Degradation of nitrogen containing organic compounds by combined photocatalysis and ozonation

The combination of TiO2-assisted photocatalysis and ozonation in the degrad ation of nitrogen-containing substrates such as alkylamines, alkanolamines, heterocyclic and aromatic N-compounds has been investigated. A laboratory set-up was designed and the influence of the structure of the N-compound, t he TiO2 and ozone concentration on the formation of breakdown products were examined. The experimental results showed that a considerable increase in the degradation efficiency of the N-compounds is obtained by a combination of photocatalysis and ozonation as compared to either ozonation or photocat alysis only. The mineralization of the model substances was monitored by me asurements of the TOC and ion-chromatographic determinations of the formed NO2- and NO3-. The temporal changes of concentrations of breakdown products , such as NH4+, short chain alkyl- and alkanolamines were determined by sin gle column ion chromatography (SCIC) and as well as by electrospray mass sp ectrometry (EI-MS). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.