title: Photocatalytic degradation and reactor modeling of 17α-ethynylestradiol employing titanium dioxide-incorporated foam concrete.
abstract: Photocatalytic degradation of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) using TiO2 photocatalysts incorporated with foam concrete (TiO2/FC) was investigated for the first time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study of the samples revealed a narrow air void size distribution on the surface of FC cubes on with 5 wt% addition of P25 TiO2, and TiO2 particles were distributed heterogeneously on the surface of TiO2/FC samples. The sorption and photocatalytic degradation of EE2 with UV-light irradiation by TiO2/FC cubes were investigated. Adsorption capacity of EE2 by the TiO2/FC and blank foam concrete (FC) samples were similar, while the degradation rates showed a great difference. More than 50 % of EE2 was removed by TiO2/FC within 3.5 h, compared with 5 % by blank FC. The EE2 removal process was then studied in a photoreactor modified from ultraviolet disinfection pool and constructed with TiO2/FC materials. An integrated model including a plate adsorption-scattering model and a modified flow diffusion model was established to simulate the photocatalytic degradation process with different radiation fields, contaminant load, and flow velocity. A satisfactory agreement was observed between the model simulations and experimental results, showing a potential for the design and scale-up of the modified photocatalytic reactor.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Xikang Road no. 1, Nanjing, 210098, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenlong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D060729:Coal Ash / Q000737:chemistry; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000528:radiation effects; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D060729:Coal Ash; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D014025:Titanium