Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light
Abstract In this study, the inactivation of various bacterial strains in a solar illuminated photocatalysis reactor with a titania photocatalyst dispersed in a geopolymer coating is studied. The modular reactor design consists of connected catalyst-coated open water carrying chutes. The cleaning eff...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Applied Water Science |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-025-02453-x |
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| author | Lukas Dufner Philipp Hofmann Daniel Dobslaw Frank Kern |
| author_facet | Lukas Dufner Philipp Hofmann Daniel Dobslaw Frank Kern |
| author_sort | Lukas Dufner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In this study, the inactivation of various bacterial strains in a solar illuminated photocatalysis reactor with a titania photocatalyst dispersed in a geopolymer coating is studied. The modular reactor design consists of connected catalyst-coated open water carrying chutes. The cleaning efficiency of the process against chemical and biological water contaminants was evaluated by means of test series with methylene blue as a reference for chemical contamination and by studying the inactivation of the strains Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens and an undefined mixed culture from the effluent of the secondary clarifier of a wastewater treatment plant as biological contaminants. Test series with methylene blue showed reduction efficiencies of 17–63% for non-catalyst-coated reference reactors and 55–99% for catalyst-coated reactors within 120–300 min of exposure to natural sunlight. Disinfection test series showed reduction efficiencies of 0.0–2.8 log units (without catalyst) and 0.0–4.4 log units (with catalyst) for mentioned bacteria and the mixed culture within 40–180 min of light exposure. Hence, the catalyst-coated system consistently showed a significantly higher degradation efficiency than the non-coated reference. A comparison of methylene blue degradation under natural solar irradiation and artificial UVA irradiation conditions showed that this simple reactor concept is suitable for the combined elimination of trace substances and disinfection of water even at moderate flux rates of 1000 W/m2. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-664f3b93c6dc44bd93d7894cd152ea4d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2190-5487 2190-5495 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Water Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-664f3b93c6dc44bd93d7894cd152ea4d2025-08-20T03:48:18ZengSpringerOpenApplied Water Science2190-54872190-54952025-04-0115511310.1007/s13201-025-02453-xDegradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar lightLukas Dufner0Philipp Hofmann1Daniel Dobslaw2Frank Kern3Institute for Manufacturing Technologies of Ceramic Components and Composites, University of StuttgartInstitute for Manufacturing Technologies of Ceramic Components and Composites, University of StuttgartInstitute of Spatial and Regional Planning, University of StuttgartInstitute for Manufacturing Technologies of Ceramic Components and Composites, University of StuttgartAbstract In this study, the inactivation of various bacterial strains in a solar illuminated photocatalysis reactor with a titania photocatalyst dispersed in a geopolymer coating is studied. The modular reactor design consists of connected catalyst-coated open water carrying chutes. The cleaning efficiency of the process against chemical and biological water contaminants was evaluated by means of test series with methylene blue as a reference for chemical contamination and by studying the inactivation of the strains Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens and an undefined mixed culture from the effluent of the secondary clarifier of a wastewater treatment plant as biological contaminants. Test series with methylene blue showed reduction efficiencies of 17–63% for non-catalyst-coated reference reactors and 55–99% for catalyst-coated reactors within 120–300 min of exposure to natural sunlight. Disinfection test series showed reduction efficiencies of 0.0–2.8 log units (without catalyst) and 0.0–4.4 log units (with catalyst) for mentioned bacteria and the mixed culture within 40–180 min of light exposure. Hence, the catalyst-coated system consistently showed a significantly higher degradation efficiency than the non-coated reference. A comparison of methylene blue degradation under natural solar irradiation and artificial UVA irradiation conditions showed that this simple reactor concept is suitable for the combined elimination of trace substances and disinfection of water even at moderate flux rates of 1000 W/m2.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-025-02453-xPhotocatalysisDisinfectionTiO2Solar reactorBacteria degradation |
| spellingShingle | Lukas Dufner Philipp Hofmann Daniel Dobslaw Frank Kern Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light Applied Water Science Photocatalysis Disinfection TiO2 Solar reactor Bacteria degradation |
| title | Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light |
| title_full | Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light |
| title_fullStr | Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light |
| title_full_unstemmed | Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light |
| title_short | Degradation of bacteria for water purification in a TiO2-coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light |
| title_sort | degradation of bacteria for water purification in a tio2 coated photocatalytic reactor illuminated by solar light |
| topic | Photocatalysis Disinfection TiO2 Solar reactor Bacteria degradation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-025-02453-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lukasdufner degradationofbacteriaforwaterpurificationinatio2coatedphotocatalyticreactorilluminatedbysolarlight AT philipphofmann degradationofbacteriaforwaterpurificationinatio2coatedphotocatalyticreactorilluminatedbysolarlight AT danieldobslaw degradationofbacteriaforwaterpurificationinatio2coatedphotocatalyticreactorilluminatedbysolarlight AT frankkern degradationofbacteriaforwaterpurificationinatio2coatedphotocatalyticreactorilluminatedbysolarlight |