Platinized WO 3 as an Environmental Photocatalyst that Generates OH Radicals under Visible Light

This study aims to understand the visible light photocatalytic activities of platinized WO3 (Pt/WO3) on the degradation of aquatic pollutants and the role of main photooxidants. The presence of Pt on WO3 is known to facilitate the multielectron reduction of O2, which enables O2 to serve as an electron acceptor despite the insufficient reduction potential of the conduction band electrons (in WO3) for the one-electron reduction of O2. The concurrent oxidative reactions occurring on WO3 were markedly enhanced in the presence of Pt and accompanied the production of OH radicals under visible light, which was confirmed by both a fluorescence method (using a chemical trap) and a spin trap method. The generation of OH…