The role of dissolved oxygen in the Ta(O)N-driven visible Fenton-like degradation of atrazine

Abstract The role of dissolved oxygen (DO) in a visible Fenton-like degradation of atrazine driven by Ta(O)N was examined in detail. First, Ta(O)N samples were prepared by the nitridation of Ta 2 O 5 nanoparticles, which showed strong absorption in the range of 300–600 nm. Second, the degradation of atrazine, the decomposition of H 2 O 2 , and the formation of intermediates in the visible Ta(O)N-Fenton-like system in the presence of DO were compared with those in the absence of DO. In the visible Ta(O)N–Fenton-like system, atrazine degradation was based on the attack of • OH and the atrazine degradation pathways were similar in the presence and absence of DO. Notably, however, the presence of DO suppressed atrazine degradation. An investigation into the effects of DO on the photoreduction of Fe 3+ and the photodecomposition of H 2 O 2 catalyzed by Ta(O)N showed that the presence of DO suppressed the formation of Fe 2+ but did not affect the decomposition of H 2 O 2 . Therefore, the presence of DO slowed the generation of • OH. The role of DO in atrazine degradation by a visible Ta(O)N-Fenton-like system was proposed on the basis of the experimental results.