title: Pilot-plant evaluation of TiO2and TiO2-based hybrid photocatalysts for solar treatment of polluted water.
abstract: Materials with photocatalytic and adsorption properties for advanced wastewater treatment targeting reuse were studied. Making use of TiO2as a well-known photocatalyst, Cu2S as a Vis-active semiconductor, and fly ash as a good adsorbent, dispersed mixtures/composites were prepared to remove pollutants from wastewater. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, band gap energy, point of zero charge (pHpzc) and BET porosity were used to characterize the substrates. Phenol, imidacloprid and dichloroacetic acid were used as pollutants for photocatalytic activity of the new photocatalysts. Experiments using the new dispersed powders were carried out at laboratory scale in two solar simulators and under natural solar irradiation at the Plataforma Solar de Almería, in a Compound Parabolic Collector (CPC) for a comparative analysis of pollutants removal and mineralization efficiencies, and to identify features that could facilitate photocatalyst separation and reuse. The results show that radiation intensity significantly affects the phenol degradation rate. The composite mixture of TiO2and fly ash is 2-3 times less active than sol-gel TiO2. Photodegradation kinetic data on the highly active TiO2are compared for pollutants elimination. Photodegradation of dichloroacetic acid was fast and complete after 90min in the CPC, while after 150min imidacloprid and phenol removal was 90% and 56% respectively.
authors: Transilvania University of Brasov, Centre of Renewable Energy Systems and Recycling, Romania, Eroilor, 29, 500036, Brasov, Romania. Electronic address: andronic-luminita@unitbv.ro.
authors: Luminita
authors: L
authors: Andronic
authors: Transilvania University of Brasov, Centre of Renewable Energy Systems and Recycling, Romania, Eroilor, 29, 500036, Brasov, Romania.
authors: Luminita
authors: L
authors: Isac
authors: Laboratory for Environmental Research in Arid Zones, LIMZA, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tarapaca, Arica, Chile.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Miralles-Cuevas
authors: Transilvania University of Brasov, Centre of Renewable Energy Systems and Recycling, Romania, Eroilor, 29, 500036, Brasov, Romania.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Visa
authors: Plataforma Solar de Almería, CIEMAT, P.O. Box 22, 04200 Tabernas, Almería, Spain; CIESOL, Joint Centre of the University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain.
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Oller
authors: Transilvania University of Brasov, Centre of Renewable Energy Systems and Recycling, Romania, Eroilor, 29, 500036, Brasov, Romania. Electronic address: a.duta@unitbv.ro.
authors: Anca
authors: A
authors: Duta
authors: Plataforma Solar de Almería, CIEMAT, P.O. Box 22, 04200 Tabernas, Almería, Spain; CIESOL, Joint Centre of the University of Almería-CIEMAT, 04120 Almería, Spain.
authors: Sixto
authors: S
authors: Malato
keywords: Copper sulfide; Dichloroacetic acid; Fly ash; Imidacloprid; Phenol; Photocatalysis; Solar radiation; Titanium dioxide