[Study on the degradation of atrazine in photo-Fenton-like system under visible light irradiation promoted by N-doped Ta2O5].

In this study, N-doped Ta2O5 samples which have strong absorption in visible domain, were prepared by the nitridation of Ta2O5 under NH4 flow and then added into photo-Fenton-like system to enhance Fe3+ reduction and atrazine degradation under visible light irradiation. The sample prepared at 700 degrees C under a NH3 flow rate of 0.3 L x min(-1) for 6 h showed the highest level of photocatalytic activity for Fe3+ reduction. The influence of various operational parameters such as the light intensity, input of N-doped Ta2O5, pH and initial concentrations of Fe3+, H2O2 and atrazine were investigated. And the changesof H2O2 during the degradation were measured to explain the effect of the operational parameters. The degradation ratio of atrazine reached 97% after 60 min irradiation by 500 W Xe lamp under the conditions of pH = 2.6, [atrazine]0 = 18 mg x L(-1), [H2O2]0 = 2.5 mmol x L(-1), [Fe3+]0 = 0.5 mmol x L(-1) and the input of N-doped Ta2O5 = 0.6 g x L(-1).