Overview
ISO 10676:2010 specifies a laboratory test method to evaluate water purification performance of semiconducting photocatalytic materials (fine/advanced ceramics) by measuring their ability to form active oxygen under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The method is intended for photocatalytic materials formed on or attached to other surfaces and is applicable only under UV (300–400 nm) illumination - not visible light.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Principle: Water purification performance is inferred from the photocatalyst’s capacity to generate active oxygen species that oxidize an indicator compound (dimethylsulfoxide, DMSO) to methanesulfonic acid (MSA). Measurement tracks DMSO decrease and MSA formation.
- Test reagent: High-purity DMSO (assay > 99.5 %) prepared as a 10 mg/L solution in purified water.
- Photoreactor and flow system: A flow-type photoreactor circulates test solution past the specimen; tests are conducted in an open reactor with weirs to maintain a 5 mm water level above the specimen surface.
- Light source and intensity: UV-A sources (black light / black light blue lamps, 300–400 nm) or xenon arc lamps with appropriate filters per ISO 10677. Typical irradiance used for pretreatment and adjustment is 2.0 mW/cm² at the specimen surface.
- Specimen preparation: Standard test piece is a 100 mm ±2 mm square (or equivalent from same material/process), cleaned of organics and pretreated by UV irradiation and water washing.
- Procedure parameters: Circulation at 500 mL/min for 5 hours; periodic sampling (every hour) for DMSO and MSA analysis by GC or ion chromatography. Valid tests show lower final DMSO in light vs dark and confirmed MSA generation.
- Environmental controls: Test room temperature maintained in the 20–25 °C range.
Practical applications and users
ISO 10676:2010 is used for:
- Product development and performance benchmarking of photocatalytic coatings, tiles, building materials, and water-treatment surfaces.
- Quality assurance and batch comparison in manufacturing of fine ceramics / advanced technical ceramics with photocatalytic function.
- Research laboratories studying photocatalytic water purification mechanisms and active-oxygen generation.
- Certification bodies and environmental engineers assessing suitability of photocatalytic materials for water purification applications.
Benefits include standardized, reproducible evaluation of photocatalytic materials’ oxidation capacity and an indirect, practical measure of water purification potential.
Related standards
- ISO 10677 - Ultraviolet light source specifications for testing semiconducting photocatalytic materials (referenced by ISO 10676:2010).
Open preview (PDF)Fine ceramics (advanced ceramics, advanced technical ceramics) — Test method for water purification performance of semiconducting photocatalytic materials by measurement of forming ability of active oxygen
