Sonocatalytic degradation of methyl parathion in the presence of nanometer and ordinary anatase titanium dioxide catalysts and comparison of their sonocatalytic abilities

The degradation of methyl parathion (O,O-dimethyl-O-(4-nitrophenyl)-phosphorothioate) using anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder as heterogeneous sonocatalysts is reported. The influences of reaction parameters such as the species of TiO2 sonocatalysts, methyl parathion concentrations, TiO2 adding amount, pH, ultrasonic intensity, ultrasonic frequency and temperature have been investigated and the optimal conditions for eliminating methyl parathion have been identified. The efficiencies of sonocatalytic degradation in both nanometer and ordinary anatase systems are compared and the results indicate that the sonocatalytic activity of nanometer anatase TiO2 powder is better than that of ordinary anatase TiO2 powder. The primary degradation and the total mineralization of methyl parathion have been monitored by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and UV–vis spectra, respectively. Methyl parathion got destroyed to some extent in both nanometer and ordinary anatase systems under ultrasonic irradiation. The kinetics for the degradation process of methyl parathion follows the first-order reaction. The degradation ratio of methyl parathion surpassed 90% within 50 min in the optimal experiment conditions.