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A systematic review on photocatalytic concrete for pavement applications: an innovative solution to reduce air pollution

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Abstract

Air pollution is one of the major health threats for urban dwellers due to increased concentration of pollutants and vehicular traffic. Approximately 7.0 million premature deaths in the world are associated with air pollution. Although stringent emission standards have been introduced, no significant reduction in air quality index in metro cities has been reported. Alternative solutions such as photocatalytic materials can be utilized as an innovative strategy to reduce the concentration of pollutants. Photocatalytic materials can be used in photocatalytic concrete pavements, which decrease the concentration of NOx by photocatalytic activity. A systematic review of photocatalytic materials and its application in concrete pavements has been introduced. The laboratory and field investigations of photocatalytic concrete pavements have been discussed. It was found that NOx reduction up to 60 and 31%, respectively, was observed in laboratory and field conditions. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the mostly commonly used photocatalytic additive in the range of 3–10% by cement weight. The review found that the photocatalytic concrete pavements have not gained significant attention unlike other pavement materials. The demerits of TiO2 for field application and research lacunae in this domain have been discussed and based on which, future scope of research is proposed. It is envisaged that photocatalytic concrete pavements can play a significant role in reducing air pollutant concentration in urban areas.

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  1. School of Infrastructure, IIT Bhubaneswar, Khordha, 752050, India

    Jaydeep Chouhan & Anush K. Chandrappa

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  1. Jaydeep Chouhan
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Chouhan, J., Chandrappa, A.K. A systematic review on photocatalytic concrete for pavement applications: an innovative solution to reduce air pollution. Innov. Infrastruct. Solut. 8, 90 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-023-01060-6

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