Developing novel photocatalytic cementitious permeable pavements for depollution of contaminants and impurities in urban cities

Kiran Tota-Maharaj*, Nichola Coleman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference outputConference publication

Abstract

Photocatalyst such as Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) has been recently introduced as a nanoparticle into cementitious permeable pavements. Combining photocatalytic compounds within concrete permeable pavements can aid with depollution of several contaminants found in urban water streams and air impurities. This paper presents research carried out at the University of Greenwich, UK using photocatalytic concrete with varying percentages of TiO2 (0 %, 1% and 5%) to assess the levels depollution which can be achieved. Concrete samples were testing against the degradation of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid, a harmful chemical found in herbicides. This advanced oxidation process can aid in the reduction of urban pollution from an air and water perspective, improving sustainability for urban cities. Self-cleaning benefits of photocatalytic concrete permeable pavements can be used to keep urban infrastructure cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing. Experimental tests were carried out on the characterisation of inorganics through X-Ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to ensure that the structures of the concrete samples were not altered by addition of the nanoparticles (photocatalyst). Experimental results were compared to that found in previous literature and confirmed that the addition of 5% TiO2 did not affect the structure of the concrete samples and can be a viable option used in urban infrastructure such as permeable pavements.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication10th International Conference on Environmental Engineering, ICEE 2017
EditorsRasa Vaiskunaite, Donatas Cygas
ISBN (Electronic)9786094760440
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Aug 2017
Event10th International Conference on Environmental Engineering, ICEE 2017 - Vilnius, Lithuania
Duration: 27 Apr 201728 Apr 2017

Publication series

Name10th International Conference on Environmental Engineering, ICEE 2017
ISSN (Electronic)2029-7092

Conference

Conference10th International Conference on Environmental Engineering, ICEE 2017
Country/TerritoryLithuania
CityVilnius
Period27/04/1728/04/17

Bibliographical note

© 2017 Kiran Tota-Maharaj, Nichola Coleman. Published by VGTU Press. This is an open-access article distributed under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY-NC 4.0) License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Keywords

  • Atmospheric pollution
  • Permeable pavements
  • Photocatalyst
  • Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)
  • Water decontamination

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