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Degradation of pollen on nanofunctionalized photocatalytic materials
Author(s) -
Sapiña Maria,
JimenezRelinque Eva,
Nevshupa Roman,
Roman Elisa,
Castellote Marta
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.4932
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , pollen , titanium dioxide , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , substrate (aquarium) , materials science , wetting , degradation (telecommunications) , botany , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , chemical engineering , biology , organic chemistry , catalysis , composite material , ecology , telecommunications , computer science , engineering
BACKGROUND Photocatalytic degradation of pollen components on titanium dioxide nanofunctionalized materials was studied for gymnosperm ( Cupressus Arizonica ) and angiosperm ( Platanus Hybrida acerifolia ). RESULTS Scanning electron microscopy revealed structural degradation of both exine and intine strata. Fourier‐Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy was applied to characterize chemical modification of the pollen grains subjected to photocatalysis. Study of physical properties modification for the pollen extracts was carried out through spectrophotometry and wettability tests. It was found that photocatalysis resulted in significant decrease of C–H and C–O groups and a moderate decrease in C = O. Also, chromaticity values of the pollen extract after photocatalysis tended to approach those of the substrate. Contact angle of water dispersion of the pollen extract was not altered by photocatalysis, but adherence of the components of the pollen extract to Si substrate considerably decreased. CONCLUSIONS Taken together these results provided solid evidence for the degradation of all pollen components including exine and intine enzymes on nanofunctionalized photocatalytic materials. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry