Solar photocatalytic mineralization of commercial pesticides: acrinathrin

A comparative study of the degradation of commerical acrinathrin spiked in water using TiO2 photocatalysis and photolysis under sunlight was performed. Samples were analysed by liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) and gas chromatography-ion trap-mass spectrometric detector (GC–ITMS). Additional total organic carbon (TOC) analyses were carried out to evaluate the mineralisation rates. One photoproduct, 2-phenoxy benzaldehyde, was unequivocally identified and evaluated by GC–ITMS during the processes. Although acrinathrin is almost destroyed when exposed to irradiation for more than 400 h, photocatalysis with TiO2 noticeably reduced degradation to a few hours. In this case, with the additional presence of peroxydisulphate, in less than 2 h acrinathrin is completely destroyed. Mineralisation of acrinathrin, without catalyst, was only around 50% after 400 h of irradiation.