Application of thermal lens microscopy (TLM) for measurement of Cr(VI) traces in wastewater

Abstract

In this work, we demonstrate for the first time that Thermal Lens Microscopy technique (TLM) can be applied to monitor the dynamics of a photocatalytic process in-situ. The photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium -Cr(VI)- in aqueous solution using CdS and irradiated with visible light is monitored by TLM. Since the values of Cr(VI) concentration obtained after the photocatalytic process were close to those imposed by the international regulations for drinking water, the use of TLM allowed its measurement with a better reliability than with UV spectroscopy, usually used in this kind of analysis.

Keywords: CdS photocatalyst; Cr(VI); Photocatalysis; Photoreduction; Photothermal; Thermal lens microscopy.