Photocatalytic degradation of a cyanuric acid, a recalcitrant species

Degradation of cyanuric acid in aqueous suspensions of Degussa P25 TiO2 has been achieved by the addition of fluoride ion at low pH. Consistent with the work of Minero and Pelizzetti [Langmuir 16 (2000) 2632, Langmuir 16 (2000) 8964], it is suggested that this is due to the formation of homogeneous phase hydroxyl radicals. Support for this hypothesis is brought from successful degradations using other hydroxyl-generating conditions and the successful degradation of 4-t-butylpyridine, another organic compound previously shown to be resistant to TiO2-mediated photocatalytic degradation.