Photocatalytic Degradation of a Chlorinated Organic Chemical Using Activated Carbon Fiber Coupled with Semiconductor, 

Ashitha Gopinath, Kadirvelu Krishna

Version of Record online: 19 July 2019

 

A reusable photocatalyst developed based on activated carbon fibre and semiconductor was successfully utilized for degradation of 2, 4‐dichlorophenol which is priority pollutant listed by US EPA. Degradation efficiency of 94.3% was achieved when ratio of pollutant to Zn load was 1.37:1. Photogenerated holes were identified to be the prime species responsible for degradation. Leaching of Zn²⁺ into the solution was found to be 0.199 µg mL⁻¹. Further, seed germination studies proved that ZnO could be used for plant growth.

Research Articles

Assessment of Biologically Effective Solar Ultraviolet Exposures for Court Staff and Competitors During a Major Australian Tennis Tournament

Damien P. Igoe, Abdurazaq Amar, Peter Schouten, Alfio V. Parisi, Joanna Turner

Version of Record online: 17 July 2019

 

Ambient UV exposure to all participants during a summertime tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia. The exposure, correlating with the extreme UV Index recorded for most days of the tournament, means that photoprotection is paramount and is advised to the players and mandated for the court staff. The combination of participant‐sun geometry with sun‐safe uniforms greatly reduces the effective UV exposure that staff experience, especially compared to the ambient exposure, and the exposure experienced by the players.

Research Articles

Geometry Effects on Light‐Harvesting Complex's Light Absorption and Energy Transfer in Purple Bacteria

Lingyu Zeng, Zeyang Liao, Xue‐hua Wang

Version of Record online: 17 July 2019

 

Light‐harvesting complexes (LHC) in photosynthetic organisms perform the major function of light absorption and energy transportation. We construct a geometric model of Rs. Molischianumin in which the geometric parameters such as ring diameter, fold symmetry order and dipole directions can be modified. We study how the absorption spectrum and energy transfer rate of the LHC depend on different geometric parameters. Our results here may find applications in designing highly efficient photovoltaic cell and other artificial photosynthetic systems.