Photocatalytic inactivation of phage Qβ by immobilized titanium dioxide mediated photocatalyst

Abstract

Photocatalytic inactivation of virus by immobilized TiO2 was investigated using RNA phage Qβ as a model. TiO2-coated tiles, developed for interior sterilisation, were used as immobilized photocatalyst. 2.2 log Qβ was inactivated by immobilized TiO2 mediated photocatalysis by 1h irradiation with near UV black light at an intensity of 3.6×10−3W/cm2. Experiments with a slurry TiO2 reactor were also performed as a reference for the inactivation kinetics study. Photocatalytic Qβ inactivation was expressed by first-order kinetics as the initial concentration of the phage Qβ varied. The inactivation rate constant was proportional to the light intensity in the range of 3–8×10−3W/cm2 of black light with immobilized TiO2 photocatalyst. Broth introduced with phage into the reaction solution inhibited inactivation. No noticeable difference in inactivation was observed between germicidal lamp irradiation with and without immobilized TiO2.