Optimization of titanium dioxide photocatalysis for sanitary wastewater treatment

This thesis tests the effectiveness of platinum and silver ion enhanced titanium dioxide for the photocatalytic oxidation of wastewater using activated carbon and activated carbon fibers as support media. A powdery mixture of TiO₂ and platinum and a powdery mixture of TiO₂ and silver coated two separated batches of activated carbon and activated carbon fibers. An aqueous stream of urea contaminated water served as wastewater. The effectiveness of the enhanced media was evaluated by measuring the urea concentration of the wastewater. The urea concentration of the wastewater was measured by ammonia electrode detection to infer the effectiveness of the enhanced TiO₂ and the two support media. The use of additional catalysts provides significant evidence of increasing the effectiveness of titanium dioxide photocatalysis.