Research in Advanced Oxidation Processes Department of Chemical Engineering Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo
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Current Projects

Research and Cooperation Projects 
Postdoctoral Projects
PhD Projects 
Master Projects 
Scientific Initiation Projects 
Course Conclusion Work Projects 


Research and Cooperation Projects 

Environmental destination of emerging pollutants in surface water and sustainable mitigation alternatives: a hybrid experimental-computational approach. Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira (CESQ/PQI-EPUSP). Participants: Dr. Bruno Ramos, Dra. Arlen Mabel Lastre Acosta, Larissa P. Souza, Juliana Mendonça Silva de Jesus, Priscila Hasse Palharim, Valter Henrique Carvalho Silva, Renato Rosseto, Luciano Ribeiro, Paulo de Sousa Carvalho Junior, Nayara Dantas Coutinho Carvalho. Projeto de Cooperação Acadêmica FAPESP 2019/24158-9. FAPs/FAPEG-FAPESP, MTFiQui/QTEA/CCET-UEG. Start: 11/2020.

Micropollutants of emerging interest have become an important technological engineering challenge: pesticides, drugs, and other anthropogenic substances are found with increasing frequency in aquatic ecosystems and even in supply waters, being related to adverse effects on biota and human health. Overcoming this challenge requires understanding the behavior of these pollutants in the environment and the development of technologies capable of minimizing their emission into water bodies. Viable alternatives should include the use of solar radiation, easily scalable photochemical reactors, and efficient and sustainable catalysts. In this direction, the proposal of this project stands out such as (i) evaluation of the environmental persistence of emerging contaminants in the State of Goiás; (ii) determination of degradation mechanisms in Goiás surface water and characterization of their products; (iii) studies of sustainable processes for removing these pollutants before disposal in the environment: and (iv) development of new computation tools capable of predicting the half-life of an emerging pollutant in water bodies. In order to mitigate experimental costs and lead to a detailed understanding of molecular reactive channels, the determining steps of the degradation processes will be modeled using quantum methods of computational chemistry and Transition State Theory. In a context where the State of São Paulo and Goiás are national leaders in the industrial and agricultural sectors, it is intended to bring original scientific and technological contributions, given the situation of growing concern with the quality of Brazilian water resources.

Photochemical environmental destination of pesticides in water bodies in the region of Pontal do Paranapanema – SP. Coordinator: Profa. Dra. Marcela Prado Silva Parizi (UNESP). Participants: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira. FAPESP 2019/00696-1. USP, UNESP. Start: 07/2019.

This research project aims to investigate the degradation of ATZ, AMT and DIR pesticides in surface waters in the region of Pontal do Paranapanema – SP, as a result of photochemical reactions, as well as to understand the dependence of the persistence of these pesticides at different times of the year. This project intends to bring original scientific contribution in a context where concern has been raised with the preservation of water resources and the intensive use of agrochemicals in Brazil.


Postdoctoral Projects JumpBtn-150x150

Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance Evaluation of Heterojunctions of Metallic Oxides based on TiO₂ with Potential Applications in Photocatalytic Systems. Responsible: Dra. Geovânia Cordeiro de Assis. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 2022.

Heterogenous photocatalysis in an oxidation process and a potential candidate for mitigating problems associated with environmental pollution. In recent years, the synthesis and photocatalytic properties of several semiconductors have been described in the literature. Many factors influence the efficiency of these materials, such as surface, structural, morphological, and electronic properties. Obtaining heterojunctions between oxides is considered an effective way to increase the photocatalytic efficiency compared to individual oxides, improving absorption in the visible region, reducing the recombination of photogenerated charges, and promoting the generation of surface-active species. In this context, this project aims to synthesize TiO₂-based heterojunctions modified with ruthenium oxide (RuO₂) or graphene oxide (rGO), seeking to understand the chemical and physical interfacial interactions of these heterojunctions and their performance regarding the photodegradation of pharmaceutical contaminant model (acetaminophen) in aqueous medium.

Hybrid process of fixed-bed adsorption and electrochemical regeneration of clayey adsorbent for antibiotic removal grou wastewater. Responsible: Dra. Raissa Antonelli. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Geoffroy Roger Pointer Malpass. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 2022.

The presence of emerging contaminants, such as antibiotics, in the environment has caused growing concern in the scientific community. Once in surface water and other environmental matrices, such compounds can boost the spread of bacterial resistance, particularly in situations of significant increase in drug consumption, such as pandemic health emergencies. The appearance of emerging contaminants in the environment has shown that conventional wastewater treatment methods, are ineffective in removing thesis compounds, therefore, new and more effective treatment processes need to be investigated and improved. Thus, this study aims to explore a hybrid reactor that combines adsorption and advanced oxidation to remove antibiotics from aqueous solutions and diluted effluents. In this way, this research intends to bring original scientific and technological contributions in a context in which the concerns with treatment systems capable of removing emerging contaminants are growing.

 

Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption Properties of New Hybrid Activated Carbons Impregnated with Nanoparticles Dispersed in Superabsorbent Polymers. Responsible: Dr. Syed Sikandar Shah. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CAPES PNPD scholarship. Start: 2019.

Organic dyes and trace heavy metals are considered the two major pollutants in industrial wastewater and agricultural soils. In Brazil, these contaminants are posing serious threats to public health and the environment. These eco-toxic contaminants must be treated to bring their concentration in accordance with the Brazilian resolution. Adsorption is the most widely utilized process due to its high efficiency, simple procedure, and cost-effectiveness. Herein, we are planning to develop a novel hybrid adsorbent in such a manner that can actively and selectively adsorb these toxic contaminants (dyes and trace metals). A systematic study on the synthesis, characterization, and adsorption properties of novel hybrid adsorbent will be conducted for the deep removal of eco-toxic organic dyes such as methylene blue and basic blue-3 from industrial effluents and trace metals like cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) from the contaminated domestic, industrial and agricultural soils. Different techniques will be applied for the synthesis of the hybrid adsorbent. Various physicochemical properties of the hybrid adsorbent will be studied using state-of-the-art instruments and the initial adsorption experiments will be conducted on simulated samples for the optimization of reaction conditions. The structure and morphology of the novel hybrid absorbent will be characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) to name a few. The adsorption data will be applied to the kinetic models and also to the different adsorption isotherms to study the validity and feasibility of the adsorption process. The regeneration and recycling efficiency of the spent adsorbent will be examined and the hybrid adsorbent will further be applied for the removal of dyes (methylene blue and acid blue-3) and trace metals (Cd, Pb, and Cr) present in the effluents and soil samples collected from different nearby industries (synthetic food, paper, textile, and dyes) and agricultural fields (maize and soybean) respectively. Different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including photo-oxidation (O₃/UV) and UV peroxidation (H₂O₂/UV), or their combination will be investigated for the degradation of adsorbed/desorbed organic dyes.


PhD Projects JumpBtn-150x150

Photochemical Environmental Persistence of Emerging Pollutants in Water Bodies.  Ádila de Oliveira Sampaio Dantas. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CNPq scholarship. Start: 01/2021.

Emerging pollutants (EPs) are contaminants found in water supplies, groundwater and often drinking water. Studies of the environmental persistence of these pollutants seek to fill the existing gap in relation to the degradation processes that occur in surface waters, dictating the half-life time. Direct photolysis, through reactive species, such as hydroxyl radicals (HO•), single oxygen (1O2), and triplet excited states of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (3CDOM*), is the main degradation route of these substances in aquatic environments. Thus, this doctoral project seeks to understand the environmental destination of emerging pollutants, which will be selected in the future, through the evaluation of photochemical degradation processes under the incidence of artificial light with characteristics similar to sunlight and mathematical models.

Development of a hybrid system combining advanced oxidation process and enzymatic biocatalysis for the degradation of antiepileptic drugs in a continuous-flow reactor. Natalia Klanovicz. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: Profa. Dra. Helen Treichel. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 02/2020.

The occurrence of micropollutants in aqueous matrices has become a worldwide concern and challenge for wastewater treatment stations. Conventional technologies in general are not able to remedy these compounds, including antiepileptic drugs. In this sense, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) and enzymatic biocatalysts are possible alternative treatment systems, which can be combined in reactors and act together in the generation of hydroxyl radicals. Therefore, the objective of this project is to study strategies to degrade antiepileptic compounds in a continuous process, in which the technologies UVC/H₂O₂ and enzymatic biocatalysts occur in an integrated manner. The non-commercial peroxidase enzyme will be used in its free and immobilized forms, and the treatment process will be studied in a continuous flow flat plate reactor. Different process arrangements will be explored, in which AOP and enzymatic biocatalysts may occur concomitantly or in series for the degradation of antiepileptic drugs. The feasibility of the treatment will be analyzed in relation to the input and output concentration of the target pollutant, and also through cytotoxicity and genotoxicity analyses.

Development of nas photocatalysts for the degradation of volatile organic compounds in a fluidized bed.  Carolina Araújo Gusmão. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CNPq scholarship. Start: 2019.

Doctoral research focused on the development of innovative photocatalysis, applied to the degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in fluidized bed reactors. From a screening of titanium dioxide catalysts supported on fluidizable materials with varying synthesis conditions, the optima catalyst was doped with different metals, non-motels, and semiconductors in order to extend the absorption band of the photocatalytic material to the visible regions. The effect of different dopants on catalytic deactivation is also studied, as well as the reaction rate for different VOCs using the best-performing catalysts.

Use of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) combined with graphene for the photocatalytic degradation of emerging pollutants in wastewater. Fabiano Scolfaro Cheri. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CNPq scholarship. Start: 09/2023.

Accelerated industrial growth has increased environmental pollution, such as water pollution by emerging contaminants from domestic and industrial waste. Conventional water treatment methods such as adsorption and chemical precipitation have limitations in the removal efficiency of these pollutants, however, photocatalysis is a promising alternative. Photocatalysis involves the generation of photogenerated electrons and radicals that oxidize contaminants under sunlight. Among the promising photocatalytic materials, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and graphene stand out for having a high surface area. Through the combination of LDH and graphene, it is possible to synthesize a composite photocatalytic material that presents better photocatalytic activity and greater photoresponsivity, with high efficiency in eliminating contaminants from wastewater.

Development and evaluation of a hybrid solar photoreactor for the degradation of pollutants of emerging concern. Priscila Hasse Palharim. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CAPES scholarship. Start: 2019.

Conventional water and effluent treatment stations are not capable of completely removing contaminants of an emerging nature, found in the range of ng L-1 a μg L-1 in the environment. In this context, heterogenous photocatalysis presents itself as a promising alternative, which is based on the irradiation of light in a photocatalyst, producing reactive oxidant species that can lead to the photocatalytic transformation of a pollutant. In general, TiO₂ is the most used and studied photocatalyst, due to its low cost, stability, and non-toxicity. Due to its band gap (~ 3,2 eV), TiO₂ is only active under UV irradiation (< 380 nm). However, sunlight has only 4% UV light which leads to a low efficiency of converting solar energy into chemical energy. In contrast, tungsten trioxide (WO₃) has been studied as an alternative to TiO₂ because it is an n-type semiconductor with band gap energy between 2.5 to 2.8 eV. WO₃ can capture approximately 12% of the solar spectrum and absorb visible light in a range of up to 500 nm, proving to be more advantageous than TiO₂. On the other hand, whatever the photocatalytic process, to make it more economically attractive it is necessary to intensify it. One of the alternatives to minimize the impact of transport limitation photocatalysis and which adopts these principles is micro fluids. In this sense, this project aims at the synthesis and characterization of WO₃-based photocatalysis to be applied in a plate microreactor, evaluating the degradation of the model contamination acetaminophen.

 

Degradation of antidepressants in aqueous media: environmental persistence and intensified electrochemical treatment process. Larissa Pinheiro de Souza. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: Dr. Bruno Ramos. CAPES scholarship. Start: 08/2019.

The presence of antidepressants in water bodies has been an important contamination factor in recent years. The growing increase in clinical cases of anxiety and depression, combined with the mental disorder caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, makes them a highly prescribed class of drugs. In this context, this project aims to investigate the natural degradation of antidepressants through the evaluation of the second-order kinetic constants between the antidepressant and the reactive species present in the medium, in addition to the evaluation of the half-life time through mathematical simulations. Furthermore, it is proposed to study the degradation of these antidepressants through the application of an electrochemical treatment with in situ electrogeneration of H₂O₂ by means of a gaseous diffusion electrode.

 


Master Projects JumpBtn-150x150

Environmental photochemical persistence of antibiotics used in carciniculture. Gabriela Rodriguez Larrinaga. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Start: 06/2023.

This project addresses the rise in the prevalence of emerging contaminants, such as antibiotics, in wastewater from shrimp farming, along with advanced oxidation processes that can be applied in their treatment. AOPs are tertiary treatments based on the generation of highly oxidizing species, with the objective of eliminating non-biodegradable soluble compounds. The oxidizing agent can be the hydroxyl radical species, characterized by high oxidative capacity and short reaction times.

Degradation of emerging contaminants through percarbonate-based processes. Marelys Valdés Miló. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CAPES scholarship. Start: 01/2023.

Sodium percarbonate is considered a potential alternative to liquid hydrogen peroxide in the remediation of water/soil contaminated with organic compounds due to its merits in handling and transport safety, stability, and price, as well as environmental friendliness and has been widely applied in advanced oxidation processes for water decontamination. The liquid form of H₂O₂ poses concerns about safety risks in transportation and storage, and its solid form facilitates storage and transportation. Benefiting from the above advantages, percarbonate-based AOP will be investigated as a promising alternative technology in water purification.

Degradation of tetracycline using hydrodynamic cavitation. Richard Angel Patterson La O. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. CAPES scholarship. Start: 06/2023.

Tetracyclines constitute the second most common group of antibiotics both in production and consumption worldwide. Although antibiotic concentrations in environmental samples are low, these compounds are considered a potentially strong threat to ecosystems and human health due to their ecotoxicity and the development of microbial resistance to antibiotics. Thus, the aim of this research is to degrade the antibiotic tetracycline through hydrodynamic cavitation (HC). Notably, the HC reactor features a simple structure and operation, along with low maintenance costs. The combination of AOPs with HC can significantly enhance the degradation rate and energy efficiency of the process, as well as reduce the addition of chemicals to the reaction.


Scientific Initiation Projects JumpBtn-150x150

Study on adsorptive removal of methyl orange dye using biodegradable superabsorbent polymer hydrogels. César Kazuyoshi Barbosa Miamoto. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: Dr. Syed Sikandar Shah. Start: 04/2023.

Pollution and scarcity of clean water have generated an increased search for more efficient processes for treating wastewater. Therefore, aiming to develop one of these processes, superabsorbent polymer hydrogels (SPH) have been studied and subjected to tests to determine their effectiveness for application in the treatment of wastewater contaminated with dyes. In previous research, SPH was modified to improve pollutant removal and to be biodegradable. In this context, this project aims to explore the applications and results obtained with modified SPH. To discover other possible applications, tests will be carried out varying different parameters (e.g. adsorbent concentration, pH of the solution, and temperature).

Peroxidase enzyme behavior in different designs of microstructured flat plate reactors and reaction conditions under continuous flow. Frederico Massad Costa. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisors: Profa. Dra. Helen Treichel; PhD student Natalia Klanovicz. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 08/2023.

In general, the studies with peroxidases are developed in batch systems, and therefore there is an important gap regarding the application of these reactions in continuous flow. Preliminary studies have already indicated that the reaction dynamics and the three-dimensional protein structure of the enzyme can be modified by changing the processing from batch to continuous mode. In this sense, the present project aims to contribute to the understanding of peroxidase behavior from Trichoderma in different flow distribution geometries of microstructured reactors and to optimize the operation of the reaction system aiming to maintain the catalytic efficiency. Initially, the enzyme activity will be monitored at the reactor inlet and outlet for three flow distribution geometries of microreactors produced by 3D printing. The residence time distribution will then be studied for the tracers peroxidase and guaiacol (substrate), for fixed feed flow rate. Finally, for previously selected conditions (geometry and flow rate), the behavior of the enzymatic reaction in continuous flow will be optimized, using experimental design.

Photochemical persistence of the pesticide metribuzin in aqueous media: Influence of microplastics. Gabriel Diniz Braga. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: PhD student Ádila de Oliveira Sampaio Dantas. CNPq/PIBIC scholarship. Start: 09/2023.

The presence of microplastics in surface waters has become increasingly common, in addition to possible bioaccumulation and acting as adsorbents and vehicles for organic pollutants. In environmental aquatic matrices, the photochemical processes responsible for the degradation of emerging contaminants occur through direct and indirect photolysis. In this context, this project aims to study the photochemical degradation kinetics of the pesticide metribuzin in an aqueous medium under sunlight in the presence of polyethylene and polystyrene microparticles.

Efficiency study of the electro-Fenton/persulfate intensified process with in-situ H₂O₂ electrogeneration for removal of emerging contaminant from aqueous medium. Isabela Matos Gaudio de Souza. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: PhD student Larissa Pinheiro de Souza. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 12/2022.

The presence of antidepressants in water has been a factor of environmental concern. Among the antidepressants, fluoxetine hydrochloride was chosen as a model pollutant due to its high prescription and detection in waters. Therefore, it is evident the need to propose treatment alternatives that can not only degrade but also mineralize this type of contaminant in aqueous effluents. The application of processes promoted by electric current has shown to be a promising route of degradation, especially when coupled with in-situ hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) electrogeneration and Fenton reactions. In this context, the present Scientific Initiation project aims to investigate the efficiency of an innovative proposal that combines the electro-Fenton process with the addition of the oxidant persulfate (PS) and in-situ H₂O₂ electrogeneration for degradation of the model contaminant fluoxetine.

Synthesis and characterization of Pt-TiO₂/SiO₂ and Pt/S-TiO₂/SiO₂ materials and evaluation in a fixed-bed continuous photocatalytic reactor for drug degradation. Laura Teixeira Borges. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: PhD student Carolina de Araújo Gusmão. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 11/2022.

The present work proposes the development of Pt-TiO₂/SiO₂ materials applied to the degradation of pharmaceuticals in a continuous flow microstructured fixed-bed photocatalytic reactor. Although there are consolidated works on the synthesis and application of metal-modified TiO₂ photocatalysts, there are several gaps in the use of metal-modified TiO₂ supported on silica gel and the consequent synergistic effect of platinum with silica. Subsequently, catalysts co-doped with platinum and sulfur (Pt/S-TiO₂/SiO₂) in different proportions will be synthesized in order to evaluate the optimal ratio of the dopants on the photocatalytic activity of the material. In addition to understanding the results of characterization analyses to evaluate the morphological, optical, crystalline, and surface properties of the materials, experiments will be performed varying operational parameters of the reactor, as well as tests with real effluent from a pharmaceutical industry.

Removal of antibiotics by adsorption on vermiculite clay and photochemical regeneration: mono / multicomponent system. Michel Ruthes Massignan. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: Dra. Raissa Antonelli. CNPq/PIBITI scholarship. Start: 03/2023.

Adsorption is a technique that has been successfully applied to remove pharmaceuticals from water and is a relatively inexpensive, simple to operate, and efficient process for a wide range of pharmaceutical compounds. However, regeneration of the adsorbent is an important factor for economic efficiency in industrial applications of an adsorption process. In the case of pharmaceuticals, due to their possible toxicological impacts, it would be ideal if the regeneration would also promote the destruction of the adsorbed drug, in order to avoid secondary pollution in the environment. The photochemical process has allowed the efficient degradation of pharmaceutical compounds, however, as far as we know, there are no studies in the literature on the photochemical regeneration of clays. Thus, this scientific initiation project aims to investigate the removal of antibiotics by adsorption on vermiculite clay and the possibility of regeneration of the saturated adsorbent by photochemical process.

Evaluation of WO₃-Ag-AgCl photocatalytic films immobilized on glass substrates using a flat plate photochemical reactor for degradation of pollutants. Rodrigo Koester Santos Pereira. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Antonio Carlos S. C. Teixeira. Co-advisor: PhD student Priscila Hasse Palharim. FAPESP scholarship. Start: 06/2023.

The immobilization of photocatalysts in continuous flow reactors is an interesting option, allowing the use of a reduced amount of material, seeking to increase the area of the photocatalytic surface exposed to light and avoid costly operations of separating the photocatalyst after treatment, as is the case of systems in suspension. Among the various methods of synthesis of immobilized photocatalysts, the spray-pyrolysis technique and its variations (ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis, for example) stand out for being a cheap, versatile, fast, and reproducible method. Thus, this project aims to obtain WO₃-Ag-AgCl films immobilized on borosilicate glass substrates by the method of ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis/photoreduction, for application in a continuous flow flat plate photochemical reactor. The reactor and the photocatalysts will be studied for the photodegradation of the model pollutant acetaminophen, evaluating optimal conditions of simulated solar irradiance, UV-A LEDs for compensation of solar irradiation, as well as the optimal residence time in the reactor, and the stability of the photocatalytic films.


Course Conclusion Work Projects JumpBtn-150x150

No current project.