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The paper presents a review of studies about the visible-light-promoted photodegradation of the contaminants and energy conversion with sensitized photocatalysts. Herein we studied mechanism, physical properties, and synergism effect of the sensitized photocatalysts as well as the method for enhancing the photosensitized effect. According to the reported studies in the literature, inorganic sensitizers, organic dyes, and coordination metal complexes were very effective sensitizers that were studied mostly, of which organic dyes photosensitization is the most widely studied modified method. Photosensitization is an important way to extend the excitation wavelength to the visible range, and therefore sensitized photocatalysts play an important role in the development of visible light-responsive photocatalysts for future industrialized applications. This paper mainly describes the types, modification, photocatalytic performance, application, and the developments of photosensitization for environmental application.

Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the sorption and biodegradation behavior of 17b-estradiol (E2) at low mg Á L À1 levels by acclimated aerobic activated sludge as well as the effect of temperature on the sorption and biodegradation. Results showed that E2 was completely transformed after 2 h under aerobic conditions. E2 attenuation was achieved by sorption onto the sludge and the subsequent biodegradation by micro-organisms in the activated sludge. Sorption of E2 onto both the inactivated sludge and the activated sludge was well described by both the Freundlich and linear isotherms. The biodegradation of E2 by the acclimated activated sludge can be described by first-order reaction kinetics with the first-order reaction rate constant of 3.49 h À1 at 208C. The sorption isotherms and biodegradation kinetics indicated that partitioning played a dominant role in the sorption of E2 on the activated sludge. Temperature exerted significant effects on both the sorption and biodegradation of E2. The increase of temperature decreased the E2 sorption capacity on the sludge but enhanced E2 biodegradation rate. A new bacterial strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa TJ1 was isolated from the aerobic activated sludge, and it grew well when E2 served as the sole carbon and energy source.

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Organobismuth chemistry was emphasized in this review article due to the low price, low toxicity and low radioactivity characteristics of bismuth. As an environmentally-friendly class of organometallic compounds, different types of organobismuth compounds have been used in organic synthesis, catalysis, materials, etc. The synthesis and property characterization of many organobismuth compounds had been summarized. This review article also presented a survey of various applications of organobismuth compounds in organic transformations, as reagents or catalysts. The reactivity, reaction pathways and mechanisms of reactions with organobismuths were discussed. Less common and limiting aspects of organobismuth compounds were also briefly mentioned.

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Bi(2)SbVO(7) was prepared by solid-state reaction technique for the first time and the structural and photocatalytic properties of Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7) were investigated. The results showed that Bi(2)SbVO(7) crystallized with the tetragonal crystal system by space group I4/mmm. In addition, the band gaps of Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7) were estimated to be 2.33 and 2.52 eV. The photocatalytic degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB) dye over Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7) was investigated under visible light irradiation. Bi(2)SbVO(7) showed higher catalytic activity compared with Bi(2)GaTaO(7) for MB photocatalytic degradation under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic MB degradation followed first-order reaction kinetics, the apparent first-order rate constant k being 0.0262 and 0.0060 min(-1) with Bi(2)SbVO(7) and Bi(2)GaTaO(7), respectively. Complete removal of aqueous MB was realized after visible light irradiation for 210 min with Bi(2)SbVO(7) as a catalyst. The reduction of the total organic carbon (TOC), the formation of inorganic products (SO(4)(2-) and NO(3)(-)) and the evolution of CO(2) revealed complete removal of aqueous MB during the photocatalytic process by this novel photocatalyst.