Composites for Aqueous-Mediated Heterogeneously Catalyzed Degradation and Mineralization of Water Pollutants on TiO2—A Review

Abstract

Wastewater incorporates a wide range of organic toxins, which have an adverse impact on the health of humans and other living things. In recent years, nanotechnology has promoted effective strategies for the photodegradation of industrial organic toxins and tenacious medical contaminants present in wastewater. Advanced composites based on photocatalysts can provide promising solutions for environmental cleanup without generating hazardous byproducts, because they promote the complete oxidation of contaminants. This survey article recaps the essentials of heterogeneous catalysis. Among the major players in heterogeneous catalysis, the metal oxide catalyst (e.g., TiO2) groups cover photocatalysis of water toxins such as dyes, harmful organic molecules, and pharmaceutical contamination. The reasons for the proposal of TiO2 as an active filler for heterogeneous photocatalysts include its superior surface area, significant activity for distinct oxidation and reduction reactions at low temperatures and pressures, effective interaction with metal supports, and chemical stability. Because of the aforementioned features, heterogeneous TiO2 catalysts have a lot of potential in photocatalyst applications, and they can be improved even further by doping them with anionic or cationic dopants.