Photocatalytic degradation of acridine dyes using anatase and rutile TiO2

CAROLINA ZUBIETA, PAULA MESSINA, PABLO SCHULZ

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2012 vol. 101 p. 1 - 6

0301-4797

The adsorption and photodegradation of acridine orange (AO) and riflavine (AF) dyes on two mesoporous titania crystalline phases, anatase and rutile, were experimentally studied. Anatase and rutile were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, electron scanning and transmission microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The adsorption capacity of rutile was higher than that of anatase, while the reverse is observed for photodegradation of both dyes. The adsorption of AF on both adsorbents was higher than that of AO, which was related with the smaller size of AF molecules compared with those of AO, therefore the access of AF to the adsorption sites is favored.