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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
Published on: October 5, 2019
Natural sunlight and sun simulator photolysis studies of tetra- to hexa-brominated diphenyl ethers in water using
Lucía Sánchez-Prado1, Marta Lores, Maria Llompart
1Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Química, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentario, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Avda. das Ciencias s/n, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Abstract:
Photo-solid-phase microextraction (photo-SPME) is combined for the first time with natural and simulated sunlight to study the photochemical behaviour of environmental concerning tetra- to hexa-brominated diphenyl ethers. The sunlight photodegradation kinetics of five brominated diphenyl ethers (BDE 47, BDE 100, BDE 99, BDE 154 and BDE 153) has been studied. These BDEs are the most abundant congeners in penta-BDE commercial formulations used as flame-retardants and are considered among the most toxic ones. The five studied BDEs were photolytically labile. The detected photodegradation products include more stable lower brominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDFs). The photoformation and decay kinetics of these photoproducts were also monitorized by photo-SPME. Aqueous photodegradation studies have also been carried out. In this case, SPME is only used as the extraction technique. Obtained results in the aqueous photodegradation experiments were compared with those obtained in photo-SPME experiments.

