Efficacy of TIO2 doped with copper for water disinfection

Abstract

This research was conducted to improve titanium dioxide by transition metal doping using cooper. Sol gel method was used to prepare metal doped TIO2. Titanium isopropoxide and commercial TIO2 P25 were employed as catalyst precursor. The role played by the varied preparation parameters such as doping level and pH of solution were discussed with respect to the final photoreactivity. Photoreactivity was carried out in a solar box with two UVA lamps. The photodisinfection of E. coli in aquatic solution were selected as probe to measure the photoreactivity. It is found that Cu doped TIO2 exhibited enhanced results from E. coli photodisinfection. It was observed that the characteristic properties of catalysis like surface area can be important in predicating catalysts' photoreactivity.