Degradation of Organic Compounds in Aqueous Media using Semiconductor Nanomaterials

Abstract

Today, environmental pollution stemming from organic pollutants poses a significant challenge. Various categories of organic compounds, including dyes, pharmaceuticals, aromatics, volatile organic compounds, and more, contribute to contamination of water, soil, and air. The presence of these organics in water not only harms aquatic life but also poses health risks to humans. Thus, it is imperative to eliminate these organic pollutants from the environment. Different methods, such as absorption, adsorption, filtration, biodegradation, chlorination, ozonation have been developed to remove organics from waste water. Photodegradation is one of the important methods to remove organic compounds from aqueous media. Different catalysts have been used by different researchers for photocatalytic degradation of organics. Uses of nanomaterials as photocatalysts have been seen to be a potential approach of remediation of toxic organic compounds from environment. In this approach heterogeneous catalysts using semiconductor nanomaterials have shown to be good photocatalysts. These catalysts have been discovered to exhibit greater efficacy in advanced oxidation processes for eliminating organic contaminants from wastewater. Way of improving photodegradation efficiencies was also discussed. Metal and non-metal doping to regular materials has been seen to be a good approach of enhancing degradation efficiencies of normal photocatalysts. This discussion delves into the sources of these organic compounds, their detrimental effects on the environment, and a comprehensive exploration of conventional degradation methods available for combating these compounds.