In order to compare their performance, a 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) solution was treated by heterogeneous photocatalysis in a small laboratory set-up irradiated with artificial light and in a solar Compound Parabolic Collectors pilot plant. DCP and TiO2 concentration were varied to check possible different behaviors. DCP removal and TOC mineralization were monitored and fitted to a semiempiric model. DCP degradation rates show similar values in both installations, if comparison is based on entering UV photon flux. However, lab installation mineralizes lower amounts of TOC for the same accumulated UV photons, probably due to the different radiation intensity supplied in each set-up. Finally, some actino-metric experiments to characterize the solar pilot plant are also presented, analyzing the collector and clouds effect. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.