Photocatalytic degradation of dye pollutants in the presence of acetone

The photodegradation of textile azo dyes in aqueous solution containing acetone (ACE) photosensitizer was investigated at 253.7 nm. In this study, a typical azo reactive dye (C I Reactive Red 2 - RR2) is used as the probe compound. ACE is a powerful photosensitizer that possesses high triplet energy, and the presence of ACE significantly enhances the overall photodegradation reaction through simultaneous sensitization. In the UV/ACE system, at the optimum conditions, over 97% of RR2 can be successfully decomposed and decolored within 300 seconds of retention time. The photodegradation mechanisms of RR2 involve both photodechlorination and photoreduction, which follow pseudo first-order decay kinetics. The quantum yield of the photolysis system has been evaluated as a function of ACE concentration and the initial pH. RR2 contains the chlorotriazinyl group, which undergoes hydrolysis and results in the formation of hydrochloric acid, indicating that the photodechlorination process is the dominant reaction mechanism. The photo-product, H+, is likely to retard the quantum yield of dye decay, suggesting that the initial pH is a critical factor in changing the photodecolorization rates of dye. Generally, this system is more favorable at higher pH levels.