Gaseous nitrogen oxides (NOx) result from combustion of fossil fuels, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and biological reactions in soils. They not only affect air quality and the atmospheric concentration of ozone, but also contribute to global warming and acid rain. We provide evidence of gas fixation in soils through photocatalytic reactions under UV–Visible irradiation. The catalytic activity promoting NOx capture as nitrate varied widely amongst different soil types, from low in quartzitic sandy soils to high in those with significant amounts of anatase (titanium oxide). The photocatalytic efficiency, in some cases comparable to the TiO<sub>2</sub> P25 benchmark product, also depends on the nature and content of organic matter and iron oxides. This mechanism of N fixation provides a new insight into the nitrogen cycle and may inspire alternative strategies to reduce NO emissions from soils.

Soils, a natural photocatalytic resource for NOx gases abatement

ACS Fall 2021

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