Titanium dioxide nanoparticles composed of mainly brookite phase (B-TiO2) was synthesized using a temperature controlled oil bath method. The photocatalytic degradation of a hepatotoxic cyanotoxin, cylindrospermopsin (CYN), by B-TiO2 under simulated solar irradiation was studied. Experiments were carried out in a laboratory scale by using two15 W fluorescent lamps with the light intensity of 2.37 mW/cm2. Almost complete removal of CYN with an initial concentration of 1 �M was achieved in 20 minutes when 0.1g/L photocatalyst was employed. When increasing the concentration of B-TiO2 to 0.25g/L, a faster removal of CYN was observed. The effects of water quality parameters, such as pH, alkalinity and the presence of natural organic matter, were also studied. Natural water samples from St. Johns River, Florida and Lake Erie, Michigan have also been used to evaluate the utility of this technology on the degradation of CYN in natural waters. The formation of intermediates in the destruction process is also being studied and results will be presented.

Degradation of cylindrospermopsin using brookite titanium dioxide under simulated solar light

244th National Meeting (2012)

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