Photolytic degradation of organic azo dye in aqueous solution using Xe-excimer lamp

The photodegradation of organic azo dye C.I. Food Yellow 4 (FY-4) in aqueous solution was achieved, without the addition of oxidants, by 172 nm vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation emitted from the planar Xe-excimer lamp. The degradation was mainly attributed to the impact of HO radicals produced by water absorbing VUV radiation. The dye decolorization followed pseudo-first order kinetics. The initial quantum yields of FY-4 decolorization in O2-saturated solution and N2-saturated solution were respectively 0.151 +/- 0.003 and 0.103 +/- 0.002. Dissolved oxygen in the solution contributed to the increase of the decolorization rate and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate while KCI added as HO radical scavenger decreased the efficiency of the decolorization and COD removal. It was found from the change of the UV-Vis spectra that the degradation of FY-4 was accompanied by both the cleavage of chromophoric group and the opening of aromatic ring. Major intermediates detected were aromatic compounds, some low molecular weight by-products and several organic acids and inorganic ions.