A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms
Obtaining clean and high-quality water free of pathogenic microorganisms is a worldwide challenge. Various techniques have been investigated for achieving an effective removal or inactivation of these pathogenic microorganisms. One of those promising techniques is photocatalysis. In recent years, ph...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-12-01
|
| Series: | Catalysts |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/12/1498 |
| _version_ | 1797506046440243200 |
|---|---|
| author | Elzahraa A. Elgohary Yasser Mahmoud A. Mohamed Hossam A. El Nazer Oussama Baaloudj Mohammed S. S. Alyami Atef El Jery Aymen Amine Assadi Abdeltif Amrane |
| author_facet | Elzahraa A. Elgohary Yasser Mahmoud A. Mohamed Hossam A. El Nazer Oussama Baaloudj Mohammed S. S. Alyami Atef El Jery Aymen Amine Assadi Abdeltif Amrane |
| author_sort | Elzahraa A. Elgohary |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Obtaining clean and high-quality water free of pathogenic microorganisms is a worldwide challenge. Various techniques have been investigated for achieving an effective removal or inactivation of these pathogenic microorganisms. One of those promising techniques is photocatalysis. In recent years, photocatalytic processes used semiconductors as photocatalysts. They were widely studied as a green and safe technology for water disinfection due to their high efficiency, being non-toxic and inexpensive, and their ability to disinfect a wide range of microorganisms under UV or visible light. In this review, we summarized the inactivation mechanisms of different waterborne pathogenic microorganisms by semiconductor photocatalysts. However, the photocatalytic efficiency of semiconductors photocatalysts, especially titanium dioxide, under visible light is limited and hence needs further improvements. Several strategies have been studied to improve their efficiencies which are briefly discussed in this review. With the developing of nanotechnology, doping with nanomaterials can increase and promote the semiconductor’s photocatalytic efficiency, which can enhance the deactivation or damage of a large number of waterborne pathogenic microorganisms. Here, we present an overview of antimicrobial effects for a wide range of nano-photocatalysts, including titanium dioxide-based, other metal-containing, and metal-free photocatalysts. Promising future directions and challenges for materials research in photocatalytic water disinfection are also concluded in this review. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:27:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad09357f42c64134a4ca7dc67d7a2d27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:27:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Catalysts |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad09357f42c64134a4ca7dc67d7a2d272023-11-23T07:34:30ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442021-12-011112149810.3390/catal11121498A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of MicroorganismsElzahraa A. Elgohary0Yasser Mahmoud A. Mohamed1Hossam A. El Nazer2Oussama Baaloudj3Mohammed S. S. Alyami4Atef El Jery5Aymen Amine Assadi6Abdeltif Amrane7National Research Centre, Photochemistry Department, Dokki, Giza 12622, EgyptNational Research Centre, Photochemistry Department, Dokki, Giza 12622, EgyptNational Research Centre, Photochemistry Department, Dokki, Giza 12622, EgyptLaboratory of Reaction Engineering, USTHB, BP 32, Algiers 16111, AlgeriaDepartment of Science, King Abdulaziz College of Military, Riyadh 14514, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha 61411, Saudi ArabiaEcole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, Universite de Rennes CNRS, ISCR-UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, FranceEcole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, Universite de Rennes CNRS, ISCR-UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, FranceObtaining clean and high-quality water free of pathogenic microorganisms is a worldwide challenge. Various techniques have been investigated for achieving an effective removal or inactivation of these pathogenic microorganisms. One of those promising techniques is photocatalysis. In recent years, photocatalytic processes used semiconductors as photocatalysts. They were widely studied as a green and safe technology for water disinfection due to their high efficiency, being non-toxic and inexpensive, and their ability to disinfect a wide range of microorganisms under UV or visible light. In this review, we summarized the inactivation mechanisms of different waterborne pathogenic microorganisms by semiconductor photocatalysts. However, the photocatalytic efficiency of semiconductors photocatalysts, especially titanium dioxide, under visible light is limited and hence needs further improvements. Several strategies have been studied to improve their efficiencies which are briefly discussed in this review. With the developing of nanotechnology, doping with nanomaterials can increase and promote the semiconductor’s photocatalytic efficiency, which can enhance the deactivation or damage of a large number of waterborne pathogenic microorganisms. Here, we present an overview of antimicrobial effects for a wide range of nano-photocatalysts, including titanium dioxide-based, other metal-containing, and metal-free photocatalysts. Promising future directions and challenges for materials research in photocatalytic water disinfection are also concluded in this review.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/12/1498photocatalysissemiconductorwaterborne microorganisminactivationnanotechnology |
| spellingShingle | Elzahraa A. Elgohary Yasser Mahmoud A. Mohamed Hossam A. El Nazer Oussama Baaloudj Mohammed S. S. Alyami Atef El Jery Aymen Amine Assadi Abdeltif Amrane A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms Catalysts photocatalysis semiconductor waterborne microorganism inactivation nanotechnology |
| title | A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms |
| title_full | A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms |
| title_fullStr | A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms |
| title_short | A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms |
| title_sort | review of the use of semiconductors as catalysts in the photocatalytic inactivation of microorganisms |
| topic | photocatalysis semiconductor waterborne microorganism inactivation nanotechnology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/11/12/1498 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elzahraaaelgohary areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT yassermahmoudamohamed areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT hossamaelnazer areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT oussamabaaloudj areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT mohammedssalyami areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT atefeljery areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT aymenamineassadi areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT abdeltifamrane areviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT elzahraaaelgohary reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT yassermahmoudamohamed reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT hossamaelnazer reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT oussamabaaloudj reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT mohammedssalyami reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT atefeljery reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT aymenamineassadi reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms AT abdeltifamrane reviewoftheuseofsemiconductorsascatalystsinthephotocatalyticinactivationofmicroorganisms |