ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of preliminary investigations of anthracene photochemistry in the media as reported elsewhere. Anthracene has been chosen for initial studies of the aqueous and interfacial photochemistries of these common pollutants. The anthracene and subsequent photo-products were conveniently removed from solution by passing the aqueous sample through a reverse-phase solid-phase extraction filter. Due to analytical problems associated with the low solubility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in pure water, only limited information is available concerning the products resulting from their photolysis. The photolysis of anthracene in aqueous solutions leads to photooxidation products under both aerated and oxygen-deficient conditions. The photolysis under oxygen-deficient conditions provides support for the involvement of a Type I (electron-transfer) photooxidation mechanism for some PAHs in aqueous solutions. Diffuse scattering in heterogeneous systems can lead to enhanced photolysis rates, as compared to those rates observed in homogeneous solution.
