Materials Issues in Solar Detoxification of Air and Water

The technical feasibility of photocatalytic oxidation and reduction technology for the removal of hazardous chemicals or microorganisms from contaminated water and air is well established. The heterogeneous process based on titanium dioxide photocatalysts is the most developed but homogeneous systems are also under development. Treatment equipment using fluorescent lamps as the photon source and supported heterogeneous photocatalysts are commercially available and one-sun and parabolic solar reactor designs have been demonstrated. Cost and performance of the solar processes have not yet reached levels that make them attractive relative to conventional alternatives. Cost reductions and increased performance require improvements in optical materials for reactors, reactor/collector design and materials of construction, durable catalyst materials and support structures, and significant improvement in the utilization of the solar spectrum in the photochemical processes. The current state of the art for solar reactors for treatment of contaminated air and water will be presented and the opportunities for improvement will be identified.