Capture of phosphates in surface water by TiO2 nanoparticles under UV irradiation

The capture of orthophosphates and total phosphorus from the Pudong Canal river in the Pudong District of Shanghai by TiO2 nanoparticles is studied using a rotating photoreactor and the nano-TiO2 photocatalyst Degussa P25. The effects of UV irradiation intensity in a range of 20-74 mW/cm(2), the loading of the TiO2 nanoparticles in a range of 0.05-0.1 g/L, irradiation time up to 4h, and pH values in a range of 2-10.5 on the capture efficiency are investigated. The results show that the capture of orthophosphates and total P are significantly enhanced by UV irradiation; at a loading of 0.1 g/L and an irradiation intensity above 36 mW/cm(2), orthophosphates and total phosphorus are rapidly captured by TiO2 nanoparticles, causing an observed reduction from 0.4 mg/L down to 0.02 mg/L. pH values in a range of 2-10.5 have little effect on the capture efficiency of orthophosphates and total phosphorus. (C) 2013 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.