Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A in aqueous media: A review

Bisphenol A (BPA) is known to be an emerging pollutant in various environmental compartments. Human exposure to BPA occurs widely because it is commonly used as the raw material in a variety of industrial processes (e.g., the preparation of epoxy and polycarbonate resins). In this review, a brief survey was carried out to cover a range of photocatalytic materials (e.g., titania, zinc, silver, carbon, and bismuth) and their modified forms as an effective means to treat water systems contaminated with BPA. The overall efficiency and limitations of these catalysts are described for the photocatalytic treatment of BPA.

Controlled synthesis of bimetallic Prussian blue analogues to activate peroxymonosulfate for efficient bisphenol A degradation

Developing high-effective catalysts with tailored composition and structure has attracted extensive attention. In this work, a serious of shape-specific Fe/Co Prussian blue analogs (PBAs), including concave, core-shell and polygonal cubes were prepared by the one-step hydrothermal reaction, which were altered by adjusting the ratio of Fe/Co in the initial reaction system. The catalytic performance toward bisphenol A (BPA) degradation was significantly affected by the ultimate structure and Fe/Co composition. Benefiting from appropriate elemental proportions, unique elemental distribution (rich Co in the core and rich Fe in the shell) and high specific surface areas, the core-shell PBAs (CSPs) exhibits significantly higher peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation performance toward bisphenol A (BPA) degradation (96 % of removal efficiency within 2 min). The stability of the CSPs catalyst test further indicates that the Fe shell can effectively protect and inhibit the leaching of cobalt ions. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and radical quenching experiments measurement exhibited that both SO₄^- and OH are the main active species in the degradation process. Our work expanded new ideas of designing novel PBAs with controllable shape and specific core-shell composition with excellent catalytic performance.

One-pot fabrication of sludge-derived magnetic Fe,N-codoped carbon catalysts for peroxymonosulfate-induced elimination of phenolic contaminants

The use of waste sludge as a precursor of catalysts for environmental applications has been encouraged during the past few years. In this study, a series of magnetic Fe,N-codoped carbon catalysts (UBC-x) were successfully prepared by a facile one-pot pyrolysis method using Fe-rich sludge and N-rich urea as the raw materials. By carefully controlling the mass ratio of urea/dry sludge (x = 0-3), a significant amount of N (1-10 mass%) were incorporated, and the UBC-x catalysts, especially UBC-0.5 and UBC-0.75, could be imparted with high catalytic activity, convenient magnetic separation and high recycle stability. Phenolic contaminants like phenol and bisphenol A (BPA) could be nearly completely removed through peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-induced degradation by using UBC-x as the catalysts under a wide pH range (2-11) and with the co-existence of water constituents (chloride Cl^- and sodium humate NaH, 0-50 mM). Among the several reactive oxidative species (ROS), singlet oxygen (¹O₂) was deemed as the main reactive species responsible for BPA degradation. Both Fe and N active sites contributed to the high catalytic activity of UBC-x, and their coordination made the catalysts rather stable with no significant Fe leaching under a wide pH range. Therefore, after an easy magnetic separation, the UBC-x could be recycled and reused efficiently in another BPA removal cycle. The as-synthesized magnetic Fe,N-codoped carbon catalysts provided a new route for sludge reutilization and showed potential applications in wastewater treatment.

Green synthesis of SrO bridged LaFeO3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites for CO2 conversion and bisphenol A degradation with new insights into mechanism

Very recently the green synthesis routes of nanomaterials have attracted massive attention as it overcome the sustainability concerns of conventional synthesis approaches. With this heed, in this novel research work we have synthesized the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets based nanocomposites by utilizing Eriobotrya japonica as mediator and stabilizer agent. Our designed bio-caped and green g-C₃N₄ nanosheets based nanocomposites have abundant organic functional groups, activated surface and strong adsorption capability which are very favorable for conversion CO₂ into useful products and bisphenol A degradation. Beneficial to further upgrade the performances of g-C₃N₄ nanosheets, the resulting pristine g-C₃N₄ nanosheets are coupled with LaFeO₃ nanosheets via SrO bridge. Based on our experimental results such as TEM, XRD, DRS, TPD, TGA, PL, PEC and FS spectra linked with OH amount it is confirmed that the biologically mediated green g-C₃N₄ nanosheets are eco-friendly, highly efficient and stable. Furthermore, the coupling of LaFeO₃ nanosheets enlarged the surface area, enhanced the charge separation, while the insertion of SrO bridge worked as facilitator for electron transportation and photo-electron modulation. In contrast to pristine green g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (GCN), the activities of final resulting sample 6LFOS-(4SrO)-GCN are improved by 8.0 times for CO₂ conversion (CH₄ = 4.2, CO = 9.2 μmol g^-1 h^-1) and 2.5-fold for bisphenol A degradation (88%) respectively. More specifically, our current research work will open a new gateway to design cost effective, eco-friendly and biological inspired green nanomaterials for CO₂ conversion and organic pollutants degradation which will further support the net zero carbon emission manifesto and the optimization of carbon neutrality level.

Construction of ZnO/Zn3In2S6/Pt with integrated S-scheme/Schottky heterojunctions for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and bisphenol a degradation

Photocatalytic water splitting has been identified as a promising solution to tackle the current environmental and energy crisis in the world. However, the challenge of this green technology is the inefficient separation and utilization of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in photocatalysts. To overcome this challenge in one system, a ternary ZnO/Zn₃In₂S₆/Pt material was prepared as a photocatalyst using a stepwise hydrothermal process and in-situ photoreduction deposition. The integrated S-scheme/Schottky heterojunction in the constructed ZnO/Zn₃In₂S₆/Pt photocatalyst enabled it to exhibit efficient photoexcited charge separation/transfer. The evolved H₂ reached up to 3.5 mmol g^-1h^-1. Meanwhile, the ternary composite possessed a high cyclic stability against photo-corrosion under irradiation. Practically, the ZnO/Zn₃In₂S₆/Pt photocatalyst also showed great potential for H₂ evolution while simultaneously degrading organic contaminants like bisphenol A. It is hoped in this work that the incorporation of Schottky junctions and S-scheme heterostructures in the construction of photocatalysts would lead to accelerated electron transfer and high photoinduced electron-hole pair separation, respectively, to synergistically enhance the performance of photocatalysts.

Laccase-coupled photoelectrocatalytic system for highly efficient degradation of bisphenol A

In the present work, a hybrid advanced oxidation process that combined laccase with photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) was explored for highly efficient degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). Visible light-responsive BiVO₄ film electrode with good optical and photoelectrochemical properties was prepared via an electrodeposition method and employed as photoanode for PEC degradation of BPA. After laccase was facilely introduced into the PEC system, the BPA removal efficiency was significantly promoted, attributed to the synergistic effect of enzymatic catalysis and PEC processes. To obtain the optimum operation conditions, the effects of initial pH and applied bias potential were investigated systematically. Radicals trapping experiments revealed that •O₂^- dominated the biophotoelectrocatalytic degradation process, and the possible degradation pathway for BPA was proposed by identifying intermediates using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Development of Free-Standing Titanium Dioxide Hollow Nanofibers Photocatalyst with Enhanced Recyclability

Titanium dioxide hollow nanofibers (THN) are excellent photocatalysts for the photodegradation of Bisphenol A (BPA) due to their extensive surface area and good optical properties. A template synthesis technique is typically employed to produce titanium dioxide hollow nanofibers. This process, however, involves a calcination procedure at high temperatures that yields powder-form photocatalysts that require post-recovery treatment before recycling. Meanwhile, the immobilization of photocatalysts on/into a membrane has been reported to reduce the active surface area. Novel free-standing TiO2 hollow nanofibers were developed to overcome those shortcomings. The free-standing photocatalyst containing 0.75 g of THN (FS-THN-75) exhibited good adherence and connectivity between the nanofibers. The recyclability of FS-THN-75 outperformed the THN calcined at 600 °C (THN-600), which retained 80% of its original weight while maintaining excellent degradation performance. This study recommends the potential application of free-standing TiO2 hollow nanofibers as high potential novel photocatalysts for the treatment of BPA in wastewater.

Trimetallic MOF-derived Fe-Mn-Sn oxide heterostructure enabling exceptional catalytic degradation of organic pollutants

Developing efficient and environmentally benign heterogeneous catalysts that activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of persistent organic contaminants remains a challenge. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived metal oxide catalysts in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have received considerable attention research fraternity. Herein, we report an innovative magnetic trimetallic MOF-derived Fe-Mn-Sn oxide heterostructure (FeMnO@Sn) with adjustable morphology, size and Sn content, prepared through an impregnation-calcination strategy. The formation of a novel magnetic Fe2O3/Fe3O4/Mn3O4 heterostructure induces the generation of abundant Fe2+ and Mn2+ sites on the FeMnO@Sn surface. Meanwhile, the introduction of SnO2 into the Fe2O3/Fe3O4/Mn3O4 heterostructure facilitates the cleavage of the OO bond in adsorbed PMS. The synergy among the different functionalities of each metal oxide plays a vital role in the swift and effective degradation of pollutants. In addition, the uniquely designed catalyst exhibits magnetic properties that facilitate easy recycling and repeated use, thereby meeting environmental protection requirements. Overall, this research highlights the design of heterogeneous catalysts for the effective activation of PMS and provides valuable insights for the advancement of future environmental catalysts.