THE APPLICATION OF NANOSTRUCTURATED MATERIALS INTO AOPs PROCESSES FOR ADVANCED OXIDATION OF PRIOR POLLUTANTS FROM WASTEWATER

PROJECT  CEEX –MENER PROGRAM

CONTRACT – 642/03.10.2005

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE – 2005-2008

CONSORTIUM

Coordinator: National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology INCD-ECOIND Bucharest

Partners:

University of Bucharest – Centre of Theoretical and Applied Physical Chemistry –CC CFTA

Institute of Physical Chemistry „I.G. Murgulescu” of Romanian Academy – ICF

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Development of an advanced degradation technology for prior compounds specified in GD 351/2005 as chlorinated aromatic compounds (maximum accepted concentration level of mg/l), by photocatalytical oxidation using nanostructurated TiO₂ based photocatalysts.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• setting up the data base on the state-of-art of AOPs application for degradation of chlorinated aromatic compounds, pollution level and techniques for synthesis of TiO₂ based photocatalysts.
• setting up the kinetics and advanced degradation mechanisms of chlorinated aromatic compounds in various operating conditions.
• synthesis and characterization of various types of TiO₂ and modified TiO₂ based photocatalysts.
• development of an advanced degradation technology via photocatalytic  oxidation of chlorinated aromatic compounds.
• dissemination and transfer of the project results.

NOVELTY ASPECTS

• Ø Ecologic and modern treatment process, not applied up to now at national level.
• Ø Using an unconventional energy source – solar light.

RESULTS/PROGRESS INDICATORS

• Documentary study regarding the AOPs processes applied in the field of advanced degradation of prior compounds like aromatic chlorinated compounds; influence factors of photo degradation processes.
• Setting the pollution level with aromatic chlorinated compounds and pollution context of some wastewater sources.
• Preliminary sol-gel procedures development in order to synthesize the TiO₂ based photocatalyst (powder, film on support) and characterization of final products.
• Assessment of pollutant structure influence and wastewater pollution context on photodegradation efficiency.
• Obtaining of photocatalyst as nanometric sol-gel powder based on TiO₂ doped with sulphur.
• Construction, internal overheads, of solar photocatalytic installation – recirculation operation mode.
• Assessment of operating parameters influence (photocatalyst concentration, pollutant concentration, reaction time, degree of photocatalyst recirculation) on chlorobenzene degradation efficiency in case of real pollution context.
• Assessment of the filtration rate influence on the separation of spent photocatalyst from the post-oxidation effluent.
• Development of a treatment technology for wastewater with chlorobenzene content (mg/l), and establishing of optimal operating parameter which assure a high pollutant removal degree according with stipulated in force limit (£ mg/l); the proposed technology consists of: neutralization-settling (optional applied)-photocatalysis (solar light/S doped TiO₂ system)-photocalyst separation/recirculation.

DISEMINATION

• Organizing a workshop for promoting/demonstration of proposed technology  to potential beneficiaries;
• Dissemination of project results in the frame of scientifically community by:
  • 16 paper works presented to scientific events, 4 at national level and 12 at international level;
  • 5 article published in a foreign ISI scientific journals:
  • Original results of the project have resulted in are OSIM patent demand no. A/00484/24.06.2008 entitled “Photocatalyst for water treatment and obtaining processes”.

The accumulated experience of the partners into the project was valorised by elaborating a new project proposal in the frame of National Research Program PNII- Partnership in Prioritary Fields-project proposal declared winner- FENPEST-contract no. 32131 “Promotion of photo-induced based green technologies for treatment of water with pesticides content”

POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES/USERS OF THE RESULTS

• large economic units or small companies who are generating prior substances like chlorinated aromatic compounds (organic chemical synthesis, rubber, paper, wood industries a.s.o.);
• local Administration units and water-sewerage operators;
• research and development companies in the field of environment protection.