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Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants
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Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 16809

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Miecznikowski

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry, Uniwersytet Warszawski, Warsaw, Poland
Interests: nanoparticles; catalytic chemistry; inorganic chemistry
Prof. Dr. Beata Krasnodębska-Ostręga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
Interests: environmental analysis (method development); determination of Pt, Pd, Tl, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ct, Pb and As traces in water, soil, sediments, food, plant and animal tissues; phytoremediation processes (bioavailability and detoxification mechanism of xenobiotics in plants); chemical/physical speciation and fractionation in abiotic samples; optimization of sample pretreatment step (sampling, milling, homogenization) and digestion/mineralization; development of reagent-free UV/Vis digestion (catalytically accelerated) utilized in speciation analysis; application of solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography in trace speciation analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The special issue is dedicated to scientists working on widely understood issues related to study of use of UV and Vis light in the degradation of pollutants in waters, a place of photoactive materials for the treatment of rainwater and food waters, site of photolysis / photo-catalysis in wastewater treatment plants or water treatment plants as well as photo-degradation of drugs that are resistant to other degradation techniques in wastewater.

Therefore, construction of systems for photo-degradation, research on new catalytic systems, applications in natural systems as well as deep knowledge of the theoretical basis of these processes is an indispensable element for developing modern, sustainable methods of purification of water and stabilization of water in water system.

This special edition of Catalyst will be a good opportunity to catalog and systematize knowledge of these issues and would become a starting point for developing modern research procedures and their implementations in the environt frendly enengineering technology.

After all, Earth is a blue planet.

Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Miecznikowski
Prof. Dr. Beata Krasnodębska-Ostręga
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • photo-degradation of pollutants in water solution
  • photoactive materials
  • applications and theoretical research - photosensitive materials
  • new pollutants in water system
  • catalysts in the degradation of water polluting compounds
  • photo-catalysis in wastewater treatment plants
  • sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 171 KiB  
Editorial
Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants
by Beata Krasnodębska-Ostręga and Krzysztof Miecznikowski
Catalysts 2023, 13(1), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13010207 - 16 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1450
Abstract
The use of UV and Vis light (in the form of solar energy) in the presence of semiconductor nanostructured materials as photocatalysts is effective for the adequate removal of a wide spectrum of pollutants (resistant to other degradation techniques) in various types of [...] Read more.
The use of UV and Vis light (in the form of solar energy) in the presence of semiconductor nanostructured materials as photocatalysts is effective for the adequate removal of a wide spectrum of pollutants (resistant to other degradation techniques) in various types of wastewater, which are important elements of the development of science related to photocatalysis [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)

Research

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19 pages, 2672 KiB  
Article
Development of a Solid Catalyst Based on Pt Supported on Heterostructure (NaNbO3/NaNb3O8/NiO) Applied to the Photodegradation of Phenol in Seawater
by Kimberly G. Costa and Yvan J. O. Asencios
Catalysts 2022, 12(12), 1565; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12121565 - 2 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2088
Abstract
Phenol and its derivatives are present in effluents from several industrial processes, such as petroleum refining (produced water) and the pharmaceutical industry, and they are highly toxic. The present work elaborated a new catalyst for the removal of phenol and its derivatives. The [...] Read more.
Phenol and its derivatives are present in effluents from several industrial processes, such as petroleum refining (produced water) and the pharmaceutical industry, and they are highly toxic. The present work elaborated a new catalyst for the removal of phenol and its derivatives. The photocatalyst was prepared by a simple method from the ammonium oxalate of niobium and nickel nitrate, resulting in heterostructures (principally NaNbO3/NaNb3O8 and a lesser amount of NiO) named NiNb. Platinum was deposited on this catalyst (NiNb/Pt catalyst), and its photocatalytic activity was tested on the degradation of phenol in seawater and distilled water, in the presence and absence of UV-C light (germicidal, λ = 254 nm), and with varying concentrations of platinum and varying pH of the solution. The catalyst was characterized by different techniques (SEM, EDS, DRS, XRD, TXRF, SBET,). The results of the study showed that the NiNb/Pt catalyst achieved 65% phenol removal in seawater and about 57% removal in distilled water. The reuse of the catalyst was also studied, and the photocatalytic mechanism was investigated by tests with scavenger agents and terephthalic acid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)
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15 pages, 3935 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-tert-butylphenol Using Solar Light Responsive Ag2CO3
by Saule Mergenbayeva, Timur Sh. Atabaev, John Vakros, Dionissios Mantzavinos and Stavros G. Poulopoulos
Catalysts 2022, 12(12), 1523; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12121523 - 26 Nov 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1915
Abstract
In this work, Ag2CO3 was prepared via a solution-based method and was further characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM/EDS analysis, and UV-VIS spectroscopy. SEM results revealed the formation of micro-sized particles with a rectangular shape. The photocatalytic activity of the [...] Read more.
In this work, Ag2CO3 was prepared via a solution-based method and was further characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM/EDS analysis, and UV-VIS spectroscopy. SEM results revealed the formation of micro-sized particles with a rectangular shape. The photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was evaluated in the degradation of 4-tert-butylphenol (4-t-BP) under simulated solar light irradiation. The effects of 4-t-BP initial concentration (2.5–10 ppm), catalyst dosage (100–300 mg/L), different types of lamp sources, and water matrix were investigated. Complete 4-t-BP (5 ppm) degradation was achieved after 60 min by Ag2CO3 (200 mg/L). The effect of anions such as CO32−, HCO3−, NO3−, and Cl- in the concentration range of 100–300 mg/L was also studied. CO32− promoted the photocatalytic degradation process, while HCO3− and NO3− exhibited an inhibition effect, which was marked with increasing HCO3− and NO3− concentrations. The presence of Cl− at the concentration of 100 mg/L increased 4-t-BP degradation, but higher concentrations inhibited the photocatalytic reaction. Cyclic experiments showed that the catalyst practically retained its catalytic activity toward 4-t-BP degradation after three successive experimental runs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)
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18 pages, 3564 KiB  
Article
Structural, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of Mn Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Used as Photocatalysts for Azo-Dye Degradation under Visible Light
by Imane Aadnan, Omar Zegaoui, Abderrahim El Mragui, Ikram Daou, Hamou Moussout and Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
Catalysts 2022, 12(11), 1382; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12111382 - 7 Nov 2022
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3353
Abstract
Doping ZnO with appropriate foreign metal and/or non-metal ions is one of the most promising ways to improve both the extension of ZnO photosensitization to the visible region and the separation of charge carriers. Herein, Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a precipitation [...] Read more.
Doping ZnO with appropriate foreign metal and/or non-metal ions is one of the most promising ways to improve both the extension of ZnO photosensitization to the visible region and the separation of charge carriers. Herein, Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a precipitation method. The effect of the Mn amount on the physico-chemical properties of these nanomaterials was investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The photocatalytic properties of the synthesized nanomaterials were assessed through methyl orange (MO) under visible light. The obtained results showed that the structural and optical properties of the synthesized Mn-ZnO nanomaterials depended greatly on the Mn amount. It was found that the substitution of Zn2+ by Mn2+/Mn3+ within the lattice of ZnO occurred. The photocatalytic experiments revealed that the sample containing 10 wt% exhibited the best MO conversion. For this sample, the discoloration reached 96%, while the chemical oxygen demand reached 1% after 820 min of visible illumination. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the efficient separation of charge carriers. The active species quenching experiments showed that the holes are the main active species in MO degradation under visible light in the presence of 10%Mn-ZnO. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)
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17 pages, 8636 KiB  
Article
Integration of Carboxymethyl Cellulose Isolated from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Waste into Bismuth Ferrite as Photocatalyst for Effective Anionic Dyes Degradation
by Siti Aqilah Husna Md Azman, Suresh Sagadevan, Ishak Ahmad, Mohamad Haafiz Mohamad Kassim, Saifullahi Shehu Imam, Khoa Dang Nguyen and Noor Haida Mohd Kaus
Catalysts 2022, 12(10), 1205; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101205 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2233
Abstract
Photocatalytic biomass valorization has proven to be a valuable approach for sustainably constructing value—added products from waste materials. The present study aimed to know about Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) nanoparticles combined into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) obtained from oil palm empty fruit bunch [...] Read more.
Photocatalytic biomass valorization has proven to be a valuable approach for sustainably constructing value—added products from waste materials. The present study aimed to know about Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) nanoparticles combined into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) obtained from oil palm empty fruit bunch waste (OCMC) and used as a catalyst composite for the degradation of anionic dyes, specifically on methyl orange (MO) and congo red (CR). The parameter that affects the formation of OCMC, such as the degree of substitution (DS), depends upon the alkalization reaction time and NaOH concentrations. The highest DS was obtained at 1.562 and found at 60% NaOH with 9 h of alkalization, very close to that of the commercial CMC (CCMC) DS value. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that OCMC as a semi-crystalline phase and the tensile strength of OCMC film increased significantly from 0.11 MPa to 3.54 MPa as compared to CCMC. The comparative study on photocatalytic degradation of MO and CR using OCMC and CCMC reinforced with 0.8% BiFeO3 showed a minor difference in removal percentage. The efficiency removal for CCMC/BFO towards CR and MO was enhanced to 95.49% and 92.93% after a 3-h treatment, and a similar result was obtained in the case of OCMC/BiFeO3 at 92.50% for CR and 89.56% for MO, respectively. Nevertheless, it is interesting that OCMC film exhibits remarkable stability with an improvement in terms of tensile strength and stays more intact than that of CCMC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)
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13 pages, 3911 KiB  
Article
Formulation of Bismuth (Bi2O3) and Cerium Oxides (CeO2) Nanosheets for Boosted Visible Light Degradation of Methyl Orange and Methylene Blue Dyes in Water
by Khurram Shahzad, Javier Fernandez-Garcia, Muhammad Imran Khan, Abdallah Shanableh, Naseem Ahmad Khan and Aziz ur Rehman
Catalysts 2022, 12(10), 1197; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12101197 - 8 Oct 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2774
Abstract
Annealing of periodic mesoporous organosilica supported with bismuth (Bi@PMOS) and cerium (Ce@PMOS) nanoparticles was carried out to derive bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanosheets. The hydrothermal sol-gel method was used to synthesize hexagonal Bi@PMOS and [...] Read more.
Annealing of periodic mesoporous organosilica supported with bismuth (Bi@PMOS) and cerium (Ce@PMOS) nanoparticles was carried out to derive bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanosheets. The hydrothermal sol-gel method was used to synthesize hexagonal Bi@PMOS and Ce@PMOS. These PMOS provided an opportunity for bismuth and cerium to retain a hexagonal configuration alongside their traditional crystalline phases (tetragonal and cubic) in Bi2O3 and CeO2 nanosheets. All produced materials were found to be dynamic under sunlight irradiation for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). However, the Bi2O3 and CeO2 nanosheets showed better potential and photo-catalytic performances than Bi@PMOS and Ce@PMOS due to the presence of the unique blend of crystalline phases. The synthesized Bi@PMOS, Ce@PMOS, Bi2O3, and CeO2 were structurally characterized by FTIR and XRD techniques. These showed characteristic vibrations of successfully loaded bismuth and cerium with hexagonal symmetry. EDX results confirmed the elemental detection of bismuth and cerium, while SEM images revealed the nanosheets in the synthesized materials. The optical response and detection of reactive species were carried out by photoluminescence (PL) and showed emissions at 700 nm. The PL data were also used to calculate band gaps of 3.72, 3.70, 3.35, and 2.88 eV for Ce@PMOS, Bi@PMOS, CeO2, and Bi2O3, respectively. A UV/visible spectrophotometer scanned the photocatalytic competences of the synthesized nanomaterials through the degradation of MB and MO dyes. Then, 10 mg of Bi@PMOS and Ce@PMOS degraded 15 mg and 8.4 mg of MB and 10.8 mg and 8 mg of MO, respectively, in 20 mg/L solutions. However, equivalent quantities of Bi2O3 and CeO2 (10 mg of each) exhibited more efficient photocatalysis of the 20 mg/L solutions of MB and MO, degrading 18.4 mg and 15.4 mg, and 12.4 mg and 17 mg, respectively, in only 1 h. The Bi2O3 and CeO2 photocatalysts were regenerated and their photodegradation results were also recovered. Bi2O3 and CeO2 showed only 10% and 8% (for MB), and 8% and 10% (for MO) decline in catalytic efficiency, respectively, even after four consecutive recycles. These results demonstrate that these materials are dynamic, long-lasting photocatalysts for the rapid degradation of azo dyes in contaminated water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)
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Review

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18 pages, 1213 KiB  
Review
Photoactive Materials for Decomposition of Organic Matter Prior to Water Analysis—A Review Containing Original Research
by Krzysztof Drwal, Krzysztof Miecznikowski and Beata Krasnodębska-Ostręga
Catalysts 2022, 12(6), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12060616 - 3 Jun 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2426
Abstract
Water plays a fundamental role in meeting the basic needs of society. Surface waters contain numerous organic pollutants, such as pesticides, drugs, and surfactants. The use of photolysis processes in organic matter degradation not only has practical applications in wastewater treatment but is [...] Read more.
Water plays a fundamental role in meeting the basic needs of society. Surface waters contain numerous organic pollutants, such as pesticides, drugs, and surfactants. The use of photolysis processes in organic matter degradation not only has practical applications in wastewater treatment but is also of major importance in the pretreatment of samples prior to the trace analysis of numerous analytes. The heterogeneous degradation is simple to implement prior to ultra-traces determination and is the only one allowed before the speciation analysis. Speciation analysis is currently the most important environmental challenge. The analysis of water, including tests associated with wastewater pretreatment and the monitoring of aqueous ecosystems, is the largest segment of environmental analysis. In the trace analysis of water, organic compounds are the principal interfering compounds reducing the quality of the obtained results or even preventing the determination of the examined analytes altogether. Some analytical techniques do not perform well in the presence, for example, of surfactants, so mineralization is sometimes required. Advanced oxidation processes are used to remove interfering organic compounds. The oxidation can be performed using homogenous photolysis (UV mineralization with hydrogen peroxide addition), while heterogenous photolysis using semiconductors helps to increase the removal efficiency of interferents dissolved in water. Utilizing semiconductor nanostructured materials as photocatalysts has been shown to be effective for the adequate removal of a wide spectrum of pollutants in water. Several semiconductor systems are used in the degradation of organic compounds, e.g., TiO2, Fe3O4, WO3, Fe2O3, ZnO, and mixtures of these oxides enriched with various precious metals, such as silver or gold. It is very challenging to manage the selectivity and reduction power so that organic compounds can be degraded but without disturbing the speciation of As, Cr, or Tl. Chemical modification of samples and the selection of semiconductor layers, light wavelength, and pH allow for the targeted degradation of specific compounds but may also indirectly affect the analysis of water samples. This review is a presentation of the state of the art of photocatalysis as a simple and effective technique for sample pretreatment in ultra-trace and speciation analysis and its critical as well as unpublished data related to this topic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photoactive Materials for the Catalytic Decomposition of Water Pollutants)
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