Abstract
Over the last decades, extensive studies have been carried out on nano-photocatalytic materials finding a broad range of applications mainly in solar energy conversion and environmental remediation. This article focuses on synthesizing a novel nano-photocatalyst material for purifying water from chloro-organic pollutants and microbes. It was synthesized in the electrolytic cell with titanium and graphite electrodes. TEM analysis revealed that the obtained nanocarbon-titanium composite has a spherical morphology, the average dimension of nanoparticles is 6±2 nm. The electrochemically synthesized nano-photocatalyst forms OH radicals in the presence of water vapor during daylight hours under sunlight’s ultraviolet radiation. As soon as extremely reactive OH radicals are formed, they react with organic pollutants. The results of photodegradation of E. Coli, methyl orange, methyl blue, and polychlorinated biphenyls in the ultraviolet spectrum of sunlight have been discussed. The effect of pH value on the decolorization efficiency has been also observed. The obtained photodegradation time of methyl orange (MeO) and methyl blue (MeB) solutions was less than 60 minutes, and the destruction time of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds was about 6-8 hours. The practical application of the developed nano-photocatalyst material promises to be an inexpensive, viable alternative or complimentary method for water and wastewater treatment at ambient temperature to degrade various chemical and microbiological pollutants in water.
Highlights
Photocatalysis based on nano-catalysts is a very promising method for the treatment of contaminated water
Both solar photocatalysis and photocatalytic systems equipped with artificial ultraviolet (UV)-light systems can be applied at ambient temperature to degrade various chemical and microbiological pollutants in water and air: organic materials, organic acids, estrogens, pesticides, dyes, crude oil, microbes, inorganic molecules such as nitrous oxides (NOx) and, in combination with precipitation or filtration, can remove metals [1]
This paper describes a new technology for destruction of bacteria and organic substances which is based on usage colloidal nanocarbon-metal compositions (NCMC) as nano-photocatalysts
Summary
Photocatalysis based on nano-catalysts is a very promising method for the treatment of contaminated water. The lifetime of nanoparticles before their agglomeration can be regulated [3]; this allows removing particles from water or air in required time. This method opens an opportunity to increase efficiency of catalysts significantly by using colloidal nano-photocatalysts homogeneously dispersed in water or air to be treated.
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