Analysis of Adsorption and Decomposition of Odour and Tar Components in Tobacco Smoke on Non-Woven Fabric-Supported Photocatalysts

The release of substantial amounts of toxicologically significant, irritant, and malodourous compounds during the complete combustion of tobacco can generate an unpleasant environment, especially indoors. Herein, we developed non-woven fabric-supported UV- and visible-light-responsive photocatalysts capable of adsorbing and decomposing the odour and tar components of tobacco smoke under irradiation with UV or visible light. The processes of odour component adsorption and subsequent decomposition under irradiation were evaluated in terms of colour changes in the catalytic system and by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. By considering three different photocatalysts, namely TiO2, Fe(III)-grafted TiO2, and Cu(II)-grafted WO3, we assessed the magnitude of odour and tar component adsorption on the fabric fibres, as well as the decomposition of these species after specific visible light or UV irradiation periods. Considering the expansion of our technology for practical applications, the best results among the three tested materials were obtained for non-woven fabric-supported Fe/TiO2. We believe that our technology can be implemented in the design of interior decoration materials for creating a comfortable environment.

[1]  Y. Hsu,et al.  Semiconductor nanoheterostructures for photoconversion applications , 2020, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.

[2]  M. Gong,et al.  Influence of temperature, relative humidity, and water saturation on airborne emissions from cigarette butts. , 2020, The Science of the total environment.

[3]  Changyan Li,et al.  A Mild in-Situ Method to Construct Fe-Doped Cauliflower-Like Rutile TiO2 Photocatalysts for Degradation of Organic Dye in Wastewater , 2019, Catalysts.

[4]  M. Sone,et al.  Mechanistic Insights into Photodegradation of Organic Dyes Using Heterostructure Photocatalysts , 2019, Catalysts.

[5]  Fei Yang,et al.  Adsorption Mechanism of Oil-in-Water on a TiO2/Al2O3-Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Ultrafiltration Membrane. , 2018, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[6]  I. Kamińska,et al.  Removal of nicotine from indoor air using titania-modified polypropylene fibers: nicotine decomposition by titania-modified polypropylene fibers , 2017, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology.

[7]  J. Samet,et al.  Thirdhand Smoke: New Evidence, Challenges, and Future Directions. , 2017, Chemical research in toxicology.

[8]  Xubiao Luo,et al.  A superhydrophobic poly(dimethylsiloxane)-TiO2 coated polyurethane sponge for selective absorption of oil from water , 2015 .

[9]  A. Fujishima,et al.  Field Performance Test of an Air-Cleaner with Photocatalysis-Plasma Synergistic Reactors for Practical and Long-Term Use , 2014, Molecules.

[10]  Akira Fujishima,et al.  Photoelectrochemical properties of TiO2 photocatalyst and its applications for environmental purification , 2012 .

[11]  A. Fujishima,et al.  An effective method for a separation of smoking area by using novel photocatalysis-plasma synergistic air-cleaner , 2012 .

[12]  A. Fujishima,et al.  Photocatalytic Decomposition of Cigarette Smoke Using a TiO2-Impregnated Titanium Mesh Filter , 2012 .

[13]  Min Liu,et al.  Hybrid Cu(x)O/TiO₂ nanocomposites as risk-reduction materials in indoor environments. , 2012, ACS nano.

[14]  K. Hashimoto,et al.  An Efficient Visible-Light-Sensitive Fe(III)-Grafted TiO2 Photocatalyst , 2010 .

[15]  A. Fujishima,et al.  Photocatalytic inactivation and removal of algae with TiO2-coated materials , 2010 .

[16]  G. Matt,et al.  Beliefs About the Health Effects of “Thirdhand” Smoke and Home Smoking Bans , 2009, Pediatrics.

[17]  Y. Sakatani,et al.  Development of a Highly Active Visible Light Driven Photocatalyst , 2009 .

[18]  K. Hashimoto,et al.  Efficient visible light-sensitive photocatalysts: Grafting Cu(II) ions onto TiO2 and WO3 photocatalysts , 2008 .

[19]  H. Arakawa,et al.  The effect of selected reaction parameters on the photoproduction of oxygen and hydrogen from a WO3-Fe2+-Fe3+ aqueous suspension , 1999 .

[20]  N. L. Filho.  Adsorption of Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes on a silica gel surface chemically modified with 2-mercaptoimidazole , 1999 .

[21]  A. Fujishima,et al.  Electrochemical Photolysis of Water at a Semiconductor Electrode , 1972, Nature.