Nano-Scientists Cooperate to Save Polluted Waters

An Iranian researcher from University of Tabriz, in collaboration with colleagues from Nancy Université of France, applied nanocatalysts to degrade aqueous pollutants.

Organic dyestuffs are considered as major sources of environmental pollutants. Therefore, removal of these materials from waste waters, through a practical and efficient method, seems essential.

Among the alternatives proposed for removing these water contaminants like textile dyes, organic compounds, agricultural pesticide wastes, etc. during recent years, are the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) especially suitable for lower pollutants’ concentrations.

According to the Iranian Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC), in general, AOPs include all processes by which active hydroxyl radicals are liberated in water through different mechanisms. Due to their high oxidizing potentials, the mentioned radicals are capable of complete degradation of most pollutants.

A. R. Khataee, the Iranian scientist conducted several surveys on eliminating three different textile dyes prepared in diluted solutions. In his sets of experiments, he tried to apply titanium dioxide nanocatalyst in an oxidative photocatalytic reaction in order to improve pollutants’ removal.

In this research, first the purchased commercial grade titanium dioxide nanoparticles were characterized by means of XRD, SEM, TEM, BET tests. Then, nanocatalyst particles of titanium oxide were stabilized upon glassy plates using thermal treatments.

With the aid of these prepared plates, photocatalytic conversion of three different dyes was investigated carefully.

The results of this research work successfully demonstrated almost complete removal of acidy organic pollutants thanks to the applied nanoparticles.

The complete details of this work, collaborated by Marie-Noëlle Pons from Nancy Université, France, are published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, volume 168, pages 451 to 457, 2009.