Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A as an endocrine disruptor in aqueous suspension using Ag-TiO2 catalysts
by S. Rengaraj, X.Z. Li
International Journal of Environment and Pollution (IJEP), Vol. 27, No. 1/2/3, 2006

Abstract: A novel photocatalyst, titanium dioxide (TiO2) deposited with silver (Ag), was prepared by an ultrasonic-assisted sol–gel method and studied for the photocatalytic degradation of endocrine disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) under UV illumination, in order to determine its photocatalytic properties. A series of Ag-TiO2 catalysts prepared with different Ag dosage were characterised by SEM, EDX, XRD, XPS, and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy and their photocatalytic activity was evaluated in the degradation of BPA in aqueous suspension. The experiment demonstrated that the presence of Ag in TiO2 catalysts could enhance the photocatalytic oxidation of BPA in aqueous suspension. It was found that the degradation of BPA by these catalysts followed the first-order kinetic model. The enhanced reduction of oxygen through better electron-hole separation in Ag-TiO2 particles compared to pure TiO2 particles increased the rates of BPA degradation. In the reaction of BPA degradation, the presence of two methyl groups in the BPA structure were initially attacked with OH and/or OOH radicals which have strong oxidising power, and then followed by the cleavage of the two phenyl moieties. Finally, the photomineralisation to CO2 gas occurred via oxidative processes involving carboxylic acids and aldehydes.

Online publication date: Mon, 24-Jul-2006

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Environment and Pollution (IJEP):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

    Username:        Password:         

Forgotten your password?


Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com