Photolysis of PAHs in aqueous phase by UV irradiation

The photooxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investiga ted in an aqueous ethanolic solution irradiated with a medium-pressure merc ury lamp in laboratory photoreactors equipped with a quartz immersion well. Degradation photolysis of fluorene was more efficient than sensitized phot olytic oxidation in the presence of TiO2 suspensions. Photolysis kinetics w as dependent on molecular weight and the presence and type of substituents. During the photolytic degradation of fluorene and its derivatives, 9-fluor enone and its corresponding derivatives, which were more resistant to photo lysis, were formed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved,