Photocatalytic Degradation of P-Cresol using Copper Chloride under UV – Irradiation

Abstract

Photocatalytic degradation of p-cresol was carried out using CuCl₂ under UV irradiation. The effect of photocatalyst loading, effect of photodegradation time of p-cresol and effect of pH were studied as variable parameters. The photodegradation rate constant and  percentage photodegradation of p-cresol were calculated from the experimental results analysed using a UV-visible spectrometer after  photoirradition with continuous stirring using set of magnetic stirrer respectively. The highest photodegradation of p-cresol was  observed at 0.8g/L of CuCl₂ photocatalyst and 15.6ppm of p-cresol. Photocatalytic degradation was favorable in the pH of 7.49. The  results confirm the fast degradation of p-cresol under photocatalytic regime. The percentage degradation was found to be 68.8% at  concentration 15.6ppm. The average rate constant was found to be 1.9 x 10^-3 mole/min. Based on the study of parameters, degradation  was higher at pH of 8 and catalyst dose of 0.6g/L. Reusability shows no significant reduction in photocatalytic performance of the catalyst  in photodegrading pcresol.