Pharmaceutical and self-care products have been increasingly observed as contaminants in surface water systems. These compounds have been shown to be hazardous to aquatic life and pose a threat to human health. These concerns have sparked many studies focused on novel methods to remove hazardous pharmaceutical compounds from surface water. One promising method is photocatalytic degradation, which uses light to break down large, hazardous molecules into harmless products such as water and carbon dioxide. Titanium dioxide has been studied extensively due to its high activity, stability, and low cost and has been combined with other materials to form composites showing improved performance. In this study, a composite film of TiO<sub>2</sub>, carbon nanoparticles and chitosan was prepared using layer-by-layer self-assembly and evaluated as a potential photocatalyst for pollutant degradation. Self-assembled film microstructure was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemically analyzed using by uv-vis, infrared, Raman, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photocatalysis was evaluated using a custom mini-reactor and LED light source (365nm) and results showed that the composite films could degrade both methylene blue dye and two emerging pollutants (trimethoprim and carbamazepine). Degradation of these compounds was monitored using both nanodrop uv-vis spectroscopy and by HPLC. Degradation generally showed first order kinetics which was dependent on the number of layers deposited. The stability and reusability of the film was investigated and showed film stability after several uses.

Analysis of the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants using composites based on the layer-by-layer self-assembly of TiO<sub>2</sub>, nanocarbon, and chitosan

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

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

Analysis of the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants using composites based on the layer-by-layer self-assembly of TiO2, nanocarbon, and chitosan

Analysis of the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants using composites based on the layer-by-layer self-assembly of TiO₂, nanocarbon, and chitosan