Are there any pre-treatments you would recommend we carry out prior to testing?

It is clear that existing standards need to be used to probe the activities of photocatalytic materials subjected to extensive use under real conditions to identify the truly useful materials/products.  It is essential to probe the longevity of photocatalyst materials when exposed to realistic conditions, based on their likely area of application.  For example, an exterior photocatalyst paint, glass, tile or awning material should be tested with regard to activity stability under accelerated weather conditions.  A photocatalyst fabric (as used in clothing say) should be tested for durability with respect to repeated washing.  The air and water purification activity of photocatalyst coatings should be tested over a significant amount of time under non-laboratory conditions, i.e. using locations in cities with high levels of pollution and on real waste water streams, respectively.  Such work will expose the strengths and weaknesses of any new photocatalyst material product and help identify those with longevity, activity and, therefore, true commercial promise.   At IPS we can help with many of these studies.