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Dr. Zacharias Frontistis
University of Western Macedonia

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0 Environmental Engineering
0 Photocatalysis
0 Wastewater Treatment
0 Water Engineering
0 Electrochemical oxidation

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persulfate
Electrochemical oxidation
Wastewater Treatment
Advanced oxidation processes
Photocatalysis
Fenton oxidation

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Review
Published: 22 August 2021 in Environments
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Nowadays, the research on the environmental applications of electrochemistry to remove recalcitrant and priority pollutants and, in particular, drugs from the aqueous phase has increased dramatically. This literature review summarizes the applications of electrochemical oxidation in recent years to decompose pharmaceuticals that are often detected in environmental samples such as carbamazapine, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, etc. Similar to most physicochemical processes, efficiency depends on many operating parameters, while the combination with either biological or other physicochemical methods seems particularly attractive. In addition, various strategies such as using three-dimensional electrodes or the electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide have been proposed to overcome the disadvantages of electrochemical oxidation. Finally, some guidelines are proposed for future research into the applications of environmental electrochemistry for the degradation of xenobiotic compounds and micropollutants from environmental matrices. The main goal of the present review paper is to facilitate future researchers to design their experiments concerning the electrochemical oxidation processes for the degradation of micropollutants/emerging contaminants, especially, some specific drugs considering, also, the existing limitations of each process.

ACS Style

Georgios Bampos; Athanasia Petala; Zacharias Frontistis. Recent Trends in Pharmaceuticals Removal from Water Using Electrochemical Oxidation Processes. Environments 2021, 8, 85 .

AMA Style

Georgios Bampos, Athanasia Petala, Zacharias Frontistis. Recent Trends in Pharmaceuticals Removal from Water Using Electrochemical Oxidation Processes. Environments. 2021; 8 (8):85.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Georgios Bampos; Athanasia Petala; Zacharias Frontistis. 2021. "Recent Trends in Pharmaceuticals Removal from Water Using Electrochemical Oxidation Processes." Environments 8, no. 8: 85.

Review
Published: 10 August 2021 in Pathogens
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Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has a long history of identifying a variety of viruses from poliovirus to coronaviruses, including novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The presence and detection of SARS-CoV-2 in human feces and its passage into the water bodies are significant public health challenges. Hence, the hot issue of WBE of SARS-CoV-2 in the coronavirus respiratory disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a matter of utmost importance (e.g., SARS-CoV-1). The present review discusses the background, state of the art, actual status, and prospects of WBE, as well as the detection and quantification protocols of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The SARS-CoV-2 detection studies have been performed in different water matrixes such as influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants, suburban pumping stations, hospital wastewater, and sewer networks around the globe except for Antarctica. The findings revealed that all WBE studies were in accordance with clinical and epidemiological data, which correlates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) with the number of new daily positive cases officially reported. This last was confirmed via Reverse Transcriptase-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) testing which unfortunately is not suitable for real-time surveillance. In addition, WBE concept may act as a faster protocol to alert the public health authorities to take administrative orders (possible re-emerging infections) due to the impracticality of testing all citizens in a short time with limited diagnostic facilities. A comprehensive and integrated review covering all steps starting from sampling to molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater has been made to guide for the development well-defined and reliable protocols.

ACS Style

Milad Mousazadeh; Razieh Ashoori; Biswaranjan Paital; Işık Kabdaşlı; Zacharias Frontistis; Marjan Hashemi; Miguel Sandoval; Samendra Sherchan; Kabita Das; Mohammad Emamjomeh. Wastewater Based Epidemiology Perspective as a Faster Protocol for Detecting Coronavirus RNA in Human Populations: A Review with Specific Reference to SARS-CoV-2 Virus. Pathogens 2021, 10, 1008 .

AMA Style

Milad Mousazadeh, Razieh Ashoori, Biswaranjan Paital, Işık Kabdaşlı, Zacharias Frontistis, Marjan Hashemi, Miguel Sandoval, Samendra Sherchan, Kabita Das, Mohammad Emamjomeh. Wastewater Based Epidemiology Perspective as a Faster Protocol for Detecting Coronavirus RNA in Human Populations: A Review with Specific Reference to SARS-CoV-2 Virus. Pathogens. 2021; 10 (8):1008.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Milad Mousazadeh; Razieh Ashoori; Biswaranjan Paital; Işık Kabdaşlı; Zacharias Frontistis; Marjan Hashemi; Miguel Sandoval; Samendra Sherchan; Kabita Das; Mohammad Emamjomeh. 2021. "Wastewater Based Epidemiology Perspective as a Faster Protocol for Detecting Coronavirus RNA in Human Populations: A Review with Specific Reference to SARS-CoV-2 Virus." Pathogens 10, no. 8: 1008.

Review
Published: 31 July 2021 in Water
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Increasing dependency on pharmaceutical compounds including antibiotics, analgesics, antidepressants, and other drugs has threatened the environment as well as human health. Their occurrence, transformation, and fate in the environment are causing significant concerns. Several existing treatment technologies are there with their pros and cons for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater (PWW). Still, electrocoagulation is considered as the modern and decisive technology for treatment. In the EC process, utilizing electricity (AC/DC) and electrodes, contaminants become coagulated with the metal hydroxide and are separated by co-precipitation. The main mechanism is charge neutralization and adsorption of contaminants on the generated flocs. The range of parameters affects the EC process and is directly related to the removal efficiency and its overall operational cost. This process only could be scaled up on the industrial level if process parameters become optimized and energy consumption is reduced. Unfortunately, the removal mechanism of particular pharmaceuticals and complex physiochemical phenomena involved in this process are not fully understood. For this reason, further research and reviews are required to fill the knowledge gap. This review discusses the use of EC for removing pharmaceuticals and focuses on removal mechanism and process parameters, the cost assessment, and the challenges involved in mitigation.

ACS Style

Rahat Alam; Mohd Sheob; Bilal Saeed; Saif Khan; Maryam Shirinkar; Zacharias Frontistis; Farrukh Basheer; Izharul Farooqi. Use of Electrocoagulation for Treatment of Pharmaceutical Compounds in Water/Wastewater: A Review Exploring Opportunities and Challenges. Water 2021, 13, 2105 .

AMA Style

Rahat Alam, Mohd Sheob, Bilal Saeed, Saif Khan, Maryam Shirinkar, Zacharias Frontistis, Farrukh Basheer, Izharul Farooqi. Use of Electrocoagulation for Treatment of Pharmaceutical Compounds in Water/Wastewater: A Review Exploring Opportunities and Challenges. Water. 2021; 13 (15):2105.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rahat Alam; Mohd Sheob; Bilal Saeed; Saif Khan; Maryam Shirinkar; Zacharias Frontistis; Farrukh Basheer; Izharul Farooqi. 2021. "Use of Electrocoagulation for Treatment of Pharmaceutical Compounds in Water/Wastewater: A Review Exploring Opportunities and Challenges." Water 13, no. 15: 2105.

Journal article
Published: 15 July 2021 in Catalysts
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In the present study, biochars from rice husk were synthesized via pyrolysis at 400, 550, 700 and 850 °C for 1 h under a limited O2 atmosphere, characterized with a various techniques of and used as catalysts to activate persulfate and to degrade sulfamethoxazole (SMX). After physicochemical characterization of biochars. SMX degradation tests were performed using different water matrices, persulfate biochar and SMX concentrations and different initial pH solutions. Also, spiked solutions with bicarbonate, chloride, calcium nitrate, humic acid or alcohols were tested. It was found that catalytic reactivity rises with the pyrolysis temperature. Biochar is crucial for the oxidation of SMX and it can be described with a pseudo first–order kinetic model. Real matrices hinder the oxidation process, in waste water the SMX removal is 41% in 90 min, comparable with the inhibition obtained with spiked with bicarbonates solution (52% removal within 90 min) while complete removal can be achieved in ultrapure water matrices. The presence of alcohol slightly inhibits degradation contrary to the addition of sodium azide which causes significant inhibition, this is an evidence that degradation either under electron transfer/singlet oxygen control or dominated by surface-bound radicals.

ACS Style

Efstathios Avramiotis; Zacharias Frontistis; Ioannis Manariotis; John Vakros; Dionissios Mantzavinos. Oxidation of Sulfamethoxazole by Rice Husk Biochar-Activated Persulfate. Catalysts 2021, 11, 850 .

AMA Style

Efstathios Avramiotis, Zacharias Frontistis, Ioannis Manariotis, John Vakros, Dionissios Mantzavinos. Oxidation of Sulfamethoxazole by Rice Husk Biochar-Activated Persulfate. Catalysts. 2021; 11 (7):850.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Efstathios Avramiotis; Zacharias Frontistis; Ioannis Manariotis; John Vakros; Dionissios Mantzavinos. 2021. "Oxidation of Sulfamethoxazole by Rice Husk Biochar-Activated Persulfate." Catalysts 11, no. 7: 850.

Journal article
Published: 07 July 2021 in Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A
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The photocatalytic activity of bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) toward sulfamethoxazole (SMX) elimination was investigated. BiOCl was synthesized according to a simple method using thiourea. Its physicochemical characteristics were determined by nitrogen physisorption, X-Ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Simulated solar irradiation and 1 g/L BiOCl, could effectively remove 0.5 mg/L SMX in less than 90 min. An increase in SMX concentration from 0.25 mg/L to 4 mg/L decreased the observed kinetic constant. Concerning the pH effect, it was found that under alkaline conditions SMX removal was slightly hindered. The water matrix's influence on SMX removal was explored, carrying out experiments in real water matrices, (bottled water (BW) and secondary effluent (WW)). Interestingly SMX removal was not practically altered in WW secondary effluent, but it was slightly hindered in BW bottled water. Experiments, performed in synthetic matrices, revealed that the presence of bicarbonates and chlorides slightly slowed down degradation kinetics, while humic acid enhanced SMX removal at concentrations up to 10 mg/L. Finally, an enhancement on SMX degradation was observed in the presence of persulfate. Quenching experiments of potential reactive species revealed that SMX degradation takes place mainly through reaction with hydroxyl radicals and photogenerated electrons.

ACS Style

Athanasia Petala; Olga S. Arvaniti; Georgia Travlou; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. Solar light induced photocatalytic removal of sulfamethoxazole from water and wastewater using BiOCl photocatalyst. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A 2021, 1 -10.

AMA Style

Athanasia Petala, Olga S. Arvaniti, Georgia Travlou, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Zacharias Frontistis. Solar light induced photocatalytic removal of sulfamethoxazole from water and wastewater using BiOCl photocatalyst. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A. 2021; ():1-10.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Athanasia Petala; Olga S. Arvaniti; Georgia Travlou; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. 2021. "Solar light induced photocatalytic removal of sulfamethoxazole from water and wastewater using BiOCl photocatalyst." Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A , no. : 1-10.

Journal article
Published: 21 May 2021 in Catalysts
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In the present study, the removal of valsartan (VLS), an antihypertensive agent, under simulated solar radiation with the use of molybdenum sulfide-bismuth oxychloride composites (MoS2/BiOCl), of variable MoS2 content (0.1–10.0 wt.%) was investigated. The physicochemical properties of the photocatalysts were examined by XRD, DRS, BET and TEM/HRTEM. Preliminary tests were conducted to examine the photocatalytic efficiency of the synthesized MoS2/BiOCl composites towards VLS degradation in ultrapure water (UPW). It was found that the activity of pure BiOCl is improved with the addition of MoS2. The degradation rate was maximized with the use of the catalyst containing 0.25 wt.% MoS2. It was also found that the increase in catalyst concentration (50–1000 mg/L) enhances VLS degradation. It was found that VLS removal decreased by increasing VLS concentration. The effect of the water matrix on VLS removal was studied by carrying out experiments in real and synthetic water matrices. VLS degradation in UPW was faster than in bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW), mainly due to the existence of organic matter in real aqueous media. Lastly, 0.25 wt.% MoS2/BiOCl showed great stability after 360 min of irradiation, serving as a promising catalyst for water remediation of emerging contaminants under solar irradiation.

ACS Style

Eleni Grilla; Maria Kagialari; Athanasia Petala; Zacharias Frontistis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. Photocatalytic Degradation of Valsartan by MoS2/BiOCl Heterojunctions. Catalysts 2021, 11, 650 .

AMA Style

Eleni Grilla, Maria Kagialari, Athanasia Petala, Zacharias Frontistis, Dionissios Mantzavinos. Photocatalytic Degradation of Valsartan by MoS2/BiOCl Heterojunctions. Catalysts. 2021; 11 (6):650.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Eleni Grilla; Maria Kagialari; Athanasia Petala; Zacharias Frontistis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. 2021. "Photocatalytic Degradation of Valsartan by MoS2/BiOCl Heterojunctions." Catalysts 11, no. 6: 650.

Review
Published: 28 April 2021 in Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology
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Winemaking is a water‐intensive operation; it is estimated that 70% of the water input is downgraded, mainly via cleaning processes, to wastewater. The quality and the quantity of the waste effluents vary considerably due to the seasonal operation of wineries and the diversity of winemaking technologies applied. High organic load, acidic pH, significant polyphenolic content, and residual concentration of phytosanitary products are included among the main characteristics of winery wastewater (WiWW). Discharge of untreated or partially treated WiWW into watercourses or land poses high environmental risks. To this end, biological oxidation has been thoroughly studied for the treatment of WiWW yielding up to 95% reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) at a low cost and in an environmentally benign manner. Biological treatment, however, cannot provide a barrier to the slip of bio‐recalcitrant compounds present in WiWW, such as phenols and pesticides, into the environment. The release of these compounds raises serious concerns over ecological well‐being due to their toxicity and endocrine‐disrupting effects. Sustainable post‐treatment technologies are sought, able of breaking down the bio‐recalcitrant fraction of WiWW to harmless products without stressing the environmental resources. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) can offer a sound technological solution towards the integrated WiWW treatment. This paper presents an up‐to‐date overview of the AOPs (TiO2‐, sulfate radical‐, Fe‐, ozone‐based AOPs, and wet oxidation processes) that have been studied for the treatment of WiWW, remarks the most efficient ones, and identifies research areas and concepts aiming towards process sustainability and, ultimately, actual application. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

ACS Style

Konstantina Davididou; Zacharias Frontistis. Advanced oxidation processes for the treatment of winery wastewater: a review and future perspectives. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 2021, 96, 2436 -2450.

AMA Style

Konstantina Davididou, Zacharias Frontistis. Advanced oxidation processes for the treatment of winery wastewater: a review and future perspectives. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology. 2021; 96 (9):2436-2450.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Konstantina Davididou; Zacharias Frontistis. 2021. "Advanced oxidation processes for the treatment of winery wastewater: a review and future perspectives." Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 96, no. 9: 2436-2450.

Journal article
Published: 22 March 2021 in Chemical Engineering Journal Advances
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This work has studied the photoelectrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide and the direct use of the produced material for the degradation (decolorization) of three common dyes: methylene blue, basic blue 41 and acid orange 7. Hydrogen peroxide was produced in the cathode compartment of a photocatalytic fuel cell by atmospheric oxygen reduction. The cell operated with a CdS-sensitized mesoporous titania photoanode and a simple carbon cloth cathode carrying a hydrophobic layer of mesoporous carbon (carbon black). The rate of hydrogen peroxide production was very high approaching 100% Faradaic efficiency. All three dyes were very stable under UV irradiation but in the presence of either commercial or photoelectrochemically produced hydrogen peroxide all three dyes were degraded. These results open a route for the conversion and storage of solar radiation in the form of chemical energy, i.e. as hydrogen peroxide, while the latter can be directly employed for environmental remediation purposes.

ACS Style

Rebecca Dhawle; Zacharias Frontistis; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Panagiotis Lianos. Production of hydrogen peroxide with a photocatalytic fuel cell and its application to UV/H2O2 degradation of dyes. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 2021, 6, 100109 .

AMA Style

Rebecca Dhawle, Zacharias Frontistis, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Panagiotis Lianos. Production of hydrogen peroxide with a photocatalytic fuel cell and its application to UV/H2O2 degradation of dyes. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances. 2021; 6 ():100109.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rebecca Dhawle; Zacharias Frontistis; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Panagiotis Lianos. 2021. "Production of hydrogen peroxide with a photocatalytic fuel cell and its application to UV/H2O2 degradation of dyes." Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 6, no. : 100109.

Review
Published: 28 February 2021 in Water
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Fluoride ions present in drinking water are beneficial to human health when at proper concentration levels (0.5–1.5 mg L−1), but an excess intake of fluoride (>1.5 mg L−1) may pose several health problems. In this context, reducing high fluoride concentrations in water is a major worldwide challenge. The World Health Organization has recommended setting a permissible limit of 1.5 mg L−1. The application of electrocoagulation (EC) processes has received widespread and increasing attention as a promising treatment technology and a competitive treatment for fluoride control. EC technology has been favourably applied due to its economic effectiveness, environmental versatility, amenability of automation, and low sludge production. This review provides more detailed information on fluoride removal from water by the EC process, including operating parameters, removal mechanisms, energy consumption, and operating costs. Additionally, it also focuses attention on future trends related to improve defluoridation efficiency.

ACS Style

Milad Mousazadeh; S. Alizadeh; Zacharias Frontistis; Işık Kabdaşlı; Elnaz Karamati Niaragh; Zakaria Al Qodah; Zohreh Naghdali; Alaa Mahmoud; Miguel Sandoval; Erick Butler; Mohammad Emamjomeh. Electrocoagulation as a Promising Defluoridation Technology from Water: A Review of State of the Art of Removal Mechanisms and Performance Trends. Water 2021, 13, 656 .

AMA Style

Milad Mousazadeh, S. Alizadeh, Zacharias Frontistis, Işık Kabdaşlı, Elnaz Karamati Niaragh, Zakaria Al Qodah, Zohreh Naghdali, Alaa Mahmoud, Miguel Sandoval, Erick Butler, Mohammad Emamjomeh. Electrocoagulation as a Promising Defluoridation Technology from Water: A Review of State of the Art of Removal Mechanisms and Performance Trends. Water. 2021; 13 (5):656.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Milad Mousazadeh; S. Alizadeh; Zacharias Frontistis; Işık Kabdaşlı; Elnaz Karamati Niaragh; Zakaria Al Qodah; Zohreh Naghdali; Alaa Mahmoud; Miguel Sandoval; Erick Butler; Mohammad Emamjomeh. 2021. "Electrocoagulation as a Promising Defluoridation Technology from Water: A Review of State of the Art of Removal Mechanisms and Performance Trends." Water 13, no. 5: 656.

Editorial
Published: 23 February 2021 in Water
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Due to climate change, industrialization, and overpopulation, water resources management is becoming a crucial sector

ACS Style

Zacharias Frontistis. New Trends in Environmental Catalytic Technologies for Water Remediation. Water 2021, 13, 571 .

AMA Style

Zacharias Frontistis. New Trends in Environmental Catalytic Technologies for Water Remediation. Water. 2021; 13 (4):571.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zacharias Frontistis. 2021. "New Trends in Environmental Catalytic Technologies for Water Remediation." Water 13, no. 4: 571.

Journal article
Published: 14 January 2021 in Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
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Biochar catalysts exhibit significant activity and stability, for the activation of sodium persulfate (SPS) and consequently the oxidation of organic contaminants. In this study, the influence of SPS on the physicochemical characteristics and catalytic activity of biochar was determined. Following intense treatment with high SPS concentration at high temperature the biochar samples were characterized and tested for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in water matrices. The SPS treatment was found to alter significantly the biochar’s surface by dissolving the inorganic deposits and part of the organic phase. SPS was also found to increase the specific surface area and to change the acidity / basicity of the biochar. Lengthy treatments reduce the catalytic activity, an effect attributed to the oxidation of surface carbon groups, while shorter treatments result in higher activity due to the high specific surface area, enrichment of the surface with carbon groups and limited oxidation of the biochar.

ACS Style

Paraskevi Ntzoufra; John Vakros; Zacharias Frontistis; Sotirios Tsatsos; Georgios Kyriakou; Stella Kennou; Ioannis D. Manariotis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. Effect of sodium persulfate treatment on the physicochemical properties and catalytic activity of biochar prepared from spent malt rootlets. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 2021, 9, 105071 .

AMA Style

Paraskevi Ntzoufra, John Vakros, Zacharias Frontistis, Sotirios Tsatsos, Georgios Kyriakou, Stella Kennou, Ioannis D. Manariotis, Dionissios Mantzavinos. Effect of sodium persulfate treatment on the physicochemical properties and catalytic activity of biochar prepared from spent malt rootlets. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 2021; 9 (2):105071.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paraskevi Ntzoufra; John Vakros; Zacharias Frontistis; Sotirios Tsatsos; Georgios Kyriakou; Stella Kennou; Ioannis D. Manariotis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. 2021. "Effect of sodium persulfate treatment on the physicochemical properties and catalytic activity of biochar prepared from spent malt rootlets." Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 9, no. 2: 105071.

Review article
Published: 08 January 2021 in Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry
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The present brief review summarizes the very recently published studies reporting the effect of water matrix on pharmaceuticals photocatalytic degradation. It is believed that data acquired under realistic conditions can provide a guide for future research on photocatalytic technology, bridging the gap between basic science and industry.

ACS Style

Athanasia Petala; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. Impact of water matrix on the photocatalytic removal of pharmaceuticals by visible light active materials. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry 2021, 28, 100445 .

AMA Style

Athanasia Petala, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Zacharias Frontistis. Impact of water matrix on the photocatalytic removal of pharmaceuticals by visible light active materials. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 2021; 28 ():100445.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Athanasia Petala; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. 2021. "Impact of water matrix on the photocatalytic removal of pharmaceuticals by visible light active materials." Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry 28, no. : 100445.

Journal article
Published: 05 December 2020 in Chemical Engineering Journal Advances
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The oxidation of Valsartan (VAL), an antihypertensive drug, via heat activated sodium persulfate (SPS) was investigated. Operating parameters such as: VAL concentration (0.5-1.5 mg/L), SPS dosage (50-250 mg/L), solution pH (3-10) and temperature (40-60°C) were examined. Complete destruction of 500 μg/L VAL was observed in ultrapure water (UPW) after 30 min of reaction at 50°C, [SPS]= 100 mg/L near-neutral pH, while the observed pseudo-first-order kinetic constant was estimated equal to 0.1453 min−1.The observed kinetic constants were decreased as the water matrix's complexity increased and were found equal to 0.0098 and 0.0020 min −1 for bottled water and secondary effluent, respectively. Interestingly, the addition of 250 mg/L chlorides resulted in a slight enhancement of VAL removal rate from 0.1453 to 0.2341 min−1. The presence of 250 mg/L bicarbonates or 10 mg/L humic acid retarded the reaction almost 15.5 and 6 times, respectively. The combination of heat-activated SPS with low-frequency ultrasound in different water matrices unveiled a synergistic effect. The ratio of synergy S was calculated equal to 53% and 51% in BW and WW, respectively. VAL degradation followed four major pathways a) cyclization; b) hydroxylation in biphenyl or tetrazole moiety; c) cleavage of the amide bond; and d) cleavage of C-N bonds in the tertiary amine group.

ACS Style

Olga S. Arvaniti; F. Bairamis; I. Konstantinou; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. Degradation of antihypertensive drug valsartan in water matrices by heat and heat/ultrasound activated persulfate: Kinetics, synergy effect and transformation products. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 2020, 4, 100062 .

AMA Style

Olga S. Arvaniti, F. Bairamis, I. Konstantinou, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Zacharias Frontistis. Degradation of antihypertensive drug valsartan in water matrices by heat and heat/ultrasound activated persulfate: Kinetics, synergy effect and transformation products. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances. 2020; 4 ():100062.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olga S. Arvaniti; F. Bairamis; I. Konstantinou; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. 2020. "Degradation of antihypertensive drug valsartan in water matrices by heat and heat/ultrasound activated persulfate: Kinetics, synergy effect and transformation products." Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 4, no. : 100062.

Journal article
Published: 25 November 2020 in Catalysts
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In recent years, the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in surface waters and wastewaters has b the effectiveness of conventional water treatment methods. Towards this direction, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the complete elimination of micro pollutants in waters have become an emerging area of research. The present study reports the heterogeneous activation of sodium persulfate (SPS) by LaNiO3 (LNO) perovskite oxide for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), an antibiotic agent. LNO was prepared according to a combustion method, and its physicochemical characteristics were identified by means of XRD, BET, TEM, and SEM/EDS. SMX degradation results showed the great efficiency of LNO for SPS activation. Increasing LNO and SPS dosage up to 250 mg/L enhanced the SMX degradation. In contrast, increasing SMX concentration resulted in longer time periods for its degradation. Considering the pH effect, SMX removal was obstructed under basic conditions, while the efficiency was enhanced at near-neutral conditions. The present system’s activity was also tested for piroxicam (PIR) and methylparaben (MeP) degradation, showing promising results. Unfortunately, experiments conducted in real water matrices such as bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW), showed that SMX removal was limited to less than 25% in both cases. The hindering effects were mainly attributed to bicarbonate ions and organic matter present in aqueous media. The results obtained using suitable radical scavengers revealed the contribution of both hydroxyl and sulfate radicals in degradation reactions. Finally, LNO exhibited good stability under consecutive experimental runs.

ACS Style

Athanasia Petala; Olga S. Arvaniti; Maria Christofili; Alexandros Safakas; Zacharias Frontistis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. Lanthanum Nickel Oxide: An Effective Heterogeneous Activator of Sodium Persulfate for Antibiotics Elimination. Catalysts 2020, 10, 1373 .

AMA Style

Athanasia Petala, Olga S. Arvaniti, Maria Christofili, Alexandros Safakas, Zacharias Frontistis, Dionissios Mantzavinos. Lanthanum Nickel Oxide: An Effective Heterogeneous Activator of Sodium Persulfate for Antibiotics Elimination. Catalysts. 2020; 10 (12):1373.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Athanasia Petala; Olga S. Arvaniti; Maria Christofili; Alexandros Safakas; Zacharias Frontistis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. 2020. "Lanthanum Nickel Oxide: An Effective Heterogeneous Activator of Sodium Persulfate for Antibiotics Elimination." Catalysts 10, no. 12: 1373.

Research article
Published: 03 September 2020 in Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology
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BACKGROUND In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) photocatalyst was successfully synthesized via calcination of urea under argon flow and tested for methyl paraben (MeP) degradation in aqueous media under simulated solar light for the first time. Its structural, morphological and optical properties were investigated with the use of XRD, DRS and BET method. RESULTS The as‐synthesized g‐C3N4‐CN‐N exhibited high photocatalytic performance towards the degradation of MeP in ultra‐pure water (UPW), yielding a near‐complete elimination after 90 min of irradiation. Experimental results revealed that the photocatalytic reaction followed pseudo‐first‐order kinetics. Furthermore, the photocatalytic degradation of MeP was found to be strongly pH‐dependent. Experiments in real water matrices (bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW)), as well as in UPW, spiked with inorganic and organic additives (bicarbonate ions, humic acid) affected the target compound degradation. For instance, the apparent rate constant of MeP in UPW was approximately 4 and 8 times greater than that of BW and WW, respectively. The addition of persulfate ions in the reaction mixture enhanced the performance of the present photocatalytic system. Trapping experiments revealed that photogenerated holes play a leading role in the photocatalytic degradation of MeP. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that g‐C3N4 photocatalysis can be used as an efficient technology for the removal of hazardous organic micropollutants such as parabens. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

ACS Style

Olga S. Arvaniti; Athanasia Petala; Athanasia‐Artemis Zalaora; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. Solar light induced photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben by g‐C 3 N 4 in different water matrices. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 2020, 95, 1 .

AMA Style

Olga S. Arvaniti, Athanasia Petala, Athanasia‐Artemis Zalaora, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Zacharias Frontistis. Solar light induced photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben by g‐C 3 N 4 in different water matrices. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology. 2020; 95 (11):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olga S. Arvaniti; Athanasia Petala; Athanasia‐Artemis Zalaora; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. 2020. "Solar light induced photocatalytic degradation of methylparaben by g‐C 3 N 4 in different water matrices." Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 95, no. 11: 1.

Journal article
Published: 18 August 2020 in Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
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A series of copper phosphide promoted bismuth vanadate (Cu3P/BiVO4) photocatalysts of various Cu3P loadings (0 - 1 wt. % Cu3P), were prepared according to a solution-phase method and their photocatalytic activity was tested for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation under simulated solar irradiation. Their physicochemical and optical properties were identified with the use of X-Ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Results showed that the addition of Cu3P on BiVO4 improves its photocatalytic activity, which is optimized for the sample containing 0.25 wt. % Cu3P. This observation is probably attributed to the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers at the p-n junction formed at the Cu3P-BiVO4 interface. SMX degradation rate was found to increase by increasing catalyst concentration up to 750 mg/L or decreasing SMX concentration in the range of 250-2000 μg/L. The reaction was enhanced under basic conditions while slowed down in acidic environment due to some extent to adsorption phenomena. Additional experiments were performed under visible light alone, showing 0.25Cu3P/BVO high photocatalytic efficiency. Experiments were also performed in bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW), revealing similar efficiency in BW but significantly lower in WW. The addition of humic acid (HA), significantly lowered the SMX degradation rate. SMX removal was slightly decreased in the presence of chloride ions., but increased in the case of bicarbonates. According to trapping experiments, photogenerated holes were found as the main oxidation species in the present system. Finally, reuse experiments showed 0.25Cu3P/BVO high stability.

ACS Style

Alexandra Ioannidi; Athanasia Petala; Zacharias Frontistis. Copper phosphide promoted BiVO4 photocatalysts for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole in aqueous media. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 2020, 8, 104340 .

AMA Style

Alexandra Ioannidi, Athanasia Petala, Zacharias Frontistis. Copper phosphide promoted BiVO4 photocatalysts for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole in aqueous media. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 2020; 8 (5):104340.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alexandra Ioannidi; Athanasia Petala; Zacharias Frontistis. 2020. "Copper phosphide promoted BiVO4 photocatalysts for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole in aqueous media." Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 8, no. 5: 104340.

Journal article
Published: 27 May 2020 in Water
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The activated persulfate degradation of piroxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) belonging to oxicams, was investigated. Persulfate was activated with thermal energy or (UV-A and simulated solar) irradiation. Using 250 mg/L sodium persulfate at 40 °C degraded almost completely 0.5 mg/L of piroxicam in 30 min. Increasing piroxicam concentration from 0.5 to 4.5 mg/L decreased its removal. The observed kinetic constant was increased almost ten times from 0.077 to 0.755 min−1, when the temperature was increased from 40 to 60 °C, respectively. Process efficiency was enhanced at pH 5–7. At ambient conditions and 30 min of irradiation, 94.1% and 89.8% of 0.5 mg/L piroxicam was removed using UV-A LED or simulated solar radiation, respectively. Interestingly, the use of simulated sunlight was advantageous over UV-A light for both secondary effluent, and 20 mg/L of humic acid solution. Unlike other advanced oxidation processes, the presence of bicarbonate or chloride in the range 50–250 mg/L enhanced the degradation rate, while the presence of humic acid delayed the removal of piroxicam. The use of 0.5 and 10 g/L of methanol or tert-butanol as radical scavengers inhibited the reaction. The coupling of thermal and light activation methods in different aqueous matrices showed a high level of synergy. The synergy factor was calculated as 68.4% and 58.4% for thermal activation (40 °C) coupled with either solar light in 20 mg/L of humic acid or UV-A LED light in secondary effluent, respectively.

ACS Style

Antonios Stathoulopoulos; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. Coupling Persulfate-Based AOPs: A Novel Approach for Piroxicam Degradation in Aqueous Matrices. Water 2020, 12, 1530 .

AMA Style

Antonios Stathoulopoulos, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Zacharias Frontistis. Coupling Persulfate-Based AOPs: A Novel Approach for Piroxicam Degradation in Aqueous Matrices. Water. 2020; 12 (6):1530.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Antonios Stathoulopoulos; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. 2020. "Coupling Persulfate-Based AOPs: A Novel Approach for Piroxicam Degradation in Aqueous Matrices." Water 12, no. 6: 1530.

Journal article
Published: 20 April 2020 in Water
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The present study examines the photocatalytic properties of silver carbonate (Ag2CO3) for ethyl paraben (EP) degradation under simulated solar irradiation. Ag2CO3 was prepared according to a solution method and its physicochemical characteristics were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Complete EP (0.5 mg/L) removal was achieved after 120 min of irradiation with the use of 750 mg/L Ag2CO3 in ultrapure water (UPW), with EP degradation following pseudo-first-order kinetics. The effect of several experimental parameters was investigated; increasing catalyst concentration from 250 mg/L to 1000 mg/L led to an increase in EP removal, while increasing EP concentration from 0.25 mg/L to 1.00 mg/L slightly lowered kapp from 0.115 min−1 to 0.085 min−1. Experiments carried out with the use of UV or visible cut-off filters showed sufficient EP degradation under visible irradiation. A series of experiments were performed in real water matrices such as bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW), manifesting Ag2CO3’s equally high photocatalytic activity for EP degradation. To interpret these results different concentrations of inorganic anions (bicarbonate 100–500 mg/L, chloride 100–500 mg/L) present in aqueous media, as well as 10 mg/L organic matter in the form of humic acid (HA), were added sequentially in UPW. Results showed accelerating effects on EP degradation for the lowest concentrations tested in all cases.

ACS Style

Athanasia Petala; Athanasia Nasiou; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. Photocatalytic Evaluation of Ag2CO3 for Ethylparaben Degradation in Different Water Matrices. Water 2020, 12, 1180 .

AMA Style

Athanasia Petala, Athanasia Nasiou, Dionissios Mantzavinos, Zacharias Frontistis. Photocatalytic Evaluation of Ag2CO3 for Ethylparaben Degradation in Different Water Matrices. Water. 2020; 12 (4):1180.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Athanasia Petala; Athanasia Nasiou; Dionissios Mantzavinos; Zacharias Frontistis. 2020. "Photocatalytic Evaluation of Ag2CO3 for Ethylparaben Degradation in Different Water Matrices." Water 12, no. 4: 1180.

Journal article
Published: 11 April 2020 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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The synergistic action of anodic oxidation using boron-doped diamond and low-frequency ultrasound in different water matrices and operating conditions for the decomposition of the emerging contaminant propyl paraben was investigated. The degree of synergy was found to decrease with an increase in current in the range 1.25–6.25 mA/cm2 or the ultrasound power until 36 W/L, where a further decrease was observed. Despite the fact that the increased propyl paraben concentration decreased the observed kinetic constant for both the separated and the hybrid process, the degree of synergy was increased from 37.3 to 43.4% for 0.5 and 2 mg/L propyl paraben, respectively. Bicarbonates (100–250 mg/L) or humic acid (10–20 mg/L) enhanced the synergy significantly by up to 55.8%, due to the higher demand for reactive oxygen species. The presence of chloride ions decreased the observed synergistic action in comparison with ultrapure water, possibly due to the electro-generation of active chlorine that diffuses to the bulk solution. The same behavior was observed with the secondary effluent that contained almost 68 mg/L of chlorides. The efficiency was favored in a neutral medium, while the hybrid process was delayed in alkaline conditions.

ACS Style

Zacharias Frontistis. Sonoelectrochemical Degradation of Propyl Paraben: An Examination of the Synergy in Different Water Matrices. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 2621 .

AMA Style

Zacharias Frontistis. Sonoelectrochemical Degradation of Propyl Paraben: An Examination of the Synergy in Different Water Matrices. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17 (8):2621.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zacharias Frontistis. 2020. "Sonoelectrochemical Degradation of Propyl Paraben: An Examination of the Synergy in Different Water Matrices." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 8: 2621.

Journal article
Published: 19 July 2019 in Catalysts
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This work examined the photocatalytic destruction of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a widely used antibiotic, under simulated solar radiation using iron-doped titanium dioxide as the photocatalyst. Amongst the various iron/titania ratios examined (in the range 0%–2%), the catalyst at 0.04% Fe/TiO2 molar ratio exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency. The reaction rate followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, where the apparent kinetic constant was reduced as the initial concentration of SMX or humic acid increased. The photodecomposition of SMX was favored in natural pH but retarded at alkaline conditions. Unexpectedly, the presence of bicarbonates (in the range of 0.125–2 g/L) improved the removal of SMX, however, experiments conducted in real environmental matrices showed that process efficiency decreased as the complexity of the water matrix increased. The presence of sodium persulfate as an electron acceptor enhanced the reaction rate. However, only a small synergy was observed between the two individual processes. On the contrary, the addition of tert-butanol, a well-known hydroxyl radical scavenger, hindered the reaction, indicating the significant contribution of these radicals to the photocatalytic degradation of SMX. The photocatalyst retained half of its initial activity after five successive experiments.

ACS Style

Athanasios Tsiampalis; Zacharias Frontistis; Vassilios Binas; George Kiriakidis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. Degradation of Sulfamethoxazole Using Iron-Doped Titania and Simulated Solar Radiation. Catalysts 2019, 9, 612 .

AMA Style

Athanasios Tsiampalis, Zacharias Frontistis, Vassilios Binas, George Kiriakidis, Dionissios Mantzavinos. Degradation of Sulfamethoxazole Using Iron-Doped Titania and Simulated Solar Radiation. Catalysts. 2019; 9 (7):612.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Athanasios Tsiampalis; Zacharias Frontistis; Vassilios Binas; George Kiriakidis; Dionissios Mantzavinos. 2019. "Degradation of Sulfamethoxazole Using Iron-Doped Titania and Simulated Solar Radiation." Catalysts 9, no. 7: 612.