Investigation of Photocatalytic Degradation of Phenol through UV/TiO2 Process

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Prof., School of Public Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences

2 Public Health Expert, School of Public Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Phenol is one of the important contaminating materials that has high toxicity level receiving in water resources. Photocatalytic degradation process is one of the developing technologies in treatment of wastes containing persistent organic materials. Investigations show that oxidative degradation of organic compounds with oxygen reduction is caused under irradiation of photocatalysts such as TiO2 suspended in aqueous solution containing organic compounds and oxygen. The main objective of this research is the study of photocatalytic oxidation of phenol in the presence of TiO2 and the factors affecting the process. In this study phenol solution (50 mg/L) was prepared and in separate stages was exposed to air, UV, TiO2 and a combination of them and various parameters such as exposure time, pH, and amount of TiO2 were studied in terms of their effects on reaction progress. The results show that UV/TiO2 process is most effective. This study shows that 83% of phenol was degraded by irradiation and air exposure for 9 hr in the presence of 0.1g TiO2 in alkaline medium (pH=11). It is also showed that the efficiency of phenol degradation is less than 9 % with a 3 hr exposure and pH of 11. Based on the results, UV/TiO2 process may be effectively applied in phenol removal from polluted water which is both technically and economically efficient.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab ( in persian )
Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Serial number: 58
June 2006
Pages 32-37

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