Photocatalytic and Photooxidation Degradation of Imidacloprid using UV Light with and without Hydrogen Peroxide, Nitric Acid, and Titanium Oxide and Environmental Applications

In recent years, there has been growing concern about the environmental impact of pesticides on ecosystems and human health. Imidacloprid is widely used pesticides that have been detected in water bodies and soil, raising alarm over their persistence and potential adverse effects. Photocatalytic and photooxidation degradation processes have shown promise as effective methods to break down these pesticide residues. In this study, we investigated the degradation of Imidacloprid using UV light, both independently and in combination with hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, and titanium oxide. Present research reveals that UV light (125W lamp) in combination with titanium oxide resulted in the degradation of Imidacloprid standard and field samples degraded in 5 hours. Following this, the degradation using nitric acid was observed, and Imidacloprid standard and field samples degraded similarly in 6 hours. Hydrogen peroxide treatment led to Imidacloprid standard degraded in 9 hours, and field samples degraded in 8 hours minutes under hydrogen peroxide treatment, while only UV treatment consumed 12 hours for both type of treatments. Furthermore, a GC-MS spectrometer study revealed that imidacloprid degraded under 250W UV treatment alone and in combination with hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, and titanium oxide, resulting in the formation of 6-chloronicotinic acid, desnitro-imidacloprid, hydroxy-imidacloprid, 2-chloronicotinic acid, imidacloprid-urea, oxalyl dichloride, quinone, nitroguanidine, and N-nitroso dimethylamine. The study demonstrates the efficacy of photocatalytic and photooxidation processes in the degradation of Imidacloprid. The results suggest that the combination of UV light with hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, and titanium oxide can significantly enhance the degradation of these pesticides, thereby reducing their environmental impact.