Enhancement of Solar Water Disinfection Using Nano catalysts

Abstract

Solar water disinfection (SODIS) is a simple and low-cost method of increasing water quality. However, it takes about 6 hours of exposure to solar radiation. The elimination of harmful pathogenic germs from drinking water can be accelerated using a combination of sun disinfection and nanotechnology. In this study, a hybrid water purification technique using solar water disinfection, Titanium Oxide (TiO2), and natural mineral clays was investigated. TiO2, natural kaolin clay nanoparticles, and a mixture of TiO2 and natural clay were added to contaminated wastewater containers at different concentrations. After that, the containers were exposed to sunlight for different time intervals. Samples were then collected from all tests to measure the total counts of Total Coliform and Escherichia coli (E.coli) using the IDEXX system. The results showed that the addition of TiO2 and natural kaolin clay to wastewater with solar water disinfection reduced the total count of the pathogenic microorganisms and decreased the time needed time for the disinfection process compared to using solar energy alone. The results also showed that the optimum concentration of the TiO2, which yielded the shortest purification time and lowest levels of pathogenic microorganisms, was 0.006 g/ml. In contrast, the most effective concentration of natural clay was 0.0015 g/ml. Moreover, the results showed that the optimum concentration of the mixture of TiO2 and natural clay, which speeds up the purification time and lowest the level of pathogenic microorganisms was 0.006 g/ml for TiO2 and 1.2 g/ml for the natural clay.

Keywords

• nanotechnology
• water treatment
• solar energy
• solar water disinfection