Photocatalytic degradation of 4-n-nonylphenol under irradiation from solar simulator:: Comparison between BiVO4 and TiO2 photocatalysts

A toxic endocrine disruptor, 4-n-nonylphenol, was degraded using a well-known TiO2 and a visible-light-driven BiVO4 photocatalyst under irradiation from a solar simulator. The degradation rates for both BiVO4 and TiO2 are comparable in air-saturated solution though surface area of BiVO4 is much smaller than that of TiO2. This fact indicates that BiVO4 has a great ability to degrade alkylphenols in wastewater under solar light.