Abstract
The photocatalytic degradation of a herbicide derivative, glyphosate [(N-phosphonomethyl) glycine] has been investigated in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide at different pH values. This compound was found to degrade more efficiently under alkaline pH, where no adsorption takes place on the surface of the catalyst in the dark. The main degradation route involves the cleavage of the P–C bond giving rise to sarcosine and glycine as the intermediate products formed during the photooxidation process.
Highlights
A wide variety of organic pollutants especially pesticides are introduced into the water system from various sources such as industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and chemical spills [1, 2]
The control of organic pollutants in water is an important measure in environmental protection
The possible dark adsorption of glyphosate on the surface of the photocatalyst was investigated by stirring aqueous solutions of glyphosate (1 × 10−3 mol dm−3, 35 cm3) at a range of pH in the absence of illumination for 4 hours at different catalyst loadings (2–10 g dm3)
Summary
A wide variety of organic pollutants especially pesticides are introduced into the water system from various sources such as industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and chemical spills [1, 2]. Their toxicity, stability to natural decomposition, and persistence in the environment have been the cause of much concern to the societies and regulatory authorities around the world [3, 4]. The mechanism constituting heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation processes has been discussed extensively in the literature (see, inter alia, [19, 20]) In many of these studies, the initial disappearance of the pollutant is rapid, a number of by products are formed which can be potentially harmful to the environment
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