Abstract
Considerable interest has been shown in recent years towards utilizing $TiO_2$ particles as a photocatalyst in the degradation of harmful organic contaminants. In this study, photocatalytic degradation of diazinon which is extensively used as a pesticide in the agriculture field, has been investigated with UV-illuminated $TiO_2$ weight, UV wavelength, pH of the solution. Photodegradation rate increased with decreasing initial concentration of diazinon and with increasing pH of the solution. Photodegradation rate increased with increasing $TiO_2$ weight, but was nearly the same at $TiO_2$ weight of 1g/$\ell$, 2 g/$\ell$, i.e., for initial diazinon concentratin of 5 mg/$\ell$. UV wavelength affecting on the degradation rate of diazinon decreased in the order of 254 nm>312 nm> 365 nm. For $TiO_2$ weight of 1 g/$\ell$and initial diazinon concentration of 5 mg/$\ell$, the photodegradation removal of diazinon was 100% after 130 min in the case of 254 nm, but 95% in the case of 312 nm, and 84% in the case of 365nm, after 180 min. The photodegradation of diazinon followed a first order or a pseudo - first order reaction rate. For initial diazinon concentration of 5 mg/$\ell$, the rate constants(k) in UV and $TiO_2$(1 g/$\ell$)/UV system were $0.006 min^{-1} and 0.0252 min^{-1} at 254 nm, 0.0055 min^{-1} and 0.0104 min^{-1} at 312 nm, and 0.004 min^{-1}$ at 365 nm respectively.
