Title
Scaling up photoelectrocatalytic reactors: A TiO<inf>2</inf> nanotube-coated disc compound reactor effectively degrades acetaminophen
Date Issued
01 January 2019
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Abstract
Multiple discs coated with hierarchically-organized TiO2 anatase nanotubes served as photoelectrodes in a novel annular photoelectrocatalytic reactor. Electrochemical characterization showed light irradiation enhanced the current response due to photogeneration of charge carriers. The pharmaceutical acetaminophen was used as a representative water micropollutant. The photoelectrocatalysis pseudo-first-order rate constant for acetaminophen was seven orders of magnitude greater than electrocatalytic treatment. Compared against photocatalysis alone, our photoelectrocatalytic reactor at <8 V reduced by two fold, the electric energy per order (EEO; kWh m-3 order-1 for 90% pollutant degradation). Applying a cell potential higher than 8 V detrimentally increased EEO. Acetaminophen was degraded across a range of initial concentrations, but absorbance at higher concentration diminished photon transport, resulting in higher EEO. Extended photoelectrocatalytic reactor operation degraded acetaminophen, which was accompanied by 53% mineralization based upon total organic carbon measurements. This proof of concept for our photoelectrocatalytic reactor demonstrated a strategy to increase photo-active surface area in annular reactors.
Volume
11
Issue
12
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Nano-tecnología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85076752807
Source
Water (Switzerland)
ISSN of the container
20734441
Sponsor(s)
Funding: This work was partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment Nanosystems Engineering Research Center under project EEC-1449500 and the Research Institute of the Universidad de Lima and FONDECYT-Perú under project 105-2015.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus