Degradation Of Dye Wastewater Research Articles

Application of the synergistic Ti/SnO2–Sb–Cu anode and Ti/ZnO/CuO cathode in the electrochemical treatment of wastewater

The current research mostly focused on the single working electrode of anode for the treatment of wastewater. Therefore, a low-cost dual-electrode system using Ti/SnO2–Sb–Cu (TSSC) as the anode and Ti/ZnO/CuO (TZC) as the cathode was constructed for the synergistic treatment of methylene blue dye wastewater. Electrochemical analyses of the TSSC electrode show an ultra-high oxygen evolution potential of 2.2 V, the greater stability and the excellent corrosion resistance when compared with the traditional Ti/SnO2–Sb (TSS) electrodes. Hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are thought to be the main oxidants in the degradation process, the results show that the content of •OH of the TZC cathode is 57 % higher than that of ordinary inert electrode. Due to the synergistic effect of the two electrodes, the color of methylene blue can be quickly removed by 99 % in 20 min, and the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate can reach 79.5 %. The optimal operation conditions were a pH of 4, a current density of 20 mA cm−2 and an initial concentration of 50 mg L−1. Finally, the degradation pathway of MB was investigated using GC-MS technique and UV absorption spectroscopy. The results suggest that the large organic molecules are continuously cleaved to produce simple aromatic hydrocarbons, which are then destroyed to simple minor organic molecules, ultimately oxidized to CO2 and H2O. This investigation suggests a new idea for the design of an efficient and cost-effective double electrode for the electrocatalytic degradation of dye wastewater.

Preparation of Graphene Oxide/Titanium Dioxide Composite and Photocatalytic Degradation of Dye Wastewater: Also Research on Innovative Theory of Photocatalytic Degradation Technology

Preparation of Graphene Oxide/Titanium Dioxide Composite and Photocatalytic Degradation of Dye Wastewater: Also Research on Innovative Theory of Photocatalytic Degradation Technology

Synergistic molecular mechanism of degradation in dye wastewater by Rhodopseudomonas palustris intimately coupled carbon nanotube - Silver modified titanium dioxide photocatalytic composite with sodium alginate

The intimately coupled photocatalysis and biodegradation (ICPB), which combined the advantages of high oxidation capacity of photocatalysis and high mineralization rate of biodegradation, has demonstrated excellent removal performance in the degradation of azo dyes with highly toxic, refractory, mutagenic and carcinogenic. In order to explore the metagenomics mechanism of the ICPB system, a novel ICPB was prepared by coupling Rhodopseudomonas palustris (R. Palustris), carbon nanotube - silver modified titanium dioxide photocatalytic composite (CNT-Ag -TiO2, CAT) and sodium alginate (SA) (R. palustris/CAT@SA, R-CAT). Metagenomics sequencing was used to investigate the molecular mechanism of adaptation and degradation of dyes by photosynthetic microorganisms and the adaptive and synergistic interaction between photosynthetic microorganisms and photocatalyst. Experiments on the adaptability and degradability of photosynthetic microorganisms have proved that low concentration azo dyes could be utilized as carbon sources for growth of photosynthetic microorganisms. Metagenomics sequencing revealed that R. palustris was the main degrading bacterium in photosynthetic microorganisms and the functional genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, biological regulation and catalytic activity were abundant. It was found that the addition of photocatalyst significantly up-regulated the functional genes related to the catabolic process, electron transport, oxidoreductase activity and superoxide metabolism of organic matter in the photosynthetic microorganisms. Moreover, many key gene such as alpha-amylase, 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, aldehyde dehydrogenase enrichment in microbial basal metabolism, such as enoyl-CoA hydratase, malate dehydrogenase, glutathione S-transferase enrichment in degrading azo dyes and electron transport, and many key gene such as undecaprenyl-diphosphatase, carbon storage regulator, DNA ligase enrichment in response to dyes and photocatalysts were discovered. These findings would contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of degradation of dye wastewater by ICPB system, a series of genes was produced to adapt to environmental changes, and played synergistic role in terms of intermediate product degradation and electron transfer for degrading azo dyes. The photosynthetic microorganisms might be a promising microorganism for constructing ICPB system.

Preparation of SrFe12O19/SiO2/TiO2 Photocatalysts and Degradation of Methylene Blue and Petroleum Wastewater

AbstractThe synthesis and application of magnetic photocatalysts have become a critical topic in organic waste treatment. In this study, SrFe12O19 powder, SrFe12O19/SiO2 particles and SrFe12O19/SiO2/TiO2 photocatalysts were successfully produced using coprecipitation technique, Stöber process and solvothermal method, respectively. The degradation of methylene blue dye and simulated petroleum wastewater under simulated sunlight and ultraviolet light was used to assess the photocatalytic activity of the SrFe12O19/SiO2/TiO2 composites. Results showed the high photocatalytic performance of the produced SrFe12O19/SiO2/TiO2 photocatalysts with a 1 : 4 mass ratio of SrFe12O19 to TiO2 synthesized at 170 °C, whose surface has more hydroxyl groups as the active center. At 120 min of irradiation, the photodegradation rates of methylene blue and simulated petroleum wastewater were 83.94 % and 60.77 %, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the Fe12O19/SiO2/TiO2 with ferrite semiconductor/insulator/semiconductor structure was improved by the action of the magnetic field of SrFe12O19. The SrFe12O19/SiO2/TiO2 composite particles can be recycled easily under an external magnetic field and show good application prospects in organic wastewater degradation.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Dyes in Wastewater Using Solar Enhanced Nickel Oxide (NiO) Nanocatalysts Prepared by Chemical Methods.

This study examined the surface morphology and photocatalytic activity of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles prepared through a chemical method. The synthesized nanoparticle was characterized by using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Photocatalytic degradation of hazardous Eriochrome Black T (EBT) was carried out using the synthesized nanoparticle and the efficiency of the NiO used was determined. Highest degradation efficiency of 70% at 25mg loading was observed at 40min exposure time. The study concluded that the synthesized nanoparticles could be used in industrial wastewater treatment containing organic dyes.

Preparation of g-C3N4/Bismuth Iodide/Tourmaline Composites and Their Photodegradation Performance of Amaranthine

In this study, g-C3N4/BiOI/tourmaline composites were synthesized by loading BiOI and tourmaline on g-C3N4 nanofilms using g-C3N4, BiOI, and tourmaline as raw materials, aiming to optimize the photocatalytic degradation of amaranth red dye wastewater (AR). Single-factor experiments were conducted to optimize the degradation process. The findings indicate that a degradation rate of 95.88% can be achieved for AR within 150 min of light exposure, given a g-C3N4/BiOI/tourmaline dosage of 1 g/L, an initial pH level of 3 for the AR, and an initial AR concentration of 10 mg/L. Upon repeating the experiment for five cycles, the composite exhibited 83.10% activity, demonstrating its stability. Various analytical techniques were employed for material characterization: X-ray diffractometry (XRD) to ascertain the crystalline structure, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to evaluate morphology, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for elemental analysis, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) for optical properties, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to analyze the recombination of excited electrons and holes. Free radical masking experiments further elucidated the photocatalytic mechanism, revealing that the primary active species in the degradation process is the superoxide anion (O2−). This research offers a novel approach to address the limitations of n-type metal-free semiconductor photocatalysts.

Graphene Oxide Structure-Oriented NM88B/GO/SA Aerogel for Highly Efficient Degradation of Dye and Antibiotic Wastewater

Graphene Oxide Structure-Oriented NM88B/GO/SA Aerogel for Highly Efficient Degradation of Dye and Antibiotic Wastewater

Preparation of vermiculite/g-C3N4/TiO2 composites and their degradation of dye wastewater

The vermiculiteg/C3N4/TiO2 composites were prepared from melamine, TiO2 and vermiculite by gel- aerogel method.The structure, morphology, and optical properties of the catalysts were characterized and analyzed using XRD, SEM, UV–Vis DRS, PL, XPS, and N2 adsorption–desorption curves, which proved that the composites were successfully prepared. It was found that the best catalyst effect was achieved when the calcination temperature was 200 °C, the calcination time was 3 h, the TiO2 mass fraction was 35 wt%, and the amount of catalyst added was 75 mg. The degradation rate of methylene blue (MB) could reach 99.33 %.Composites are good at compensating for the variability of individual materials in various aspects, such as increasing their surface area, decreasing their carrier loading rate, improving their light energy utilization, and enhancing their resistance.And vermiculite /g-C3N4/TiO2 still has good degradation effect on MB after four times of recycling, which proves the reusability and stability of vermiculite/g-C3N4/TiO2 and provides an excellent idea for dye degradation.

Development and characterization of solar active Ag-ZnO/g-C3N4 as a highly efficient photocatalyst for the detoxification of organic pollutant

In today's biosphere, a major problem is water pollution caused by the discharge of effluents from dying industries, such as the printing and textile industries. In our current work, we have successfully fabricated photocatalytic bare and composite material 1%Ag-ZnO/6% g-C3N4 (Ag-ZnO/gCN), along with pristine ZnO and g-C3N4 (gCN), for the efficient degradation of dye wastewater. Structural investigations performed using FT–IR, XRD, FE–SEM/EDS, XPS, PL, EIS, and HR-TEM/EDS confirmed the structures of the pristine and composite photocatalysts. According to XPS studies, Ag exists in the metallic form. The photocatalytic performance of all the catalysts was evaluated by degrading methylene blue (MB) dye in an aqueous solution under direct sunlight illumination, and the most active composite catalyst was utilized for conducting dye degradation under visible light in the optimized experimental conditions. The effects of operating parameters, such as catalyst amount and initial pH, on MB degradation have been evaluated. Under solar irradiation, the photodegradation of MB dye over the Ag-ZnO/gCN composite catalyst was measured to be ≈ 100% in 50 min, and its degradation rate constant Kapp (0.1266 min–1) was higher than that of other pristine and composite catalysts. A Total Organic Carbon (TOC) study validated MB mineralization. Further experimental results corroborate the conclusion that superoxide radical anions (O2•–) play a pivotal role in this degradation process, with hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and photogenerated holes (h+) following suit insignificant. Moreover, after undergoing 5 consecutive cycles, the catalysts exhibited a remarkable photostability of 88%. A possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed for the improved photocatalytic activity.

Performance evaluation of direct Z-scheme based modified titania composite for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

Ceramic materials are widely used as a photocatalyst due to their low cost synthesis, photostability, suitable bandgap and excellent photodegradation properties. One such material is TiO2 however, it shows very low efficiency because it is only active in UV region (4 % of solar spectrum), have high holes-electrons recombination and low adsorption capacity. To address these limitations, highly active modified TiO2 based ceramic materials like Er2O3/TiO2, Molybdenum loaded TiO2 and TiO2/Er2O3 photocatalysts were synthesized by Sol-gel method. These synthesized photocatalysts were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy, UV–vis spectra, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The incorporation of Er2O3 into TiO2 and metal loading of molybdenum reduced the bandgap of TiO2 from 3.3 eV to 3.25 eV, 3.1 eV, and 3.09 eV for TiO2–Er2O3, Mo loaded TiO2 and Mo loaded TiO2–Er2O3, respectively. BET analysis revealed the enhancement of surface area by adding Er2O3 and Mo (from SBET = 39.9 m2/g to SBET = 67 m2/g) which is one of the crucial factors to increase the photocatalytic activity. The loading of molybdenum enhanced the immobilization of carriers that facilitated the photo-oxidation process and suppressed the electron-holes recombination (from 800 counts to 200 counts) as confirmed by the PL spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of these catalysts were evaluated by studying the photodegradation of Methylene blue (MB) under sunlight in standard conditions (1 sun, 1 atm). The synergistic effect of inclusion of Erbium Oxide and loading of molybdenum in titania-Erbium Oxide composite enhanced the photodegration efficiency from 13.2% to 75 %. The photocatalytic activities were in order of Mo@TiO2–Er2O3 > Mo@TiO2 > TiO2–Er2O3 > TiO2. These modifications also improved the conductivity of titania (σ = 4.43 × 10−4 Sm−1 to σ = 5.31 × 10−4 Sm−1) that was confirmed by Hall effect. These results supported the effectiveness of titania-modified composite for the degradation of industrial textile dye wastewater under sunlight and can be used for an optoelectronics applications.

Nanoscale Oxygenous Heterogeneity in FePC Glass for Highly Efficient and Reusable Catalytic Performance.

Metallic glass, with its unique disordered atomic structure and high density of low-coordination sites, is regarded as the most competitive new catalyst for environmental catalysis. However, the efficiency and stability of metallic glass catalysts are often affected by their atomic configuration. Thus, the design and regulation of the nanoscale structure of metallic glasses to improve their catalytic efficiency and stability remains a challenge. Herein, a non-noble component, Fe75 P15 C10 amorphous ribbon, is used as a precursor to fabricate a hierarchical gradient catalyst with nanoscale heterogeneous and oxygenous amorphous structure by simple annealing and acid-immersing. The resulting catalyst offers an ultrahigh catalytic ability of kSA• C0 = 3101mgm-2 min-1 and excellent reusability of 39 times without efficiency decay in dye wastewater degradation. Theoretical calculations indicate that the excellent catalytic performance of the catalyst can be attributed to its unique heterogeneous nanoglass structure, which induces oxygen atoms. Compared to the FePC structure, the FeP/FePCO structure exhibits strong charge transferability, and the energy barrier of the rate-determining steps of the conversion of S2 O8 2- to SO4 -• is reduced from 2.52 to 0.97eV. This study reveals that a heterogeneous nanoglass structure is a new strategy for obtaining high catalytic performance.

Peroxymonosulfate-based catalytic degradation of reactive dyes in real wastewater by Fe/N-codoped carbocatalysts loaded on carbon cloth

This study simulated actual dyeing wastewater in dyeing factories with three types of dyeing wastewaters from laboratory cotton fabric dyeing to investigate the effects of catalyst and oxidant peroxymonosulfate (PMS) concentrations, pH level, and temperature on dye degradation in wastewater and determine the optimal conditions for dyeing wastewater treatment accordingly. The results demonstrated that the optimal conditions varied with the reactive dyes. Specifically, the optimal oxidant PMS concentration for degrading Reactive Yellow and Reactive Blue was 0.6 g/L, and that for degrading Reactive Red was 0.4 g/L. The optimal pH level for degrading Reactive Red and Reactive Blue was around 7.0, and that for degrading Reactive Yellow was about 5.0. The activation energy of the degradation and the mineralization degree of the three dyes were also discussed. Reactive Blue showed greater activation energy (47.0 kJ/mol) and a higher mineralization degree (81% chemical oxygen demand removal) than the other two dyes under optimal disposal conditions. The Fe/N-codoped carbocatalyst loaded on carbon cloth exhibited desirable reusability and good stability for the degradation of the three dyes. Mechanisms involved in their degradation were analyzed through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, focusing on N species, Fe-N binding, and C=C and C–N active components in the Fe/N-codoped carbocatalyst. Electron paramagnetic resonance experiments demonstrated that both the radical and non-radical pathways were accountable for the degradation of the three dyes, primarily the non-radical pathway. This study may contribute to the application of activated PMS for practical dyeing wastewater treatment.

Photocatalytic research performance of zinc oxide/graphite phase carbon nitride catalyst and its application in environment

Abstract In this article, ZnO quantum dots (QDs)-g-C3N4 complexes were prepared by a combined sol–gel method and ultrasound-assisted chemical method, and ZnO-g-C3N4 composites with different doping ratios were also prepared for photocatalytic degradation of dye wastewater. The composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. The photocatalytic performance of the best ZnO QDs-g-C3N4 complexes with different g-C3N4 doping amounts was investigated, and the kinetics of their photocatalytic reactions were analyzed, and it was found that the best effect of ZnO-g-C3N4 10% could reach 89.08% and ZnO QDs-g-C3N4 could reach 91.53%. It was also demonstrated that ZnO-g-C3N4 10%, ZnO QDs-g-C3N4 cyclic stability is better, and the reaction mechanism of ZnO QDs-g-C3N4 was investigated. It can be used for the degradation of dyes in environmental wastewater and the removal of harmful substances from the natural environment.

Non-thermal plasma degradation of dye wastewater assisted by reverse osmosis process through interfacial mass transfer enhancement

A two-stage system of dye wastewater treatment was proposed, containing reverse osmosis (RO) process and non-thermal plasma (NTP) degradation. The dye wastewater was concentrated by reverse osmosis to enhance the mass transfer of organic dye from the falling film to the reaction interface, promoting dye removal and energy yield of the plasma degradation. The effects of the methylene blue concentration (100–500 mg·L-1), flow rate, and the discharge power of plasma (40–100 W) on the methylene blue removal and the energy yield of the NTP mode were investigated. At the removal of 45%, the energy yield of RONTP mode was 1198.0 mg·kWh−1, which was 2.36 times than NTP mode. 8 degradation intermediates were detected by LC-MS, which mass/charge ratio were in the range of 80–400. This investigation provides a guidance to improve the energy yield of dye wastewater by plasma through mass transfer enhancement.

Efficient degradation of dye wastewater by catalytic ozonation reactive ceramic membrane with facile spraying of nano Ti[sbnd]Mn oxides: A pilot scale attempt

The traditional treatments of dye wastewater exist obvious drawbacks of low efficiency but high energy consumption. To solve this problem, based on the concept of combining degradation and separation, an integrated process of TiMn oxides catalytic ozonation and ceramic membranes (CM) was proposed to degrade dye wastewater in this paper. Specifically, TiO2/MnO2 hybrid catalysts were loaded on the surface of CM with a spraying printing method to prepare a reactive ceramic membrane (TiO2/MnO2-CM). The degradation efficiency and permeate flux of the TiO2/MnO2-CM + O3 system on Rhodamine B (RhB) were investigated. The SEM results illustrated that the catalyst was successfully loaded on the surface of CM. Additionally, the degradation efficiency of RhB was 100 % in 40 min under the conditions of catalyst spray layers 12, ozone concentration 2.5 g/cm3, and initial concentration of RhB 20 mg/L, and the permeate flux of TiO2/γ-MnO2-CM was as high as 125.399 kg/ (m2·h). Supplementarily, the study revealed that TiO2/γ-MnO2-CM could increase the concentration of ozone in water and catalyze ozone to produce more hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and the concentration of dissolved ozone was 0.7545 mg/L, •OH 68.16 μmol/L respectively. Eventually, the catalytic ozonation TiO2/γ-MnO2-CM device was scaled up, which treated 96 L RhB with a degradation efficiency of 100 % in 50 min. The work gives a solid foundation and scientific value for the industrial application of reactive CM in water or wastewater treatment.

Photocatalytic fuel cell based on integrated silicon nanowire arrays/zinc oxide heterojunction anode for simultaneous wastewater treatment and electricity production

Photocatalytic fuel cells (PFCs) convert organic waste into electricity, thereby providing a potential solution for remediating environmental pollution and solving energy crises. Most PFCs for energy generation applications use powder photocatalysts, which have poor mechanical stability, high internal resistance, and may detach from the substrate during reactions, leading to unstable performance. Integrated photoelectrodes can overcome the drawbacks of powder catalysts. In this study, an integrated photoanode was prepared based on a silicon nanowire arrays/zinc oxide (Si NWs/ZnO) heterojunction by combining metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) and hydrothermal methods. The resulting photoanode was used to assemble a PFC for simultaneous electricity generation and Rhodamine (RhB) dye wastewater degradation. This PFC showed excellent cell performance under irradiation, with a short-circuit current density of 0.183 Am−2, an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 0.72 V, and a maximum power density of 0.87 W m−2. It could also be used continuously 20 times while degrading > 90% of RhB. This performance was ascribed to the three-dimensional (3D) structure and large surface area of Si NWs, as well as the matched band structure of ZnO, which facilitated the efficient separation and transport of photogenerated carriers in Si NWs/ZnO. The integrated structure also shortened the carrier transport pathways and suppressed carrier recombination. This research provides a foundation for the development of efficient, stable, low-cost, small-scale PFCs.

Preparation of TiO2-diatomite composites and photocatalytic degradation of dye wastewater

Preparation of TiO2-diatomite composites and photocatalytic degradation of dye wastewater

Enhanced pyro-/photo catalysis of the pyroelectric PZT/CdS heterostructure for dye decomposition driven by visible light and cold-hot cycles

Semiconductor heterojunction have received wide attention for their enhanced catalytic properties. In this paper, the PZT/CdS pyroelectric heterojunction prepared by hydrothermal method has remarkable pyro-/photo catalytic degradation performance and RhB can be almost completely degraded within 120 min. The pyro-/photo catalytic degradation of RhB by PZT/CdS was 99.25% under 20–55 °C and visible light irradiation, which was 1.5 times and 6 times that of PZT/CdS (64.72%) and PZT (16.35%) photocatalysis, respectively. The increase of decomposition rate is because the introduction of CdS not only expands the light response range of the material, but also improves the redox ability of the material. At the same time, CdS and PZT can also produce pyroelectric effect under temperature fluctuation. Double pyroelectric effect and heterojunction work together to further promote the separation of carriers. This study confirmed that PZT/CdS heterojunctions based on pyroelectric effect can achieve efficient pyro-/photo catalysis by using solar/thermal energy, which provides a reference in the field of catalytic degradation of dye wastewater by multiple energy sources.

Fabrication of durable self-cleaning photocatalytic coating with long-term effective natural light photocatalytic degradation performance

The practical application of photocatalytic coating has been greatly challenged in terms of its long-term effective natural light photocatalytic degradation due to its vulnerability and easy contamination caused by poor self-cleaning properties. In this work, photocatalytic coating with self-cleaning properties was prepared by spraying fluorinated dual-scale TiO2 on the inorganic lithium silicate adhesive, enabling excellent durability and long-term effective photocatalytic degradation performance under natural light. The coating exhibits superhydrophobic properties even after abrasion testing, acid and alkali immersion testing, and UV aging, laying a foundation for the practical use. Moreover, the coating can be applied to various substrates and its excellent self-cleaning properties make it resistant to particulate and liquid contamination that may occur in the environment. Besides, we evaluated the photocatalytic stability of the coating by subjecting it to acidic and alkaline environments and high pollution concentrations. Furthermore, benefiting from the synergistic effect of photocatalytic and self-cleaning properties, the coating achieves long-term effective photocatalytic degradation of dye wastewater under natural light, which still has a high removal rate of 95.8% for methylene blue even after 30 cycles of use. Meanwhile, due to the coating's excellent durability, the long-term quality loss rate of the coating still remained below 0.3%, which avoids the risk of secondary environmental pollution caused by nanoparticle leakage. Therefore, these excellent properties enable the coating to have a broad range of application prospects for the treatment of pollutants in water.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles by phycoerythrin extracted from Solieria tenuis as an efficient catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction and degradation of dyes in wastewater

Algal blooms and untreated wastewater will destroy the environment and ecosystem on which human beings depend. In this study, Solieria tenuis, a potential bloom in some regions of the sea in China, was used to mediate the composite of phycoerythrin (PE) and gold nanoparticles namely Au@PE NPs via a quick, easy, and effective manner. The physicochemical properties of Au@PE NPs were determined through UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–Vis), fluorescence spectroscopy (FP), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The composite materials with a fine morphology and size (average size of 16 nm) exhibited superior catalytic abilities for the conversion of 4-nitrophenol(4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP, k298K = 0.36 × 10−2 s) and the degradation of cationic dyes methylene blue (MB) and safranine O (SO) in wastewater. Additionally, the mechanisms of 4-NP's catalytic reduction and decolorization of dyes by Au@PE NPs were proposed. The results indicated that PE could not only act as capping and reducing agents but also enhance solubility and photocatalytic activity of the synthesized gold nanoparticles. The current study provides clear evidence of a potential economic solution for utilizing organisms that are harmful to the environment to develop novel bioconjugated composites with multiple functions for efficient pollutant removal and environmental remediation.