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Photocatalytic Degradation of 2-, 4-Amino and Chloro Phenols Using H2O2 Sensitized Cu2O and Visible Light

T Narasimha Murthy, P. Suresh, AM Umabala and AV Prasada Rao

Photocatalytic degradation of 2-amino phenol, 4-amino phenol, 2-chloro phenol and 4-chloro phenol have been studied under visible light irradiation using Cu2O as photocatalyst. Complete degradation of 2-amino phenol and 4-amino phenol occurred in 2.0 and 2.5 hrs, respectively. 2-chloro phenol showed only 50% degradation even for irradiation up to 4 hrs while 95% degradation is observed for 4-chlorophenol for 4 hrs of irradiation. In all cases, addition of external oxidant enhanced the rate of degradation and Cu2O + H2O2 showed a synergetic effect. Formation of free radicals which facilitated disintegration of molecular structures of pollutants was ascertained by means of photoluminescence studies using terephthalic acid as probe molecule.