Study of photocatalysis UV/BaTiO3(Ag) in the degradation of the pesticide amicarbazona

• Grant number: 23/09162-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Marcela Prado Silva Parizi
• Grantee: Yasmin Miki Toma
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 24/14991-3 - VI Iberoamerican Conference on Advanced Oxidation Technologies (VI CIPOA), AR.BR

Abstract

São Paulo state was responsible for the largest sugarcane production in Brazil in the 2021/2022 harvest. The increase in sugarcane production is related to the increased use of pesticides, which raises concerns about ecosystem contamination. One of the pesticides used in sugarcane cultivation is amicarbazona (AMZ), which can persist in the environment and reach bodies of water and groundwater. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as pesticides, are not fully removed by conventional water treatment plants, which can lead to population exposure to these contaminants. Therefore, it is necessary to seek new technologies for treating water contaminated with POPs, and Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) have proven to be an effective alternative. Among the materials that can be used as photocatalysts in these processes is barium titanate (BaTiO3), which is cost-effective and available in various morphologies. However, BaTiO3 has some limitations, and methods such as morphology control and doping are performed to improve its photocatalytic activity, with silver doping being particularly notable. There are few studies in the literature on the use of barium titanate for pesticide degradation, and no studies specifically focus on the removal of AMZ through the photocatalysis of this material. Therefore, this work aims to investigate the removal of AMZ from aqueous environments using silver-doped barium titanate activated by UV radiation (254nm).