The total annual production of synthetic dye is more than 7 × 105 tons. Annually, through only textile waste effluents, around one thousand tons of non-biodegradable textile dyes are discharged into natural streams and water bodies. Therefore, with growing environmental concerns and environmental awareness there is a need for the removal of dyes from local and industrial water effluents with a cost effective technology. In general, these dyes have been found to be resistant to biological as well as physical treatment technologies. In this regard, heterogeneous advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), involving photo-catalyzed degradation of dyes using semiconductor nanoparticles is considered as an efficient cure for dye pollution. In the last two decades TiO2 has received considerable interest because of its high potential as a photocatalyst to degrade a wide range of organic material including dyes. This review starts with (i) a brief overview on dye pollution, dye classification and dye decolourization/degradation strategies; (ii) focuses on the mechanisms involved in comparatively well understood TiO2 photocatalysts and (iii) discusses recent advancements to enhance TiO2 photocatalytic efficiency by (a) doping with metals, non-metals, transition metals, noble metals and lanthanide ions, (b) structural modifications of TiO2 and (c) immobilization of TiO2 by using various supports to make it a flexible and cost-effective commercial dye treatment technology.

https://pubs.rsc.org/EN/content/articlepdf/2014/ra/c4ra06658h

Principles and mechanisms of photocatalytic dye degradation on TiO 2 based photocatalysts: a comparative overview

Monitoring the properties of natural organic matter through UV spectroscopy: A consistent theory

We describe a photochemical system for the generation of hydrogen by water reduction under visible light or sunlight irradiation of aqueous solutions containing the following components: a photosensitizer, the Ru (bipy) complex, for visible light absorption; a relay species, the Rh (bipy) complex, which mediates water reduction by intermediate storage of electrons via a reduced state; an electron donor, triethanolamine (TEOA) which provides the electrons for the reduction process and a redox catalyst, colloidal platinum, which facilitates hydrogen formation. The conditions for efficient hydrogen production and the influence of the concentration of the components have been investigated; the metal complexes act as catalysts with high turnover numbers; excess bipyridine facilitates the reaction. The process contains two catalytic cycles: a ruthenium cycle and a rhodium cycle. The Ru cycle involves oxidative quenching of the *Ru(bipy) excited state by Rh(bipy) forming Ru(bipy) which is converted back to Ru(bipy) by oxidation of the electron donor TEOA, which is thus consumed. The Rh cycle comprises a complicated set of transformations of the initial Rh(bipy) complex. The reduced rhodium complex formed in the quenching process undergoes a series of transformations involving the Rh(bipy) complex and hydridorhodium-bipyridine species, from which hydrogen is generated by reaction with the protons of water. In view of the storage of two electrons in the reduced rhodium species, the process is formally a dielectronic water reduction. The properties and eventual participation of [Rh(III)(bipy)2LL′]n+(L,L′ = H2O, OH−) species are investigated. It is concluded that at neutral pH in presence of excess bipyridine, the cycle involving regeneration of the Rh(bipy) complex is predominant. A number of experiments have been performed with modified systems. Hydrogen evolution is observed with other photosensitizers (like proflavin), other relay species (like Rh(dimethylbipy) or Co(II)-bipyridine complexes), other donor species, or in absence of the platinum catalyst. It also occurs in absence of photosensitizer by sunlight of UV. irradiation of Rh(bipy) or by visible light irradiation of iridium (III)-bibyridine complexes. These systems deserve further investigations. The present photochemical hydrogen generating system represents the reductive component of a complete water splitting process. Its role in solar energy conversion and in photochemical fuel production is discussed.

Hydrogen Generation by Visible Light Irradiation of Aqueous Solutions of Metal Complexes. An approach to the photochemical conversion and storage of solar energy

Today it is generally recognized that the particular behaviour of trace metals in the environment is determined by their specific physicochemical forms rather than by their total concentration. Several chemical speciation and fractionation methods for heavy metal analysis in soils and sediments have been and are still being developed and applied. They primarily are intended to understand the particular environmental behaviour of metals, present in a variety of forms and in a variety of matrices. Analytical developments, modifications of existing methods, and recent new approaches are reviewed and discussed. Techniques used include chemical extractions, ion-exchange/gel chromatography, filtration, centrifugation and sieving, selective solvent extraction. Moreover, the application of these various techniques in different research fields over the last years is explored. The value and the limitations of speciation and fractionation techniques applied in specific experimental work is outlined. It is d...

Chemical Speciation and Fractionation in Soil and Sediment Heavy Metal Analysis: A Review

Titanium dioxide in the anatase crystalline form was used as a photocatalyst to generate hydroxyl radicals in a flowthrough water reactor. Experiments were performed on pure cultures of Escherichia coli in dechlorinated tap water and a surface water sample to evaluate the disinfection capabilities of the reactor. In water devoid of significant amounts of inorganic-radical scavengers, rapid cell death was observed with both pure cultures and members of the indigenous flora in a natural water sample.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli by titanium dioxide photocatalytic oxidation.

Spectroscopic and structural characterization of a Laurentian fulvic acid: notes on the origin of the color

Kinetic studies of metal ion speciation

Interaction of atrazine with Laurentian humic acid

Interaction of atrazine with Laurentian fulvic acid: binding and hydrolysis

A composite photocatalyst for refractory waste treatment comprising particles of a wide band gap semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, cadmium sulfide and cadmium selenide, the particles being coated with a polymer film capable of absorbing a refractory waste substrate to be treated and comprising a pyridine-containing polymer and a divalent metal porphyrin or phthalocyanine-based dye. The dye is molecularly dispersed throughout the film and chemically bonded to the pyridine-containing polymer. Upon mixing of the photocatalyst with the refractory waste substrate and irradiation with light having a wavelength of about 300 to about 400 nm, the photocalyst of the invention generates in the polymer film thereof reactive species which are sufficiently oxidizing to degrade the refractory waste substrate absorbed in the polymer film.

Cooper H. Langford

Papers

Spectroscopic and structural characterization of a Laurentian fulvic acid: notes on the origin of the color

Kinetic studies of metal ion speciation

Interaction of atrazine with Laurentian humic acid

Interaction of atrazine with Laurentian fulvic acid: binding and hydrolysis

Composite photocatalyst for refractory waste degradation