Evaluation of humic acid photocatalytic degradation by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy

Photodegradation of humic substances causes drastic changes in the UV–vis absorption and fluorescence properties of humic acids. In this study it is intended to fulfill the lack of knowledge about the spectral changes of humic acids during photocatalytic oxidation processes and elucidate the effects observed on the molecular size distribution of humic acid focusing on their analysis by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. As confirmed by the spectroscopic evaluation of the molecular size distribution data, photocatalytic degradation of humic acid leads to the formation of lower molecular size (small fractions) and higher UV absorbing compounds. For fractions less than 10 kDa, UV254 absorbing moieties in treated humic acid samples become higher than that of raw humic acid designating the generation of new species during photocatalysis. UV–vis spectroscopic changes were also evaluated by the parameters relating to the concomitant removal of the total organic carbon as well as by the ratios using absorption values at discrete wavelengths. Moreover, the fluorescence spectra of treated humic acid samples show decreasing intensity profiles with increasing photocatalytic irradiation time.