Reduction of chlorinated hydrocarbons with natural sunlight in a platinum-catalyzed water photolysis system

Natural sunlight was used effectively for exciting redox reactions in a water photolysis system. Platinum colloidal catalysts were used to catalyse the reaction of water with reduced methylviologen (also present in the system) producing hydrogen and hydroxyl ions. Chlorinated hydrocarbons such as the priority pollutants, trichloroethylene (TCE) and carbon tetrachloride, present in both natural and drinking waters, were similarly degraded in-situ to low molecular weight hydrocarbons such as methane, ethylene and ethane in the system.