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A two-step process involving coagulation-flocculation followed by solar photocatalysis – based Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) using TiO2-Reduced Graphene Oxide (TRGO) nanocomposite as catalyst ha...

Versatile sensing matrixes are essential for the development of enzyme-immobilized optical biosensors. A novel three-dimensional titanium dioxide nanotubes/alginate hydrogel scaffold is proposed for the detection of sweat biomarkers, lactate, and glucose in artificial sweat. Hydrothermally synthesized titanium dioxide nanotubes were introduced to the alginate polymeric matrix, followed by cross-linking nanocomposite with dicationic calcium ions to fabricate the scaffold platform. Rapid colorimetric detection (blue color optical signal) was carried out for both lactate and glucose biomarkers in artificial sweat at 4 and 6 min, respectively. The superhydrophilicity and the capillarity of the synthesized titanium dioxide nanotubes, when incorporated into the alginate matrix, facilitate the rapid transfer of the artificial sweat components throughout the sensor scaffold, decreasing the detection times. Moreover, the scaffold was integrated on a cellulose paper to demonstrate the adaptability of the material to other matrixes, obtaining fast and homogeneous colorimetric detection of lactate and glucose in the paper substrate when image analysis was performed. The properties of this new composite provide new avenues in the development of paper-based sensor devices. The biocompatibility, the efficient immobilization of biological enzymes/colorimetric assays, and the quick optical signal readout behavior of the titanium dioxide nanotubes/alginate hydrogel scaffolds provide a prospective opportunity for integration into wearable devices. The authors acknowledge support from Gobierno de Espana, Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Grant No. BIO2016-80417-P) (AEI/FEDER, UE), "Ministerio de Ciencia y Educacion de Espana" under grant PID2020-120313GB-I00/AIE/10.13039/501100011033 and the Basque Government (Grant IT1271-19). This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 766007. The authors convey their special thanks to SGIker of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Dr. Javier G. Inanez for the technical equipment facility support. F.B.-L. and L.B.-D. acknowledge the "Red de Microfluidica Espanola" RED2018102829-T.

Paper-TiO2-Ag2O floating photocatalysts were produced under mild condition and their photocatalytic activity for the degradation of aromatic amine under sunlight stimulant was investigated. Characterizations by Raman, XRD, XPS, DRS and PL confirmed the presence of TiO2 and Ag2O, and the morphology of the appended TiO2/Ag2O layer was probed by FE-SEM. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples was investigated by the degradation of aniline (AN) in water under simulated sun-light illumination and constrained conditions, i.e. non-stirring and non-oxygenation. The presence of Ag2O combined with TiO2 was shown to improve the resistance of paper to bacteria attack, thus increasing the durability of the photocatalyst. Thanks to its hydrophobic character, the paper-TiO2-Ag2O NPs can be employed as useful floating photocatalyst and can be reused in continuous cycles.

Two simple routes for the synthesis of a paper-TiO2 composite were tuned up and the efficiency of the resulting paper-TiO2 photocatalyst was investigated in the 2-propanol oxidation in gas phase. The first route involved the in-situ generation over the sheet of paper of a TiO2 layer starting from a solution of Ti (OBu)4 in tert-butanoliacetic acid, followed by hydrothermal treatment at 120 degrees C for 3 h. The sample was labelled as paper-TiO2 (H). The second approach was based on the adsorption on the paper of a ready-made suspension of titania nanoparticles (TiO2 sol), generated in autoclave at 140 degrees C and stable in acid medium at pH

In this work, an environmental friendly RC/N-TiO2 nanocomposite thin film was designed as a green portable photocatalyst by utilizing recycled newspaper as sustainable cellulose resource. Investigations on the influence of N-doped TiO2 nanorods incorporation on the structural and morphological properties of RC/N-TiO2 nanocomposite thin film are presented. The resulting nanocomposite thin film was characterized by FESEM, AFM, FTIR, UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, and XPS analysis. The results suggested that there was a remarkable compatibility between cellulose and N-doped TiO2 nanorods anchored onto the surface of the RC/N-TiO2 nanocomposite thin film. Under UV and visible irradiation, the RC/N-TiO2 nanocomposite thin film showed remarkable photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue solution with degradation percentage of 96% and 78.8%, respectively. It is crucial to note that the resulting portable photocatalyst produced via an environmental and green technique in its fabrication process has good potential in the field of water and wastewater treatment application.

Photocatalytic water purification is important for the degradation of organic pollutants, attracting intensive interests. Photocatalysts are preferred to be immobilized on a substrate in order to reduce the laborious separation and recycling steps. To get uniform irradiation, the photocatalysts are preferred to be even/uniform on the substrate without aggregation. Generally, the “coffee ring effect” occurs on the substrate during solvent evaporation, unfortunately resulting in the aggregation of the photocatalysts. This aggregation inevitably blocks the exposure of active sites, reactant exchange, and light absorption. Here, we reported a paper-based photocatalyst immobilization method to solve the “coffee ring” problem. We also used a “drop reactor” to achieve good photocatalytic efficiency with the advantages of large surface area, short diffusion lengths, simple operation, and uniform light absorption. Compared with the coffee ring type, the paper-based method showed higher water purification efficiency, indicating its potential application value in the future.

Phenol and its derivatives are the major environmental pollutants discharged from paper and pulp industries into water bodies. All these compounds and chlorinated phenolic compounds in particular are very toxic to fauna and flora, even at relatively low concentration. This study aimed to investigate the removal rate of phenolic compounds from the effluent of pulp and paper industries using a combination of ozonation and photocatalytic processes. Firstly, a certain volume from the effluent of paper and pulp industries containing certain phenol concentrations was obtained and fed into a prefabricated reactor at laboratory scale. Then, the combined and separate effects of zinc oxide dosage (ZnO), ozone flow rate (O3), and pH under ultra violet radiation for 30 min were evaluated. The concentration of phenolic compounds and the produced ozone gas flow rate were measured by a spectrophotometry and iodometric method, respectively. The results showed that the phenolic removal rate increased at acidic PHs compared with alkaline PHs; it was also decreased with the increase in ZnO dosages. Furthermore, the highest phenolic compound’s removal rate was 99% at the optimal condition (pH 5, ZnO dosage of 0.1 g L−1 at the 30 min with UV-C illumination of 125 W). Finally, Daphnia toxicity test showed that treated effluent was safe and met the standards to the extent that it can be discharged into the receiving waters.

Photocatalytic paper sheets were prepared by addition of different ratios of TiO2/Sodium alginate (TSA) nanocomposite. The modified paper sheets were characterized by XRD, TGA. Their morphology was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Photocatalytic activity of modified paper has been studied by analysis of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of waste-water. The results confirmed the mineralization of the waste-water and enhanced removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) by increasing the amount of photocatalyst in the paper. Moreover, the results also confirmed that presence of sodium alginate as biopolymer increased adhesion of nanoparticles to paper fibers and reduced the harmful effect of the photocatalyst on them. The paper sheets containing 7% as well as 15% TSA showed high photocatalytic activity and anti-bacterial effect against Salmonella typhimurium higher than standard antibiotic beside other microorganisms such as Candida albicans. The maximum antimicrobial effect was found in case of specimen loaded with 15% TSA. Moreover, it was found that by adding 20% TSA to the paper matrix, the properties of the paper composite collapse. The obtained results confirm the possible utilization of the modified paper in both hygienic and food packaging applications.

Paper-based devices provide an alternative technology for simple, low-cost, portable, and disposable diagnostic tools for many applications, including clinical diagnosis, food quality control, and environmental monitoring. In this study we report a two-step fabrication process for creating two-dimensional microfluidic channels to move liquids on a hydrophobized paper surface. A highly hydrophobic surface was created on paper by TiO2 nanoparticle coating using a high-speed, roll-to-roll liquid flame spray technique. The hydrophilic pattern was then generated by UV irradiation through a photomask utilizing the photocatalytic property of TiO2. The flow dynamics of five model liquids with differing surface tensions 48-72 mN·m(-1) and viscosities 1-15 mN·m(-2) was studied. The results show that the liquid front (l) in a channel advances in time (t) according to the power law l=Zt0.5 (Z is an empirical constant which depend on the liquid properties and channel dimensions). The flow dynamics of the liquids with low viscosity show a dependence on the channel width and the droplet volume, while the flow of liquids with high viscosity is mainly controlled by the viscous forces.