Photoconversion of 2-methylphenol, 4-methylphenol, and 2-amino-4-methylphenol in water

We have used fluorescence spectroscopy to study photoconversions of 2-methylphenol (2-MP), 4-methylphenol (4-MP), and 2-amino-4-methylphenol (2-A-4-MP) in water when excited by UV radiation from different sources. We discuss the effect of the acidity of the medium and dissolved oxygen on photoconversions of the indicated methylphenols. The photodegradation efficiency for 2-MP and 4-MP decreases in the absence of oxygen. The photoconversion efficiency for methylphenols in alkaline medium is higher when irradiated by light with λ_rad = 283 nm, while in neutral medium it is higher when irradiated by light with λ_rad = 222 nm. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 5, pp. 566–572, September–October, 2006.