A photocatalytic reaction mechanism that involves multielectron reduction of molecular oxygen (O₂), as a key step, in photocatalytic decomposition of acetic acid by pristine bismuth tungstate (Bi₂WO₆; BWO) particles is proposed on the basis of results of studies on (i) comparison of photocatalytic activity trends of BWO, tungsten(VI) oxide and titanium(IV) oxide photocatalyst powders with or without platinum deposits in three photocatalytic reaction systems (oxidative decomposition of acetic acid in aerobic aqueous suspensions, methanol dehydrogenation in deaerated aqueous suspensions and O₂ liberation from deaerated silver salt solutions) and (ii) effects of morphology and structural properties of BWO particles on photocatalytic activities.

在对原始钨酸铋（Bi ₂ WO ₆ ; BWO）粒子进行光催化分解乙酸的过程中，提出了一种涉及分子氧（O ₂）多电子还原的光催化反应机理。 （i）在三个光催化反应系统中比较有或没有铂沉积物的BWO，氧化钨（VI）和氧化钛（IV）的光催化活性趋势（醋酸在好氧水悬浮液中的氧化分解，甲醇在脱气水溶液中的脱氢）悬架和O ₂ 从脱气的银盐溶液中释放出来）（ii）BWO颗粒的形态和结构性质对光催化活性的影响。