Photocatalytic removal of the insecticide fenitrothion from water sensitized with TiO2

The photocatalytic removal of the insecticide fenitrothion (IUPAC name: O,O-dimethyl O-4-nitro-m-tolyl phosphorothioate), C₉H₁₂NO₅PS, from water suspension of TiO₂, was investigated by following the disappearance of the original substance along with the formation and disappearance of intermediates via recording NMR (¹H and ³¹P) and UV spectra, as well as by pH measurements. Based on the obtained data, a possible reaction mechanism was proposed. It was found that ³¹P-NMR spectrometry can be successfully used to follow the kinetics of transforming organic into inorganic phosphorus in the course of the degradation (k_a=9.2×10⁻⁷ mol dm⁻³ min⁻¹, r=0.980 for the illumination period after 15 h). The rate of fenitrothion aromatic ring decomposition was followed by UV spectrometry during the illumination (k_a=3.1×10⁻⁶ mol dm⁻³ min⁻¹, r=0.989). The complete mineralization was attained after about 66 h of irradiation.