We report here on the degradation of diphenylmercury and monophenylmercury chloride in air-equilibrated aqueous solutions by heterogeneous photocatalysis over alpha-Fe2O3. Photocatalysis proceeded via sequential de-phenylation leaving inorganic mercury. GC-MS analysis of the products revealed that photocatalytic degradation involved hydroxylation of the phenyl rings. Mechanistic features and photocatalytic activity were also studied and are reported upon.