2,5-dichloroisophthalonitrile and 2,4,5-trichloro isophthalonitrile (degradation products of chlorothalonil) for 20 and 4.7 fold under HPML irradiation compared to the absence of cyanidin. Chlorothalonil was transformed to 5-chloroisophthalonitrile quantitatively after stepwise dechlorination. The concentration profiles of chlorothalonil and its degradation products were well simulated in the cyanidin-triggered photoreductive dechlorination process, in which donation of hydrogen atom from cyanidin was also agreed by the density functional theory calculations. Cyanidin accelerated photolysis of dichlobenil for 4.3 fold as high as the cyanidin-free control under HPML irradiation. The results warrant an interest in further understanding photolysis of chloroarenes in natural waters and exploring the potential of using phytochemicals to abate chloroarenes-caused pollution.

Facile synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by Actinidia deliciosa fruit peel extract: Bactericidal, anticancer and detoxification properties

Synthesis of nanoparticles by eco-friendly method pulled an extensive concern worldwide due its biocompatibility and wide range of applications as catalysts, microbicidal agents, cancer treatment, sensors etc. Though different chemical methods available for preparation of ZnO nanoparticles, synthesis by utilizing plant material is an excellent substitute and green method as well. The present study describes preparation of ZnO nanoparticles by low-cost green synthetic way using Actinidia deliciosa (kiwi) fruit peel extract and its excellent biological and catalytic properties. The synthesized nanoparticles were well characterized by UV visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The bactericidal activity of the ZnO nanoparticles was determined by using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), while mechanism of cell death was studied by SEM images. Superior anticancer activity was also observed in inhibiting the colon cancer cells (HCT116) by the ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, ZnO nanoparticles showed efficient photocatalytic activity towards degradation of p-bromophenol, about 96.3% within 120 min. Furthermore, phytotoxicity of the intermediate products was analyzed using Vigna radiata (V. radiata) as a model plant. About 8.0% of germination index (GI) was observed in pure p-BP while it increased to 82.3%, and exhibited that the detoxification of p-BP was attained after 120 min of degradation. Thus, the present study demonstrates ZnO nanoparticles prepared from simple, rapid, inexpensive, eco-friendly and efficient green method gives alternative root for biomedicine and wastewater treatment technologies.

Nickel and sulfur codoped TiO2 nanoparticles for efficient visible light photocatalytic activity

In this work, Nickel (Ni) and sulfur (S) codoped TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by a sol-gel technique. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), FT-Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) for investigating crystal structure, crystal phase, particle size and bandgap energy of these samples. The photocatalytic performances of all the prepared catalysts have been investigated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. It was noticed that Ni-S codoped TiO2(Ni-S/TiO2) nanoparticles exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity compared with pure, Ni and S doped TiO2 due to higher visible light absorption and probable decrease in the recombination of photo-generated charges. It was decided that the great visible light absorption was created for codoped TiO2 by the formation of impurity energy states near both the edges of the collection, which works as trapping sites for both the photogenerated charges to decrease the recombination process.

Effect of the preparation method and metal content on the synthesis of metal modified titanium oxide used for the removal of salicylic acid under UV light

Titanium dioxide modified with Ag and Fe was synthesized using two preparation methods, characterized and applied to the photocatalytic degradation of salicylic acid in aqueous solution. The modified TiO₂ samples were prepared by the sol-gel and wet impregnation methods starting from titanium(IV) isopropoxide and using AgNO₃ and Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O as precursors of the modifiers, with their content varying between 0 and 5 wt.%. Catalysts characterization was based on powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), nitrogen physisorption at 77 K, temperature programmed reduction (H₂-TPR), chemisorption of NH₃ at 343 K and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic degradation of salicylic acid by modified TiO₂ was investigated under ultraviolet irradiation at 298 K considering various concentrations of the catalyst, between 100 and 1000 mg_catalyst/dm³, and of the organic molecule, between 0 and 15 mg/dm³. The catalysts most active in the degradation of salicylic acid were those having the highest Fe content.

2,4-Dichlorophenol removal from water using an electrochemical method improved by a composite molecularly imprinted membrane/bipolar membrane

Low efficiency is often a problem in electrochemical reductive hydrodechlorination (ERHD) to remove chlorinated compounds such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (24DCP) from water. In this study, a composite molecularly imprinted membrane (MIM)/bipolar membrane (BPM) was introduced onto a palladium-coated titanium mesh electrode (BPM/MIM@Pd/Ti) to increase the concentration of 24DCP on the surface of electrode and ERHD efficiency. The efficiency of ERHD of 24DCP increased from 70 to 88% by introduction of the two membranes, from 71 to 89% by increasing current density from 5.0 to 30 mA/cm², and from 80 to 94% by increasing the electrolyte concentration from 0.25 to 1.00 mol/L. Treatment with Fenton's reagent after ERHD achieved 100% 24DCP removal, with chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon reductions of 91 and 87%, respectively. Notably, these reductions were greater than obtained from the direct oxidation of the 24DCP solution by Fenton's reagent alone (i.e., 98, 84, and 72%, respectively). No products were detected in solution by GC-MS after treatment with the proposed combination technology. The mechanism of 24DCP removal and degradation involved adsorption, electrochemical hydrodechlorination via H_ads, and Fenton oxidation. Results show the process has high potential for removing 24DCP from aqueous solution.

Characterization of Photoactive Fe-TiO2 Lime Coatings for Building Protection: The Role of Iron Content

Iron-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles, ranging in Fe concentrations from 0.05 up to 1.00% w/w, were synthesized through a simple sol-gel method. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption−desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) were used to characterize the synthesized nanoparticles. The characterization of the Fe-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles revealed the predominant presence of anatase crystalline form, as well as the incorporation of the Fe³⁺ ions into the crystal lattice of TiO₂. The photocatalytic assessment of the Fe-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles indicated that the low iron doping titania (0.05 and 0.10% w/w) have a positive effect on the photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange under visible radiation. Moreover, FTIR monitoring of calcium hydroxide pastes enriched with low Fe-doped TiO₂ revealed enhancement of carbonation at both early and later stages. Improved photocatalytic performance and increased lime carbonation, observed in lime coatings with low Fe-doped TiO₂ admixtures, established them as invaluable contributors to the protection of the built environment.

Enhanced detoxification of p-bromophenol by novel Zr/Ag-TiO2@rGO ternary composite: Degradation kinetics and phytotoxicity evolution studies

The toxicity and persistence of the halogenated aromatics, particularly brominated phenolic compounds have drawn serious concerns to the environment, emphasizing the potential effects on human health and ecosystems balance. Advanced oxidation process (AOP) has received much attention as an alternative for the conventional wastewater treatment methods to treat water contaminated with toxic pollutants. This study investigated the degradation and detoxification of p-bromophenol (p-BP) by a novel Zr/Ag-TiO₂@rGO photocatalyst under visible light. Upon 3 h of visible light irradiation over Zr/Ag-TiO₂@rGO, more than 95% of p-BP (15 mg/L) degradation was achieved at a rate of 0.23 min^-1. The degradation products were identified by GC-MS and possible degradation pathway was proposed. The phytotoxicity evolution of the degraded products was assessed on Vigna radiata (V. radiata), in which seeds treated with pure p-BP showed less germination (40%) compared to degradation products (100%). Furthermore, the germination index (GI) of p-BP was found to be 11.1% before degradation while it increased to 80.5% after 3 h of degradation indicated that this photodegradation process achieved detoxification of p-BP. Thus, this study demonstrated that p-BP elimination and detoxification could be simply achieved with Zr/Ag-TiO₂@rGO nanocomposite under visible light irradiation, which provides new solution for wastewater treatment and water reuse in crop irrigation.

Photocatalytic decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid by transition-metal modified titanium dioxide

Transition-metal modified TiO₂ was used in a UV reactor to assist in decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in aqueous solutions. Comparing TiO₂ and two types of metal-modified TiO₂ (Fe-TiO₂ and Cu-TiO₂), Cu-TiO₂ exhibited the highest catalytic activity during PFOA decomposition and defluorination. After 12 h of reaction, the PFOA decomposition and defluorination efficiencies by the UV/Cu-TiO₂ system reached 91% and 19%, respectively. PFOA was decomposed into fluoride ions (F(-)) and shorter perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) such as C₆ F₁₃COOH, C₅F₁₁COOH, C₄F₉COOH, C₃F₇COOH, C₂F₅COOH and CF₃COOH. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-zero-order kinetics were used to model the decomposition and defluorination of PFOA, respectively. Rate constant values of PFOA decomposition for the UV/TiO₂, UV/Fe-TiO₂, and UV/Cu-TiO₂ systems were 0.0001, 0.0015, and 0.0031 min(-1), respectively, while rate constant values of PFOA defluorination for the UV/Fe-TiO₂, and UV/Cu-TiO₂ systems were 0.0048 and 0.0077 mg/L·min(-1), respectively. The photocatalysts were prepared by a photodeposition synthesis method and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectrophotometry. The Fe-TiO₂ and Cu-TiO₂ catalysts exhibited considerably higher activities than that of TiO₂. The experimental results have demonstrated that the UV/Fe-TiO₂ and UV/Cu-TiO₂ systems could produce traps to capture photo-induced electrons, thereby reduce electron-hole recombination during photocatalytic reactions and consequently enhance the PFOA decomposition.

Dechlorination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in aqueous solution on novel Pd-loaded electrode modified with PPy-SDBS composite film

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a persistent pollutant and a suspected human carcinogen. It can be found in the air, water, and soil and enters the environment through evaporation from treated wood surfaces, industrial spills, and disposal at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Ecotoxicity of PCP necessitates the development of rapid and reliable remediation techniques. Electrocatalytic hydrogenolysis (ECH) has been proven as a promising method for detoxification of halogenated wastes, due to its rapid reaction rate, low apparatus cost, mild reaction conditions, and absence of secondary contaminants. Challenge for the application of ECH is to prepare a Pd-coated cathode with high stability, high catalytic activity, and low Pd loading level. In this work, Pd/polypyrrole-sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate/meshed Ti (Pd/PPy-SDBS/Ti) electrode was prepared and was characterized by cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Electrochemically reductive dechlorination of PCP on the Pd/PPy-SDBS/Ti electrode in aqueous solution was investigated. Pd microparticles were uniformly dispersed on PPy-SDBS film which was previously electrodeposited on the meshed Ti supporting electrode. The loading of Pd on the electrode was 0.72 mg cm(-2). Electrocatalytic dechlorination of PCP was performed in a two-compartment cell separated by cation-exchange membrane. The PCP removal on the Pd/PPy-SDBS/Ti electrode could reach 100 % within 70 min with dechlorination current 3 mA when PCP initial concentration was 10 mg L(-1) and initial pH was 2.4. Conversion of PCP on the Pd/PPy-SDBS/Ti electrode followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the apparent activation energy was 13.0 kJ mol(-1). The removal of PCP still kept 100 % after 70 min dechlorination when the Pd/PPy-SDBS/Ti cathode was reused ten times. The electrode exhibited promising dechlorination potential with high electrocatalytic activity, good stability, and low cost.

Visible light photocatalytic activity of Fe(3+)-doped ZnO nanoparticle prepared via sol-gel technique

The optical properties of a ZnO photocatalyst were enhanced with various dopant concentrations of Fe(3+). Doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a sol-gel method without the use of capping agents or surfactants and was then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The results showed that ZnO has a wurtzite, hexagonal structure and that the Fe(3+) ions were well incorporated into the ZnO crystal lattice. As the Fe(3+) concentration increased from 0.25 wt.% to 1 wt.%, the crystal size decreased in comparison with the undoped ZnO. The spectral absorption shifts of the visible light region (red shift) and the band gap decreases for each Fe-ZnO sample were investigated. The photocatalytic activities of the ZnO and Fe-ZnO samples were evaluated based on the degradation of 2-chlorophenol in aqueous solution under solar radiation. The samples with a small concentration of Fe(3+) ions showed enhanced photocatalytic activity with an optimal maximum performance at 0.5 wt.%. The results indicated that toxicity removal of 2-chlorophenol at same line of degradation efficiency. Small crystallite size and low band gap were attributed to high activities of Fe-ZnO samples under various concentrations of Fe(3+) ions compared to undoped ZnO.

Sol-gel synthesis of mesoporous mixed Fe2O3/TiO2 photocatalyst: application for degradation of 4-chlorophenol

Photosensitization of TiO2 with other transition metal oxides can extend its light absorption property in the visible region. Such materials could emerge as excellent catalysts for solar photocatalytic degradation. In the present study mesoporous Fe2O3/TiO2 (10, 30, 50, 70 and 90 wt% Fe2O3) photocatalysts were synthesized by sol-gel process and characterized using different techniques. The XRD patterns exhibited the presence of mesoporous structure and isomorphic substitution of Fe(3+) in TiO2 at low Fe(3+) loading and Ti(4+) in Fe2O3 at high Fe(3+) loading. The XPS results revealed the presence of Ti(4+) and Fe(3+) in Fe2O3/TiO2 materials. The DRS UV-vis spectra showed a shift in the band gap excitation of TiO2 to longer wavelength, thus illustrating incorporation of Fe(3+) in TiO2. In addition, free TiO2 and Fe2O3 particles were also present. Their photocatalytic activity was tested for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol in aqueous medium using sunlight. The activity of the catalysts followed the order: meso-30 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-10 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-50 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-70 Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-90 wt% Fe2O3/TiO2>meso-Fe2O3>meso-TiO2. This order concluded that mesoporous Fe2O3/TiO2 could be an active catalyst for pollutant degradation, as TiO2 with framework Fe(3+) and photosensitization with free Fe2O3 were involved in the activity.

Design of a novel Cu₂O/TiO₂/carbon aerogel electrode and its efficient electrosorption-assisted visible light photocatalytic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol

Cu(2)O/TiO(2) heterojunction photocatalyst is built on carbon aerogel (CA) substrate with good adsorption properties by sol impregnation and seed-mediated synthesis approach. The Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/CA electrode has excellent electrosorptive and high efficient photocatalytic properties. Its morphology and surface chemical composition are characterized with SEM, TEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra show that the optical absorption edge for Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/CA appears at 636 nm. Under visible-light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation, the photocurrent density increment on Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/CA is 60 times of that on Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/FTO. The electrochemical characteristic is investigated with electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS). The Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/CA electrode is further applied in the electrosorptive photodegradation of the 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) wastewater. The result shows that the removal ratio of 2,4,6-TCP in 5.5 h on Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/CA is 96.3% and the TOC removal is 91.3%. The intermediates generated in the degradation process are analyzed by GC-MS and HPLC. The possible mechanism of visible light photocatalytic degradation of 2,4,6-TCP on Cu(2)O/TiO(2)/CA is also studied.

Oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol and 3,4-dichlorophenol by means of Fe(III)-homogeneous photocatalysis and algal toxicity assessment of the treated solutions

Chlorophenols are used worldwide as broad-spectrum biocides and fungicides. They have half-life times in water from 0.6 to 550 h and in sediments up to 1700 h and, due to their numerous origins, they can be found in wastewaters, groundwaters or soils. Moreover, chlorophenols are not readily biodegradable. Recently, classic Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) have been proposed for their abatement in an aqueous solution. This paper investigates the oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol and 3,4-dichlorophenol, at starting concentrations of 6.1 · 10(-5) mol L(-1), in aqueous solutions through Fe(III)/O(2) homogeneous photocatalysis under UV light (303 ÷ 366 nm). The Fe(III)/O(2) homogeneous photocatalysis is less expensive than using H(2)O(2) due to the capability of Fe(III) to produce OH radicals, if irradiated with an UVA radiation, and of oxygen to re-oxidize ferrous ions to ferric ones when dissolved in solution. The results show that the best working conditions, for both compounds, are found for pH=3.0 and initial Fe(III) concentration equal to 1.5 · 10(-4) mol L(-1) although the investigated oxidizing system can be used even at pH close to 4.0 but with slower abatement kinetics. Toxicity assessment on algae indicates that treated solutions of 2,4-dichlorophenol are less toxic on algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata if compared to not treated solutions whereas in the case of 3,4-dichlorophenol only the samples collected during the runs at 20 and 60 min are capable of inhibiting the growth of the adopted organism. The values of the kinetic constant for the photochemical re-oxidation of iron (II) to iron (III) and for HO attack to intermediates are evaluated by a mathematical model for pH range of 2.0-3.0 and initial Fe(III) concentrations range of 1.5 · 10(-5)-5.2 · 10(-4) mol L(-1).

Photocatalytic decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid by iron and niobium co-doped titanium dioxide

The photocatalytic decomposition of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in aqueous solution using Fe and Nb co-doped TiO(2) (Fe:Nb-TiO(2)) prepared by sol-gel method was investigated. The photocatalytic activity of Fe:Nb-TiO(2) towards PFOA degradation was compared to that of pure TiO(2) synthesized using the same method, and that of the commercially available TiO(2) photocatalyst, Aeroxide TiO(2) P25 (AO-TiO(2) P25). The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, DRS, BET-N(2) adsorption isotherm, and SEM-EDX techniques and the data were correlated to the photocatalytic activity. Fe:Nb-TiO(2) showed the highest activity compared to the undoped TiO(2) and the commercially available TiO(2). Such activity was attributable to the effects of co-doping both on the physico-chemical properties and surface interfacial charge transfer mechanisms. Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) with shorter carbon chain length and fluoride ions were identified as photocatalytic reaction intermediates and products.

New approach toward nanosized ferrous ferric oxide and Fe(3)O(4)-doped titanium dioxide photocatalysts

In this article, ferrous ferric oxide and Fe(3)O(4)-doped titanium dioxide have been synthesized by a low-temperature sol-gel process. In particular, we studied the structural characteristics of newly synthesized photosensitive catalysts and their photocatalytic abilities under UV and visible light irradiation. The elemental composition, surface area, crystallinity, and morphology of synthesized catalysts were characterized by Fourier transformation infrared spectrophotometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy with selected area electron diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The UV-vis transmission, zeta-potential, and cytotoxicity of the synthesized catalysts are also discussed. It is anticipated that the synthesized ferrous ferric oxide arrays a prospective photocatalyst substitute for titanium dioxide.