Photocatalytic degradation of 1-naphthol by oxide ceramics with added bacterial disinfection.

1-Naphthol photodegrades on the surfaces of TiO(2), ZnO, CeO(2), CdO, WO(3), Co(3)O(4), Sb(2)O(3), ZrO(2), La(2)O(3), Y(2)O(3), Pr(6)O(11), Sm(2)O(3) and Al(2)O(3), albeit at different efficiencies, and all the oxides show sustainable photocatalytic activity. The degradation conforms to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model and enhances with the intensity of illumination. Dissolved oxygen is essential for the degradation. ZnO and TiO(2) anatase are the most efficient photocatalysts to degrade 1-naphthol. ZnO wurtzite, besides serving as an effective photocatalyt to degrade 1-naphthol, also acts as a bactericide; it inactivates E.coli even in absence of direct light. At a loading of 0.8 g L(-1), it kills about 44% of 2.5x10(12) CFU mL(-1) E. coli in (1/2) h under dark condition. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.