Photocatalytic Degradation of 2,4-Dichlorophenol in Water Using MgAl Activated Hydrotalcites as Photocatalyst

2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is a persistent organic compound present in many water reservoirs for human consumption, generating a high risk for all species, especially for humans due to its toxicity. In this work, Mg/Al = 2, 3 and 4 layered double hydroxides activated at 450 degrees C are presented for the formation of photocatalysts formed by the mixture of MgO-MgAl2O4 oxides for the photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-DCP in aqueous solution in a UV irradiated reaction system. The results showed a good photocatalytic activity by achieving a complete degradation of 2,4-DCP up to mineralization. The high degradation capacity of 2,4-DCP is attributed to the presence of holes in these materials that promote the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH center dot) and superoxide radicals (O-2(center dot-)) in only 30 min of reaction time.