Removal of 18 bisphenols co-present in aqueous media by effectively immobilized titania photocatalyst

Abstract

In recent years, the increasing demand for clean and potable water has created a need for efficient, cost-effective wastewater treatment. One of the most promising methods is heterogeneous photocatalysis due to its ability to mineralize organic molecules. This paper describes the development of a flow-through packed bed reactor system based on a packed column comprising glass beads coated with commercially available TiO2 (P25). The resulting deposited films and corresponding powders were characterized using thermal analysis (TGA–DSC–MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), specific surface area (BET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. The photocatalytic efficiency of the reactor was tested by observing the degradation rate of Plasmocorinth B, an organic dye, and 18 bisphenols co-dissolved in deionized water and simulated wastewater under UV light. The developed photocatalytic reactor effectively removed organic dye and bisphenols from the aqueous medium using a combination of adsorption and photocatalysis.