Microbiological disinfection of water and air by photocatalysis

This article is aimed at presenting (i) a fundamental research on the efficiency of photocatalysis in water disinfection and (ii) the efficiency of a photocatalytic prototype, developed by Buxair firm, to remove avian influenza virus in air. In water disinfection, two model strains of Escherichia coli (K12 PHL849 and K12 PHL1273) were selected and a comparison of the efficiencies of TiO(2) Degussa P-25 versus TiO(2) Millennium PC500 were estimated. A more important inactivation of E. coli PHL1273 was obtained on TiO(2) Millennium PC500, in line with its better adherence on this solid. An experimental study was performed using a dialysis membrane to investigate the impact of the contact between the microorganisms and the photocatalyst and to determine the role of H(2)O(2) generated in situ. In air disinfection, a total inactivation of virus A/H5N2, close to avian influenza virus A/H5N2, was obtained in a single pass in the Buxair(®) gas phase dynamic photoreactor using a contaminated air flow rate of 40 m(3)/h.