Mechanistic study of fulvic acid assisted propranolol photodegradation in aqueous solution.

Laser flash (355 nm) and stationary (365 nm) photolysis were used to study the mechanisms of propranolol photolysis in the presence of fulvic acid in aqueous solutions. The FA-assisted photodegradation of propranolol was observed using UV-A irradiation (where propranolol is stable). Direct evidence indicated that the photodegradation resulted from the static quenching of the FA triplet state by propranolol via the electron transfer mechanism. The triplet state yield (ϕT≈0.6%) and the T-T absorption coefficient (ɛT(620 nm)≈5×10(4) M(-1) cm(-1)) were estimated for the first time by modeling the yields of the FA triplet state in the presence of propranolol. Thus, fulvic acid is a promising agent for accelerating propranolol photodegradation in aqueous solutions under UV-A light irradiation.