Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Design of Green TiO2-Based Semiconductors for Microplastic and Nanoplastic Photocatalytic Degradation

Version 1 : Received: 29 January 2023 / Approved: 30 January 2023 / Online: 30 January 2023 (07:06:32 CET)

How to cite: Vital-Grappin, A.D.; Ariza-Tarazona, M.C.; Sandoval, I.; Rojas-Guerrero, C.A.; Villarreal-Chiu, J.F.; Cedillo-González, E.I. Design of Green TiO2-Based Semiconductors for Microplastic and Nanoplastic Photocatalytic Degradation. Preprints 2023, 2023010544. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202301.0544.v1 Vital-Grappin, A.D.; Ariza-Tarazona, M.C.; Sandoval, I.; Rojas-Guerrero, C.A.; Villarreal-Chiu, J.F.; Cedillo-González, E.I. Design of Green TiO2-Based Semiconductors for Microplastic and Nanoplastic Photocatalytic Degradation. Preprints 2023, 2023010544. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202301.0544.v1

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are distributed and transferred among the four major environmental compartments (air, water, soil, and biota) and have been already found in humans, making crucial to develop remediation technologies to tackle this kind pollution. Photocatalysis can be used to eliminate MPs present in contaminated wastewater effluents before their discharge into waterbodies. In this work, several green TiO2-based semiconductors were prepared using the extrapallial fluid (EPF) of Mytilus edulis sea water mussels as doping precursor. The semiconductors were then used as films or powders to photocatalytically degrade polystyrene (PS) NPs and MPs and polyethylene (PE) MPs. It was found that the obtention of green TiO2-based semiconductors with good characteristics for photocatalytic purposes (anatase crystalline phase, presence of porosity, activity in visible light and high surface area) seems not enough to achieve high degradation efficiency. The operational conditions of the reaction system should be also taken into account. For instance, the convenience of using semiconductors in the form of films can be overcome by their limited exposed surface area or the null adsorption of the semiconductor in the MPs particles. Additionally, crystallinity of the semiconductor can be a more determinant factor to take into account when performing photocatalysis of MPs.

Keywords

microplastics; nanoplastics; TiO2; crystallinity; film; photocatalysis; degradation; mitigation; microplastic pollution.

Subject

Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanotechnology

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