Coupling between metal-organic framework and ternary Ti oxide for removal of low concentration organic organoleptic compounds in water

• Grant number: 23/00711-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2023
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Agreement: University of Manchester
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Christiane de Arruda Rodrigues
• Grantee: Christiane de Arruda Rodrigues
• Principal researcher abroad: Christopher Hardacre
• Institution abroad: University of Manchester, England
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Geórgia Christina Labuto Araújo
• Associated research grant: 20/12263-0 - Combined use of physical-photoeletrochemical processes to remove substances which are responsible for taste and odor in drinking water, AP.PITE

Abstract

Geosmin (GSM) and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) are considered the main substances responsible for providing taste and odor to drinking water, causing great concern for drinking water suppliers worldwide. Despite of the small quantity of these compounds, its removal is a challenge via conventional treatment. The same way as the detection through analytical techniques for control and quantification, requiring a pre-concentration of geosmin and 2-MIB as an initial step in the removal process. Therefore, the synthesis of a material with high absorption and oxidation capacity is required, to simultaneously concentrate and degrade or mineralize the organic compound in low concentration. In this work, photocatalysts based on titanium ternary oxides will be synthesized from Ti-yX alloys (at.%) (X = W, Co, Nb) and coupled with a Zr metal-organic framework for concentration and removal of geosmin and 2-MIB from supply water. The ternary titanium oxide will be prepared by arc melting followed by heat treatment and milling. While the MOF-Zr will be prepared by the solvothermal method and after it will be coupled with the titanium ternary oxide. This material will be characterized for comparative evaluation of composition, structural morphology and photoelectrochemical and photonic properties. Characterization by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) will be used to identify and quantify free radicals, as well as to identify chemical reaction pathways in the detection of unpaired electrons, important factors in the ordering for characterization of MOF's. Finally, TiXO@MOF-Zr will be applied photoelectrocatalytic process in the removal of geosmin and 2-MIB, in which the mechanism, pathways and interactions of the pollutants with the photocatalyst surface will be investigated. The pathway and interaction will be evaluated in situ by means of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). (AU)