Defect-engineered graphitic carbon nitride on carbon cloth supports for the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of organophosphate pesticides

Abstract

The effective degradation of persistent aqueous pollutants, such as fenitrothion (FNT), a widely used organophosphate pesticide, represents a major urgency for the protection of human health and the environment. In this regard, this study is focused on the fabrication of green photoelectrocatalysts based on graphitic carbon nitride (gCN), capable of generating hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to trigger electro-Fenton processes for FNT degradation. In particular, electrophoretic deposition of gCN onto carbon cloth (CC) substrates was performed starting from gCN powders designed via thermal condensation of urea mixed with acetylacetone (AcAc). The resulting defect engineering promoted an improved gCN light harvesting capability and an enhanced separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The obtained supported materials featured an attractive electrochemical reactivity and operational stability, opening the door to their possible real-world end-use. The present work illustrates, as a proof-of-concept, the potential of gCN-based photoelectrocatalysts in water treatment technologies, offering a sustainable solution in a greener perspective to mitigate the environmental impact of hazardous pollutants.