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Processes
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Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation
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Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalysis Enhanced Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 12714

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vesna Tomašić

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Guest Editor
Department of Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: (photo)catalytic purification of wastewater and waste gas; reaction kinetics and mechanisms; analysis and modeling of reactors; process intensification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental remediation, transformation of renewable substrates and plastic waste into valuable chemicals and clean H2 fuel, and global climate change present increasingly urgent challenges. Photocatalytic processes, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), allow for the green activation of photocatalysts, particularly when carried out under sunlight or energy-efficient irradiation sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This field of research offers many opportunities for both academics and industries, although some weaknesses of the current systems still limit their broader application. Due to different pollutants’ high efficiency and potential for degradation, modern research has focused on overcoming existing challenges, such as photocatalyst and system design, optimization of process conditions and reactor design, irradiation distribution, analysis of the structure-mechanism–performance relationship, visible-light-driven systems, etc.

This Special Issue on "Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation", highlighting recent progress in the field, aims to provide answers to many remaining questions that need to be addressed to meet stringent pollutant emission standards in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Design of photocatalysts and composite materials for the degradation of pollutants present in wastewater, waste gases, and the atmosphere;
  • Photocatalytic water splitting, photoreforming of biomass and plastic waste;
  • Exploiting potential of the in situ characterization techniques, molecular modeling, and theoretical simulations for a better understanding of the mechanisms of pollutants degradation;
  • Design, analysis, and modeling of photocatalytic reactors, laboratory- and pilot-plant scale photoreactors.

Prof. Dr. Vesna Tomašić
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • advanced oxidation processes
  • heterogeneous photocatalysis
  • water/air treatment
  • photoreforming
  • reaction mechanisms and kinetics
  • laboratory and pilot-scale photoreactors

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4394 KiB  
Article
Use of Simulated Sunlight Radiation and Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove Xenobiotics from Aqueous Solutions
by Bruna Babić Visković, Anamaria Maslač, Davor Dolar and Danijela Ašperger
Processes 2023, 11(12), 3403; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11123403 - 11 Dec 2023
Viewed by 776
Abstract
Xenobiotics, which include a wide range of synthetic chemicals and compounds, have become a significant threat to water quality and biodiversity. The need for innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate the impact of pollutants on our ecosystems has become a hot topic of [...] Read more.
Xenobiotics, which include a wide range of synthetic chemicals and compounds, have become a significant threat to water quality and biodiversity. The need for innovative and sustainable solutions to mitigate the impact of pollutants on our ecosystems has become a hot topic of numerous discussions and research. One such solution lies in the potential application of simulated solar radiation and hydrogen peroxide to remove pesticides from aqueous solutions. In this paper, we investigated the possibility of removing selected pesticides (acetamiprid, clothianidin, and thiacloprid) under the influence of simulated solar radiation with and without the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The influence of pH value and H2O2 concentration on removal and toxicity before and after photolytic removal was examined. The results showed that clothianidin is almost completely removed (94.80–96.35%) after 5 h under the influence of simulated solar radiation, while thiacloprid and acetamiprid confirm their persistence and resistance to photolytic degradation. The addition of H2O2 leads to the removal of all three pesticides and results in a significant acceleration of the degradation process itself and the removal of the individual pesticides already within 2 h. According to the data obtained, the k values obtained in the paper follow the following trend: clothianidin > thiacloprid > acetamiprid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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16 pages, 3084 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Photocatalytic Performance of BiVO4 for Micropollutant Degradation by Fe and Ag Photomodification
by Marin Popović, Tayebeh Sharifi, Marijana Kraljić Roković, Boštjan Genorio, Boštjan Žener, Igor Peternel, Urška Lavrenčič Štangar, Hrvoje Kušić, Ana Lončarić Božić and Marin Kovačić
Processes 2023, 11(9), 2803; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092803 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 810
Abstract
Wider application of BiVO4 (BVO) for photocatalytic water treatment is primarily limited by its modest photocatalytic effectiveness, despite its appropriately narrow band gap for low-cost, sunlight-facilitated water treatment processes. In this study, we have photomodified an isotype BVO, consisting of a tetragonal [...] Read more.
Wider application of BiVO4 (BVO) for photocatalytic water treatment is primarily limited by its modest photocatalytic effectiveness, despite its appropriately narrow band gap for low-cost, sunlight-facilitated water treatment processes. In this study, we have photomodified an isotype BVO, consisting of a tetragonal zircon and monoclinic scheelite phase, with Fe (Fe@BVO) and Ag (Ag@BVO) ionic precursors under UV illumination in an aqueous ethanol solution in order to assess their effect on the opto-electronic properties and effectiveness for the removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP). Fe@BVO failed to demonstrate enhanced effectiveness over pristine BVO, whereas all Ag@BVO achieved improved CIP degradation, especially 1% Ag@BVO. At pH 4 and 6, 1% Ag@BVO demonstrated nearly 24% greater removal of CIP than BVO alone. Photomodification with Fe created surface oxygen vacancies, as confirmed by XPS and Mott–Schottky analysis, which facilitated improved electron mobility, although no distinct Fe-containing phase nor Fe-doping was detected. On the other hand, the introduction of mid-band gap states by oxygen vacancies decreased the reducing power of the photogenerated electrons as the flat band potentials were shifted to more positive values, thus likely negatively impacting superoxide formation. In contrast, Ag-photomodification (Ag@BVO) resulted in the formation of Ag2O/AgO and Ag nanoparticles on the surface of BVO, which, under illumination, generated hot electrons by surface plasmon resonance and enhanced the mobility of photogenerated electrons. Our research underscores the pivotal role of photogenerated electrons for CIP degradation by BiVO4-based materials and emphasizes the importance of appropriate band-edge engineering for optimizing contaminant degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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15 pages, 3956 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Degradation of Neonicotinoid Insecticides over Perlite-Supported TiO2
by Vanja Kosar, Ana-Marija Križanac, Ivana Elizabeta Zelić, Stanislav Kurajica and Vesna Tomašić
Processes 2023, 11(9), 2588; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092588 - 29 Aug 2023
Viewed by 821
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of the neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid in aqueous solution. Experiments were carried out in a 250 mL batch reactor with recirculation of the reaction mixture and using a UVA-LED radiation source with a [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of the neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid in aqueous solution. Experiments were carried out in a 250 mL batch reactor with recirculation of the reaction mixture and using a UVA-LED radiation source with a heterogeneous UVC-modified perlite-based TiO2 photocatalyst. The photocatalytic degradation of acetamiprid was optimized using a Box–Behnken design (BBD) of the response surface methodology (RSM). The variables in the process optimization were catalyst type, volume of the reaction mixture, and light radiation intensity. From the experimental data obtained, the conversions of the photocatalytic reactions, the reaction rate constants, and the mean square deviations were calculated. The experimental results have shown that the conversion of the reaction is significantly affected by the type of catalyst, i.e., the method used to immobilise the photocatalytic layer on the perlite granules. The highest conversions of 48.49% were reached with catalysts obtained by impregnation methods, while the conversions were quite low (8.68%) for catalysts obtained by sol-gel methods. It was also found that the highest conversions were achieved with the highest radiation intensity and the smallest volume of reaction mixture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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15 pages, 3479 KiB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Synthesis of TiO2/ZIF-8 Composites: Characterization and Application for the Removal of Imidacloprid from Wastewater
by Lucija Bogdan, Ana Palčić, Marina Duplančić, Mirela Leskovac and Vesna Tomašić
Processes 2023, 11(3), 963; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11030963 - 21 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1582
Abstract
The aim of this work was to develop hybrid TiO2/ZIF-8 photocatalysts and test their activity for the removal of agricultural pollutants in water. The hybrid photocatalysts were prepared by an innovative method involving hydrothermal synthesis at 150 °C using a mechanochemically [...] Read more.
The aim of this work was to develop hybrid TiO2/ZIF-8 photocatalysts and test their activity for the removal of agricultural pollutants in water. The hybrid photocatalysts were prepared by an innovative method involving hydrothermal synthesis at 150 °C using a mechanochemically synthesized zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) and titanium tetraisopropoxide as a titanium dioxide (TiO2) precursor. Three composite photocatalysts with different mass fractions of titanium dioxide (5, 50, and 95 wt%) were synthesized and characterized, and their adsorption and photocatalytic properties investigated for the removal of imidacloprid. The equilibrium adsorption test showed that ZIF-8 is a good adsorbent and can adsorb 65% of the model component under the working conditions used in this work, while the hybrid photocatalysts can adsorb 1–3% of the model component. It is assumed that the adsorption is hindered by the TiO2 layer on the surface of ZIF-8, which blocks the interactions of ZIF-8 and imidacloprid. A significant decrease in band gap energies (3.1–3.6 eV) was observed for the hybrid TiO2/ZIF-8 photocatalysts compared to the values obtained with ZIF-8 (5 eV), depending on the mass fractions of TiO2. The highest removal efficiency of imidacloprid was achieved with the hybrid photocatalysts containing 5 wt% TiO2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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13 pages, 4085 KiB  
Article
Hydrothermally-Derived Silver-Decorated Nanocrystalline Anatase Photocatalyst for Reactive Violet 2 Photodegradation
by Stanislav Kurajica, Ivana Grčić, Iva Minga, Vilko Mandić and Katarina Mužina
Processes 2023, 11(1), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11010210 - 09 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1154
Abstract
A photocatalyst comprised of Ag nanoparticles dispersed on an anatase matrix has been prepared using a simple hydrothermal method without additional thermal treatment. The prepared material was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, [...] Read more.
A photocatalyst comprised of Ag nanoparticles dispersed on an anatase matrix has been prepared using a simple hydrothermal method without additional thermal treatment. The prepared material was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. The prepared catalyst activity was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of C.I. Reactive Violet 2 (RV2) aqueous solution under UVA and visible light illumination. SEM revealed the non-uniform dispersion of silver particles throughout the matrix composed of fine particles. According to XRD analysis, the matrix was composed of pure anatase with a crystallite size of 8 nm calculated through the Scherrer equation. HRTEM micrograph analysis showed that anatase nanoparticles possess a spherical morphology and a narrow size distribution with an average particle size of 8 nm with more active anatase {100} crystal surface exposed, while silver nanoparticles were between 60 and 90 nm. A bandgap of 3.26 eV has been calculated on the basis of the DRS UV-Vis spectrum, while a specific surface area of 209 m2g−1 has been established from adsorption isotherms. Thus, through a simple synthesis approach without subsequent thermal treatment, the agglomeration of nanoparticles and the reduction of specific surface area have been avoided. Prepared nano Ag/anatase photocatalyst exhibits excellent efficiency for the photodegradation of RV2 under UVA and visible irradiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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20 pages, 6842 KiB  
Article
Rubber Tiles Made from Secondary Raw Materials with Immobilized Titanium Dioxide as Passive Air Protection
by Paula Benjak, Lucija Radetić, Marija Tomaš, Ivan Brnardić, Benjamin Radetić, Vedrana Špada and Ivana Grčić
Processes 2023, 11(1), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11010125 - 01 Jan 2023
Viewed by 3500
Abstract
The immobilization of titanium dioxide, particularly commercial TiO2 P25, on the surface of recycled rubber tiles presents a solution for achieving passive air protection. A completely new purpose for tiles was obtained by addressing air pollution and related health issues. Modified rubber [...] Read more.
The immobilization of titanium dioxide, particularly commercial TiO2 P25, on the surface of recycled rubber tiles presents a solution for achieving passive air protection. A completely new purpose for tiles was obtained by addressing air pollution and related health issues. Modified rubber tiles were prepared using a sol–gel method with three different proportions of TiO2 (2, 4, and 10 g) in the solution. The nature of TiO2 nanoparticles and their respective binding on the tile surface was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with electron dispersion X-ray spectrometry (EDS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The SEM-EDS results showed that the most successful immobilization was achieved with the lowest amount of TiO2 in the sol–gel solution. The FTIR results confirmed a band at 950 cm−1 that was attributed to the Ti-O-Si bond. The stability and environmental impact of the treated rubber substrates were investigated by a leaching test. Photocatalytic oxidation was confirmed by the oxidation of NH3 to N2. Based on the results obtained, rubber substrates with an addition of 2 g of TiO2 have demonstrated prospects for further tests of the photocatalytic degradation of airborne pollutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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Review

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28 pages, 2429 KiB  
Review
Design and Development of Photocatalytic Systems for Reduction of CO2 into Valuable Chemicals and Fuels
by Amra Bratovčić and Vesna Tomašić
Processes 2023, 11(5), 1433; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051433 - 09 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2894
Abstract
This review presents the results of research in the field of photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane and methanol as valuable chemicals and fuels. CO2 reduction is a promising technology, but it is an endothermic process with unfavourable [...] Read more.
This review presents the results of research in the field of photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane and methanol as valuable chemicals and fuels. CO2 reduction is a promising technology, but it is an endothermic process with unfavourable thermodynamics. Other limitations include the inertness of the CO2 molecule, the slow multielectron process, and the lack of understanding of the reaction mechanism, leading to low selectivity and insufficient efficiency. Tailoring reaction parameters such as CO2 adsorption, choice of reducing agent, development of photocatalysts in terms of composition, structural properties and morphology, energy band gap, and the presence of surface functional groups can affect the reaction mechanism and selectivity for the desired product. Therefore, the main challenges in this research area are the development of an active and selective catalyst for the photoreduction of CO2 to useful products with high added value and the optimization and development of a suitable photoreactor that allows successful contact between all key participants in the photocatalytic process. This review is intended to provide guidance for the future development of advanced photocatalysts and photocatalytic systems for CO2 reduction and to enable further breakthroughs in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of sol-gel Ce-TiO2 films
Authors: Lidija Ćurković; , Davor Ljubas; Debora Briševac; Vilko Mandić
Affiliation: 1,* Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia 2 Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

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