Photocatalytic Degradation of Paracetamol under Simulated Sunlight by Four TiO2 Commercial Powders: An Insight into the Performance of Two Sub-Micrometric Anatase and Rutile Powders and a Nanometric Brookite Powder

Author:

Blangetti Nicola1,Freyria Francesca S.1,Calviello Maria Chiara1,Ditaranto Nicoletta2ORCID,Guastella Salvatore1,Bonelli Barbara13ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Applied Science and Technology and INSTM Unit of Torino-Politecnico, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, I-10129 Torino, Italy

2. Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, I-70125 Bari, Italy

3. Interdepartmental Centre PolitoBIOMed Lab, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, I-10129 Torino, Italy

Abstract

The photocatalytic degradation of the emerging contaminant paracetamol in aqueous solution has been studied under 1 SUN (~1000 W m−2) in the presence of four commercial TiO2 powders, namely sub-micrometric anatase and rutile, and nanometric brookite and P25 (the popular anatase/rutile mixture used as a benchmark in most papers). The rutile powder showed low activity, whereas, interestingly, the anatase and the brookite powders outperformed P25 in terms of total paracetamol conversion to carboxylic acids, which, according to the literature, are the final products of its degradation. To explain such results, the physicochemical properties of the powders were studied by applying a multi-technique approach. Among the physicochemical properties usually affecting the photocatalytic performance of TiO2, the presence of some surface impurities likely deriving from K3PO4 (used as crystallization agent) was found to significantly affect the percentage of paracetamol degradation obtained with the sub-micrometric anatase powder. To confirm the role of phosphate, a sample of anatase, obtained by a lab synthesis procedure and having a “clean” surface, was used as a control, though characterized by nanometric particles and higher surface area. The sample was less active than the commercial anatase, but it was more active after impregnation with K3PO4. Conversely, the presence of Cl at the surface of the rutile did not sizably affect the (overall poor) photocatalytic activity of the powder. The remarkable photocatalytic activity of the brookite nanometric powder was ascribed to a combination of several physicochemical properties, including its band structure and nanoparticles size.

Funder

the program PNRR Mac -2 NODES Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Catalysis,General Environmental Science

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