Photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid by TiO modified catalyst: kinetics and operating cost analysis.

Effective pesticide remediation technology demands amendments in the advanced oxidation process for its continuous treatment and catalyst recovery. The evidence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), an herbicide in water bodies, poses a major environmental threat to both humans and aquatic organisms. In the present study, a recirculation type photocatalytic reactor was developed to treat 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid using chitosan-TiO beads prepared via impregnation method under UV light.

Immobilized TiO/chitosan beads for photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Advancement in photocatalysis is focused on large-scale commercialization where the immobilization techniques gain attention with an aim to recover and reuse the catalyst for the redemption of pollutants. TiO will act as a potential catalyst and chitosan, a natural biopolymer is used to immobilize TiO. 2,4-Dicholorophenoxyacetic acid, a common broadleaf pesticide found in surface and groundwater is taken as a model pollutant.