[Photodegradation of paracetamol in carbonate solution]

The photodegradation of paracetamol in the solution of carbonate with comparably environmental concentration was studied through kinetics method. Experiments were carried out to compare the different photodegradation effects of paracetamol in the solution of carbonate radical and hydroxyl radical. The effects of such factors, pH, nitrate, humic matters, chloride sodium, calcium and magnesium were also analyzed. The products of the photodegradation were identified with GC/MS, and the degradation mechanism of paracetamol was discussed. The results indicate that, the scondary reaction rate constant (k(a)) between paracetamol and carbonate radical is 5.0 x 10(7) L (mol s)(-1), which is lower than that with hydroxyl radical [k(b) = 8.1 x 10(9) L (mol s)(-1)]. But in natural aqueous system, the stable concentration of carbonate radical is much higher than that of hydroxyl. Therefore, the effect of carbonate radical on paracetamol approximately equals to that of hydroxyl radical. The degradation rate of paracetamol increases when the system was changed with higher pH, adding of nitrate, chloride sodium, calcium and magnesium which increase the rigidity of the water, while decreases when the SRFA is present.