Photocatalytic water purification: Destruction of resorcinol by irradiated titania

Ethanedial, butanoic acid anhydride and trihydroxybenzenes have been determined as intermediates of resorcinol photocatalytic oxidation. The photoreaction rate shows a 1st order dependence on resorcinol concentration. The calculated reaction rate constant is 2.1×10−8 mol dm−3 s−1, which is similar to the rate constant of phenol photocatalytic oxidation on TiO2 reported beore.