Atrazine toxicity reduction following H2O2/TiO2- photocatalyzed reaction and comparison with H2O2- photolytic reaction.

An atrazine photodegradation study carried out by a Q-Panel suntest apparatus is reported in this work. H2O2/TiO2 photocatalyzed reaction yield and parameters (time, irradiance, temperature, H2O2 (40%) volume, TiO2 amount) were exactly determined relating to the used atrazine concentration. An experimental kinetic study was performed to establish the reaction order in fixed conditions. Using a biosensor method, 10(-4) M Atrazine solution toxicity and final photocatalytic reaction solution toxicity were quantitatively determined. A consistent toxicity decrease was observed on passing from the analyte to the products of the photocatalytic reaction. An analogous photolytic reaction carried out in absence of TiO2, but in the same experimental conditions of time, irradiance, temperature and H2O2 volume, brings to a toxicity increase.