| Semiconductor photocatalysis has received considerable attention in recent years as an alternative technology for the treatment of polluted water containing hazardous organic compounds. To a lesser extent, this process has also been studied for application to water containing metals for decontamination and metal recovery.; Throughout this study of photocatalysis, emphasis was given to metal reduction using titanium dioxide as the catalyst. We focused on determining the effect of adding an organic compound and varying pH (4, 7, and 11), temperature (25{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C, and 50{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C), and catalyst type (Degussa P25, and Sigma) on the removal of metals from solution.; It has been found that photocatalysis is effective for applications involving the removal of gold from aqueous systems with or without organics. Still, it is recommended that individual viability studies are made for the treatment of actual industrial waste streams. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
