A Photocatalytic Method for the Degradation of Pyrrolidine in Water

A method for the degradation of pyrrolidine in water is described. The method relaies on the photocatalytic degradation of pyrrolidine to CO2 and NH3 by UV irradiation and using titanium dixide semiconductor as a photocatalyst. Compared with direct photolysis, the semiconductor catalytic photolysis gave consistently higher degradation yields for pyrrolidine in water. The effects of variable parameters such as pH, amount of semiconductor and time of photolysis on degradation of pyrrolidine were investigated. An optimal volue of pH=9, amount of semiconductor, 4 mmol.L-1 and time of UV irradiation, 25 min. was found. Amount of pyrrolidine was measured spectrophotometrically at l = 480 nm using 1,2-naphtoquinone-4-sulphonate as a selective reagent. The concentration of ammonia produced during the reaction was monitored spectrophotometrically at l=410 nm by Nessler's reagent.