Photocatalytic inactivation and removal of algae with TiO2-coated materials

The capabilities of TiO2-coated materials for the inactivation and removal of algae were investigated. As supports for TiO2, non-woven fabric and Ni foam were chosen. To evaluate the ability of noble metal cocatalyst additions to facilitate the photocatalytic algal inhibition of TiO2-coated materials, Pd nanoparticles were deposited on non-woven fabric-supported TiO2 by photoelectrochemical deposition. The fabric-supported Pd/TiO2 showed higher inhibition activity for algal growth compared to the fabric-supported TiO2 without Pd. In addition, Ni foam-supported TiO2 also showed high inhibition activity, both in laboratory-scale tests and open-air tests. Therefore, TiO2-coated materials with suitable coating methods such as the use of cocatalysts or large surface area can substantially inhibit algal growth. The ability of the TiO2-coated materials to inhibit algae correlated well with their activity for the photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue, suggesting a nonspecific mechanism in the breakdown of cellular structures.