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Development of a new rotating photocatalytic reactor for the degradation of hazardous pollutants

  • Ivana Elizabeta Zelić ORCID logo EMAIL logo , Vesna Tomašić and Zoran Gomzi
Published/Copyright: November 1, 2022
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International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering
From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 21 Issue 7

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a new rotating photocatalytic reactor operating in recirculation mode with light sources placed outside the photoreactor vessel. The photoreactor with cylindrical geometry was equipped with four artificial lamps used to simulate solar irradiation (2.4% UVB and 12% UVA; 300–700 nm). The photocatalyst was immobilized on abrasive material used as a support and placed on the central (inner) photoreactor tube, which was connected to a power-driven shaft that allowed rotation at a desired speed. A suitable modification of the commercial TiO2 P25 photocatalyst was carried out to reduce its band gap energy and electron-hole recombination and to extend the visible light response range of TiO2. The main task of this research was to apply the basic principles of process intensification methodology, i.e. to explore the influence of rotational hydrodynamics, which allows good access of reactants to the photocatalyst surface, good irradiation of the photocatalytic surface and reduction of mass transfer resistance, leading to increased process efficiency. The homemade photoreactor was used for the photocatalytic degradation of one of the major types of neonicotinoid insecticides, acetamiprid. The influence of various working conditions, such as initial solution pH, rotation speed, recirculation flow rate and initial concentration of acetamiprid on the photocatalytic degradation process was investigated. The optimum degradation conditions were found at a recirculation flow rate of 200 cm3 min−1 and a rotation speed of 200 rpm, indicating that the mass transfer process strongly contributes to the photocatalytic degradation rate at the conditions used in this study. The results obtained during the photocatalytic degradation of acetamiprid in a rotating photoreactor were compared with those obtained under similar operating conditions in a flat-plate photoreactor, and the corresponding conclusions were drawn based on the performed kinetic analysis.

Keywords: acetamiprid; neonicotinoid insecticides; photocatalytic degradation; rotating photocatalytic reactor
Corresponding author: Ivana Elizabeta Zelić, Department of Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia, E-mail:

Funding source: Hrvatska Zaklada za Znanost

Award Identifier / Grant number: IP-2018-01-8669

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: This work has been fully supported by Croatian Science Foundation under the project IN PhotoCat (IP-2018-01-8669).

  3. Conflict of interest statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

  4. Availability of data and materials: The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

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Received: 2022-04-29
Accepted: 2022-10-21
Published Online: 2022-11-01

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Articles
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https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2022-0084
Keywords for this article
acetamiprid; neonicotinoid insecticides; photocatalytic degradation; rotating photocatalytic reactor

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Articles
  3. Size-dependent growth kinetics model for potassium chloride from seeded chloride solution
  4. Insights into kinetics and equilibrium of methylene blue adsorption onto β-cyclodextrin polymers
  5. Development of a new rotating photocatalytic reactor for the degradation of hazardous pollutants
  6. Promotional effects of cerium and titanium on NiMn2O4 for selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3
  7. Sliding mode controller design based on simple closed loop set point experiment for higher order processes with dead time
  8. Performance evaluation of adaptive based model predictive control for ethylene glycol production from dimethyl oxide hydrogenation
  9. Experimental study on the combustion characteristics of blends of sugarcane bagasse, Nanning meager-lean coal and petroleum coke
  10. Ammoniacal leaching behavior and regularity of zinc ash
  11. Enhanced dual-DOF PI-PD control of integrating-type chemical processes
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