Experimental setup for phenol depletion consisted of a 2 L capacity pyrex® glass reactor provided with a thermostatic jacked connected to a cooling system (Frigiterm Selecta, Spain), which kept constant temperature at 25 °C. Reactor was set with a magnetic stirrer and was provided with three UV 8 W lamps (Philips, Holland), emitting between a wavelength range of 350–400 nm, with a maximum wavelength peak in 365 nm and 6.2 ± 0.6 μEinstein s−1 of photon emission (black blue light). Lamps where immerged inside the reactor and protected with a silica glass tube to ensure a good homogeneity of irradiation. It was isolated of day light by an aluminum paper cover. The experimental system is described elsewhere [13].