Themed collection Solar Chemistry and Photocatalysis - environmental applications

The guest editors introduce the collection of papers from the 8th European Meeting on Solar Chemistry & Photocatalysis: Environmental Applications (SPEA 8), held in Thessaloniki between 25th and 28th June, 2014.

Solar disinfection of wastewater is under study, as a process initiated on-site and continuing in nature. The environmental factors implicating the process (light intensity, intermittence and receiving water matrix) are also under study.

A kinetic model to interpret the simultaneous oxidation of a mixture of herbicides (glyphosate and 2,4-D) in water using the UV/H₂O₂ process was proposed. Good agreement of the experimental data and the model were achieved.

Photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the antibacterial fluoroquinolone drug, ciprofloxacin, has been studied in the presence of nanocrystalline titania films supported on glass slides or transparent electrodes.

The photo-oxidation of DMA could be carried out in 3 steps: the first step is the photosensitized production of ¹O₂ near the surface of the composite; the second step is the diffusion of ¹O₂ from the surroundings of the surface to the solvent and the third step is the homogeneous reaction between ¹O₂ and DMA.

This paper discusses the degradation and mineralization of the nonionic surfactant and octylphenol polyethoxylate (OPEO) Triton™ X-45 via the peroxymonosulfate (PMS)/UV-C treatment process. The inhibitory effect of aqueous OPEO solution and its oxidation products was investigated by employing a battery of toxicity tests.

Photocatalytic oxidation leads to a drastic change in excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence features of humic acid molecular size fractions.

Thin films of Cu–TiO₂ with high transparency were prepared using a low-cost dip-coating method. The visible light activity of Cu–TiO₂ in the aqueous solution was confirmed in relation to model organic compounds.

Paper shows that internalization of the TiO₂ microbeads followed by the UV-irradiation is an efficient approach for killing cancer urothelial cells. Additionally, differentiation dependent differences in the sensitivity of the cells to the UV-irradiation are shown, and a model of photocatalytic treatment of the in vivo bladder cancer is presented.

Decatungstate supported on mesoporous TiO₂ nanoparticle assemblies catalyze the selective and efficient oxidation of aromatic alcohols under “green” oxidation conditions. An electron transfer mechanism was predominated under UV-vis irradiation.

Photocatalytic processes (UV/TiO₂ and UV/TiO₂/H₂O₂) were used for ofloxacin degradation. The antimicrobial activity of ofloxacin solutions subjected to degradation processes was evaluated.

The performances of Pd/TiO₂ catalysts in the steam reduction of CO₂ were analyzed in a photocatalytic and in a thermo-catalytic system. The comparison showed the superiority of the photocatalytic route.

The photocatalytic performance of modified 30% wt. N-ZnO nanoparticles under visible light irradiation was demonstrated by the oxidation of picloram and 2,4-D.

In this work, the degradation of the azo dye methyl orange in model aqueous solutions by UVC light-induced persulfate oxidation was studied.

The application of photochemical reduction of Cr(VI) in the treatment of wastewater from the electroplating industry was studied, and a spiral shaped reactor was designed and constructed (SSR).

A comparative study of the catalytic activity of ZnO–Fe₂O₃ and ZnO–Fe⁰ 0.5 wt% materials was carried out for the degradation of commercial 2,4-D herbicide using a compound parabolic collector (CPC) reactor.

A transparent polypropylene foil pre-treated with a low temperature plasma and covered with sensitized, nanocrystalline TiO₂ thin film, appears to be a useful, self-sterilizing material activated upon visible light irradiation.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered to be an emerging pathogen persisting under extreme environmentally stressed conditions.

Heterogeneous photocatalysis using N–F codoped TiO₂ was successfully applied for degradation, mineralization as well as for genotoxicity and ecotoxicity elimination of PCP in the aqueous phase.