Photocatalytic degradation of aromatic pollutants in aqueous solution over TiO<inf>2</inf>catalyst

Abstract

© 2015, Chiang Mai University. All rights reserved. The photocatalytic degradation of two organic aromatic compounds; benzene and toluene, as environmental decontamination by using TiO2photocatalyst under UV irradiation was studied. It was noted that anatase TiO2nanoparticles had crystalline structure and spherical particles morphology. The average size was about 20 nm with the specific surface area of 83 m2/g. The photocatalytic performance of these TiO2catalysts was found that the percent removal depended on the dose of TiO2and H2O2. The 3 wt% TiO2displayed highest photominerizer since TiO2particles generating electron-hole pairs both at the surface and within the TiO2semiconductor itself and interacted with the organic molecules. The degradation of benzene and toluene increased along with increasing H2O2due to the precence of H2O2promotes the hydroxyl radicals. The photocatalyst removed 80% benzene and toluene within 60 min after UV irradiation more than the commercial P25 powder. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation of those compounds followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic.