Semiconductor-Based Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59436/ijpsr.v2i2.18.3139-342XKeywords:
Semiconductor photocatalysts, Photocatalysis, Wastewater treatment, Titanium dioxide (TiO₂), Zinc oxide (ZnO), Nanomaterials, Advanced oxidation process (AOP), Water purification, Organic pollutant degradation, EnvironmentalAbstract
Pollution of water has become one of the most pressing environmental issues due to the increasing amount of industrial, agricultural, and household waste dumping. Conventional treatment methods are usually ineffective in treating toxic organic pollutants and new contaminants. Semiconductor photocatalysts have received great attention as a modern and environmentally friendly option of wastewater treatment because of their ability to transform harmful pollutants into non-toxic products utilizing light. Common semiconductor photocatalysts (TiO₂, ZnO, g-C₃N₄, WO₃) have excellent photocatalytic activity, chemical stability, and compatibility with the environment. These materials are able to generate electron-hole pairs under illumination causing the formation of reactive oxygen species that may degrade dyes, drugs, pesticides, and other organic pollutants in wastewater. The advances in nanotechnology, doping, and heterojunction engineering led to the enhancement of the performance of these photocatalysts with visible light. The current paper reviews the functioning, methods of production and characterization, application, advantages and disadvantages, and ways of enhancement of semiconductor photocatalysts.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mohd Rizwan, Prof. (Dr.) Sandhya Chaudhary (Author)
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