• Advances in environmental research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.261-277
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• 2013

The degradation of alachlor has been investigated using sonolysis (US), photocatalysis (UV) and sonophotocatalysis (US/UV) using three photocatalyst viz. $TiO_2$ (mixture of anatase and rutile), $TiO_2$ (anatase) and ZnO. The effect of photocatalyst loading on the extent of degradation of alachlor has been investigated by varying $TiO_2$ (both types) loading over the range of 0.01 g/L to 0.1 g/L and ZnO loading over the range of 0.05 g/L to 0.3 g/L. The optimum loading of the catalyst was found to be dependent on the type of operation i.e., photocatalysis alone or the combined operation of sonolysis and photocatalysis. All the combined processes gave complete degradation of alachlor with maximum rate of degradation being obtained in the case of sonophotocatalytic process also showing synergistic effect at optimized loading of photocatalyst. About 50% to 60% reduction in TOC has been obtained using the combined process of sonophotocatalysis depending on the operating conditions. The alachlor degradation fitted first order kinetics for all the processes under investigation. It has been observed that the $TiO_2$ (mixtrure of anatase and rutile) is the most active photocatalyst among the three photocatalysts studied in the current work. The effect of addition of radical enhancers and scavengers on sonophotocatalytic degradation of alachlor has been investigated in order to decipher the controlling mechanism. The alachlor degradation products have been identified using LC-MS method.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.3039-3045
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• 2013

Dual-frequency ultrasound assisted photocatalysis (DUAP) method was proposed to degrade a stable organic model effluent, cresol red (CR), using the prepared $Fe^{3+}$-doped $TiO_2$ with active carbon fiber loading ($Fe^{3+}-TiO_2/ACF$) as photocatalyst. The influence of key factors, including Fe doping amount and power density of dual-frequency ultrasounds (20/40 kHz), on the degradation efficiency was investigated. The degradation efficiency rises to 98.7% in 60 min accompanied by the color removal of CR liquid samples from yellow to colorless transparent at optimal conditions. A synergy index of 1.40 was yielded by comparison with single ultrasound assisted photocatalysis (SUAP) and the photocatalysis without ultrasound assisted (UV/$TiO_2$), indicating that a clear synergistic effect exists for the DUAP process. Obvious enhancement of degradation efficiency for the DUAP process should be attributed to production of large amount of free radicals by strong cavitational effects of dual ultrasounds.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.585-589
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• 2006

Comparison between photocatalysis and sonophotocatalysis were performed in lab-scale experiments for the treatment of benomyl. The effect of operational parameters, i.e., initial benomyl concentration, $TiO_2$ concentration, $H_2O_2$ concentration on the degradation rate of aqueous solution of benomyl has been examined. The optimal conditions for photocatalysis and sonophotocatalysis processes were determined: initial Benomyl concentration was 3 mg/L, the concentration of $TiO_2$ was 2 g/L and $H_2O_2$concentration was 1.5 mM. Under the optimal conditions, sonophotocatalysis was effective for inducing faster degradation of the benomyl.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.581-589
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• 1999

This study was carried out to compare ozonation with photocatalysis degradation for removal Geosmin of algae byproduct. The change of pH was decresed from 7.02 to 2.8 after contact time 480 minute for ozonation. In case of UV-germicidal lamp, pH was very quickly increased from 7.02 to 7.5, but Halogen lamp did very slowly change pH. Geosmin degradation ratio was as following, UV-germicidal lamp/TiO2(100mg/L) O3>UV-germicidal lamp/TiO2(50mg/L)>UV-germicidal lamp(10W)>halogen lamp(50W). Instead of TiO2 suspension solution, Geosmin degradation ratio was very low using hollow bead and pellet as coated TiO2. As a result of identifing byproducts, ozonation generated three species of aldehyde such as 3-Heptanone and three species of alcohol such as Heptanal, but photocatalysis formed 1, 14-Tetradecanediol infinitesimally.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.263-266
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• 2005

Comparison between photocatalysis (UV+$TiO_2$) and sonophotocatalysis (Sonication+UV+$TiO_2$) were performed in lab-scale experiments for the treatment of chloroform. The effect of operational parameters, i.e., initial chloroform concentration, $TiO_2$ concentration, UV light intensity and sonication time on the degradation rate of aqueous solution of chloroform has been examined. The optimal conditions for photocatalysis and sonophotocatalysis processes were determined: initial chloroform concentration was 25 mg/L, the concentration of $TiO_2$ was 200 mg/L and UV light intensity was $6.630 mW/cm^2$, respectively. The optimal sonication time on sonophotocatalysis process was 90 min. Under the optimal conditions, sonophotocatalysis was effective for inducing faster degradation of the chloroform.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1087-1094
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• 2008

Diazinon is a phosphorothiate insecticide widely used in the world including Korea. This study investigates the feasibility of photolysis and photocatalysis processes for the degradation of diazinon in water. Both photolysis and photocatalysis reactiosn were effective in degrdading diazinon, however lower TOC removals were achieved. In case of photocatalysis, approximately 40% of nitrogen from diazinon was recovered as NO$_3^-$, and less than 5% of phosphorus as PO$_4{^{3-}}$. However, the sulfur in diazinon molecule was completely recovered to SO$_4{^{2-}}$ from photocatalysis reaction, and the recovery from photolysis was 50%, indicating that P=S bond easily breaks first during photolysis and photocatalysis. The poor recoveries of ionic byproducts and TOC from photolysis and photocatalysis indicate the presence of other organic intermediates during reactions. The formation of organic intermediates were identified during reactions using GC/MS and LC/MS/MS, and the main degradation products were diazoxon, and 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (IMP), respectively. Finally, the acute 48-hr toxicity test using Daphnia magna were employed to measure the toxicity reduction during photocatalysis of degradation. The results showed that the toxicity increased until 180 min of the photocatalysis reaction (from EC$_{50}$ (%) of 69.6 to 13.2%), however, acute toxicity completely disappeared (>100%) after 360 min. The toxicity results showed that the intermediates from photocatalysis such as diazoxon were more toxic than diazinon itself, however these intermediates can be degraded or mineralized with further reaction.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.55-67
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• 2001

This study contains the photocatalytic degradation of methyl-tert-butyl ether(MTBE), one of water-contaminating substances, into $CO_2$. Herein was investigated factors, kinetics, and reaction pathways related with MTBE degradation. This works is possible to be applied in the field of environmental remediation such as undergroundwater purification with optimized system configuration in the near future.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-28
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• 2014

Advanced oxidation processes using UV and catalysts like $TiO_2$ and ZnO have been recently applied for the photocatalytic degradation of MTBE in water. Attempts have been made to replace the UV radiation by the solar spectrum. This review intends to shed more light on the work that has been done so far in this area of research. The information provided will help in crystallizing the ideas required to shift the trend from UV photocatalysis to sunlight photocatalysis. The careful optimization of the reaction parameters and the type of the dopant employed are greatly responsible for any enhancement in the degradation process. The advantage of shifting from UV photocatalysts to visible light photocatalysts can be observed when catalysts like $TiO_2$ and ZnO are doped with suitable metals. Therefore, it is expected that in the near future, the visible light photocatalysis will be the main technique applied for the remediation of water contaminated with MTBE.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.124-129
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• 2009

The photocatalysis degradation of simazine, s-triazine type herbicide was carried out using circulating photo reactor systems. In order to search for the effective method to mineralize this compound into environmentally compatible products, this study compared the removal efficiencies of simazine by changing various parameters. First, under the photocatalytic condition, simazine was more effectively degraded than by photolysis and $TiO_2$ only condition. With photocatalysis, 5 mg/l simazine was degraded to approximately 90% within 30 min, and completely degraded after 150 min. Ionic byproducts such as ${NO_2}^-$, ${NO_3}^-$, and $Cl^-$ were detected from the photocatalysis of simazine, however, the recoveries were poor, indicating the presence of organic intermediates rather than the mineralization of simazine during photocatalysis. Two bioassays using V. fischeri and D. magna were employed to measure the toxicity reduction in the reaction solutions treated by both photocatalysis and photolysis. Simazine and its photocatalysis treated water did not exert any significant toxicity to V. fischeri, marine bacterium. However, the acute toxicity test using D. magna indicates that initial acute toxicity ($EC_{50}$ = 57.30%) was completely reduced ($EC_{50}$ = 100%) after 150 min under both photocatalysis and photoysis of simazine. This results indicates that photocatalysis and photolysis of simazine reduced the acute toxicity through mineralization.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.299-307
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• 2019

Photocatalysis is an environment friendly technique for degrading organic dyes in water. Tungsten oxide is becoming an active area of research in photocatalysis nanomaterials for having a smaller bandgap than the previously favored titanium dioxide. Synthesis of hierarchical structures, doping platinum (Pt), coupling with nanocomposites or other semiconductors are investigated as valid methods of improving the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. These impact the reaction by creating a redshift in the wavelength of light used, effecting charge transfer, and the formation/recombination of electron-hole pairs. Each of the methods mentioned above are investigated in terms of synthesis and photocatalytic efficiency, with the simplest being modification on the morphology of tungsten oxide, since it does not need synthesis of other materials, and the most efficient in photocatalytic degradation being complex coupling of metal oxides and carbon composites. The photocatalysis technology can be incorporated with water purification membrane by modularization process and applied to advanced water treatment system.