Photodegradation of trichloroethylene in microheterogeneous aqueous systems

Hydrogen generated in situ from a water-splitting process was used to reduce trichloroethylene (TCE) to ethane in water. Two hundred and eighty-five μmol of TCE were reduced to less than 8.96 μmol within 12 hours of irradiation in a platinum catalyzed water-photolysis system. Zinc was added to the system to enhance the degradation rate. The degradation of 285 μmol TCE was completed within 2 and 5 hours with 2 and 1 g. of zinc added, respectively. The hydrogen molecule is not an effective reactive reagent for the degradation of TCE. By the addition of a catalyst such as platinum particle, the hydrogen molecule may be transformed into active hydrogen atoms or the metal bonded hydride form. The hydrogen atoms are then able to reduce TCE to hydrocarbons.