An Overview of Polymer-Supported Catalysts for Wastewater Treatment through Light-Driven Processes
Maria João Silva, João Gomes, Paula Ferreira, Rui C. Martins
Abstract
In recent years, alarm has been raised due to the presence of chemical contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water. This concern is due to the risks associated with their exposure, even in small amounts. These complex compounds cannot be removed or degraded by existing technologies in wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, advanced oxidation processes have been studied, with the objective of developing a technology capable of complementing the conventional water treatment plants. Heterogenous photocatalysis stands out for being a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process. However, its most common form (with suspended catalytic particles) requires time-consuming and costly downstream processes. Therefore, the heterogeneous photocatalysis process with a supported catalyst is preferable. Among the available supports, polymeric ones stand out due to their favorable characteristics, such as their transparency, flexibility and stability. This is a relatively novel process; therefore, there are still some gaps in the scientific knowledge. Thus, this review article aims to gather the existing information about this process and verify which questions are still to be answered.