Comparative Degradation of Alachlor Using Photocatalysis and Photo-Fenton

A comparative study about the degradation of alachlor in aqueous solutions under different photocatalytic systems, including TiO₂, TiO₂/H₂O₂, and TiO₂/Na₂S₂O₈ heterogeneous photocatalysis, Fe²⁺/H₂O₂, Fe³⁺/H₂O₂, and UV radiation, was carried out. In this way, times for alachlor total removal and mineralization followed the order photo-Fenton < photocatalysis with persulfate < photo-Fenton-like < photocatalysis with hydrogen peroxide < photocatalysis with TiO₂. Ferric chloride was used as ferric ion source under Fenton-like reactions. Oxidation with Fe²⁺/H₂O₂ was faster than treatment with Fe³⁺/H₂O₂, but under UV irradiation, degradation rates were similar, indicating that FeCl₃ could be a good source of ferric ions for alachlor degradation. Reduction of the sample toxicity was much faster in the photo-Fenton process than in TiO₂ process (50% mortality reduction in 180 min compared to around 400 min—Daphnia Pullex assays). In addition, evaluation of the nitrogen and chloride contained in the treated samples confirmed a 100% conversion of the N and Cl content in the pollutant molecule. Finally, some of the degradation by-products for pollutant removal using TiO₂ photocatalysis were identified.