H2S photocatalytic oxidation over WO3/TiO2 Hombikat UV100

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 3503 - 3514
• Main Authors: Alonso-Tellez, Angela, Robert, Didier, Keller, Valérie, Keller, Nicolas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adsorption; Air Pollutants - chemistry; Air Pollution, Indoor - prevention & control; Air quality; Air quality control; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Catalysis; Catalytic oxidation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental studies; Experiments; Hydrogen sulfide; Hydrogen Sulfide - chemistry; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; Off odor; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxides - chemistry; Oxides - radiation effects; Photocatalysis; Photooxidation; Poisoning; Public concern; Quality control; Research Article; Statistical analysis; Stored products; Sulfur; Sulfur dioxide; Titanium - chemistry; Titanium - radiation effects; Titanium dioxide; Tungsten - chemistry; Tungsten - radiation effects; Ultraviolet Rays; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Hydrogen sulfide; XPS surface analysis; Photocatalysis; Semiconductor coupling; WO; TiO; Sulfates
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2329-y

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a toxic, corrosive and malodorous compound with damaging effects even when present at a low concentration in air. Consequently, the development of efficient and environmentally friendly remediation technologies as an alternative to conventional techniques is justified for environmental reasons and public concern over human health and well-being. In the context of indoor air quality control, the use of photocatalysis over semi-conductor oxides could be a valuable alternative purification technology due to its wide-ranging effect and its easy way of implementation. The superiority of the TiO 2 Hombikat UV100 photocatalyst in comparison with the Aeroxide© TiO 2 P25 standard was already apparent in the UV-A photocatalytic oxidation of H 2 S. We report here on the first use of WO 3 /TiO 2 UV100 photocatalysts for this reaction. Associating WO 3 to TiO 2 UV100 was not beneficial in terms of semiconductor coupling and of charge transfer between both phases. Even if such coupled wide band-gap oxide semi-conductor photocatalysts suffered from on-flow deactivation due to the formation of poisoning sulfates as ultimate reaction products continuously stored at the surface, by contrast, their ability to strongly lower and delay the release of SO 2 to the gas phase was very positive for maintaining a weak selectivity into the unwanted SO 2 by-product.