NanoPHARM – New photocatalytically active composite materials for elimination of pharmaceutical residues
The objective of the NanoPharm project was to develop and test novel technological approaches to the degradation of drug contaminants in different waters by use of photocatalysts (e.g. zinc or TiO2 nanoparticles) modified by means of different methods.
Biocomposite materials manufactured by use of S-layers as well as a granulate material consisting of zinc nanoparticles doped with silver ions proved to be particularly efficient. Besides, sufficiently stable aptamers for detection of selected agents and enrichment of these agents were selected and characterised.
Both the stability and activity of the novel photocatalysts were found to be significantly higher than the stability and activity of known materials and were tested in comprehensive degradation experiments. For the purpose of testing, individual agents and agent mixtures were demonstrably transformed in laboratory and test facilities. The respective tests were accompanied by an extensive chemical-analytical and toxicological evaluation of the transformation products.
For practical implementation of the findings, a water treatment concept combining the process of photocatalysis with that of photooxidation and enabling simultaneous processes in the same reaction space was developed. In that way, energy and oxidising-agent consumption can be reduced by approximately 20-30%.
