This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember your browser. We use this information to improve and customize your browsing experience, for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media, and for marketing purposes. By using this website, you accept and agree to be bound by UVic’s Terms of Use and Protection of Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the above, you must not use this website.

Skip to main content
People Departments Maps Buildings Rooms A-Z
University
of Victoria
Apply Library
Sign in Online tools Sign out
Faculty of Graduate Studies

Zahra Jahanshahi

  • MSc (Isfahan University of Technology, 2019)

  • BSc (Semnan National University, 2012)

Notice of the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Applied Science

Topic

A Novel Electrocatalytic Fe-TiO2 Reactor for Removing Persistent Pollutants from Wastewaters

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Date & location

  • Friday, September 5, 2025

  • 10:30 A.M.

  • Engineering & Computer Science Building

  • Room 660

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

  • Dr. Rodney Herring, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

  • Dr. Barbara Sawicka, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UVic (Member)

  • Dr. Caterina Valeo, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UVic (Member) 

External Examiner

  • Dr. Caetano Dorea, Department of Civil Engineering, UVic 

Chair of Oral Examination

  • Dr. Todd Milford, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, UVic

     

Abstract

The pervasive presence of persistent organic pollutants in water systems presents a major threat to the environment and public health. Being based on physicochemical properties of contaminants, conventional wastewater treatment techniques proved ineffective in eliminating these contaminants due to their widely variable and complex nature. With vast urbanization and limited water resources, the need for innovative and scalable solutions that can target these contaminants of emerging concern is crucial. This study presents the development and optimization of a novel Fe-doped TiO₂-based electrocatalytic reactor for the degradation of methyl orange, a representative organic pollutant. The degradation studies showed that the rate of methyl orange (MO) removal increases consistently with electric current, achieving up to 95.6% degradation at 16 A in 40 min without saturation, confirming steady hydroxyl radical generation. Using titanium electrodes, particularly when modified with a native TiO₂ layer, significantly improved degradation efficiency while reducing voltage requirements compared to stainless steel setups, achieving up to 94.7% degradation in 12 minutes at lower voltages. This work strives to address key limitations of current approaches in utilizing titanium dioxide crystals in treating water and wastewater, including catalyst immobilization, energy efficiency, and operational simplicity, paving the way for industrial applicability.

Back to oral exams