Our Journey
Advanced Oxidation Processes for Cleaner Water and Air
At the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, we have long been focused on the research on advanced oxidation processes, especially photocatalysis, for the purification of water and air.
Floating Photocatalytic Composite
The concept of the floating photocatalytic composite arose from the need to find an economically viable and stable solution capable of efficiently harnessing sunlight for water purification.
The research was carried out in collaboration with the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the company SChem, a.s., and supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (Delta 2 program). Scientists from Hanoi University (Vietnam National University of Agriculture) also participated in the project, aiming to use the composite to help mitigate local environmental burdens.
The main challenge was to deposit the photocatalyst onto a lightweight carrier so that it would float on the water surface, allowing maximum utilization of artificial or solar radiation. We tested a range of materials and formulations before achieving a stable and functional composite. It was subsequently tested for the degradation of organic contaminants such as herbicides and antibiotics.
The result is now ready for practical use — and it brings more benefits than we originally expected.
The Historical Dimension
Our project also has a unique historical dimension. In the 1960s, former Czechoslovakia was involved in the production of herbicides supplied for the infamous Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War. However, its manufacturing produced highly toxic dioxins that caused severe damage to human health and the environment — consequences still visible in Vietnam today.
Article link in Czech: https://www.idnes.cz/xman/styl/agent-orange-vietnam-valka-spolana-neratovice-greenpeace-kontaminace.A200304_174422_xman-styl_fro.
We believe that, beyond its scientific importance, our work also carries symbolic meaning.
The photograph below shows the “spiritual father” of the floating photocatalyst concept, our colleague Jaromír Jirkovský, collecting samples of contaminated water in Vietnam (2014).
