Organic solvents and pharmaceuticals found in water supplies are Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) which cause potential significant impact on human health and aquatic life. The treatment regiments for these compounds typically involve either chemical treatment or absorption onto activated charcoal or clays which involve potentially hazardous chemicals that must be subsequently removed. The process outlined here eliminates these substances from the trteatment chain. Our research has shown that a wide variety of CECs are readily degraded using TiO2 photocatalysis, including organic contaminants: (MTBE, ETBE, TAME, DIPE, and 1,4-dioxane), analgesics (acetaminophen, ibuprophen, naproxen), antibiotics and antibacterials: (tetracycline, sulfanilamide, norfloxacine, triclosan), stimulants: (caffeine) and steroids (cortisone). The reactions require light in the 360 – 395 nm range along with O2 to proceed providing an alternative to the current methods This research has led to the development of a series of continuous flow photoreactor to treat CEC contaminated water. The original, in-series reactor (Mk.1), used TiO2 catalyst adhered to the inside of glass tubes and a fluorescent light to remove MTBE. An improved, in-parallel reactor (Mk. 2), patented in 2019, adhered the TiO2 catalyst to glass beads, used external fluorescent lights. This reactor reacted up to 80-100 μg/min of substrate (MTBE, acetaminophen and caffeine). The flow rate, however, was limited by the reactor design. A new photoreactor (Mk. 3) using UV-LED strips of 385-395 nm and an improved support for the catalyst using glass tubes coated with TiO2. The rate of substrate reaction depended on the amount of catalyst present and the exposure time, with 20-40 μg/min reacting at 90 ml/min using a single glass tube and LED source. The addition of more glass tubes and LED strips will allow the reactor to remove more substrate per unit time. That makes this system easily scalable both in volume and flow rate.

Development of photoreactors for the treatment of organic and pharmaceutical compounds of emerging concern (CEC) in water using uva light

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.