UV Degradation of Pesticides in Water Using TiO₂/Zeolite Photocatalyst
Supervisor Name
Ismail Badran
Supervisor Email
i.badran@najah.edu
University
An-Najah National University
Research field
Chemistry
Bio
. Ismail Badran is an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry at An-Najah National University. He received his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 2014. Dr. Badran has a rich teaching experience in different countries including Palestine, Canada, and the Arabian Gulf. In addition to his solid foundation in different areas of chemistry, mathematics, technology, and research, my long teaching experience allowed him to formulate his own philosophy of teaching. The philosophy is centered on students in a model classroom, where students learn effectively in an active environment. Dr. Badran has more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, in addition to his participation to many international conferences. He also received several national and international awards, research grants, including Queen Elizabeth II scholarship, Zamala fellowship for Palestinian scholar, and Qatar’s University Collaborative Grant. Besides his teaching experience, Dr. Badran is the Deputy Editor of An-Najah University Journal for Research – A (Natural Sciences), and an academic editor for Discover Chemistry, a Springer Nature Journal. Dr. Badran is an Elsevier Certified Peer Reviewer Dr. Badran’s research focus is on reaction mechanisms and chemical kinetics. His recent projects have focused on developing new techniques for wastewater treatment, oil upgrading, and methane conversion. Dr. Badran’s also utilizes theoretical quantum calculations to understand and interpret reaction mechanisms and kinetics. His research philosophy is based on producing quality work that has a high intellectual value and practical applications. This has been reflected in his recent high impacted peer-reviewed publications, through supervising several graduate students, university grants, coordinating large university courses, and acting as a lead teacher for years
The rapid growth of the global population and changing dietary habits have significantly increased agricultural productivity, leading to extensive use of pesticides. Although this intensification supports food security, it has also created serious environmental issues due to the misuse and poor management of agrochemicals. (Schreinemachers et al., 2020) (Tang, Lenzen, McBratney, & Maggi, 2021) In Palestine, pesticide misuse poses major health and ecological risks, including carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and reproductive effects. Despite regulations by the Palestinian National Authority, around 57% of cultivated lands, particularly in irrigated regions, continue to depend heavily on pesticides—some of which are banned internationally. (Issa, Sawalha, Sultan, & Yaghmour) (Al-Sa‵ed, Ramlawi, & Salah, 2011) (Issa et al.) Many commonly used pesticides are resistant to natural degradation and persist in the environment for long periods. Wastewater treatment facilities in Palestine are generally unable to remove these persistent organic pollutants, resulting in their accumulation in water bodies. Therefore, advanced treatment technologies are needed to ensure effective removal and environmental safety. Photocatalytic degradation, an advanced oxidation process (AOP), has emerged as a highly effective technique for the breakdown of organic pollutants such as pesticides. In this project, the focus is on the preparation and application of a TiO₂/zeolite composite photocatalyst to enhance UV-induced degradation efficiency. The zeolite support increases surface area and adsorption capacity, while TiO₂ provides strong photocatalytic activity, leading to improved degradation rates. (Cruz et al., 2017) (Remucal, 2014) (Bessergenev, Mateus, Morgado, Hantusch, & Burkel, 2017) This study aims to develop a cost-effective and reusable TiO₂/zeolite photocatalyst for UV-assisted removal of pesticides from contaminated water. Implementing such a system would provide a sustainable and practical solution for managing pesticide pollution in Palestinian water resources, promoting environmental protection and public health.
