Efficient Mineralization of Organic Pollutants Using Visible-light-induced PTCDA Anions Electronic Reservoir and Photogenerated Holes

Abstract

Introducing the anion intermediate found with PTCDA into advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) overcomes the limitation of visible-light degradation. Stabilized PTCDA anionic intermediates act as electron reservoir to activate PMS to generate reactive oxygen species, thus improving the degradation rate of organic pollutants driven by visible light. At the same time, the photogenerated holes of PDI induce α and β scission with the unshared electron in organic molecules, and realize the deep mineralization of converting organic molecules to CO2. The BPA degradation rate of PTCDA /PMS is over 125.8 and 2.8 times as high as PTCDA photocatalysis and Co3O4/PMS, respectively. The BPA mineralization of PTCDA /PMS reaching ~ 88% outclasses Co3O4/PMS (~ 25%). In continuous flow reactor, it has a ~ 100% degradation and ~ 80% mineralization of BPA. The outstanding degradation in real water under solar light excitation indicates that PTCDA/PMS would be an intriguing system for non-toxic and harmless elimination of organic pollutants.