The Photochemical Degradation (PCD) of Nitrobenzene (NB) using UV Light and Fenton Reagent Under Various Conditions

Abstract

Photochemical degradation contributes to the environmental fate of many pesticides,chemicals, and industrial waste in surface waters. Photochemical degradation (PCD) of nitrobenzene(NB) has been studied using a UV light source and Fenton’s reagent under different experimentalconditions. The effect of concentration on PCD of NB was monitored and recorded in the range 0.5 x10-4 M to 3.0 x 10-4 M. The concentration of H2O2 was performed from 5.0 x 10-4 M to 2.5 x 10-4 Mand Fe(II) from 1.0 x 10-4 M to 5.0 x 10-4 M, respectively. In terms of concentration, the absorbanceincreases with increasing the concentration of the solution of NB, H2O2 and Fe(II). The initial rate ofPCD was recorded at fixed pH 2.42 of solution. Two optima for pH were found for PCD of nitrobenzeneranging from pH 2.42 to 4.20. The intermediates formed during PCD of NB were identified, by whicha mechanism was then suggested that PCD is actually found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics.