Novel photoelectrochemical 3D-system for water disinfection by deposition of modified carbon nitride on vitreous carbon foam.

Graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) is an optical semiconductor with excellent photoactivity under visible light irradiation. It has been widely applied for organic micropollutant removal from contaminated water, and less investigated for microorganisms' inactivation. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism using GCN is attributed to a series of reactions with reactive oxygen species and photogenerated holes that can be boosted by modifying its physical-chemical structure.

Influence of water matrix components on the UV/chlorine process and its reactions mechanism.

The UV/chlorine system has become an attractive alternative Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) for the removal of recalcitrant pollutants in the last decade due to the simultaneous formation of chlorine and hydroxyl radicals. However, there is no consensus regarding the results and trends obtained in previous micropollutant removal studies by AOPs, highlighting the complexity of the UV/chlorine process and the need for further research. This study investigates the degradation of acetaminophen (ACTP) by UV/chlorine and the effects of the water matrix in the reaction kinetics.

Deciphering the H-Bonding Preference on Nucleoside Molecular Recognition through Model Copper(II) Compounds.

The synthetic nucleoside acyclovir is considered an outstanding model of the natural nucleoside guanosine. With the purpose of deepening on the influence and nature of non-covalent interactions regarding molecular recognition patterns, three novel Cu(II) complexes, involving acyclovir (acv) and the ligand receptor N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine (hen), have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized. The three novel compounds introduce none, one or two acyclovir molecules, respectively.

The impact of wastewater matrix on the degradation of pharmaceutically active compounds by oxidation processes including ultraviolet radiation and sulfate radicals.

Ultraviolet radiation (UV)-activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) advanced oxidation processes were examined for their capacity to remove nine pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) from secondary effluent. The effect of operational parameters (initial oxidant concentration, UV exposure time, pH, common coexisting anions and effluent organic matter (EfOM)) on UV/PDS and UV/PMS treatment efficiency was investigated in a collimated beam device housing a low-pressure mercury UV lamp emitting light at 253.7 nm.

Photochemistry of nanoporous carbons: Perspectives in energy conversion and environmental remediation.

The interest in the use of nanoporous carbon materials in applications related to energy conversion and storage, either as catalysts or additives, has grown over recent decades in various disciplines. Since the early studies reporting the benefits of the use of nanoporous carbons as inert supports of semiconductors and as electron acceptors that enhance the splitting of the photogenerated excitons, many researchers have investigated the key role of carbon matrices coupled to all types of photoactive materials. More recently, our group has demonstrated the ability of semiconductor-free nanoporous carbons to convert the absorbed photons into chemical reactions (i.

Surface Modification of a Nanoporous Carbon Photoanode upon Irradiation.

The photocorrosion of a nanoporous carbon photoanode, with low surface functionalization and high performance towards the photoelectrochemical oxidation of water using simulated solar light, was investigated. Two different light configurations were used to isolate the effect of the irradiation wavelength (UV and visible light) on the textural and chemical features of the carbon photoanode, and its long-term photocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction. A complete characterization of the carbon showed that the photocorrosion of carbon anodes of low functionalization follows a different pathway than highly functionalized carbons.

Halide removal from aqueous solution by novel silver-polymeric materials.

The objective of this study was to analyze the behavior of a new material, silver-doped polymeric cloth (Ag-cloth), in the removal of bromide and iodide from waters. Silver is immobilized on the cloth, guaranteeing selective adsorption of the halide ions as retained silver halides that therefore do not pass into the solution. Results indicate that Ag reacts with HO in the first phases of the process, yielding Ag and superoxide radical; however, as the process advances, this radical favors Ag reduction.

Removal of compounds used as plasticizers and herbicides from water by means of gamma irradiation.

Gamma radiation has been used to induce the degradation of compounds used as plasticizers and herbicides such as phthalic acid (PA), bisphenol A (BPA), diphenolic acid (DPA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D), and 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) in aqueous solution, determining the dose constants, removal percentages, and radiation-chemical yields. The reaction rate constants of hydroxyl radical (HO), hydrated electron (eaq(-)) and hydrogen atom (H) with these pollutants were also obtained by means of competition kinetics, using 3-aminopyridine and atrazine as reference compounds. The results indicated that the elimination of these pollutants with gamma radiation mainly follows the oxidative pathway through reaction with HO radicals.

Overall adsorption rate of metronidazole, dimetridazole and diatrizoate on activated carbons prepared from coffee residues and almond shells.

This study analyzed the overall adsorption rate of metronidazole, dimetridazole, and diatrizoate on activated carbons prepared from coffee residues and almond shells. It was also elucidated whether the overall adsorption rate was controlled by reaction on the adsorbent surface or by intraparticle diffusion. Experimental data of the pollutant concentration decay curves as a function of contact time were interpreted by kinetics (first- and second-order) and diffusion models, considering external mass transfer, surface and/or pore volume diffusion, and adsorption on an active site.

Nitroimidazoles adsorption on activated carbon cloth from aqueous solution.

The objective of this study was to analyze the equilibrium and adsorption kinetics of nitroimidazoles on activated carbon cloth (ACC), determining the main interactions responsible for the adsorption process and the diffusion mechanism of these compounds on this material. The influence of the different operational variables, such as ionic strength, pH, temperature, and type of water (ultrapure, surface, and waste), was also studied. The results obtained show that the ACC has a high capacity to adsorb nitroimidazoles in aqueous solution.