Abstract
Semi-conductor oxide enhanced photocatalysis is a sustainable technology suitable for disinfection of water contaminated with pathogens. Disinfection of Escherichia coli was investigated using an immobilized thin film tungsten trioxide (WO3) photocatalyst in a visible light-driven photoelectrocatalytic batch cell (PECB). Disinfection efficiency was monitored under dark electrocatalytic, photolytic and photoelectrocatalytic conditions and assessed using a culture-based approach. Optimal disinfection efficiency (>99 % within 15 minutes) occurred when the WO3 catalyst was illuminated under closed circuit conditions. Non-detection of colony forming units showed no re-growth of the pathogen during post-irradiation studies, indicating cell death. The WO3 photocatalyst is a potentially useful disinfection technology as its utilization of visible parts of the solar spectrum optimizes solar energy for treatment of contaminated waters.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 899-903 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Environmental engineering and management journal |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Apr 2016 |
Keywords
- disinfection
- E. coli
- photoelectrocatalysis
- tungsten trioxide
- wastewater
- visible-light
- photocatalytic disinfection
- Escherichia-coli
- bactericidal activity
- titanium-dioxide
- pathogenic microorganisms
- postirradiation events
- TiO2 photocatalysis
- film elctrodes
- drinking-water