Photochemical Degradation Kinetics of Organic Pollutants Using Meso-Porous Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts Reinforced with Lanthanide Additives

International Journal of Chemistry | Vol. 17, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 97–104

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJC/000219

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Photochemical Degradation Kinetics of Organic Pollutants Using Meso-Porous Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts Reinforced with Lanthanide Additives

Names of Authors: E. C. J. Smith¹, L. A. Rossi²*

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
²Department of Chemical Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil [Dual Italian-American National].

Abstract: Activating titanium dioxide photocatalysts under visible and solar illumination matrices requires targeted structural chemical doping to narrow the electronic bandgap and suppress the recombination rates of photo-induced electron-hole pairs. This research tracks the material synthesis, structural optimization, and solar-driven catalytic efficiency of meso-porous titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles modified with varying loads of samarium (Sm³⁺) ions (0.5 to 3.0 mol%). The modified nanomaterials were synthesized using an adapted sol-gel protocol followed by calcination at 450°C. Microcharacterization executed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area calculations confirmed a highly crystalline anatase phase with a specific surface area of 84.5 square meters/gram. Photocatalytic performance was monitored systematically by tracking the decomposition of bisphenol A in aqueous solutions under natural solar exposure. TiO₂ cubes containing 1.5 mol% Sm³⁺ achieved a maximum degradation efficiency of 98.4% within 90 minutes of light exposure, outperforming pristine undoped TiO₂ controls. Kinetic data fit the Langmuir-Hinshelwood pseudo-first-order modeling framework with a calculated rate constant of 0.042 reciprocal minutes, positioning these lanthanide-doped ceramic catalysts as highly viable options for large-scale water remediation systems.

Keywords: Titanium dioxide; Photocatalysis; Solar degradation; Samarium doping; Bisphenol A; Wastewater remediation

Manuscript Timeline: Received: March 10, 2025; Revised: May 18, 2025; Accepted: June 28, 2025; Published: August 25, 2026.

Citation: Smith, E. C. J., & Rossi, L. A. (2026). Photochemical Degradation Kinetics of Organic Pollutants Using Meso-Porous Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts Reinforced with Lanthanide Additives. International Journal of Chemistry, 17(8), 97–104.

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