Simulated sunlight photodegradation of aqueous phthalate esters catalyzed by the polyoxotungstate/titania nanocomposite.

A series of porous polyoxotungstate/titania nanocomposites (PW(12)/TiO(2)) with particle size lower than 10nm and BET surface area of ca. 200 m(2)g(-1) was prepared by sol-gel chemistry combined with solvothermal treatment. The composites were successfully applied to the degradation of aqueous phthalate esters (PAEs) including di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) under the simulated sunlight irradiation (lambda=320-680 nm) for the first time, and the conversion of DBP, DEP, and DMP reached to 98%, 84%, and 80%, respectively, after the simulated sunlight irradiation the suspension including PAE (5 mg L(-1), 100 mL) and PW(12)/TiO(2)-19.8 (100 mg) for 90 min. In addition, nearly total mineralization of DBP and DEP was realized by further increasing light irradiation time to 12h. Based on the intermediates identified in the reaction system, the photocatalytic degradation pathway of PAEs was put forward.