AgandCuloadedonTiO2 graphite as a cataly

This study investigates the efficacy of Ag and Cu loaded on TiO2/graphite as catalysts for the disinfection of water contaminated with Escherichia coli. The objective was to enhance the disinfection efficiency through novel composite materials capable of acting under various methods, such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis. TiO2 films were synthesized using a chemical bath deposition method, and the metals were loaded via electrodeposition at different applied currents. Experimental results showed that the Ag-TiO2/G composite demonstrated superior disinfection efficiency against E. coli compared to Cu-TiO2/G. Specifically, the photoelectrocatalysis method using Ag-TiO2/G achieved the highest rate constant of 6.49 × 10–2 CFU mL–1 min–1, indicating its effectiveness as a catalyst. Furthermore, effective disinfection times of 24 h and 48 h were recorded across all methods except for the electrocatalysis with Cu-TiO2/G. These findings suggest that tailored TiO2 composites can significantly improve water disinfection processes, providing an alternative to traditional chemical methods and contributing to safer water treatment practices.