Alizarin red undergoes rapid photoassisted decomposition
in air-equilibrated aqueous TiO2 dispersions under
visible light radiation (λ > 420 nm). Proton NMR, chemical
oxygen demand (CODCr), UV−visible, IR, GC−MS, and spin-trapping ESR spectroscopic techniques were employed
to obtain details of the photodegradation of alizarin red.
Peroxides and carbonyl species are the first intermediates
observed during the process. The major component of
the peroxides produced is H2O2, and no organoperoxides
were detected. We have also confirmed that in addition to
CO2 and to smaller carbonyl species the principal
intermediate produced is phthalic acid, which is unable to
degrade further because it does not absorb the actinic
visible light radiation (λ > 420 nm). The photodegradation
kinetics are discussed in terms of the Langmuir−Hinshelwood model, a case of saturation type kinetics. A
mechanism for the photoassisted degradation of alizarin red
mediated by TiO2 particles under visible light radiation is
proposed.
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