Photocatalytic filtration for emergent micropollutants removal from water

Abstract

This paper aims to report the development of a laboratory-scale pilot to assess the ability of the photocatalytic filtration to remove antibiotics from water, using a low-cost photo-oxidative porous media functionalized/coated with TiO2 nanoparticles using sol-gel method. The photo-oxidative reactor consists of filtration columns with a quartz porous media (with and without catalyst), which has the added value of allowing high permeability to solar UV radiation. This reactive filter was also designed to reproduce the hydraulic conditions observed in water treatment plants. Several testing scenarios were defined in order to study the really effects of hydraulics conditions, pH, DO, OTC initial concentration, and cumulative solar energy on OTC degradation efficiencies. The maximum removal efficiency of 98% was achieved at a flow rate of 12 L/h, in a closed circuit, for an OTC initial concentration of 20 mg/L, and a pH near 6. The results confirmed the ability of this sustainable technology to deal with such a worrying environmental threat.