Notice of RetractionEffects of inorganic anions on TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of phenol

Notice of Retraction

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The effects of various inorganic anions (SO₄^2-, NO₃^-, H₂PO₄^-, HCO₃^-, CO₃^2-, F^-, Cl^-, Br^- and I^-) on the photocatalytic degradation of phenol were investigated under UV light irradiation. In present work, low initial pH value in the presence of H₂PO₄^- increased the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TiO₂, high initial pH value in the presence of HCO₃^-, CO₃^2- and F^- decreased the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TiO₂, and no change of initial pH value in the presence of SO₄^2- and NO₃^- had little effect on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TiO₂. The results indicated that the effects of the inorganic anions on the photocatalytic degradation of phenol depended strongly on the pH, which was related with the adsorption of phenol on the surface of TiO₂. No significant relationship between the initial pH and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TiO₂ was observed in the experiment with the addition of Cl^-, Br^- or I^-, indicating that inorganic anions inhibited the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TiO₂ by their trapping hydroxyl radicals (OH·).