Process Intensification for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Aqueous Paracetamol Using a Coiled Flow Inverter

This study addresses the pressing concern of rising paracetamol concentrations in aquatic environments through photocatalysis, an advanced oxidation process (AOP) known for its eco-friendly and cost-effective degradation of harmful pollutants. We introduce a coiled flow inverter (CFI) photoreactor for the degradation of paracetamol utilizing Co-Ni tungstate anchored on g-C3N4 (CoNiW-gCN) as the photocatalyst. The CFI's helical design enhances mixing, heat, and mass transfer while enabling effective irradiation with visible LED lights. This study includes the synthesis of CoNiW-gCN using the CFI and examines the impact of paracetamol concentration, CFI configuration, catalyst dose, and recycle ratio on degradation efficiency. Results show over 99% degradation of 10 ppm paracetamol in 36 min using a 1 g/L dose of 7.5% CoNiW-gCN in a 4 x 4 CFI setup. The degradation rate was 2.7 times faster than in a batch reactor, offering a scalable and efficient degradation method through an innovative CFI photoreactor technology.