Recent advances in photoelectrochemical sensors for detection of ions in water

Over the last 50 years,the explosive adoption of modern agricultural practices has led to an enormous increase in the emission of non-biodegradable and highly biotoxic ions into the hydrosphere.Excess intake of such ions,even essential trace elements such as Cu^(2+)and F^(-),can have serious consequences on human health.Therefore,to ensure safe drinking water and regulate wastewater discharge,photoelectrochemical(PEC)online sensors were developed,with advantages such as low energy consumption,inherent miniaturization,simple instrumentation,and fast response.However,there is no publicly available systematic review of the recent advances in PEC ion sensors available in the literature since January 2017.Thus,this review covers the various strategies that have been used to enhance the sensitivity,selectivity,and limit of detection for PEC ion sensors.The photoelectrochemically active materials,conductive substrates,electronic transfer,and performance of various PEC sensors are discussed in detail and divided into sections based on the measurement principle and detected ion species.We conclude this review by highlighting the challenges and potential future avenues of research associated with the development of novel high-performance PEC sensors.

Photocatalytic synergistic biofilms enhance tetracycline degradation and conversion

Tetracyclines are refractory pollutants that cause persistent harm to the environment and human health.Therefore,it is urgently necessary to develop methods to promote the efficient degradation and conversion of tetracyclines in wastewater.This report proposes a photobiocatalytic synergistic system involving the coupling of GeO_(2)/Zn-doped phosphotungstic acid hydrate/TiO_(2)(GeO_(2)/Zn-HPW/TiO_(2))-loaded photocatalytic optical hollow fibers(POHFs)and an algalebacterial biofilm.The GeO_(2)/Zn-HPW/TiO_(2) photocatalyst exhibits a broad absorption edge extending to 1000 nm,as well as high-efficiency photoelectric conversion and electron transfer,which allow the GeO_(2)/Zn-HPW/TiO_(2)-coated POHFs to provide high light intensity to promote biofilm growth.The resulting high photocatalytic activity rapidly and stably reduces the toxicity and increases the biodegradability of tetracycline-containing wastewater.The biofilm enriched with Salinarimonas,Coelastrella sp.,and Rhizobium,maintains its activity for the rapid photocatalytic degradation and biotransformation of intermediates to generate the O_(2) required for photocatalysis.Overall,the synergistic photocatalytic biofilm system developed herein provides an effective and efficient approach for the rapid degradation and conversion of water containing high concentrations of tetracycline.

Working principle and application of photocatalytic optical fibers for the degradation and conversion of gaseous pollutants

Photocatalytic optical fibers are promising for the degradation of gaseous and volatile pollutants in air due to their high specific surface area,high light utilization efficiency,easy regeneration,and sustainability.In particular,photocatalytic optical fibers have proven highly useful for the removal and conversion of different kinds of air pollutants in air.However,these fibers suffer from low photocatalytic degradation efficiencies.In this review,we have focused on introducing photocatalytic quartz optical fibers and photocatalytic plastic optical fibers for the degradation and transformation of gas-phase air pollutants.The principle of photocatalytic optical fibers and main methods for improving their photocatalytic and light utilization efficiencies based on semiconductor photocatalytic coatings are summarized.Moreover,the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic rate equation was summarized to analyze the photocatalytic reduction of gaseous pollutants.Finally,an outlook on the future of photocatalytic optical fibers toward the removal and conversion of gaseous air pollutants is discussed.