Photocatalytic oxidative degradation of acridine orange in aqueous solution with polymeric metalloporphyrins

In the presence of polymeric M [meso-tetra (4,4′-biphenybisulfony) phenylporphyrin] (PMTBPBSOPP, M=Co, Mn, Cu, Zn, Fe), the photocatalytic oxidative degradation of acridine orange (AO) was investigated under conditions of irradiation with high-pressure mercury lamp (HPML), iodine tungsten lamp (ITL) and natural sunlight (NSL), respectively. The results indicated that PCoTBPBSOPP had remarkable effects on photodegradation of AO under NSL irradiation. The experiments also proved that the photocatalytic degradation of AO in aqueous solutions could be enhanced when hydrogen peroxide 0.4 g/L was added. When the initial concentration of AO was 43.8 mg/L, the degradation and the decolorization rates of AO under HPML irradiation were up to 98% and 97%, respectively. A number of factors affecting photocatalytic degradation effects, such as the initial concentration of AO, light sources, pH etc., were studied in detail. The experimental results confirmed that polymeric metalloporphyrins could fully decompose AO by using artificial light source such as HPML and ITL, moreover could degrade AO rapidly under NSL in 3 h. Definitely, polymer of metalloporphyrins in the heterogeneous photocatalysis phase had a potential application in wastewater treatment by using NSL.