Enhanced photocatalytic removal of bromate in drinking water by Au/TiO under ultraviolet light.

The photo-reduction of bromate (BrO ) has attracted much attention due to the carcinogenesis and genotoxicity of BrO in drinking water. In this study, a heterojunction photocatalyst was developed by depositing Au nanoparticles (NPs) onto P25 TiO NPs through a one-pot, solvent-thermal process. Due to the unique properties of Au, the Au NPs deposited on the TiO surface created a Schottky barrier between the metal and the semiconductor, leading to an effective separation of photo-generated charge carriers as the Au nanoparticles served as electron sinks. The Au/TiO photocatalyst demonstrated efficient reduction of BrO under UV light illumination without the need for sacrificial agents. The effect of different Au loading of Au/TiO was systematically investigated for its influence on the generation of electrons and the reduction ability of BrO . The results indicate that the 1% Au/TiO catalyst exhibited a higher concentration of localized electrons, rendering it more effective in BrO removal. The photocatalytic efficiency for BrO reduction decreased upon the addition of KSO as an electron quencher, suggesting that the primary factor in this photo-reduction process was the availability of electrons. These findings hold promise for the potential application of the Au/TiO catalyst in the removal of BrO from drinking water through photo-reduction.