Photodegradation of bisphenol-A with TiO2 immobilized on the glass tubes including the UV light lamps

Photodegradation experiments of bisphenol-A (BPA) were performed with TiO2 particles as a photocatalyst, where particles were immobilized using a titanium sol-solution synthesized by a sol–gel method. The effects of immobilized TiO2-film thickness, UV radiation intensity, and pH on the photodegradation of BPA were investigated. Apparent rate constant of the first order increased with increasing TiO2-coating time from 1 to 3, however, decreased over 4-coating time. Rate constant (K) increased with increasing the UV light intensity, which was related with the number of inserted UV lamps. Rate constant (K) increased as the pH value shifted from basic to acidic regions. Four kinds of byproducts were derived during the photodegradation of BPA, which were identified as 1.1-ethenylidenebis-benzene, 4-isopropylphenol, 4-tert-butylphenol, and phenol.