Photocatalytic destruction of phenol by TiO2 powders

In this study the photocatalytic destruction of phenol in an aqueous suspen sion of illuminated TiO2 was investigated. The experiments were carried out using a Pyrex annular photoreactor. The effects of some parameters such as pH, loading of TiO2, flow rate of O-2 and temperature on the photocatalyti c destruction rate of phenol were examined. It was observed that the flow r ate of O-2 has no considerable effect on the destruction of phenol over the range of 2-3.5 L min(-1). The photodestruction of phenol followed the pseu do first-order kinetics of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model giving an activat ion energy of 16.2 kJ mol(-1).