Acceleration of the photocatalytic degradation of organics by in-situ removal of the products of degradation

Abstract

Abstract Photocatalytic degradation of sulphur containing organics in water was substantially accelerated by the in-situ removal of sulphur oxide species formed by the dye degradation as metal sulfate precipitates. The significant enhancement of the degradation of methylene blue (C16H18ClN3S) and acid yellow 42 (C32H24N8Na2O8S2), as examples of sulphur containing organics, was achieved when the reactions were conducted in the presence of alkaline earth cations (such as Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+).