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van der Zalm J, Zeng L, Chen A. Experimental and computational studies of photoelectrochemical degradation of atrazine by modified nanoporous titanium dioxide. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 318:137985. [PMID: 36716933 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The presence of herbicides like Atrazine (ATZ) in groundwater from non-target runoff of the agriculture industry becomes a big concern due to its potential negative impacts on the environment and human health. The use of advanced oxidative processes (AOP) to remove harmful contaminants has been shown to be effective for wastewater treatment. Herein, we report on an advanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) approach based on electrochemically modified nanoporous TiO2 electrode for efficient degradation of ATZ. The electrochemical treated TiO2 electrodes were shown to have a six-fold increase in the photo-current density over the untreated ones. This increase in PEC activity was attributed to the increase in Ti3+ sites after the electrochemical modification, which was corroborated by low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies. The removal of ATZ by the PEC process resulted in a rate constant of 1.91 × 10-3 s-1, compared to 3.12 × 10-4 s-1 obtained by a strictly photocatalytic process. Liquid-Chromatography Mass-Spectrometric measurements showed the modified TiO2 electrodes highly effective at removing ATZ, with 96.1% removed after 10 h. Monitoring of the common degradation products desethyl atrazine (DEA), desisopropyl atrazine (DIA) and desethyl desisopropyl atrazine (DDA) revealed very low concentrations throughout the degradation process, indicating that further degradation was achieved. Quantum mechanical-based test for overall free radical scavenging activity (QM-ORSA) computational studies were performed and a mechanism for the N-dealkylation processes of ATZ has been proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua van der Zalm
- Electrochemical Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Libin Zeng
- Electrochemical Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Aicheng Chen
- Electrochemical Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Atrashkevich A, Fajardo AS, Westerhoff P, Walker WS, Sánchez-Sánchez CM, Garcia-Segura S. Overcoming barriers for nitrate electrochemical reduction: By-passing water hardness. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 225:119118. [PMID: 36155008 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Water matrix composition impacts water treatment performance. However, matrix composition impacts have rarely been studied for electrochemical water treatment processes, and the correlation between the composition and the treatment efficiency is lacking. This work evaluated the electrochemical reduction of nitrate (ERN) using different complex water matrices: groundwater, brackish water, and reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate/brine. The ERN was conducted using a tin (Sn) cathode because of the high selectivity towards nitrogen evolution reported for Sn electrocatalysts. The co-existence of calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), and carbonate (CO32-) ions in water caused a 4-fold decrease in the nitrate conversion into innocuous nitrogen gas due to inorganic scaling formation on the cathode surface. XRF and XRD analysis of fouled catalyst surfaces detected brucite (Mg(OH)2), calcite (CaCO3), and dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) mineral scales formed on the cathode surface. Surface scaling created a physical barrier on the electrode that decreased the ERN efficiency. Identifying these main sources of ERN inhibition was key to devising potential fouling mitigation strategies. For this reason, the chemical softening pre-treatment of a real brackish water was conducted and this significantly increased nitrate conversion and faradaic efficiency during subsequent ERN treatment, leading to a lower electric energy consumption per order. Understanding the ionic foulant composition responsible for influencing electrochemically-driven technologies are the first steps that must be taken to move towards niche applications such as decentralized ERN. Thus, we propose either direct ERN implementation in regions facing high nitrate levels in soft waters, or a hybrid softening/nitrate removal system for those regions where high nitrate and high-water hardness appear simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aksana Atrashkevich
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Ana S Fajardo
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA; Laboratoire Interfaces et Systèmes Electrochimiques (LISE), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France.
| | - Paul Westerhoff
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - W Shane Walker
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA; Civil Engineering, Center for Inland Desalination Systems, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Carlos M Sánchez-Sánchez
- Laboratoire Interfaces et Systèmes Electrochimiques (LISE), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris 75005, France
| | - Sergi Garcia-Segura
- Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA.
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Castillo-Cabrera GX, Espinoza-Montero PJ, Alulema-Pullupaxi P, Mora JR, Villacís-García MH. Bismuth Oxyhalide-Based Materials (BiOX: X = Cl, Br, I) and Their Application in Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants in Water: A Review. Front Chem 2022; 10:900622. [PMID: 35898970 PMCID: PMC9309798 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.900622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An important target of photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) technology is the development of semiconductor-based photoelectrodes capable of absorbing solar energy (visible light) and promoting oxidation and reduction reactions. Bismuth oxyhalide-based materials BiOX (X = Cl, Br, and I) meet these requirements. Their crystalline structure, optical and electronic properties, and photocatalytic activity under visible light mean that these materials can be coupled to other semiconductors to develop novel heterostructures for photoelectrochemical degradation systems. This review provides a general overview of controlled BiOX powder synthesis methods, and discusses the optical and structural features of BiOX-based materials, focusing on heterojunction photoanodes. In addition, it summarizes the most recent applications in this field, particularly photoelectrochemical performance, experimental conditions and degradation efficiencies reported for some organic pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, organic dyes, phenolic derivatives, etc.). Finally, as this review seeks to serve as a guide for the characteristics and various properties of these interesting semiconductors, it discusses future PEC-related challenges to explore.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Xavier Castillo-Cabrera
- Escuela de Ciencias Químicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica Del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Central Del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero
- Escuela de Ciencias Químicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica Del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- *Correspondence: Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero,
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Ali S, Usman M. Performance enhancement of ultraviolet-C AlGaN laser diode. EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS 2022; 137:771. [PMID: 35813181 PMCID: PMC9255468 DOI: 10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-03007-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of deep ultraviolet (DUV) AlGaN-based laser diode (LD) emitting, in the wavelength region between 260 and 279 nm, is improved by proposing a quaternary-layer AlGaInN between the p-doped electron blocking layer (EBL) and the p-doped waveguide. This leads to an increase in the carrier concentration in the active region of the proposed LD. The radiative recombination rate is improved by 74% in the proposed LD. The current density is reduced from 21 kA/cm2 (reference LD) to 6.13 kA/cm2 (proposed LD). The proposed LD has a 71% higher internal quantum efficiency than the reference LD. Using SiLENSe™ 6.3, we analyzed both structures numerically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shazma Ali
- Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23460 Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Usman
- Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23460 Pakistan
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Lu S, Zhang G. Recent advances on inactivation of waterborne pathogenic microorganisms by (photo) electrochemical oxidation processes: Design and application strategies. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 431:128619. [PMID: 35359104 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Compared with other conventional water disinfection processes, (photo) electrochemical oxidation (P/ECO) processes have the characteristics of environmental friendliness, convenient installation and operation, easy control and high efficiency of inactivating waterborne pathogenic microorganisms (PMs), so that more and more research work has been focused on this topic, but there is still a huge gap between the research and practical application. Here, the research network of inactivating PMs by P/ECO processes has been comprehensively summarized, and the electrode/reactor/process design strategies based on strengthening direct and indirect oxidation, enhancing mass transfer efficiency and electron transfer efficiency, and improving the effective dose of electrogenerated oxidants are discussed. Furthermore, the factors affecting the inactivation of PMs and the issues regarding to stability and lifetime of the electrode are discussed respectively. Finally, the important research priorities and possible research challenges of P/ECO processes are put forward to make significant progress of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Guan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, PR China; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
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The Surge of Metal-Organic-Framework (MOFs)-Based Electrodes as Key Elements in Electrochemically Driven Processes for the Environment. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26185713. [PMID: 34577184 PMCID: PMC8467760 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26185713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Metal–organic-frameworks (MOFs) are emerging materials used in the environmental electrochemistry community for Faradaic and non-Faradaic water remediation technologies. It has been concluded that MOF-based materials show improvement in performance compared to traditional (non-)faradaic materials. In particular, this review outlines MOF synthesis and their application in the fields of electron- and photoelectron-Fenton degradation reactions, photoelectrocatalytic degradations, and capacitive deionization physical separations. This work overviews the main electrode materials used for the different environmental remediation processes, discusses the main performance enhancements achieved via the utilization of MOFs compared to traditional materials, and provides perspective and insights for the further development of the utilization of MOF-derived materials in electrified water treatment.
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