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Photocatalytic performance of TiO2 and WO3/TiO2 nanoparticles coated on urban green infrastructure materials in removing nitrogen oxide

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Abstract

This study investigated the performance of UV light active TiO2 and UV–visible light active WO3/TiO2 nanoparticles as air purifying materials that can be potentially applied to urban green infrastructures such as rain gardens and pervious pavements. Using a laboratory-scale continuous gas flow photoreactor, the removal efficiency of gaseous nitrogen oxide (NO x ) by two different photocatalytic nanoparticles coated on natural zeolites and pervious concrete blocks was evaluated. The results showed that the TiO2- and WO3/TiO2-coated zeolites are excellent photoactive materials providing enhanced air purification function (~95% removal efficiency of NO x ) under UV and UV–visible light irradiation, respectively. In contrast, both of the TiO2- and WO3/TiO2-coated pervious concrete blocks showed a measurable NO x removal (~60%) only under UV irradiation, whereas the visible light activity of the WO3/TiO2-coated concrete block was significantly reduced (~20%) mainly due to the decrease in the photocatalytic reaction sites for visible light. This study revealed the potential utility of photocatalytic nanoparticles in improving urban air quality, in the form of the surface component of various urban infrastructures.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a Grant (No. 14CTAP-C086804-01) from the Technology Advancement Research Program funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) of the Korean Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, 30, Pildong-ro 1gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea

    J. A. Mendoza, D. H. Lee & J.-H. Kang

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kongju National University, 275 Budae-dong, Cheonan, Chungnamdo, 330-717, Republic of Korea

    L.-H. Kim

  3. Environmental and Plant Engineering Institute, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, 283, Goyangdae-ro Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Kyonggi-do, 411-712, Republic of Korea

    I. H. Kim

Authors
  1. J. A. Mendoza
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  2. D. H. Lee
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  3. L.-H. Kim
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  4. I. H. Kim
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  5. J.-H. Kang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J.-H. Kang.

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Editorial responsibility: U.W. Tang.

This research was conducted at Dongguk University—Seoul, Republic of Korea, from October 2015 to October 2016.

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Mendoza, J.A., Lee, D.H., Kim, LH. et al. Photocatalytic performance of TiO2 and WO3/TiO2 nanoparticles coated on urban green infrastructure materials in removing nitrogen oxide. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 15, 581–592 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1425-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1425-9

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