Degradation of atrazine from the riparian zone with a PEC system based on an anode of N–S–TiO2 nanocrystal-modified TiO2 nanotubes and an activated carbon photocathode

Abstract

In this study, we developed a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system based on an anode of N–S–TiO₂ nanocrystal-modified TiO₂ nanotubes and an activated carbon photocathode to degrade atrazine from the riparian zone. This material of N–S–TiO₂/AC was characterized by SEM, XRD, XPS, EDX and fluorescence detection. The characterization results indicated that the systems of NS–TiO₂–TiO₂/AC and NS–TiO₂ NCs/TNTAs-AC/PTFE allowed the highest yield of ˙OH. According to the simulation results of the absorbance of N–S–TiO₂ with MS, N–S–TiO₂ has a maximum absorbance at 155 nm and 237 nm in the UV region; the average absorbance of N–S–TiO₂ in the visible region was 10 000 higher than that of TiO₂. At pH 5.9, N–S–TiO₂ NCs/TiO₂ NTs-AC/PTFE realized the highest atrazine removal rate, reaching a 93.89% atrazine removal rate within 150 min in water from the riparian buffer zone. The PEC system comprising the anode of N–S–TiO₂ nanocrystal-modified TiO₂ nanotubes and the activated carbon photocathode might be an efficient way to remove atrazine in the riparian buffer zone.