Benz[a]anthracene Heterogeneous Photochemical Reaction on the Surface of TiO2 Particles

The photochemical reaction of benz[a]anthracene (B[a]A) on TiO2 particles was investigated by using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was confirmed that photocatalytic oxidation of benz[a]anthracene occurred on the surface of TiO2 particles, and surface hydroxyl and surface oxygen participated in the reactions. The main photochemical product of benz[a]anthracene was benz[a]anthracene- 7,12-dione. Possible photochemical mechanism of benz[a]anthracene was also proposed. Under the simulated sunlight irradiation (22 mW·cm−2), the process of benz[a]anthracene photodegradation on TiO2 particles matched the exponential decay equation, and the half-life time was 6.8 min.