Photo (electro) catalysis and photoelectro-fenton processes for emerging contaminants removal from industrial wastewater

Abstract

The international network PHOCATPROS Brazil-Chile (BR-CL) is focused in the synthesis and characterization of new semiconductors materials based on Nb/Nb2O5 nanotubes modified with Fe2O3, Nb/Nb2O5 doped with B, TiO2 nanotubes modified with Ag nanoparticles and FTO/Fe2O3 by electrochemical deposition; and molecular organic framework (MOF) structures through anodic deposition on metallic electrodes Cu, Ni, Zn and Fe containing the binder (2-aminoterephthalic acid (ATP) and bipyridine (ATP-NH2), aminobenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (BDC)) for the formation of the three-dimensional metal-organic network. The MOF thin films electrodes will be prepared by anodic deposition on zinc, nickel, copper and iron metal electrodes in the presence of the ligand with the aim to obtain materials with different characteristics to be applied in photocatalysis/photoelectrocatalysis of emerging contaminants in water. Moreover, the heterogeneous solar photoelectro-Fenton process, using the new photocatalysts/photoelectrocatalysts (PC/PEC), will be applied to treat wastewater containing specific emerging contaminants (EC) in synthetic wastewater and real industrial wastewater using different solar photoelectrochemical reactors to be evaluated for potential industrial-scale application . For this reason, a complete analytical characterization of different industrial wastewater (textile industry, winery industry and meat industry) will be performed. After, a chemical evaluation of the heterogeneous SPEF process: concentration of reagents (new catalyst concentration, supporting electrolytes, between others), intermediates and products formed during the different decontamination methods of the EC, kinetics evaluation of the degradation of each EC studied, quantification of electrogenerated oxidants, etc. Moreover, a complete evaluation of energetic costs for each process is proposed too, evaluating the possibility of its potential industrial application. During the develop of the scientific proposal, our collaborative project PHOCATPROSS includes missions in Brazil and Chile, conferences, dissemination of research in media outside the academy, increases the quantity and quality of the research and strengthen collaborative research between Chile and Brazil. (AU)