Rapid and Complete Removal of Nonylphenol by Gold Nanoparticle/Rutile Titanium(IV) Oxide Plasmon Photocatalyst

Nonylphenol is a harmful endocrine disruptor, and the concentration in ambient water should be restricted below 0.1 mu M We show that visible light irradiation of gold nanoparticle (NP) loaded ruble TiO2 (Au/rutile TiO2) plasmon photocatalyst leads to rapid and complete removal of nonylphenol from its dilute aqueous solution with the degradation. Au/rutile TiO2 exhibits much higher visible-light activity than Au/anatase TiO2 and BiVO4. Based on the results of the adsorption and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopic measurements, we present a unique reaction scheme consisting of a series of events, the fast oxidative adsorption and concentration of nonylphenol on the Au NP surface, the successive efficient oxidation induced by the localized surface plasmon resonance excitation driven interfacial electron transfer from Au NP to rutile TiO2, and the regeneration of the adsorption sites by the surface transport of the intermediates from Au to TiO2.