Photocatalytic Degradation of Emerging Contaminants in Water

Abstract

Development of effective treatment methods is urgently needed due to the growing environmental concern about water pollution caused by emerging pollutants. This study investigates the photocatalytic elimination of contaminants using TiO₂ and ZnO light, namely UV and visible light. The experimental results indicate that TiO₂ had the highest degradation efficiency (85.2% under UV light) at optimal conditions (pH 7, 250 W light intensity, and 0.5 g/L catalyst concentration). A pseudo-first-order response was seen in the degradation kinetics, indicating the efficacy of photocatalysis in eliminating contaminants. Reactive oxygen species, which mineralised contaminants into innocuous byproducts, were produced as the primary degradation mechanism. A comparison with more conventional water treatment methods revealed that photocatalysis is more ecologically friendly since it generates far less secondary waste. But there are still problems, including how to recover catalysts and make it work on a wide scale. The efficiency of photocatalysts should be improved in future studies by incorporating solar energy, optimising reactor design, and doping. The goal of this study is to promote better water sources and environmental sustainability. It focusses on photocatalysis as a possible long-term way to clean water.