Solar Water Disinfection Using NF-codoped TiO2 Photocatalysis: Estimation of Scaling-up Parameters

Abstract

In this work, the use of previously reported figures-of-merit is proposed for the comparison of solar-driven photocatalytic disinfection technologies using NF-codoped TiO2. These figures-of-merit are based on the solar collection area per order (ACO) through the understanding of the overall kinetic behavior of the disinfection process under the tested conditions: pH 7, four different catalyst concentrations (0.0, 0.10, 0.25 and 50 mgmL− 1) and two solar radiation types (UV+visible and visible radiation alone). The results provide a direct link to the accumulated energy efficiency (the lowest the value the highest the efficiency) of the inactivation process, allowing the comparison between the efficiencies of a broad range of processes evaluating different experimental conditions.

Photo-active float for field water disinfection

“…Lack of access to safe drinking water is one of the pervasive problems affecting people around the world causing water scarcity even in the regions historically considered as abundant in water resources. 1 Dominance of pathogenic microorganisms in water is perhaps the most important human health problem related to the use of unsafe drinking water. Waterborne infectious agents responsible for these diseases include a variety of bacteria, fungi and viruses, which cause intestinal parasitic infections and diarrheal diseases caused by waterborne bacteria and enteric viruses and have become a leading cause of malnutrition owing to poor digestion of the food eaten by people sick due to contaminated water.…”