Abstract
The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of recalcitrant and toxic organophosphorus pesticides, fenamiphos, chlorfenvinphos and phosmet, has been performed by using an innovative WO 3 nanostructure as photoanode. The nanostructure has been synthesized by anodization in acidic media in the presence of a very small amount (0.05 M) of H 2 O 2 , and its composition as well as its photoelectrochemical properties have been characterized using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction as composition technique and photoelectrochemical impedance spectroscopy as photoelectrochemical analysis. After 24 h of experiment, a degradation of 95% of chlorfenvinphos, 99.9% of phosmet and 100% of fenamiphos has been achieved following pseudo-first order kinetics, indicating the good PEC efficiency of this WO 3 nanostructure. Moreover, different intermediates have been identified by means of Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatograph coupled to a Time of Flight and Mass Spectrometer (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) for each of the pesticides after 24 h of photoelectrocatalytic degradation. With these identified compounds, a degradation route has been proposed for each of the pesticides in which they are decomposed into other smaller and less toxic molecules.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call