Project: Design and application of hybrid photocatalysis/membrane techniques for the removal of CECs in water bodies (WP1)
Host institution: USC
Supervisor(s): Maite Moreira (PhD promoter)
Objectives: To devise a hybrid photocatalysis/membrane system that maximizes the kinetic performance and full mineralization of CECs in water treatment, by synthesizing and characterizing advanced hybrid catalysts, and optimizing operational conditions and reactor design.
DC3 will focus on the advancement of a hybrid membrane-photocatalysis process that marries the high reaction rates of heterogeneous photocatalysts with the compound retention abilities of membrane technologies. The project seeks to synthesize optimized hybrid phoycatalysts and perform comprehensive physical and chemical characterizations to understand and predict their structural impact on photocatalytic efficiency. Operational variables such as pH, catalyst type, irradiation source and dosage, and contaminant concentration will be rigorously studied to enhance CEC removal, mineralization rates, and by-product formation control. Furthermore, DC3 will develop a nuanced reactor model, factoring in practical, economic, and environmental considerations, for the deployment of this hybrid technology in treating real wastewater matrices, with an ultimate goal of overcoming the shortcomings of traditional photocatalytic approaches.
Expected results: Sophisticated hybrid photocatalysis/membrane system for efficient CECs mineralization and a model for scaling up to real-world wastewater treatment applications.
Planned secondments:
- TU Delft (Sup.: J. Van Lier): M20-23 (4 months): Impact of photocatalysts on microbial communities in AnMBR;
- SUEZ (Sup.: R. Moscoviz): M28-31 (4 months): Scale-up considerations for photocatalytic techniques.
Enrolment in Doctoral degree: Escola de Doutoramento Internacional da Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (EDIUS), Chemical and Environmental Engineering Doctoral Program
