Biological analogues in advanced water treatment with application in 3D printed graphene oxide and metal-halide BixOyClz/AgCl composite heterogeneous photocatalysis

• Published in: Computer Aided Chemical Engineering Vol. 53; pp. 3475 - 3480
• Main Authors: Chirwa, Evans M.N., Tichapondwa, Shepherd M., Bezza, Fisseha A., Ichipi, Emmanuel O., Mugumo, Rachel, Ogbeifun, Osemeikhian, Adenuga, Dorcas O., Khumalo, Zakhele A., Bamuza-Pemu, Emomotimi E.
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: 3D printed graphene; biological analogues; heterogenous photocatalysis; organics degradation; z-scheme; z-scheme; 3D printed graphene; heterogenous photocatalysis; biological analogues; organics degradation
• ISBN: 9780443288241; 0443288240
• ISSN: 1570-7946
• DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-443-28824-1.50580-9

Engineering can be made simple and more impactful by observing and understanding how organisms in nature solve eminent problems. For example, scientists around the world have observed green plants thriving without organic food inputs using the complex photosynthesis process to kick start a biochemical food chain. Observations have also been conducted on bacteria multiplying in diverse environments, some so unimaginable for life to exist. In several studies, complex biochemical pathways for detoxification and degradation of pollutants were emulated in AOPs and photocatalytic processes. This includes the development of heterogeneous nanoparticle materials for photocatalytic reactions and solar desalination for recovery of water mimicking the z-scheme photochemical process used by plants. How plants split water to H+ and O2 to produce the reducing equivalents (~e-) is still a subject of intensive research. If a material is found that is capable of releasing H2(g) from water, that will solve the world’s energy crisis for forthcoming generations. From the fundamental energy transduction processes in microorganism, the research group from the Water Utilisation Group at the University of Pretoria has studied and developed fundamental processes for degradation and remediation of unwanted compounds such as disinfection byproducts (DBPs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pharmaceutical products from water. The research entailed the derivation, synthesis and characterisation of visible-light activated metal-halide heterogeneous photocatalysts for degradation of hard-to-degrade organic pollutants, intermediates and their congeners from wastewater and water from impaired sources. The processes of low energy photocatalysis and 3D printed graphene oxide solar desalination and degradation of compounds were evaluated as developments towards future applications.