An apparatus and method for irradiating a fluid containing a material to be irradiated, comprising at least one irradiation chamber having at least one inlet port, one or more UV radiation sources inside the irradiation chamber(s) optically coupled to the fluid in the irradiation chamber(s) via at least one UV-transparent window in contact with the fluid; one or more seals or gaskets disposed adjacent to the radiation sources to protect them from the fluid; and at least one heat exchange mechanism inside the irradiation chamber(s) thermally coupled to the radiation sources and to the fluid. The UV radiation sources and the at least one heat exchange mechanism are at least partially submerged in the fluid in the irradiation chamber.

The invention relates to a photocatalyst that is active under irradiation with UV light, visible light and sunlight, comprising a powder or a ready-to-use nanometric suspension of nitrogen-doped TiO.sub.2, wherein the brookite crystalline phase is also present and whose doping nitrogen content (% by weight) is sufficient to ensure photocatalytic activity in the visible region. The photocatalyst can be easily applied to substrates of varying nature.

A metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) plasmonic device includes a substrate; a metal layer deposited on the substrate, the metal layer being substantially reflective in at least the visible wavelength range; an oxide layer deposited on the metal layer; and gold or gold alloy nanoparticles deposited on the oxide layer.

The present invention relates to the technical field of wastewater treatment, and discloses a method for enhanced bio-treatment of refractory organic pollutants with photo-excited holes as electron acceptors. The method comprises the following steps: 1) placing a composite semiconductor-coated carrier material into a reactor, introducing wastewater into the reactor inoculated with anaerobic sludge, and allowing the composite semiconductor-coated carrier material to be immersed in the wastewater, wherein the composite semiconductor-coated carrier material comprises a conductive carrier and composite semiconductor materials loaded on the conductive carrier; 2) carrying out habituated culture on the anaerobic sludge for a period of time, and loading a biological membrane on the surface of the composite semiconductor materials, to construct a photo-excited hole enhanced bioreactor; and 3) treating the refractory pollutants in the wastewater by utilizing the reactor under irradiation.

Described are light generating devices employing ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diodes and one or more UV active materials, such as UV reflective materials, UV scattering materials, and UV transparent materials. A UV light generation system, may include a plurality of UV light emitting diodes arranged across a surface having a diffuse UV reflective layer. The UV light generation system may be arranged to enclose a fluid pathway or may be arranged as a liner of a container or vessel for use in disinfecting, purifying, or sterilizing fluid, particles or objects in the fluid pathway, container, or vessel by exposure of the fluid, particles or objects to UV light generated by the UV light emitting diodes.

The present invention relates to a hybrid system for water treatment, desalination, and chemical production. The hybrid system of the present invention includes a photoanode, an anode chamber, an anion exchange membrane, a middle chamber, a cation exchange membrane, a cathode chamber, and a cathode. In the middle chamber, saltwater or seawater is desalinated by photoelectrochemical electrodialysis. Chloride ions are generated during the desalination, transferred to the anode chamber, and activated by the photoanode. In the anode chamber, wastewater is treated by the activated chloride ions. In the cathode chamber, at least one chemical species selected from the group consisting of water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide is reduced by electrons supplied from the photoanode.

An apparatus for sterilizing a liquid comprises a container having an inlet, an outlet and an interior with an outer wall which defines a first section and a second section, the first section being configured to receive the liquid. A rotatable arrangement set up in the interior with a surface is furthermore provided, the rotatable arrangement being configured in such a way that during a rotation the surface moves from the first section into the second section and from there back into the first section. The apparatus furthermore comprises at least one radiation source which is adapted to emit radiation in the ultraviolet wavelength range.

A composite nanomaterial of ZnO impregnated by, e.g., a green copper phthalocyanine compound (CuPc) can be an efficient solar light photocatalyst for water remediation. The composite may include hollow shell microspheres and hollow nanospheres of CuPc-ZnO. CuPc may function as a templating and/or structure modifying agent, e.g., for forming hollow microspheres and/or nanospheres of ZnO particles. The composite can photocatalyze the degradation of organic pollutants such as crystal violet (CV) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid as well as microbes in water under solar light irradiation. The ZnO—CuPc composite can be stable and recyclable under solar irradiation.

Described are light generating devices employing ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diodes and one or more UV active materials, such as UV reflective materials, UV scattering materials, and UV transparent materials. A UV light generation system, may include a plurality of UV light emitting diodes arranged across a surface having a diffuse UV reflective layer. The UV light generation system may be arranged to enclose a fluid pathway or may be arranged as a liner of a container or vessel for use in disinfecting, purifying, or sterilizing fluid, particles or objects in the fluid pathway, container, or vessel by exposure of the fluid, particles or objects to UV light generated by the UV light emitting diodes.

Provided are a method of treating spent caustic occurring in a refinery process, a petrochemical process, and an environmental facility, and an apparatus thereof, wherein the spent caustic may be economically treated by a Fenton-like oxidation reaction at room temperature and atmospheric pressure in a reactor in which catalyst structures are stacked as compared to conventional methods of treating spent caustic.