Photodegradation of Aromatic Amines by Ag-TiO2 Photocatalyst

The photocatalytic degradation of ortho, para and meta-nitroanilines (ONA, PNA and MNA) was investigated by Ag-TiO2 suspension. The effect of some parameters such as the amount of photocatalyst, irradiation time of UV light, flow rate of O2, pH, and temperature for the Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst was also examined. Degradation of amines was small when the reaction was carried out in the absence of photocatalyst, and negligible in the absence of the UV light. Degradation rate of aniline derivatives decreases with increasing O2 in the system. The effect of pH indicated that effective degradation occurred in alkaline conditions. Degradation kinetics of these aromatic amines can be described by Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation and shows pseudo-first order law.