Photocatalytic Degradation of Estriol Using Iron-Doped TiO₂ under High and Low UV Irradiation

• Main Authors: Irwing M. Ramírez-Sánchez, Erick R. Bandala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-12-01
• Series: Catalysts
• Subjects: iron-doped TiO₂; photocatalytic activity; low UV irradiation; hydroxyl radical; estriol
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/8/12/625

Iron-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles (Fe-TiO₂) were synthesized and photocatalitically investigated under high and low fluence values of UV radiation. The Fe-TiO₂ physical characterization was performed using X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer⁻Emmett⁻Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS evidenced that the ferric ion (Fe³⁺) was in the TiO₂ lattice and unintentionally added co-dopants were also present because of the precursors of the synthetic method. The Fe³⁺ concentration played a key role in the photocatalytic generation of hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) and estriol (E3) degradation. Fe-TiO₂ accomplished E3 degradation, and it was found that the catalyst with 0.3 at.% content of Fe (0.3 Fe-TiO₂) enhanced the photocatalytic activity under low UV irradiation compared with TiO₂ without intentionally added Fe (zero-iron TiO₂) and Aeroxide^® TiO₂ P25. Furthermore, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of 0.3 Fe-TiO₂ under low UV irradiation may have applications when radiation intensity must be controlled, as in medical applications, or when strong UV absorbing species are present in water.