Photocatalytic Decomposition of low-concentrated Trichloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene in Water

Grzechulska – Damszel, J.; Grześkowiak, M.; Przepiórski, J.; Morawski, A.W.

doi:10.22059/ijer.2014.725

Photocatalytic Decomposition of low-concentrated Trichloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene in Water

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

J. Grzechulska – Damszel

M. Grześkowiak

J. Przepiórski

A.W. Morawski

Institute of Chemical and Environment Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Puaskiego 10, 70-322 Szczecin, Poland

10.22059/ijer.2014.725

Abstract

The photocatalytic decomposition of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
in water was studied. TCE and PCE were present in water at very low concentrations of about 15 μg/dm3. This
concentration level corresponds to the one occasionally occurring in groundwater. Results of this research
confirmed usefulness of the photocatalytic process for successful removal of low-concentrated TCE and PCE
from water. Removal of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene from water can be achieved by application
of the photocatalytic process over titanium dioxide. It was confirmed that both suspended and immobilized
modes of the photocatalytic process give comparable results. Therefore it is recommended to employ the
immobilized system as more beneficial from the economical point of view. Presented studies revealed that very low amounts of TCE and PCE can be removed from water using the photocatalytic process. This method
could be than applied for purification of groundwater occasionally polluted with the small amounts of TCE
and PCE.

Keywords

Water purification

Photocatalysis

TCE

PCE

Low concentrations