Photo-mineralization of noxious o-toluidine water pollutant by nano-ZnO : the role of the oxide synthetic route on the kinetic path

Highly toxic o-toluidine pollutant was degraded in water by using ZnO nanoparticles. The tested powders were both commercial and laboratory-made, the latter obtained by means of two innovative synthetic procedures. The disappearance and the relative mineralization of the molecule were followed by HPLC and TOC determinations, respectively. Intermediate products were identified by coupling HPLC/MS of the eluate and ATR-FTIR analyses of the used ZnO powders at the end of the reaction. Selected degradation paths can be suggested as a function of the different surface texture and bulk properties of the ZnO particles deriving from the specificity of the synthetic routes.