TiO2/β-SiC foam-structured photoreactor for continuous wastewater treatment

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 3727 - 3734
• Main Authors: Kouamé, Natalie Amoin, Robert, Didier, Keller, Valérie, Keller, Nicolas, Pham, Charlotte, Nguyen, Patrick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.11.2012
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bordeaux; Carbon Compounds, Inorganic - chemistry; Diuron - chemistry; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Herbicides - chemistry; Photocatalysis: fundamentals and applications in JEP 2011; Photochemical Processes; Silicon Compounds - chemistry; Titanium - chemistry; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Waste Water - chemistry; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollution Control; β-SiC foam; Water treatment; Diuron; TiO; Photocatalysis; Photoreactor
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-011-0719-6

Introduction This study of photocatalytic degradation of wastewater was carried out in alveolar cell β-SiC foam-structured photocatalytic reactors working in a recirculation mode. The immobilization of TiO2 on β-SiC foams was efficiently obtained through a sol–gel technique in acidic conditions. Discussion In order to optimize degradation yields obtained by the foam-structured prototype reactor for the photocatalytic water treatment, the operating conditions of the photoreactor have been investigated and the efficiency of the process was evaluated by measuring the photocatalytic degradation of Diuron (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-urea)) under UV irradiation. Kinetic studies were carried out by investigating the influence of different parameters controlling the reaction (TiO2 loading and β-SiC foam cell size). The ageing of TiO2/β-SiC foam photocatalytic materials and the mineralization (TOC, Cl−, NO3− and NH4+) of Diuron were investigated.