Photodegradation of fluazaindolizine in aqueous solution with graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets under simulated sunlight illumination.

The photodegradation of fluazaindolizine (FZDL) under simulated sunlight irradiation was accelerated by the catalysis of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). Under optimum conditions, such as 5 mg of amount and dispersion, the photodegradation half-life was dramatically enhanced to 2.7 h. More importantly, the pathway of degradation by g-C3N4 was different from both direct photolysis and the catalysis by titanium oxide, with particular negative ions of m/z 221 and 195, corresponding to the cleavage of sulfamide bond and the ring opening of imidazole, respectively. In addition, hydroxyl and superoxide radicals played important roles in photodegradation. The results enriched not only the study of FZDL photodegradation but also the application of g-C3N4. It also suggested the possibility of the water purification by photodegradation for pesticide removal in real life.