Efficiency evaluation of the photocatalytic removal of toluene vapour by titanium dioxide nanoparticles immobilized on ZSM-5 zeolite

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of environmental concern because of their adverse effects on human health. VOCs contain a large group of substances like toluene. Today application of catalytic beds is one the ways to control these kinds of emissions. In this study photocatalytic removal of toluene vapour by titanium dioxide nanoparticles immobilized on ZSM-5 zeolite have been investigated.
First, the bed of ZSM-5 was prepared in the form of granules. Next, titanium dioxide nanoparticles with ratios of 5 wt% were stabilized on it. To determine their characteristics, samples were used from BET, BJH and SEM analyses. Finally, the performance of the beds in the removal of toluene vapors at two concentrations of ppm 50 and 300 ppm in the dynamical system was investigated.
The result of tests showed that ZSM-5 has a porous surfaces with surface area of 356.4 m2/g. That after the calcination at temperature of 450°c it decreased to 332.5 m2/g. The results of the photocatalytic degradation process showed that the best performance of ZSM-5/TiO2 bed was at concentration of 50 ppm, so that was able to remove 42% toluene vapors.
According to the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that stabilization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the ZSM-5 zeolite can be a good method to remove toluene vapors and other similar pollutants.