This study evaluated the technical feasibility of the application of TiO2 photocatalysis for the removal of volatile hydrocarbons(VHC) at low ppb concentrations commonly associated with non-occupational indoor air quality issues. A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate five parameters (relative humidity (RH), hydraulic diameter (HD), feeding type (FT) of VHC, photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) reactor material (RM), and inlet port size (IPS) of PCO reactor) for the PCO destruction efficiencies of the selected target VHC. None of the target VHC presented significant dependence on the RH, which are inconsistent with a certain previous study that reported that under conditions of low humidity and a ppm toluene inlet level, there was a drop in the PCO efficiency with decreasing humidity. However, it is noted that the four parameters (HD, RM, FT and IPS) should be considered for better VHC removal efficiencies for the application of TiO2 photocatalytic technology for cleansing non-occupational indoor air. The PCO destruction of VHC at concentrations associated with non-occupational indoor air quality issues can be up to nearly 100%. The amount of CO generated during PCO were a negligible addition to the indoor CO levels. These abilities can make the PCO reactor an important tool in the effort to improve non-occupational indoor air quality.

We have studied the catalytic combustion of soot particulates over perovskite-type oxides prepared by malic acid method. The catalysts were modified to enhance the activity by substitution of metal into A or B site of perovskite oxide. In addition, the reaction conditions such as temperature and O2 concentration were investigated. The partial substitution of alkali metals into A site in the LaMnO3 catalyst, enhanced the catalytic activity in the combustion of carbon particulate and the activity was shown in the order: Cs＞K＞Na. For the La1-xCsxMnO3 catalysts, the catalytic activity showed the maximum value with x=0.3 but no more increase on the catalytic activity was shown with x＞0.3. For the La0.8Cs0.2MnO3 catalyst, the substitution of Fe or Ni increased the ignition temperature. The ignition temperature decreased with an increase of O2 concentration, however, no more increase in the catalytic activity was shown with O2 concentration＞0.2. The introduction of NO into reactants showed no effect on the catalytic activity.

In a batch reactor, the characteristics of photocatalytic degradation of brilliant blue FCF in titanium dioxide suspension was studied under the irradiation of ultra-violet ray. Photocatalytic degradation in anatase type of TiO2 was more effective than in rutile type of TiO2 below the dosage of 5g. The degradation rate was slightly increased with decreasing initial pH of brilliant blue FCF aqueous solution, but rapidly increased with the addition of oxidant. Potassium bromate acted as more effective oxidant than ammonium persulfate. The photocatalytic degradation rate of brilliant blue FCF was pseudo-first order with rate constants of 0.012, 0.006 and 0.003min-1 at initial pH 3.1, 5.2 and 7.1 of brilliant blue FCF solution, respectively.

V2O5/TiO2 catalysts promoted with Mn were prepared and tested for selective catalytic reduction of NOx in NH3. The effects of promoter content, degree of catalyst loading were investigated for NOx activity while changing temperatures, mole ratio, space velocity and O2 concentration. Among the various V2O5 catalysts having different metal loadings, V2O5(1 wt.%) catalyst showed the highest activity(98%) under wide temperature range of 200-250℃. When the V2O5 catalyst was further modified with 5 wt.% Mn as a promoter, the highest activity(90-47%) was obtained over the low temperature windows of 100-200℃. From Mn-V2O5/TiO2, it was found that by addition of 5 wt.% Mn on V2O5/TiO2 catalyst, reduction activity of catalyst was improved, which resulted in the increase of catalytic activity and NOx reduction. According to the results, NOx removal decreased for 10%, but the reaction temperature down to 100℃.

This study aimed at improving the TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of HA. A set of tests was first conducted in the dark to study the adsorption of HA at different coexisting material concentration. Adsorption rate increased with adding cation ion but decreased with adding bicarbonate ion. The photodegradation of HA in the presence of UV irradiation was investigated as a function of different experimental condition : initial concentration of HA, TiO2 weight, pH, air flow rate and coexisting material. It was increased either at low pH or by adding cation ion. The increase of cation strength in aqueous solution could provide a favorable condition for adsorption of HA on the TiO2 surface and therefore enhance the photodegradation rate. It was found that bicarbonate ions slowed down the degradation rate by scavening the hydroxyl radicals.

Esterification of soybean oil with methanol was investigated. First of all, liquid-liquid equilibriums for systems of soybean oil and methanol were measured at temperatures ranging from 40 to 65oC. Profiles of conversion of soybean oil with time were determined from the glycerine content in reaction mixtures for the different kinds of catalysts, such as NaOH, CaO, Ca(OH)2, MgO, Mg(OH)2, and Ba(OH)2. The effects of dose of catalyst, cosolvent and reaction temperature on final conversion were examined. Esterification of waste vegetable oil with methanol was investigated and compared to the case of soybean oil. Solubility of methanol in soybean oil was substantially greater than that of soybean oil in methanol. When the esterification reaction of soybean oil was catalyzed by solid catalyst, final conversion was strongly dependent on the alkalinity of the solid catalyst, and increased with the alkalinity of the metal. Hydroxides from the alkali metals were more effective than oxides. When Ca(OH)2 was used for the esterification catalyst, maximum value of final conversion was measured at dose of 4%. When CHCl3 as a cosolvent, was added into the reaction mixture of soybean oil which catalyzed by Ba(OH)2, maximum value of final conversion was appeared at dose of 3%. When waste vegetable oil was catalyzed by NaOH and solid catalysts, high final conversion, over 90%, and fast reaction rate were obtained.

In this study, the decomposition of gas-phase TCE, Benzene and Toluene, in air streams by direct UV Photolysis and UV/TiO2 process was studied. For direct UV Photolysis, by regressing with computer calculation to the experimental results the value of reaction rate constant k of TCE, Toluene and Benzene in this work were determined to be 0.00392s-1, 0.00230s-1 and 0.00126s-1, respectively. And the adsorption constant K of TCE, Toluene and Benzene in this work were determined to be 0.0519mol-1 ,0.0313mol-1 and 0.0084mol-1, respectively. For UV/TiO2 system by regressing with computer calculation to the experimental results the value of reaction rate constant k of TCE, Toluene, and Benzene in this work were determined to be 5.74g/ℓ․min, 3.85g/ℓ․min, and 1.18g/ℓ․min, respectively. And the catalyst adsorption constant K of TCE, Toluene, and Benzene in this work were determined to be 0.0005m3/mg, 0.0043m3/mg and 0.0048m3/mg, respectively.

The photocatalytic oxidation of Rhodamine B (RhB) was studied using immobilized TiO2 and fluidized bed reactor. Immobilized TiO2 onto GF/C was employed as the photocatalyst and a 30 W germicidal lamp was used as the light source and the reactor volume was 4.8 L. The effects of parameters such as the amounts of photocatalyst, initial concentration, initial pH, air flow rate and anion additives (NO3-, SO42-, Cl-, CO32-) competing for reaction. The results showed that the optimum dosage of the immobilized TiO2 was 40.0 g/L. Initial removal rate of immobilized TiO2 was expressed Langmuir - Hinshelwood equation.

Plasma-photocatalytic oxidation process was applied in the decomposition of Triethylamine(TEA) and Methyl ethyl ketone(MEK). Plasma reactor was made entirely of pyrex glass and consists of 24 ㎜ inner diameter, 1,800 ㎜ length and discharge electrode of 0.4 ㎜ stainless steel. And initial concentrations of TEA and MEK for plasma-photocatalytic oxidation are 100 ppm. Odor gas samples were taken by gas-tight syringe from a glass sampling bulb which was located at reactor inlet and outlet, and TEA and MEK were determined by GC-FID. For plasma process, the decomposition efficiency of TEA and MEK were evaluated by varying different flowrates and decomposition efficiency of TEA and MEK increased considerably with decreasing treatment flowrates. For photocatalytic oxidation process, also the decomposition efficiency of TEA and MEK increased considerably with decreasing treatment flowrates. The decomposition efficiency of MEK was 57.8%, 34.2%, 18.8% respectively and the decomposition efficiency of TEA was reached all 100%. This result is higher than that of plasma process only. From this study, the results indicate that plasma-photocatalytic oxidation process is ideal for treatment of TEA and MEK.

The aim of this study is, firstly, to find out what kinds of inorganic species are produced in the photocatalytic oxidation of ammonium-nitrogen containing water and, secondly, to seek the influence of anion for the photocatalytic oxidation of ammonium contained compounds. The photoenergy above 3 eV(λ＜415 nm) was effectively absorbed by TiO2 and TiO2/polymer was used to be oxidized NH4-N in wastewater to NO3-N. Existing the anion as Cl-, the rate of photocatalytic oxidation decreased regardless of other condition. This result showed that the chloride ions reduced the rate of oxidation by scavenging oxidizing radical species as OH- and OCl-. Some of the added ion might have blocked the active sites of the catalyst surface, thus deactivated the catalyst.