Experimental Study on Adsorption and Photocatalytic Decomposition of Isopropyl Methylphosphonofluoridate at Surface of TiO2 Photocatalyst

The adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of nerve agent, isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate, Sarin (GB) on powdery TiO2 film has been investigated using attenuated total reflection-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) in ambient atmosphere. Producing innocuous isopropyl methylphosphonic acid as a consequence of GB adsorption at the surface of TiO2 indicates that powdery TiO2 film is effective to hydrolyze GB. The adsorbed GB and IMPA were quickly decomposed by TiO2 photocatalysis to give isopropanol, acetone, formate, and methylphosphonic acid, and finally completely mineralized to phosphoric acid, water, and carbon dioxide. We also elucidated a plausible adsorption structure and photocatalytic decomposition mechanism of GB at the surface of TiO2 photocatalyst.