Degradation of dibutyl phthalate by homogeneous photocatalysis with Fe(III) in aqueous solution

The degradation of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) photoinduced by Fe(III) in aqueous solution has been investigated under monochromatic irradiation and sunlight. Hydroxyl radicals OH, responsible of the degradation, are formed via an intramolecular photoredox process in excited Fe(III) aquacomplexes. The concentration in Fe(OH)2+ in the starting Fe(III) solution appears 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 α-position to aromatic ring. The major primary photoproducts are hydroxy, dihydroxy and carboxylic derivatives. For prolonged irradiations, DBP and its photoproducts are completely mineralized due to the regeneration of the absorbing species and the continuous formation of OH radicals that confers a catalytic aspect to the process. Consequently, the degradation photoinduced by Fe(III) could be an efficient method of DBP removal from water.