Abstract
The effect of photocatalysis and some surfactant micelles on the degradation of m‐chlorophenol was investigated. All photochemical experiments were performed with artificial sunlight illumination. The remaining m‐chlorophenol was quantitatively determined using gas chromatography, applying the internal standard method. Three catalysts—ethylenediamine tetrachlorocuprate complex (catalyst I), chlorophyllin trisodium copper complex (catalyst II), and 5,10,15,20‐tetracarboxy phthalocyanine tetrasodium copper complex (III)—were used in the absence or presence of an anionic or nonionic surfactant. All studied catalysts exhibited high efficiency in degrading m‐chlorophenol compared with photodegradation in the absence of a catalyst. Catalyst III was more active than II owing to the higher degree of conjugation in its ligand, and the nonionic surfactant was more efficient than the anionic surfactant. Catalyst I was the least active because it did not accommodate a closed shell system. The studied anionic and nonionic surfactants accelerated photocatalytic degradation. The nonionic surfactant was more effective than the anionic surfactant owing to its greater surface activity parameters. Kinetic decay was found to obey a first‐order equation. However, some internal stages appeared to occur during the course of the reaction. Although higher rates were encountered in the advanced stages, the initial stage was the rate that controlled the overall process.