The degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) photoinduced by Fe(HI) in aqueou
s solution has been investigated under monochromatic irradiation and sunlig
ht. Hydroxyl radicals (OH)-O-circle, responsible of the degradation, are fo
rmed via an intramolecular photoredox process in excited Fe(III) aquacomple
xes. The concentration in Fe(OH)(2+) in the starting Fe(III) Solution appea
rs to be a controlling parameter of the degradation rate, as already stated
in our previous works. The first step of the decomposition of DBP involves
the hydrogen abstraction on the butyl chain mainly on the carbon in alpha
-position to aromatic ring. The major primary photoproducts are hydroxy, di
hydroxy and carboxylic derivatives. For prolonged irradiations, DBP and its
photoproducts are completely mineralized due to the regeneration of the ab
sorbing species and the continuous formation of (OH)-O-circle radicals that
confers a catalytic aspect to the process. Consequently, the degradation p
hotoinduced by Fe(III) could be an efficient method of DBP removal from wat
er. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.