The possibility of photochemical decomposition of phenol solutions was studied. The effect of existance of other substances was also investigated. Finally it was investigated whether this phenomena was occurred in the real river water.
About 90% of phenol solution (1×10
-5M) was decomposed when irradiated with Ultra high-pressure mercury lamp (Type: SHL-100UV-2) for 150 minutes. This decomposition was accelerated in acidic solutions. Pseudo - order of the reaction varied from 0.85 to 0.92 depending on the pH of the solution. The influence of acidity on the decomposition rate was different by the kind of acid (sulfuric, hydrochloric and nitric acids) . Especially nitric acid had a great influence to the decomposition rate. However, kind of basic solution had no different influence. The effect of the addition of various metal ions (chloride) on the initial decomposition rate was also observed. The addition of Fe
3+ increased the decomposition, while Cu
2+ decreased the rate. The initial decomposition rate of Phenol was greated in the case of natural river waters than in pure aqueous solutions, which indicated the dependence on the properties of river water, such as BOD, COD and concentration of trace metal ions. The maximum of spectrum of Phenol shifted to more lower side upon irradiation of light. One of the products of photochemical decomposition was identified to be hydroquinone by Liquid chromatography.
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