Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis
This review synthesized the current knowledge on the effect of TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts on the degradation of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) under visible light, highlighting the state-of-the-art techniques, main challenges, and proposed solutions for enhancing the perf...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| author | Alexandra Gabriela Stancu Maria Râpă Cristina Liana Popa Simona Ionela Donțu Ecaterina Matei Cristina Ileana Covaliu-Mirelă |
| author_facet | Alexandra Gabriela Stancu Maria Râpă Cristina Liana Popa Simona Ionela Donțu Ecaterina Matei Cristina Ileana Covaliu-Mirelă |
| author_sort | Alexandra Gabriela Stancu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This review synthesized the current knowledge on the effect of TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts on the degradation of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) under visible light, highlighting the state-of-the-art techniques, main challenges, and proposed solutions for enhancing the performance of the photocatalysis technique. The synthesis of TiO<sub>2</sub>-based photocatalysts and hybrid nanostructured TiO<sub>2</sub> materials, including those coupled with other semiconductor materials, is explored. Studies on TiO<sub>2</sub>-based photocatalysts for the degradation of MPs and NPs under visible light remain limited. The degradation behavior is influenced by the composition of the TiO<sub>2</sub> composites and the nature of different types of MPs/NPs. Polystyrene (PS) MPs demonstrated complete degradation under visible light photocatalysis in the presence of α-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanoflowers integrated into a TiO<sub>2</sub> film with a hierarchical structure. However, photocatalysis generally fails to achieve the full degradation of small plastic pollutants at the laboratory scale, and its overall effectiveness in breaking down MPs and NPs remains comparatively limited. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-104fb291877e46598d1e1c8a2f37bb86 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj-art-104fb291877e46598d1e1c8a2f37bb862025-08-20T03:36:41ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-07-013015318610.3390/molecules30153186Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light PhotocatalysisAlexandra Gabriela Stancu0Maria Râpă1Cristina Liana Popa2Simona Ionela Donțu3Ecaterina Matei4Cristina Ileana Covaliu-Mirelă5Biotechnical Systems Engineering Doctoral School, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, RomaniaNational Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Atomistilor 409, 077125 Magurele, RomaniaNational Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Atomistilor 409, 077125 Magurele, RomaniaFaculty of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, RomaniaThis review synthesized the current knowledge on the effect of TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts on the degradation of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) under visible light, highlighting the state-of-the-art techniques, main challenges, and proposed solutions for enhancing the performance of the photocatalysis technique. The synthesis of TiO<sub>2</sub>-based photocatalysts and hybrid nanostructured TiO<sub>2</sub> materials, including those coupled with other semiconductor materials, is explored. Studies on TiO<sub>2</sub>-based photocatalysts for the degradation of MPs and NPs under visible light remain limited. The degradation behavior is influenced by the composition of the TiO<sub>2</sub> composites and the nature of different types of MPs/NPs. Polystyrene (PS) MPs demonstrated complete degradation under visible light photocatalysis in the presence of α-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanoflowers integrated into a TiO<sub>2</sub> film with a hierarchical structure. However, photocatalysis generally fails to achieve the full degradation of small plastic pollutants at the laboratory scale, and its overall effectiveness in breaking down MPs and NPs remains comparatively limited.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/15/3186micro/nanoplasticTiO<sub>2</sub>visible light photocatalysisdegradationaquatic environment |
| spellingShingle | Alexandra Gabriela Stancu Maria Râpă Cristina Liana Popa Simona Ionela Donțu Ecaterina Matei Cristina Ileana Covaliu-Mirelă Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis Molecules micro/nanoplastic TiO<sub>2</sub> visible light photocatalysis degradation aquatic environment |
| title | Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis |
| title_full | Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis |
| title_fullStr | Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis |
| title_short | Degradation of Emerging Plastic Pollutants from Aquatic Environments Using TiO<sub>2</sub> and Their Composites in Visible Light Photocatalysis |
| title_sort | degradation of emerging plastic pollutants from aquatic environments using tio sub 2 sub and their composites in visible light photocatalysis |
| topic | micro/nanoplastic TiO<sub>2</sub> visible light photocatalysis degradation aquatic environment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/15/3186 |
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