Abstract
The efficiency and reusability of photocatalysts are the dominant factors for their pragmatic use. The visible light induced semiconductor silver phosphate is a superior photocatalyst effective under visible light but its stability is still an undiscussed issue. To overcome this stability issue in this present manuscript, eco-friendly agro-waste extracted cellulose supported silver phosphate nanostructures have been designed for the first time through a simple chemical process. At first, silver phosphate nanostructures were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. Then, different weights of cellulose were added to the silver nitrate solution to form cellulose supported silver phosphate nanostructures. The photodegradation efficiency for each weight ratio was examined in which the photocatalyst Ag-8 nanostructures showed a high rate (0.024 min−1) for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) using a low intensity tungsten bulb. Real sample analysis has also been carried out using this photocatalyst for the degradation of industrial fertilizer effluents. The degradation rate of all the nanostructures was found to be high in comparison to pristine silver phosphate as well as the extracted bare cellulose. The photocatalytic activity is enhanced because of the participation of cellulose as a support which makes an interface for silver phosphate and assists it in delaying the charge recombination period under visible light. To understand the photochemical reaction of electrons and holes, scavenger studies were also performed.
Highlights
As industries have been a major source for the release of hazardous chemicals or effluents such as drugs, dyes, fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals, and nitro compounds and their derivatives, since the polluted water has become a major global issue for the modern society.[1]
Powder XRD patterns of the fruit bran and isolated cellulose are shown in Fig. S2† as reported in our previous work
The XRD results were in accordance with the reports of recent years which con rmed the phase purity of isolated cellulose.[48,49,50]
Summary
As industries have been a major source for the release of hazardous chemicals or effluents such as drugs, dyes, fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals, and nitro compounds and their derivatives, since the polluted water has become a major global issue for the modern society.[1] Contamination found today is mainly due to the inaccurate methods of waste disposal whether it may be medical, industrial or agricultural waste. There is an urgent need for researchers to nd new techniques for complete removal of the pollutants or to make them non-toxic to discharge them into the groundwater.[2] According to a survey, during manufacturing processes, 10–15% of environmental water gets polluted with dyes. Some dyes are highly stable and very difficult to degrade which can cause health hazards to humans, ora and fauna.[3] Over the last couple of decades, research on the multidisciplinary eld of semiconductor photocatalysts has grown tremendously due to their potential to solve
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
