Treatment of Phenylmercury Salts by Heterogeneous Photocatalysis Over TiO sub(2)

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 69; no. 5; p. 682
• Main Authors: de la Fourniere, Emmanuel, Leyva, Ana G, Gautier, Eduardo A, Litter, Marta I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-10-2007
• ISSN: 0045-6535

Treatment of phenylmercury salts by heterogeneous photocatalysis over TiO sub(2) was studied. Photocatalytic studies of transformation of phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) and phenylmercuric chloride (PMC) were presented. The kinetic behavior, nature of the reaction products and influence of oxygen and pH were analyzed. Heterogeneous photocatalysis over TiO sub(2) was convenient for PMA and PMC treatment because it could remove at a large extent the content of mercury present in solution and led to the mineralization of the organic portion of the compound. Phenol was detected for both, PMA and PMC, as a product of the photocatalytic reaction, without the risk of the formation of very dangerous alkylmercury species. The results suggested that irradiation should be carried out until reaching complete mineralization to avoid the risk of formation of noxious intermediates after treatment.