Study of visible-light photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid in batch and circulated-mode photoreactors

Purpose

The consumption of pesticides and chemical fertilizers is one of the major environmental and health problems. In this report, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was chosen to evaluate the impact of photodegradation using LED (Light-emitting diode) (400 and 365 nm) sources in batch and programmable circulated-mode photoreactors respectively.

Methods

A β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) grafted titanium dioxide P25 (P25/β-CD) and complexation of 2,4-D and β-CD were synthesized via photoinduced and spray-drying methods, respectively. The structures were characterized. Moreover, we investigated the effects of the amount of catalyst, the β-CD amount on bed catalyst, irradiation time, kind of photoreactor on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency.

Results

Based on the results of experiments in batch reactor, the optimum amount of TiO₂, β-CD grafted by catalyst were 1 and 0.1 g/L, respectively. In batch-mode the photodegradation efficiency of 2,4-D after 5 h with P25, P25/β-CD as a photocatalyst and 2,4-D/β-CD complex with P25 photocatalyst were approximately 81, 85 and 95% respectively. After 8 h of irradiation in circulated-mode reactor, degradation yields with P25, P25/β-CD and 2,4-D/β-CD complex along with P25 were 89, 91 and 96% respectively. On the other hand, the circulated-mode photoreactor with high efficiency was appropriate to degradation of the high concentration of 2,4-D solution (200 mg/L). After 5 successive cycles with 25 h of irradiation, P25 and P25/β-CD maintained as high 2,4-D removal efficiency as 82.6, 84% respectively, with excellent stability and reusability.

Conclusion

The photodegradation method can be used as an effective and environmental friendly process in the degradation of organic compound.