The aim of this work was to examine photosensitized oxidation of 2-chlorophenol using solar light. Rose bengal, methylene blue and chlorin e6 were used as sensitizers. They were immobilized in the silane gel and used in the form of a thin film covering glass plates. In some lab-scale experiments xenon arc lamps were used as solar simulators. The influence of various experimental conditions (light intensity, the amount of sensitizer, oxygen concentration) on the rate of 2-chlorophenol degradation was investigated. The obtained results indicate a possibility of the application of solar radiation in the middle latitudes for wastewater treatment. The use of silane gel as a carrier for the sensitizer enables the pollutants elimination at a higher rate than in a homogenous system. The stability and durability of immobilized sensitizers were also studied. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.