Castro Nelson, Queirós Joana M, Alves Dinis C, Fernandes Margarida M Macedo, Lanceros-Méndez Senetxu, Martins Pedro M
Physics Centre of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP) and LaPMET-Laboratory of Physics for Materials and Emergent Technologies, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), 4715-330 Braga, Portugal.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2024 Mar 15;14(6):525. doi: 10.3390/nano14060525.
Water scarcity and contamination are urgent issues to be addressed. In this context, different materials, techniques, and devices are being developed to mitigate contemporary and forthcoming water constraints. Photocatalysis-based approaches are suitable strategies to address water contamination by degrading contaminants and eliminating microbes. Photoreactors are usually designed to perform photocatalysis in a scalable and standardised way. Few or none have been developed to combine these characteristics with portability, flexibility, and cost effectiveness. This study reports on designing and producing a portable (490 g), low-cost, and multifunctional photoreactor that includes adjustable radiation intensity and two types of wavelengths (UV-A and visible), including combined agitation in a compact mechanism produced through 3D printing technology. The mechanical, electrical, and optical subsystems were designed and assembled into a robust device. It is shown that it is possible to apply radiations that can reach 65 mW/cm and 110 mW/cm using the installed visible and UV LEDs and apply mechanical agitation up to 200 rpm, all under a ventilated system. Regarding functionality, the photoreactor proof of concept indicated the ability to degrade ~80% and 30% ciprofloxacin under UV and visible irradiation of TiO and Ag/TiO nanoparticles. The device also showed the ability to eliminate bacteria, recurring to radiation set-ups and nanoparticles. Therefore, the originally designed and constructed photoreactor concept was characterised and functionally validated as an exciting and flexible device for lab-scaled or outdoor experiments, assuring standardised and comparable results.
水资源短缺和污染是亟待解决的紧迫问题。在此背景下，人们正在研发不同的材料、技术和设备，以缓解当前及未来的水资源限制。基于光催化的方法是通过降解污染物和消灭微生物来解决水污染问题的合适策略。光反应器通常设计用于以可扩展和标准化的方式进行光催化。很少有或几乎没有被开发出来将这些特性与便携性、灵活性和成本效益结合起来。本研究报告了一种便携式（490克）、低成本且多功能的光反应器的设计与制作，该反应器包括可调节的辐射强度和两种波长类型（UV-A和可见光），并在通过3D打印技术制造的紧凑机构中进行联合搅拌。机械、电气和光学子系统经过设计并组装成一个坚固的设备。结果表明，在通风系统下，使用安装的可见光和紫外发光二极管，可以施加高达65毫瓦/平方厘米和110毫瓦/平方厘米的辐射，并施加高达200转/分钟的机械搅拌。在功能方面，光反应器的概念验证表明，在TiO₂和Ag/TiO₂纳米颗粒的紫外和可见光照射下，该反应器能够降解约80%和30%的环丙沙星。该设备还展示了利用辐射装置和纳米颗粒消灭细菌的能力。因此，最初设计和构建的光反应器概念经过了特性表征和功能验证，是一种用于实验室规模或户外实验的令人兴奋且灵活的设备，可确保标准化和可比的结果。
