The design of a sunlight-focusing and solar tracking system: A potential application for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in water
Journal
Chemosphere
Journal Volume
214
Pages
452-461
Date Issued
2019
Author(s)
Abstract
Photolysis is considered one of the most important mechanisms for the degradation of pharmaceuticals. Photodecomposition processes to remove pharmaceuticals in water treatment presently use artificial UV light incorporated in advanced oxidation processes. However, UV lighting devices consume a substantial amount of energy and have high operational costs. To develop low energy treatment systems and make good use of abundant sunlight, a natural energy resource as a green technology is needed. As such, a system that combines sunlight focusing, solar tracking and continuous reaction was designed and constructed in the present study, and its application potential as a pharmaceutical water treatment option was tested. Two representative photolabile pharmaceuticals, ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, were chosen as the target pollutants. The results indicate that the sunlight-focusing system consisting of a UV-enhancing-coated parabolic receiver can concentrate solar energy effectively and hence result in a more than 40% improvement in the direct photolysis efficiency of easily photoconvertible ciprofloxacin. The sunlight-focusing coupled with a solar tracker (SFST) system can improve the sunlight-focusing efficiency by more than 2-fold, thus leading to the maximization of the efficient use of solar energy. Sulfamethoxazole, which is difficult to photoconvert, was successfully degraded by more than 60% compared to direct photolysis through the designed SFST system in the presence of persulfate. The treatment system exhibited good and consistent performance during clear and cloudy days of summer. It is proven that the UV-enhanced coated SFST system with the addition of persulfate indeed has development potential for application in the degradation of pharmaceuticals in water. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
Subjects
Antibiotics; Natural photolysis; Persulfate; Photodecomposition; Sunlight-focusing and solar tracking system
Other Subjects
Antibiotics; Energy efficiency; Focusing; Photodegradation; Photolysis; Solar energy; Tracking (position); Advanced Oxidation Processes; Consistent performance; Continuous reactions; Development potential; Natural energy resources; Persulfate; Photo-decomposition; Solar tracking systems; Water treatment; ciprofloxacin; sulfamethoxazole; water; antiinfective agent; ciprofloxacin; sulfamethoxazole; antibiotics; comparative study; decomposition; degradation; design method; drug; energy efficiency; energy resource; operations technology; photodegradation; photolysis; solar activity; solar power; sulfate; tracking; water pollution; water treatment; Article; comparative study; concentration ratio; controlled study; energy resource; light intensity; photodegradation; photolysis; reaction temperature; room temperature; solar energy; summer; sunlight; ultraviolet radiation; waste water management; water pollutant; metabolism; oxidation reduction reaction; photolysis; procedures; radiation response; water management; Anti-Infective Agents; Ciprofloxacin; Oxidation-Reduction; Photolysis; Solar Energy; Sulfamethoxazole; Sunlight; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification
Type
journal article