A novel approach for the oxidative degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous solutions mediated by iron tetrasulfophthalocyanine under visible light radiation.

An efficient approach has been developed to decompose toxic organic pollutants. The photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), salicylic acid, and Orange II was examined in the presence of iron tetrasulfophthalocyanine ([Fe(PcS)]) and H(2)O(2) under visible irradiation. It was found that under visible light irradiation, organic pollutants in the [Fe(PcS)]/H(2)O(2) system can be rapidly degraded, but the concentration of [Fe(PcS)] remains nearly unchanged, and this indicates that [Fe(PcS)] has a good catalytic character. EPR results and other experimental results suggest that the light-activated reaction process involves the formation and reaction of HO(.) radicals. On the basis of the experimental results, a possible reaction mechanism for the degradation of organic pollutants under visible light illumination in the aqueous [Fe(PcS)]/H(2)O(2) solutions is proposed.