Use of Keplerate Type Polyoxomolybdates for Decontaminating Aquatic Environments

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This patent describes the use of Keplerate type polyoxomolybdates (molecules composed mainly of molybdenum and another metal such as iron, chromium, vanadium, or molybdenum itself) as photocatalysts for decontaminating water from organic and inorganic pollutants. These specialized clusters are activated by visible light (including sunlight), often in the presence of oxidizing agents like persulfates, to break down a broad range of contaminants found in industrial, municipal, or hospital wastewaters.

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• Treatment of industrial wastewater from textile, dye, chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical production to remove stubborn organic and inorganic pollutants.
• Decontamination of hospital wastewater potentially containing pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and other hazardous substances.
• Purification of urban municipal water systems to remove environmental pollutants.
• Remediation of contaminated groundwater or lakes affected by agricultural runoff, dyes, or pharmaceutical compounds.
• Installation as catalytic coatings or supports in water treatment facilities for advanced oxidation processes using sunlight or LED lighting.

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• Enables efficient degradation (often to harmless end-products like CO2 and water) of a wide range of persistent organic and inorganic pollutants.
• Can operate using visible light or sunlight, reducing energy requirements compared to traditional UV-driven processes.
• Broad applicability to various pollution scenarios and types of pollutants (dyes, pharmaceuticals, aromatic compounds, agricultural chemicals, pathogens, etc.).
• Potential for continuous operation using immobilized catalysts in flow systems.
• Reduces risk of hazardous intermediate byproducts by promoting full mineralization of contaminants.
• Demonstrates high removal efficiencies (often above 80%) across diverse test pollutants under ambient conditions.

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Patent Abstract

Use of Keplerate type polyoxomolybdates of the general structure MO 72 M 30 , wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, V or Mo 2 , for decontaminating aqueous media (water) from inorganic and organic pollutants