Photodegradation of Selected PCBs in the Presence of Nano-TiO 2 as Catalyst and H 2 O 2 as an Oxidant

Samuel S. R. Dasary, Julia Saloni, Amanda Fletcher, Yerramilli Anjaneyulu and Hongtao Yu
Additional contact information
Samuel S. R. Dasary: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Jackson State University, 1400 J. R. Lynch Street, P.O. Box 17910, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
Julia Saloni: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Jackson State University, 1400 J. R. Lynch Street, P.O. Box 17910, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
Amanda Fletcher: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Jackson State University, 1400 J. R. Lynch Street, P.O. Box 17910, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
Yerramilli Anjaneyulu: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Jackson State University, 1400 J. R. Lynch Street, P.O. Box 17910, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
Hongtao Yu: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Jackson State University, 1400 J. R. Lynch Street, P.O. Box 17910, Jackson, MS 39217, USA

IJERPH, 2010, vol. 7, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Photodegradation of five strategically selected PCBs was carried out in acetonitrile/water 80:20. Quantum chemical calculations reveal that PCBs without any chlorine on ortho -positions are closer to be planar, while PCBs with at least one chlorine atoms at the ortho -positions causes the two benzene rings to be nearly perpendicular. Light-induced degradation of planar PCBs is much slower than the perpendicular ones. The use of nano-TiO 2 speeds up the degradation of the planar PCBs, but slows down the degradation of the non-planar ones. The use of H 2 O 2 speeds up the degradation of planar PCBs greatly (by >20 times), but has little effect on non-planar ones except 2,3,5,6-TCB. The relative photodegradation rate is: 2,2’,4,4’-TCB > 2,3,5,6-TCB > 2,6-DCB ? 3,3’,4,4’-TCB > 3,4’,5-TCB. The use of H 2 O 2 in combination with sunlight irradiation could be an efficient and “green” technology for PCB remediation.

Keywords: photodegradation; PCBs; H 2 O 2; dechlorination; TiO 2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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