Projects arrow Photocatalytic Purification of Waste Water

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Development of Technique of Photocatalytic Purification of Waste Water

Project Status: 3 Approved without Funding
Duration in months: 36 months

Objective

At present, problems related to environment protection become extremely sharp and approach to a crisis level. Progressing rates of environment contamination have already resulted in disastrous consequences in a number of world regions. Traditional classical methods of purification of water and air such as biological and chemical ones, sorption, etc. are not sufficiently efficient. Today’s situation demands not only intensifying already known methods of environment protection, but also development of new approaches. Therefore, all over the world there is a growing interest to new methods, first of all catalytic ones, of protection of environment from harmful discharges and effluents.

The purpose of the present project is development of technology of photocatalytic purification of household and industrial waste water containing harmful organic substances, as well as new highly effective catalysts for the photocatalytic purification.

New highly effective photocatalysts with an adjustable porous structure will be synthesized in TiO2-Fe2O3-MnO2 system.

Earlier conducted experiments revealed advantages of catalysts representing a closely packed system of spherical particles of corresponding hydrosols. The most important advantage is that volume of catalyst remains invariable even after continuous use. Homogeneous pores ensure constancy of specific surface and high activity of the catalyst for a long time. It is assumed to investigate regularities of formation of porous structure of the developed catalysts having beforehand settled properties including surface ones.

All developed catalysts will be tested for photocatalytic purification waste water at the presence of oxidizers using the visible part of the spectrum. As the model waste water, low-oxidizing organic substances (urea, cyanuric, benzoic, phthalic and oxalic acids and their mixtures) will be used.

It is supposed to investigate the mechanism of photocatalytic oxidation of organic substances, time dependence of catalytic activity, destruction degree of organic compositions. The investigation will allow to reveal methods of improving photocatalytic processes and develop new technologies of photocatalytic purification of waste water.

Preliminary researches, already conducted by our team of the experienced scientists and engineers having numerous papers (up to 40) on the planned works, as well as obtained earlier positive results give confidence in successful realization of the Project.

Realization of the project will allow to solve a number problems meeting ISTC’s goals:


· Reorientation of scientists, engineers and technical personnel earlier involved in production of weapons, towards environment protection;
· Support of fundamental researches and developments of peaceful branches;
· Development of science-capacious technologies;
· Creation of long-term perspectives for professional activity in civil sectors;
· Contribution to development of market relations, etc.

It is expected that fulfillment of the projected works will allow:


· To develop new technologies of photocatalytic purification of household and industrial waste water;
· To develop new highly effective catalysts for photocatalytic purification of waste water by sol-gel methods;
· To develop new methods of synthesis of stable hydrosols of titanium, iron, and manganese oxides having homogeneous spherical particles;
· To determine and investigate possible forms catalytically active substances on the surface of catalyst carriers;
· To study regularities of formation of porous structures of the catalysts to be developed;
· To develop a model of porous structure of catalysts aimed at quantitative evaluation of real porous systems.

Introduction of the executed development and recommendations in industry will enable:


· To use the developed technology of photocatalytic purification of waste water in ecological practice;
· To contribute to improvement of the global ecological situation;
· To find new areas of application of the catalysts to be developed;
· To contribute to development of the theory of adsorption and catalysis, sol-gel technologies;
· To solve in the whole the problem of purification of local and global effluents;
· To find appropriate interested organizations for executing joint works in the field of environment protection;
· To create long-term prospects for scientific personnel and effective use of available and bought equipment;
· To contribute to development of market relations.

The project is open for cooperation with foreign collaborators. They could be both financial supports and co-partners in carrying out some stages of the project.

Statistical processing of obtained data will be carried out after completion of all experiments. On completion of each stage, after analysis and discussions of the results, recommendations will be prepared.

During the project work the known methods of syntehesizing of highly dispersed non-organic systems, physical and chemical methods of the analysis will be used: NMR, IR,UF and mass-spectroscopy,as well as KP and X-ray spectroscopy, gas-liquid chromatography, electron microscopy, porosity measurements, etc. A technique of monitoring of purification level of waste water will be developed.

Participating Institutions

LEADING

L.A.Mnjoyan Institute of Fine Organic Chemistry