Highly effective photocatalytic system comprising semiconductor photocatalyst and supported bimetallic non-photocatalyst for selective reduction of nitrate to nitrogen in water

Photocatalytic reduction of NO3- under UV irradiation in the presence of ethanol was carried out in the presence of semiconductor photocatalyst Pt/TiO2 and supported bimetallic non-photocatalyst Sn-Pd/Al2O3, which were dispersed in water. This system effectively and selectively promoted the photocatalytic reduction of NO3- to N-2, whereas Pt/TiO2 or Sn-Pd/Al2O3 alone showed no or little activity under the reaction conditions. The decomposition rate of NO3- and selectivity to gaseous nitrogen compounds (mainly N-2) for the present photocatalytic system were higher than those for TiO2 photocatalyst directly-modified with Sn-Pd particles. (C) 2012 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.