Quantum efficiencies of the photocatalytic decomposition of 4-CP

SATUF, M. L.; BRANDI, R. J.; CASSANO, A. E..; ALFANO, O. M.

Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany

Congreso; 4th Conference on Oxidation Technologies for Water and Wastewater Treatment.; 2006

This study presents the evaluation of the quantum efficiency and the apparent quantum efficiency of the photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) in a TiO2 slurry photoreactor. To calculate these efficiencies, the radiation absorbed by the heterogeneous reacting system needs to be determined. A one-dimensional, one-directional radiation field model is proposed to compute the photon absorption inside the slurry photocatalytic reactor. The efficiencies are analyzed considering the influence of three operating variables: initial pH, catalyst loading, and irradiation intensity. Important dependencies on these variables were found. The best quantum efficiencies were obtained in acidic conditions, at the highest explored catalyst concentration (1.0 × 10–3 g cm–3) and at the lowest irradiation level.