An effective photocatalytic disinfection of E. coli 8099 using Ag/BiOI composites under visible light was studied. The nanostructured Ag/BiOI composites were synthesized in the presence of ethylene glycol by a solvothermal process and subsequent photodeposition method. The experimental results showed that the photocatalytic disinfection efficiency of E. coli (5 � 107 cfu mL-1) using 2.09%Ag/BiOI was almost 99.99% within 10-min irradiation. The determination of cell structure destruction by TEM microscopy and measurement of released K+ confirmed that the cell membranes of E. coli were ruptured in the photocatalytic disinfection. It was found that the deposited Ag can facilitate the surface-adsorbed O2 to scavenge the photogenerated electrons. The main active species �OH for the photocatalytic disinfection performance of E. coli was produced by two pathways, that is, hvb+ oxidized water molecules to form �OH (oxidative pathway), and O2 captured the photogenerated electron to generate �O2- and subsequently produce �OH (reductive pathway).

Photocatalytic disinfection of E. coli in aqueous media using visible-light-driven Ag/BiOI composites

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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