Removal of OMPs by nanophotocatalysts and nanobiocatalysts immobilized into magnetic supports

University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain

1. University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain

2. RWTH Aachen University (RWTH ), Aachen, Germany

The possibility of combining the co-precipitation of the ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles with magnetic materials offers a great advantage and simplification for their use as photocatalysts, as they could be separated with a magnetic field. Furthermore, superparamagnetic nanoparticles based on magnetite have been recently employed as supporting materials for oxidative enzymes and used as nanobiocatalysts. However, both alternatives have not been evaluated so far for water treatment. This project opens a multifocal approach for the removal of emerging contaminants focused on: (i) the potential of the tailor-made magnetic nanocatalyst in a formulated combination of photocatalyst (TiO2 and ZnO) with magnetite, (ii)the capacity of the magnetic nanobiocatalyst in a formulated combination of laccase and silica magnetic nanoparticle to be used in the different configurations of the magnetic reactor with internal and external separation of the nanoparticle, (iii) the removal of the target OMPs will be attempted using the different approaches of photocatalysis and biochemical catalysis.

Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Germany – 6 months

University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Northwestern Switzerland – 4 months