Influence of Gold Nanoparticles on the Photocatalytic Action of Titanium Dioxide in Physical-Chemical Parameters of Greywater

Abstract

The objective of the work was to evaluate the influence of gold nanoparticles, obtained by laser ablation, on the photocatalytic action of titanium dioxide in the improvement of the physical-chemical parameters of domestic greywater, with visualization by means of a PLC. The YAG laser equipment was used for the production of spherical gold nanoparticles, whereas the Raman spectroscope allowed characterizing the different particles contained in aqueous solutions. The solar photoreactor programmable and viewable from PLC with connection to sensors allowed determining the variations of the pH, EC, DO and FCL parameters. The work consisted of a control group (greywater + titanium dioxide) and an experimental group (greywater + titanium dioxide + gold nanoparticles). The titanium dioxide doses for both groups were 0.5 mg/L and the gold nanoparticles were 0.20 ml per liter of greywater only for the control group. The experiments were carried out on sunny days with the exposure periods of 30 and 60 minutes around solar noon with an average UV index of 13.35. Once the experiments were carried out, it was determined that the pH improved by 5.30%, EC by 3.03%, DO by 29.3% and FCL by 43.71%, so that the gold nanoparticles dissolved in the aqueous solution of titanium dioxide with greywater positively influenced the improvement of the photocatalytic action of titanium dioxide in the physical-chemical parameters of greywater.