Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.8
3.8
Journals
Catalysts
Special Issues
Ecofriendly Catalytic Materials in Environmental Catalysis for Water Protection
share announcement

Ecofriendly Catalytic Materials in Environmental Catalysis for Water Protection

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 7439

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Petros Kokkinos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, University Campus, Caratheodory 1, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: advanced oxidation processes (AOPs); nanomaterials; water micropollutants; wastewater reuse; wastewater microbiology; wastewater management
Prof. Dr. Dionissios Mantzavinos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, University Campus, Caratheodory 1, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: wastewater treatment technologies; advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) (process integration, kinetics and mechanisms, transformation byproducts and properties and reaction networks, modeling and optimization, scale-up); industrial wastewater treatment and valorization (olive oil production, edible olives, textiles, cotton processing, wineries, leachates); emerging and persistent micro-pollutants in the water cycle (pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, pesticides); inactivation of waterborne pathogens
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The protection of water resources is a critical issue for humankind. Water contamination from a variety of pollutants has become a major challenge of the scientific community. It is now accepted that there is an urgent need for the development of cost-effective ecofriendly catalysts with enhanced characteristics of resistance and minimal ecotoxicological effects on aquatic biota, as well as high reusability and recyclability, for the abatement of water contamination. This Special Issue focuses on recent advancements, trends, and challenges of promising ecofriendly catalytic materials for environmental catalytic applications of water resource protection. The characteristics and efficacy of ecofriendly catalysts, as well as performance limitation issues for their practical application in water and wastewater treatment on a large scale will be covered. We think you could make an excellent contribution based on your expertise and thus invite you to submit a manuscript on this interesting topic.

Dr. Petros Kokkinos
Prof. Dr. Dionissios Mantzavinos
Guest Editors

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. Catalysts 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 2200 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

  • Environmentally friendly catalysts
  • Degradation
  • Sustainable nanomaterials
  • Environmental remediation processes
  • Sustainable catalytic processes
  • Pollutants
  • Green remediation
  • Bioinspired
  • Water and wastewater treatment
  • Environmentally benign procedure

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 3448 KiB  
Article
Photoelectrocatalytic Oxidation of Sulfamethazine on TiO2 Electrodes
by Nikolaos Philippidis, Eleni Pavlidou, Sotiris Sotiropoulos, Petros Kokkinos, Dionissios Mantzavinos and Ioannis Poulios
Catalysts 2023, 13(8), 1189; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13081189 - 7 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1092
Abstract
The photoelectrocatalytic degradation and mineralization of sulfamethazine (SMT), a sulfonamide drug, were explored in aqueous solution. Working electrodes with TiO2 coatings on Ti substrates (TiO2/Ti) were used, which were produced by the dip coating method. TiO2 film electrodes were [...] Read more.
The photoelectrocatalytic degradation and mineralization of sulfamethazine (SMT), a sulfonamide drug, were explored in aqueous solution. Working electrodes with TiO2 coatings on Ti substrates (TiO2/Ti) were used, which were produced by the dip coating method. TiO2 film electrodes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) following annealing at 500 °C for 1.5 h. To photoelectrochemically characterize them, photocurrents vs. applied potential curves were used. The photoelectrocatalytic efficiency (PEC) of the TiO2/Ti electrodes regarding the oxidation of SMT has been assessed with reference to degradation and mineralization under different experimental conditions. The selected drug molecule was effectively degraded following the Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetic model. The degradation efficiency was shown to increase with increasing applied potential bias up to +1.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl. It was found to be more favorable in acidic environments compared to alkaline ones. A decrease in the destruction rate constant was recorded when the pH was increased from 3 to 5.6 (natural pH) and 9. The decomposition rate was shown to first increase and subsequently reach a saturation value at high concentrations of SMT, indicating that the degradation also depends on other parameters (e.g., the rate of the charge or the mass transfer on the electrode double layer). The results of the photoelectrocatalytic experiments were compared to those of electrochemical (EC) and photocatalytic (PC) degradation of SMT. A significant enhancement was recorded in the case of the PEC degradation, leading at +1.5 V to an increase of the apparent rate constants of degradation, k, and mineralization, kTOC, of 153 and 298%, respectively, compared to the simple photocatalytic process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecofriendly Catalytic Materials in Environmental Catalysis for Water Protection)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 6704 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Degradation of Losartan with Bismuth Oxychloride: Batch and Pilot Scale Demonstration
by Konstantinos Kouvelis, Alexandra A. Ioannidi, Athanasia Petala, Manolis Souliotis and Zacharias Frontistis
Catalysts 2023, 13(8), 1175; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13081175 - 31 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1879
Abstract
The solar-induced semiconductor photocatalytic process is one of the greenest and most promising technologies for the elimination of pharmaceuticals in aqueous media. In the context of this study, a bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) photocatalyst was fabricated and characterized by its morphology, crystallographic structure, and [...] Read more.
The solar-induced semiconductor photocatalytic process is one of the greenest and most promising technologies for the elimination of pharmaceuticals in aqueous media. In the context of this study, a bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) photocatalyst was fabricated and characterized by its morphology, crystallographic structure, and optical properties. Its photocatalytic efficiency was tested towards the degradation of Losartan (LOS), a medication used to treat high blood pressure, in water using a solar simulator. The as-prepared BiOCl exhibited significant photocatalytic efficiency, achieving complete degradation of 0.3 mg/L LOS in short periods of irradiation (15–30 min). The examined system showed optimal efficiency using 500 mg/L of BiOCL (kapp = 0.21 min−1) and pH 3 (kapp = 0.32 min−1). However, LOS removal significantly decreased in environmentally relevant water matrices, including wastewater (kapp = 0.006 min−1) and bottled water (kapp = 0.023 min−1). Additional tests carried out in synthetic water matrices showed that the LOS degradation rate was reduced by more than 40% in the presence of humic acid (kapp = 0.016 min−1) and bicarbonates (kapp = 0.029 min−1), while chlorides did not affect the overall efficiency. Moreover, photogenerated holes and singlet oxygen were the dominant oxidative species. The efficiency of the BiOCl photocatalyst towards LOS degradation was further studied using a flat plate pilot-plant scale photoreactor. It was found that more than 75% of LOS was removed after 100 kJ/L of accumulated solar irradiation. The results obtained in the pilot-plant unit confirmed the suitability of BiOCl as a potential photocatalytic material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecofriendly Catalytic Materials in Environmental Catalysis for Water Protection)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 2418 KiB  
Article
Effect of Urea as a Shape-Controlling Agent on the Properties of Bismuth Oxybromides
by Viktória Márta, Zsolt Pap, Enikő Bárdos, Tamás Gyulavári, Gábor Veréb and Klara Hernadi
Catalysts 2023, 13(3), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13030616 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2079
Abstract
Bismuth oxybromides were prepared via a solvothermal method by applying different urea amounts during synthesis. The effects of the urea ratio on the morpho–structural properties and photocatalytic activity of the samples were investigated. X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning [...] Read more.
Bismuth oxybromides were prepared via a solvothermal method by applying different urea amounts during synthesis. The effects of the urea ratio on the morpho–structural properties and photocatalytic activity of the samples were investigated. X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and surface tension measurements were carried out to characterize the samples. Their photoactivity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and ibuprofen under UV and visible light irradiations. The urea ratio notably influenced morphology, particle size distribution, and photoactivity. However, it only had a limited effect on the crystalline composition, primary crystallite size, and band gap of bismuth oxybromides. The formation of Bi-based complexes and degraded urea-based products were observed, which were deduced to influence band gap energies and hence, photoactivity. Predominantly, samples prepared at low urea ratios proved to be the best for both rhodamine B and ibuprofen degradations under both irradiations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecofriendly Catalytic Materials in Environmental Catalysis for Water Protection)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2573 KiB  
Article
g-C3N4 as Photocatalyst for the Removal of Metronidazole Antibiotic from Aqueous Matrices under Lab and Pilot Scale Conditions
by Christos Lykos, Sotirios Sioulas and Ioannis Konstantinou
Catalysts 2023, 13(2), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13020254 - 22 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1655
Abstract
The presence of pharmaceuticals in water is a problem of utmost importance due to the various adverse effects that these compounds may have on aquatic organisms and also humans. Since conventional wastewater treatment plants fail to efficiently remove many of these compounds, new [...] Read more.
The presence of pharmaceuticals in water is a problem of utmost importance due to the various adverse effects that these compounds may have on aquatic organisms and also humans. Since conventional wastewater treatment plants fail to efficiently remove many of these compounds, new techniques such as heterogeneous photocatalysis have been developed that are capable of degrading them. In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was used as photocatalyst to remove metronidazole (MTZ), which is a widely prescribed antibiotic that has been reported as a potential carcinogen. The experiments were performed under lab and pilot scale conditions. During the lab scale experiments, 90.6% of the initial pharmaceutical concentration was removed after 360 min of irradiation and its removal followed a pseudo first order kinetic model with a degradation rate constant of k = 0.00618 min−1. Moreover, scavenging studies indicated that the indirectly produced hydroxy radicals contribute very little to the degradation mechanism. Through high precision mass spectrometry techniques, eight transformation products (TPs) were identified, and possible transformation pathways were suggested. Similarly, in the case of pilot scale experiments, 100 and 200 mg L−1 of g-C3N4 were used and the antibiotic’s removal also followed pseudo first order kinetics with k = 0.00827 min−1 and k = 0.00942 min−1, respectively. However, starting from low level inherent concentrations, only two TPs were identified. By using in silico tools (ECOSAR and T.E.S.T.), various ecotoxicological values were predicted for the TPs, which were generally found to be less toxic than the parent compound and with lower mutagenic and bioaccumulative potential. Moreover, the monitoring of the ecotoxicity with the in vitro Microtox bioassay showed that at the end of all the photocatalytic processes, the toxicity was reduced. In conclusion, this technique could have the potential to remove MTZ and other similar pharmaceuticals in full-scale applications. However, for this to happen with the highest possible efficiency, further studies must be conducted, focusing on improving the catalyst’s performance and reusability, improving the separation of catalyst as well as finding the optimum conditions for this process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecofriendly Catalytic Materials in Environmental Catalysis for Water Protection)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop