Photoinduced degradation by Fe(III) in aqueous solution: Removal of compounds entering detergent formulation

The photoinduced degradation of compounds entering detergent formulation by Fe(III) in aqueous solution has been investigated. The mechanisms only inv olve attack by (OH)-O-. radicals that are formed through photolysis of Fe(O H)(2+), the predominant and most photoreactive Fe(III) species in the appli ed conditions. The chemical structures of the identified photoproducts gave evidence for a preferential attack on a methylene group in alpha -position of a heteroatom. For prolonged irradiations, the total degradation of the pollutants and the photoproducts was obtained through the regeneration of F e(OH)(2+). Consequently, the degradation photoinduced by Fe(III) could be a n efficient method of pollutant removal in water.