Photocatalytic degradation of reduction products of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)

The photocatalytic degradation of 2-amino-4,6-dinitro, 4-amino-2,6-dinitro-, 2,6-diamino-4-nitro- and 2,4-diamino-6-nitrotoluene in water was studied in the presence of hydrogen peroxide/ferrous ions. Transformation rates were controlled by the number of amino or nitro groups and by the structure of the molecules, i.e. diaminonitrotoluenes were transformed faster than monoaminodinitrotoluenes. On the other hand, compounds with an amino group para to the methyl group were degraded more rapidly than those with an ortho amino group. Besides photooxidation of the methyl group, deamination and cleavage of nitro groups was observed. The main degradation product identified by GC/MS was benzaldehyde.