Novel designs of microwave discharge electrodeless lamps (MDEL) in photochemical applications. Use in advanced oxidation processes

Novel light sources based on microwave discharge electrodeless lamps (MDEL) are examined as potential light sources to drive photochemical processes, in particular advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) of which various applications are described. The MDELs possess several features that make them attractive as possible environmental remediation lamps and as light sources to activate metal oxide photocatalysts in environmental remediation processes. Accordingly, the article describes some of the many features, albeit non-exhaustively, of MDEL devices and reports some photoreactors that incorporate these MDELs. Fundamental issues of MDEL light sources in remediation processing of actual pollutants are introduced. Examples are taken from the oxidative destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs; e.g. acetaldehyde and toluene), from the oxidative degradation of contaminants present in wastewaters (e.g. the 2,4-D herbicide and the endocrine disruptor bisphenol-A) and from the remediation of dioxin-contaminated fly-ash, along with an actual industrial wastewater sample from the manufacturing of cement.