Kinetics of atrazine degradation by photocatalytic process in aqueous solution

The photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide atrazine has been studied using suspended titanium dioxide as catalyst. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood model is satisfactorily obeyed at initial time and in the course of the reaction. The rate of degradation is found to be enhanced by the addition of persulphate ions. Competitive degradation between atrazine and other pollutants is satisfactorily interpreted as monitored by a competitive adsorption of the reactants. As a consequence, efficient reactants such as salicylic acid and phenol delay atrazine degradation until these compounds are degraded.