Photocatalytic degradation of organophosphate flame retardant TBEP: kinetics and identification of transformation products by orbitrap mass spectrometry

The photocatalytic degradation of tris (2–butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) flame retardant using visible light response catalysts TiO₂/V₂O₅, (N,F-doped)-TiO₂/V₂O₅, and N-doped-SrTiO₃ has been studied by high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry. TBEP degradation followed first-order kinetics with half-life values ranging between 9.8 and 83.5 min. N-doped-SrTiO₃ was the catalyst with better photocatalytic performance while activity for TiO₂/V₂O₅ composites followed the trend: N, F- TiO₂/V₂O₅ > N-TiO₂/V₂O₅> TiO₂/V₂O₅. The identified degradation products (DPs) revealed hydroxylation, further oxidation and dealkylation as major degradation pathways. Based on the identified DPs and scavenging experiments, ^?OH radical-mediated reactions can be considered for the degradation of TBEP using TiO₂ and SrTiO₃-based photocatalytic materials.