Abstract
Zinc phthalocyanine-modified titanium dioxide, ZnPc/TiO2 was used as a photocatalyst for degradation. The photocatalyst showed enhanced activity for degradation of a hydroxytyrosol (Hy) present in olive oil mill wastewater. Photodegradation of Hy was found to be enhanced by the ZnPc/TiO2 photocatalyst under illumination with solar light compared to nonmodified TiO2 as a photocatalyst. Enhancement is attributed to cooperative functions for two components of the photocatalyst, zinc phthalocyanine and TiO2 semiconductor for generation of center dot OH radicals. Reaction intermediate components were identified by gas chromatoghraphy-mass spectrometery (GC-MS).