This photodegradation process was already known to be feasible, its use was limited by the long treatment times it required.
But researchers at KAUST in Saudi Arabia have now demonstrated that it can be dramatically sped up by using high-intensity light pulses generated from a xenon flash lamp.
“An interesting aspect of this work is that we combined the expertise and technologies of two different fields,” said researcher Luca Fortunato.
The team used a pulsed light system that was previously used to process semiconductor materials for transistors and solar cells.
Organic micropollutants (OMPs), which are known as emerging contaminants, include a long list of pharmaceuticals, hormones, compounds in personal care products and industrial chemical additives.
They are an increasing problem in waterways as they are released from many locations and are highly persistent in water, with potential toxic effects on human health even at very low concentrations. As...