TiO2-Mediated Photocatalytic Mineralization of a Non-Ionic Detergent: Comparison and Combination with Other Advanced Oxidation Procedures

Materials

Péter Hegedűs²  Erzst Szabó-Bárdos²  Ottó Horváth²  Krisztián Horváth¹  Péter Hajós¹ 

[1] Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Pannonia, P.O.Box 158, 8201 Veszprém, Hungary; E-Mails:;Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Pannonia, P.O.Box 158, 8201 Veszprém, Hungary; E-Mails:

关键词: nonionic surfactant;    advanced oxidation process;    titanium dioxide;    photocatalytic degradation;    UHPLC;    ozonation;    persulfate;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ma8010231

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Triton X-100 is one of the most widely-applied man-made non-ionic surfactants. This detergent can hardly be degraded by biological treatment. Hence, a more efficient degradation method is indispensable for the total mineralization of this pollutant. Application of heterogeneous photocatalysis based on a TiO₂ suspension is a possible solution. Its efficiency may be improved by the addition of various reagents. We have thoroughly examined the photocatalytic degradation of Triton X-100 under various circumstances. For comparison, the efficiencies of ozonation and treatment with peroxydisulfate were also determined under the same conditions. Besides, the combination of these advanced oxidation procedures (AOPs) were also studied. The mineralization of this surfactant was monitored by following the TOC and pH values, as well as the absorption and emission spectra of the reaction mixture. An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method was developed and optimized for monitoring the degradation of Triton X-100. Intermediates were also detected by GC-MS analysis and followed during the photocatalysis, contributing to the elucidation of the degradation mechanism. This non-ionic surfactant could be efficiently degraded by TiO₂-mediated heterogeneous photocatalysis. However, surprisingly, its combination with the AOPs applied in this study did not enhance the rate of the mineralization. Moreover, the presence of persulfate hindered the photocatalytic degradation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.