Influence of hydrogen peroxide on the kinetics of phenol photodegradation in aqueous titanium dioxide dispersion

Abstract The influence of hydrogen peroxide on the phenol photodegradation rate under near UV radiation was investigated in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems: the heterogeneous systems were aqueous dispersions of titanium dioxide (anatase). The hydrogen peroxide photodecomposition reaction was also investigated for all the systems used. The highest rate of phenol photodegradation was observed in the heterogeneous system for the contemporary presence of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. The rate equations for phenol photodegradation and hydrogen peroxide photodecomposition for both systems were obtained. A mechanistic model able to explain the main experimental results is also proposed.