Ramazanali Dianati Tilaki, Roghayeh Kaseb, Esmaeil Babanejad Arimi, Mohammad Dianati,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (12-2025)
Abstract
Background and Objective: Benzene is a carcinogenic volatile organic compound commonly found in polluted air. This study aimed to remove benzene from air using a TiO₂–Bi2O₃ composite photocatalyst immobilized on glass foam under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation.
Materials and Methods: Glass foam coated with the TiO₂– Bi2O₃composite was placed in a quartz reactor, which was connected to an air pump inside a sealed glass chamber. A UV lamp (254 nm) was installed next to the reactor. Known volumes (µL) of benzene were injected into the chamber through a septum. When the pump was activated, benzene-contaminated air passed through the photoreactor. Benzene concentration was measured by collecting air samples from the chamber and analyzing them using a GC-FID device.
Results: XRD spectra and SEM images confirmed the presence of TiO₂ and Bi2O₃, while BET analysis verified the mesoporous structure of the composite photocatalyst. The surface adsorption of benzene by the composite was 15% and followed the Langmuir model. The process kinetics were first-order, and the removal efficiency decreased with increasing benzene concentration. At a benzene concentration of 39 ppm, the removal efficiency after 75 minutes of TiO₂ and UV irradiation was 75%, whereas for TiO₂– Bi2O₃ under similar conditions, the efficiency increased to approximately 90%.
Conclusion: Using a TiO₂– Bi2O₃ composite photocatalyst under UV-A irradiation improved benzene removal efficiency by about 15% compared with TiO₂alone.
