Harnessing hydrodynamic cavitation and photocatalysis for effluent treatment

These utilize physical mechanisms to generate highly reactive radicals without the addition of external chemicals. Cavitation and photocatalysis, when applied simultaneously, produce a synergistic effect that surpasses the efficiency of either process applied independently, attracting significant interest for water treatment applications.<br><br>The thesis begins by developing a method to reliably quantify radical species produced during cavitation and photocatalysis.

This quantification is essential for monitoring and optimising radical generation, which is critical in enhancing AOP performance. A robust method for consistently measuring radical concentrations was proposed, which can be applied generally to AOPs.Utilizing this method, the thesis then evaluates cavitation devices and operating parameters to assess their impact on radical generation and treatment efficiency. Radical generation could be unambiguously linked to multiple operating parameters, and key differences were identified between device types.