Preparation of platinum- and silver-incorporated TiO2 coatings in thin-film photoreactor for the photocatalytic decomposition of o-cresol

The effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and UV irradiation on photocatalytic degradation of Imidaclopride

Imidaclopride is an insecticide widely used for pest control in agriculture around the world. It acts on the central nervous system of insects, while posing lower toxicity to mammals. This is an organic material made of Pyridinium, Dihydroimidazol and Nitramide. This structure poses a threat to the environment and humans. Until now, different types of methods have been used for elimination of this organic pollution. Recently, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are presented as a proposed method to remove this organic pollution. Photocatalytic degradation is also used as an efficient method for destruction of organic structures. In this study, the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticle as a photocatalyst activated by UV irradiation is investigated. The new design of the reactor was prepared with coaxial cylinders in which the inner cylinder is rotated at a constant speed. The reactor worked in two batch and continuous modes. The results show that the UV irradiation is more effective than activated TiO₂ nanoparticle, as the designed reactor with UV irradiation eliminated Imidaclopride in less than 2 hours.

Pt nanoparticles/TiO2 for photocatalytic degradation of phenols in wastewater

Pt nanoparticles/TiO2 catalysts were prepared and evaluated for UV-photocatalytic degradation ofphenol and 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) in synthetic wastewater solutions. The catalysts were synthesized by immobilizing colloidal Pt nanoparticles onto titanium dioxide (rutile TiO2). Analytical techniques, such as standard Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherms, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, were utillized for investigating the specific surface area, structure, and particle size distribution of the catalysts and its components. The photocatalytic activities of both phenol and 2-CP solutions were studied in a 1L batch photoreactor independently, under 450 W UV irradiation. Samples were drawn at regular intervals and residual concentration of phenol and 2-CP in the samples was analysed using an UV-visible spectrophotometer. Parameters controlling the photocatalytic process, including catalyst concentration, solution pH, and initial phenol (2-CP) concentration, were investigated. The obtained results revealed that Pt/TiO2 showed higher photocatalytic degradation for both phenol and 2-CP pollutants in solution (as compared to the rutile TiO2). The degradation efficiencies of 87.7% and 100% were obtained for phenol and 2-CP, respectively, under optimized conditions (0.5 g/L catalyst with a pollutant concentration of 50 mg/L after irradiation time of 180 min).

Design of pilot-scale solar photocatalytic reactor for the generation of hydrogen from alkaline sulfide wastewater of sewage treatment plant

Experiments were conducted for photocatalytic generation of renewable fuel hydrogen from sulphide wastewater from the sewage treatment plant. In this study, pilot-scale solar photocatalytic reactor was designed for treating 1 m3 of sulphide wastewater and also for the simultaneous generation of hydrogen. Bench-scale studies were conducted both in the batch recycle and continuous modes under solar irradiation at similar experimental conditions. The maximum of 89.7% conversion was achieved in the continuous mode. The length of the pilot-scale solar photocatalytic reactor was arrived using the design parameters such as volumetric flow rate (Q) (11 x 10(-2) m3/s), inlet concentration of sulphide ion (C(in)) (28 mol/m3), conversion (89.7%) and average mass flow destruction rate (3.488 x 10(-6) mol/m2 s). The treatment cost of the process was estimated to be 6 US$/m3. This process would be suitable for India like sub-tropical country where sunlight is abundantly available throughout the year.