Recent reports indicate that photocatatlytic treatment processes show great promise for a wide range of aquatic contaminants, including emerging classes of pharmaceutical micropollutants. However, most studies have only examined treatment of single pharmaceuticals in batch systems prepared in �clean� laboratory solutions devoid of non-target natural water constituents that may interact with photocatalysts, limiting effectiveness for treating the target micropollutants. Here, we report on the development of a laboratory plug-flow UVA photoreactor outfitted with thin-film titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysts, and application of the reactor to study photocatalytic treatment of a mixture of model micropollutants (iopromide, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, and acetaminophen) spiked into natural sourcewater matrices (groundwater and wastewater effluent) at low �g/L concentrations. Treatment of micropollutants in the natural sourcewaters was inhibited to varying degrees in comparison with deionized water solutions. The extent of inhibition and catalyst fouling varied with target pharmaceutical and natural water characteristics, suggesting different contributing mechanisms. Post-mortem spectroscopic analysis was conducted to identify catalyst-fouling constituents. Sourcewater pretreatment and catalyst regeneration strategies will also be discussed.

TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalyst inhibition, deactivation, and regeneration during treatment of pharmaceutical micropollutants in natural water matrices

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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TiO2 photocatalyst inhibition, deactivation, and regeneration during treatment of pharmaceutical micropollutants in natural water matrices

TiO₂ photocatalyst inhibition, deactivation, and regeneration during treatment of pharmaceutical micropollutants in natural water matrices