Characterization of WO3 Nanostructures used in the degradation of Methylparaben

Abstract

The data were use to study the degradation of Methylparaben using WO3 Nanostructures. WO3 nanostructures were synthesized with different complexing agents (0.05 M H2O2 and 0.1 M citric acid) and annealing conditions (400 _C, 500 _C and 600 _C) to obtain optimal WO3 nanostructures to use them as a photoanode in the photoelectrochemical (PEC) degradation of an endocrine disruptor chemical. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was performed to provide information of the electronic states of the nanostructures. The crystallinity of the samples was observed by a confocal Raman laser microscope and X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, photoelectrochemical measurements (photostability, photoelectrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Mott–Schottky and water-splitting test) were also performed using a solar simulator with AM 1.5 conditions at 100 mW_cm-2. Once the optimal nanostructure was obtained, the PEC degradation of methylparaben was carried out. It was followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, which allowed to obtain the concentration of the contaminant during degradation and the identification of degradation intermediates.