Use of malachite green as photo catalyst in reduction of sodium and potassium carbonates

The photoreduction of aqueous sodium and potassium carbonates has been performed in the presence of a malachite green (MG) solution (which is a photo catalyst also). The photo catalytic formation of formic acid and formaldehyde were measured spectrophotometrically using Nash reagent. The effects of variations of various parameters, like pH, amount of photo catalyst (MG concentration), concentration of Na2CO3 and K2CO3, light intensity etc., on the yield of photoproducts were also investigated. A tentative mechanism for this reduction has been proposed