Advances in Photocatalytic Disinfection

This book presents the latest results related to photocatalytic inactivation/killing of microorganisms, which is a promising alternative disinfection method that produces less or even no disinfection byproduct. The book is divided into 13 chapters, which introduce readers to the latest developments in the photocatalytic disinfection of microorganisms, examine essential photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) disinfection studies, and forecast and make recommendations for the further development of PC and PEC disinfection. Bringing together contributions by various leading research groups worldwide, it offers a valuable resource for researchers and the industry alike, as well as the general public.

Taicheng An, PhD, is Chair Professor and Director at the Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.

Huijun Zhao, PhD, is Chair Professor and Director at the Centre for Clean Environment and Energy & Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Australia.

Po Keung Wong, PhD, is a Professor at the School of Life Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Taicheng An has more than 20 years’ working experience on the applications of photocatalysis in the environmental sciences. He received his BSc degree in Chemistry (1996) and MSc degree in Environmental Chemistry (1999) from Northwest Normal University, China, and his PhD degree in Environmental Sciences (2002) from Zhongshan University (Sun Yat-Sen University), China. In 2002 he took a position as Assistant Professor at the State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor (2003) and Professor (2006). He has served as the Vice Director of Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Resources Utilization and Protection since 2006. He is also a Coordinating Editor of Environmental Geochemistry and Health, and an Editorial Board Member of Applied Catalysis B-Environmental, Environmental Toxicity and Chemistry as well as Atmospheric Pollution Research. Recently, he moved to the School of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology as a tenured professor, and created a new institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control. He has expertise in environmental science and engineering, photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis, water disinfection and wastewater treatment, and environmental catalytic systems for air and water treatment. He has published more than 260 articles (including 220 SCI indexed papers) on various aspects of environmental science and engineering.

Huijun Zhao received his BSc degree in Chemistry (1982) and MSc degree in Electrochemistry (1986) from North-Eastern University, China, and his PhD degree in Chemistry (1994) from the University of Wollongong, Australia. From 1994 to 1997, he held Research Fellow/Senior Research Fellow positions at the University of Wollongong and the University of Western Sydney. He took on a Lecturer position at the School of Environmental and Applied Sciences,Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University in 1997, and was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor. He was appointed as the Chair Professor of Analytical Chemistry and the Chair of Griffith Commercialization Laboratory in 2005 and 2009, and has been the Director of Centre for Clean Environment and Energy since 2010. He currently holds a professor position at Griffith School of Environment, and is Director of the Centre for Clean Environment and Energy. He has expertise in sensing systems, water quality monitoring and water source control and management, photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis, and environmental and energy materials.

Po Keung Wong has more than 35 years working experience in environmental biotechnology/microbiology and environmental technology with an emphasis on the application of photocatalysis. He received his B.Sc. and M.Phil. degrees from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 1977 and 1979, respectively; and his Ph.D. degree in Microbiology from the University of California at Davis (UCD) in 1983. After completing post-doctoral training in the States, he returned to CUHK in 1986 and became a lecturer at the Department of Biology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Currently, he is a professor at the School of Life Sciences and Associate Director of the Environmental Science Programme, CUHK. He also serves as a guest professor for Nankai University, South China University of Technology, Central China Normal University, Guangdong University of Technology and Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, CAS in China, and as an adjunct professor for Clemson University, USA. He is also an Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environmental Science, a Coordinating Editor of Environmental Geochemistry and Health, and a member of the Editorial Board of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. His current research interests are: photocatalytic inactivation of microbes and degradation of toxic organics, treatment of toxic pollutants by microorganisms and production of algal biomass for fuels. He has published nearly 350 articles on various aspects of environmental technology and environmental biotechnology.