Preparation characterization and application of photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants in water under visible light

Abstract

Population growth, urbanization, and industrialization continue to grow exponentially in tandem with a countryand#8223;s economic activity. The entire supply chain of economic activities includes extraction of natural resources, mining, production, consumption, and finally, waste accumulation and disposal. While waste minimization and recovery processes are a concern, disposal is also deemed of equal importance. This in turn has led to the identification of emerging contaminants. Traditional contaminants in the environment, for instance, dyes in textile wastewater and industrial chemicals, pesticides, veterinary products, etc., are known to exert acute toxicity and health hazards. Before discharging such contaminants, the water must first meet certain regulatory limits to ensure that the water quality is safe for the environment and human health. These limits are typically set based on the type and amount of contaminants in the water as well as the potential impact on the environment.As a result, efficient and cost-effective treatment methods for the complete mineralization of such organic pollutants in wastewater are required. Photocatalysis, an advanced oxidation process, is currently more advantageous than other conventional wastewater treatment methods due to its ability to degrade and completely mineralize non-degradable organic pollutants. This method relies on the oxidizing power of free radicals and high oxidation reactions. The catalyst is activated under UV/visible light, producing electrons and holes that are responsible for the degradation process. newline