• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.965-974
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• 2009

This study evaluated the degradation efficiency of malodorous sulfurized-organic compounds by utilizing N- and Sdoped titanium dioxide under visible-light irradiation, and examined the catalyst deactivation and regeneration. Catalyst surface was characterized by employing Fourier-Transform-Infrared-Red (FTIR) spectra. The visible-light-driven photocatalysis techniques were able to efficiently degrade low-level dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) with degradation efficiencies exceeding 97%, whereas they were not effective regarding the removal of high-level DMS and DMDS, with degradation efficiencies of 84 and 23% within 5 hrs of photocatalytic processes. As compared with DMS, DMDS which containes one more sulfur element revealed quick catalyst deactivation. Catalyst deactivation was confirmed by the equality between input and output concentrations of DMD or DMDS, the obsevation of no $CO_2$ generation during a photocatalytic process, and the FTIR spectrum peaks related with sulfur ion compounds, which are major byproducts formed on catalyst surfaces. The mineralization efficiency of DMS at 8 ppm, which was a peak value during a photocatalytic process, was calculated as 144%, exceeding 100%. The catalyst regenerated by high-temperature calcination exhibited higher catalyst recovery efficiency (53 and 58% for DMDS and DMS, respectively) as compared with dry-air and humid-air regeneration processes. However, even the calcined method was unable to totally regenerate deactivated catalysts.