Oxidation Of Organic Pollutants Research Articles

Boosting highly effective photocatalytic activity through g-C3N4 coupled Al doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles: Maximizing dye degradation kinetics

Photocatalysts have gotten much attention because of the growing need to protect the environment, and metal-doped zinc ferrite heterojunctions are an exciting system to look into. The current study involves synthesizing aluminum-doped zinc ferrite (Al@ZF) nanoparticles (NPs) and nanocomposites of Al@ZF with S@g-C3N4 via a hydrothermal method and then evaluating their photocatalytic activity. Al@ZF NPs were prepared by varying the percentage of aluminum (0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 wt %). Photocatalytic measurements were carried out employing methylene blue (MB) as the model dye. The Al@ZF NPs with 1 % concentration showed the best photocatalytic capability among all of them. Correspondingly, the S@g-C3N4/Al@ZF nanocomposites (NCs) were made by varying the percentage of S@g-C3N4 (10, 30, 50 and 70 wt %) with the 1 % Al@ZF NPs. Then, photocatalytic working measurements of the S@g-C3N4/Al@ZF NCs proved that the 50 % S@g-C3N4/Al@ZF NC showed the highest photocatalytic activity and completely degraded MB within 150 min of light irradiation. To verify the morphological structure of these artificial nanoparticles and nanocomposites, several analytical techniques including XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, FTIR, and XPS were used. The produced photocatalyst's quick degradation kinetics and simplicity in separation may provide new opportunities for the oxidation of persistent organic pollutants. To our best knowledge, no prior report has been made on the synthesized nanocomposite. The proposed modification of Al@ZF using 50 % S@g-C3N4 is effective, less expensive, non-toxic, and highly efficient for scalable wastewater treatment applications.

Oxygen vacancy-induced nonradical degradation of nitroso-containing organics in Fe3O4@N[sbnd]C electro-Fenton reaction at a wide pH range

In this work, Fe3O4-anchored nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst (Fe3O4@N–C) with abundant oxygen vacancies (Vo) and mesoporous structure was successfully synthesized for electro-Fenton (EF) catalytic process. The catalyst demonstrated impressive degradation efficiency towards nitroso-containing organics due to the superior electronic transfer of N–C skeleton and Vo, making it easier for the electron-deficient –NO2 groups to adsorb on the catalyst surface and oxidize rapidly. Typically, the degradation efficiency of p-nitrophenol (PNP) reached 95.6 % in natural pH. Notably, the catalyst exhibited excellent performance over a wide pH range (3 ∼ 11), and has strong anti-interference performance against anions and natural organic matter in water matrix. Mechanism analysis indicated that Vo could promote the formation of highly active electron-rich Fe(II) species, and promote the activation of H2O2 and O2 as additional active sites, thus, a large amount of ·OH and O2·- would be produced and then quickly converted into 1O2. As a result, 1O2 is the main reactive species for PNP degradation in Fe3O4@N–C electro-Fenton reaction. The results will provide insights into the design of high-performance catalysts for the selective oxidation of organic pollutants in wastewater.

Fluorescence visualization of CO2-responsive phase transfer materials targeting at the heterogeneous interfacial reactions in advanced oxidation of naphthenic acid in wastewater

Treatment of naphthenic acids (NAs) in wastewater is necessary due to its high toxicity and difficult degradation. In the heterogeneous Fenton-like advanced oxidation of organic pollutant system, the insufficient accessibility of oxidizing agent and NAs greatly hamper the reaction efficiency. CO2-responsive phase transfer materials derived from polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based deep eutectic solvents were specific targeted at the immiscible-binary phase system. The NAs oxidative degradation process was optimized including the kinds of catalyst (Molecular weight of PEG, constitute of DESs, and dosage.), temperature, flow rate of CO2, et al. With the help of fluorescence properties of catalyst, the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interaction was visual-monitored and further studied. The amphipathic property of PEG-200/Sodium persulfate/Polyether amine 230 (PEA230) greatly reduced the aqueous/organic phase transfer barrier between sodium persulfate and NAs (up to 84 %), thus accreting oxidation rate. The surface tension decreased from 35.364 mN/m to 28.595 mN/m. To control the reaction rate, the CO2 respond structure of amido played an important role. In addition, the interfacial transfer intermediates and oxidation pathways were also explored by nuclear magnetic resonance, flourier transform infrared spectroscopy, surface tension, and radical inhibition experiments. The mechanism of advanced oxidation of NAs catalyzed by CO2-responsive phase transfer catalyst was proposed, which would made up for the deficiency of the system theory of heterogeneous chemical oxidation of organic pollutants.

Dual single atomic Fe-Ni sites in N‑doped nanoporous carbon for high-efficiency potassium periodate activation toward pollutant abatement

Diatomic catalysts (DACs) with atomically isolated metal pairs hold the potential for activating potassium periodate (PI) in sustainable pollution control, yet their synthesis poses a significant challenge. In this study, Fe/Ni species anchored to a nitrogen-doped carbon as diatomic catalysts (FeNi-NC DAC) were precisely synthesized by direct carbonization of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) assembled by Fe/Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles and used for the effective decomposition of organic pollutants through PI activation. As anticipated, FeNi-NC exhibited superior catalytic properties due to the abundance of adjacent bimetallic active sites (Fe/Ni-Nx), rich doped nitrogen, high specific surface area, and electron transport conductivity, surpassing single-atom Fe-NC and Ni-NC, as well as nonmetallic NC catalysts. Free radical quenching, electron paramagnetic resonance, and electrochemical experiments have shown that the FeNi-NC/PI system can oxidize organic compounds through non-free radical oxidation pathways, including singlet oxygen (1O2) oxidation and mediated electron transfer processes. Electron transfer mediated by FeNi-NC/PI* complexes is the primary mechanism for organic oxidation. Additionally, the FeNi-NC catalyst demonstrated remarkable stability in both inorganic-containing and real water samples, as well as in continuous-flow microreactors. This study introduces a novel approach for designing highly efficient DACs and offers fundamental insights into the mechanism of PI-activated oxidation of organic pollutants.

PH-modulated oxidation of organic pollutants for water decontamination: A deep insight into reactivity and oxidation pathway

Solution pH is one of the primary factors affecting the efficiency of water decontamination. Although the influence of pH on oxidants activation, catalyst activity, and reactive oxygen species have been widely explored, there is still a scarcity of systemic studies on the changes in the oxidation behavior of organic pollutants at different pH levels. Herein, we report the influence laws of pH on the forms, reactivities, active sites, degradation pathways, and products toxicities of organic pollutants. Changes in pH cause the protonation or deprotonation of organic pollutants and further affect their forms and chemistry (e.g., electrostatic force, hydrophobicity, and oxidation potential). The oxidation potential of organic pollutants follows the order: protonated form > pristine form > deprotonated form. Moreover, protonation or deprotonation can modify the active sites and degradation pathways of organic pollutants, wherein deprotonation renders them more susceptible to electrophilic attack, while protonation reduces their activity against electrophilic and nucleophilic attacks. Additionally, pH adjustments can modify the degradation pathway and the toxicity of transformation products. Overall, pH changes can affect the oxidation fate of organic pollutants by altering their structure, which distinguishes it from the effect of pH on oxidants or oxidant activation processes.

Electrochemical oxidation (biomass) and degradation of organic pollutant through a microbial fuel cell to produce electricity

Electrochemical oxidation (biomass) and degradation of organic pollutant through a microbial fuel cell to produce electricity

The Piezocatalytic Degradation of Sulfadiazine by Lanthanum-Doped Barium Titanate.

Piezocatalysis, a heterogeneous catalytic technique, leverages the periodic electric field changes generated by piezoelectric materials under external forces to drive carriers for the advanced oxidation of organic pollutants. Antibiotics, as emerging trace organic pollutants in water sources, pose a potential threat to animals and drinking water safety. Thus, piezoelectric catalysis can be used to degrade trace organic pollutants in water. In this work, BaTiO3 and La-doped BaTiO3 were synthesized using an improved sol-gel-hydrothermal method and used as piezocatalytic materials to degrade sulfadiazine (SDZ) with ultrasound activation. High-crystallinity products with nano cubic and spherical morphologies were successfully synthesized. An initial concentration of SDZ ranging from 1 to 10 mg/L, a catalysis dosage range from 1 to 2.5 mg/mL, pH, and the background ions in the water were considered as influencing factors and tested. The reaction rate constant was 0.0378 min-1 under the optimum working conditions, and the degradation efficiency achieved was 89.06% in 60 min. La-doped BaTiO3 had a better degradation efficiency, at 14.98% on average, compared to undoped BaTiO3. Further investigations into scavengers revealed a partially piezocatalytic process for the degradation of SDZ. In summary, our work provides an idea for green environmental protection in dealing with new types of environmental pollution.

Efficient activation of periodate using MnFe2O4/BC composite for removal of organic contaminants: Performance and mechanism

The periodate (PI)-based advanced oxidation process (AOP) is an economical and energy-saving method for remediating water by degrading pollutants. An efficient system for PI activation was developed by loading manganese ferrite spinel (MnFe2O4) on biochar (BC) through a facile method, affording a metal-oxide MnFe2O4/BC composite catalyst. The developed system demonstrated significant effectiveness in eliminating various organic pollutants, particularly achieving high removal (5.26 and 2.83 times that of biochar and MnFe2O4, respectively) and mineralization (49.7 %) of the model pollutant tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) within 30 min. The system exhibited outstanding catalytic performance under various environmental conditions (pH, inorganic salts, humic acid, and real water bodies), as evidenced by quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies, proving that superoxide radicals (O2•-) are the main reactive species for TC degradation in the reaction system, in addition to singlet oxygen (1O2), iodyl radicals (IO3•) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Potential pathways for TC degradation in this system were revealed based on density functional theory (DFT) and the ecological toxicity of the intermediates was analyzed through quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) assessment. Analysis of the magnetic hysteresis and cycling stability demonstrated that the composites were stable and could be recycled by applying a magnetic field. This work opens a new pathway for designing efficient PI activators for the selective oxidation of organic pollutants and highlights the potential application of this system in practical wastewater treatment.

In situ growth of iron incorporated Ni3S2 nanosheet on nickel foam in mediating electron transfer to peroxymonosulfate for pollutant abatement

Catalytic oxidation of organic pollutants is a well-known and effective technique for pollutant abatement. Unfortunately, this method is significantly hindered in practical applications by the low efficiency and difficult recovery of the catalysts in a powdery form. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) framework of Fe-incorporated Ni3S2 nanosheets in-situ grown on Ni foam (Fe-Ni3S2@NF) was fabricated by a facile two-step hydrothermal process and applied to trigger peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidation of organic compounds in water. A homogeneous growth environment enabled the uniform and scalable growth of Fe-Ni3S2 nanosheets on the Ni foam. Fe-Ni3S2@NF possessed outstanding activity and durability in activating PMS, as it effectively facilitated electron transfer from organic pollutants to PMS. Fe-Ni3S2@NF initially supplied electrons to PMS, causing the catalyst to undergo oxidation, and subsequently accepted electrons from organic compounds, returning to its initial state. The introduction of Fe into the Ni3S2 lattice enhanced electrical conductivity, promoting mediated electron transfer between PMS and organic compounds. The 3D conductive Ni foam provided an ideal platform for the nucleation and growth of Fe-Ni3S2, accelerating pollutant abatement due to its porous structure and high conductivity. Furthermore, its monolithic nature simplified the catalyst recycling process. A continuous flow packed-bed reactor by encapsulating Fe-Ni3S2@NF catalyst achieved complete pollutant abatement with continuous operation for 240 h, highlighting its immense potential for practical environmental remediation. This study presents a facile synthesis method for creating a novel type of monolithic catalyst with high activity and durability for decontamination through Fenton-like processes.

Application of SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO solid superacid materials in cyclic compounds from wastewater: Performance and mechanism

In wastewater treatment, the degradation of refractory cyclic compounds by catalytic ozonation using sulfated solid superacid has not been thoroughly investigated. The doped S element alters the electronic activity and drives the ozone oxidation of recalcitrant organic pollutants, potentially leading to an increase in catalytic efficiency. This study aimed to develop a novel iron-copper sulfate (SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO) solid superacid composite to strengthen catalytic reactions. According to the characterization results, the embedding of SO42– enhanced the electron transfer inside the material, leading to more Lewis acid sites, which facilitated the catalytic decomposition of O3. The catalytic degradation and reaction kinetics experiments on quinoline verified the superior catalytic performance of the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO system compared to other systems. Fluorescence, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, and EPR experiments demonstrated that the hydroxyl radicals (OH), superoxide radicals (O2−), and singlet oxygen (1O2) were generated in the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO system, and their presence accelerated the redox cycling of Fe(III)/Fe(II) and Cu(II)/Cu(I). In addition, the possible degradation pathways of quinoline were verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the toxicity of intermediates was assessed by quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. Finally, the applicability of the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO catalytic system in bio-treated coking wastewater (BTCW) was validated. GC–MS experiments further confirmed that it was mainly the cyclic compounds that contributed to the removal rate during the catalytic process. In summary, this study demonstrated the significant potential of the SO42–/Fe2O3-CuO catalytic system in degrading refractory cyclic compounds, providing valuable technical support for the field of wastewater treatment.

Mathematical modeling of the anodic oxidation of organic pollutants: a review

Mathematical modeling of the anodic oxidation of organic pollutants: a review

Mechanical agitation and ultrasound constructed in situ Fenton system: The role of atomic hydrogen for Fe(III) reduction

It has been reported that the ultrasonic agitation coupled system (US/A) has higher oxidation efficiency than the pure ultrasonic system (US), and the atomic hydrogen (H) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) produced by H2O cracking and in situ hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can be significantly detected. In order to utilize the residual H2O2 and explore the role and fate of H, US/A/Fe(III) as an in situ Fenton oxidation system, was constructed in this study. The experimental results proved that the system can generate H2O2in situ, and adding Fe(III) could significantly promote the oxidation of refractory organic pollutants. Quenching tests, probes experiments and EPR test were performed to successfully monitor the existence of OH. The contribution of H to Fe(III) reduction was speculated and confirmed. In addition, the kinetic model showed the decomposition rate of water molecule and the reduction rate of Fe(III) by H under different ultrasonic power. The effects of the factors (pH, coexisting substance, and actual water environment) on degrading organic pollutants were evaluated. Therefore, this work provides new strategy and mechanistic insight into in situ Fenton technique by coupling ultrasonic agitation and Fe(III) without external oxidants.

Hydrocarbon-Impacted Soils Supported Mn for Organic Pollutant Oxidation

Hydrocarbon-impeded soil (HIS) is solid waste from spills or leaks during industrial activities that negatively impact the environment. This study aims to utilize HIS as catalyst support on MnO2 to degrade RhB (RhB) solution using Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and to determine the optimum conditions for the catalyst to degrade RhB. The catalyst was synthesized by reacting HIS, calcined with KMnO4 with various catalyst supports with high and low Total contain Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH). The process degradation of Rhodamine Solution was carried out with various catalysts, PMS, and RhB concentrations. The catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen gas adsorption-desorption (BET), and Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Disperse Spectroscope (SEM-EDX). In this study, the best catalyst performance was MnO2@H-TPH, which could activate PMS to degrade RhB with dye removal of 98% in about 180 min, at conditions 10 g/L RhB, 0.1 g/L catalyst, and 3 g/L PMS with the activation energy of 16.3 kJ/mol.

Coactivation of Hydrogen Peroxide Using Pyrogenic Carbon and Magnetite for Sustainable Oxidation of Organic Pollutants.

Pyrogenic carbon and magnetite (Fe3O4) were mixed together for the activation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), aiming to enhance the oxidation of refractory pollutants in a sustainable way. The experimental results indicated that the straw-derived carbon obtained by pyrolysis at 500-800 °C was efficient on coactivation of H2O2, and the most efficient one was that prepared at 700 °C (C700) featured with abundant defects. Specifically, the reaction rate constant (kobs) for removal of an antibiotic ciprofloxacin in the coactivation system (C700/Fe3O4/H2O2) is 12.5 times that in the magnetite-catalyzed system (Fe3O4/H2O2). The faster pollutant oxidation is attributed to the sustainable production of •OH in the coactivation process, in which the carbon facilitated decomposition of H2O2 and regeneration of Fe(II). Besides the enhanced H2O2 utilization in the coactivation process, the leaching of iron was controlled within the concentration limit in drinking water (0.3 mg·L-1) set by the World Health Organization.

Large-scale fabrication of green carbon quantum dots and its nanocomposite with TiO2 for enhanced photocatalytic oxidation of organic pollutants

Large-scale fabrication of green carbon quantum dots and its nanocomposite with TiO2 for enhanced photocatalytic oxidation of organic pollutants

Enhanced oxidation of organic pollutants by regulating the interior reaction region of reactive electrochemical membranes

Reactive electrochemical membrane (REM) emerges as an attractive strategy for the elimination of refractory organic pollutants that exist in wastewater. However, the limited reaction sites in traditional REMs greatly hinder its practical application. Herein, a feed-through coating methodology was developed to realize the uniform loading of SnO2-Sb catalysts on the interior surface of a REM. The uniformly coated REM (Unif-REM) exhibited 2.4 times higher reaction kinetics (0.29 min–1) than that of surface coated REM (Surf-REM) for the degradation of 2 mM 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), rendering an energy consumption as low as 0.016 kWh gTOC–1. The fast degradation of various emerging contaminants, e.g., sulfamethoxazole (SMX), ofloxacin (OFLX), and tetracycline (TC), also confirms its superior oxidation capability. Besides, the Unif-REM exhibited good performance in generating hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and a relatively long service lifetime. The simulation of spatial current distribution demonstrates that the interior reaction region in the Unif-REM channels can be drastically extended, thereby maximizing the surface coupling of mass diffusion and electron transfer. This study offers an in-depth look at the spatially confined reactions in REM and provides a reference for the design of electrochemical systems with economically efficient water purification.

Transforming waste brake pads from automobiles into Nano-Catalyst: Synergistic Fe-C-Cu triple sites for efficient fenton-like oxidation of organic pollutants

The arbitrary disposal of used brake pads from motor vehicles has resulted in severe heavy metal pollution and resource wastage, highlighting the urgent need to explore the significant untapped potential of these discarded materials. In this study, The in-situ growth of highly dispersed Fe2O3 nanocrystals was achieved by simple oxidation annealing of brake pad debris(BPD). Interestingly, Cu remained unoxidized and acted as a “valence state transformation bridge of Fe2O3” to construct the “triple Fe-C-Cu sites”. The Fenton degradation experiment of pollutants was conducted under constant temperature conditions at 40 °C, a stirring rate of 1300 rpm, a pH value of 3, a catalyst dosage of 0.5 g/L, pollutant dosage ranging from 50 to 400 mg/L, and H2O2 dosage of 0.25 g/L. Experimental results showed that BPD treated at 300 °C for 2 h exhibited optimal Fenton-like oxidation activity, achieving rapid degradation of over 90 % of refractory antibiotics, such as tetracycline and ciprofloxacin, in organic wastewater within 10 min. This remarkable performance was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of “Fe-C-Cu triple sites”, where the electron-donating role of C in the Fe-C and Cu-C interfaces facilitated the conversion of the Fe(III) to Fe(II) and Cu(II) to Cu(I). In addition, the ability of Cu2+ to accept electrons at the Fe-Cu interface promoted the transition from Fe (II) to Fe (III). This “balance of electron gain and loss” accelerated the interfacial electron transfer and the recycle of dual Fenton sites, Fe(II)/Fe(III) and Cu(I)/Cu(II), to generate more ·OH from H2O2. Therefore, this strategy of functionalizing BPD as Fenton-like catalysts without the addition of external Fe provides intriguing prospects for understanding the construction of Fe-based Fenton catalysts and resource utilization of Fe-containing solid waste materials.

Cobalt single-atom catalyst as a multifunctional electrocatalyst for boosting radical generation

Electro-generated hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are of fundamental importance in electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs). Herein, a cobalt single-atom (Co1) dispersed on N-doped carbon black (NCB) was synthesized and used forthefirsttime as a multifunctional electrocatalyst on both the anode and cathode to boost the generation of •OH. Specifically, the Co1–NCB anode electrochemically generates •OH through water oxidation reaction (WOR), whereas the Co1–NCB cathode generates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), followed by its subsequent electrochemical/catalytic activation by Co1–NCB, which synergistically promotes the formation of •OH. In an electrochemical system with the optimized coordination structure and operating conditions, the Co1–NCB electrode-based EAOP exhibited high phenol-removal efficiency (>95%) over a wide pH range (pH = 3–9). This study provides a new strategy for maximizing radical production and suggests its application in the electrochemical oxidation of recalcitrant organic pollutants.

Multi-Metal Oxide Catalyst for Electrochemical Oxidation of Organic Pollutants

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing highly efficient and stable catalysts for the electro-oxidation of water. These catalysts, besides water electrolysis, could be also a good alternative for removing organic pollutants from water by electro-degradation. Among the innovative groups of catalysts that have been investigated for this purpose, multi-metal oxides have been extensively studied for water electrolysis, but rarely for the direct or indirect oxidation of organic pollutants from water.1 Multi-metal oxide catalysts are composed of two or more metal cations that are chemically bonded to oxygen ions. The combination of different metal cations in a single oxide structure can lead to synergistic effects, which can enhance the catalytic activity and stability of the material. Several types of multi-metal oxide catalysts have been investigated for the electro-oxidation of water, including perovskite oxides, spinel oxides, layered double hydroxides, and mixed metal oxides. Perovskite oxides are a popular class of multi-metal oxide catalysts, which exhibit a wide range of interesting properties, including high catalytic activity, ionic and electronic conductivity, and thermal stability. These properties make perovskite oxides attractive materials for applications in various fields, such as environmental remediation.2 Additionally, the properties of perovskite oxides can be fine-tuned by doping or modifying their chemical composition, morphology, and crystal structure leading to the development of new materials with tailored properties.In this work, multi-metal oxide (perovskite) nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrothermal method by adjusting the pressure and temperature to obtain multi-metal oxides with controlled crystallinity and morphology. The synthesis was successfully scaled up and electrodes were prepared by impregnating 3D supports with the active materials. The electrocatalytic activity of the prepared electrodes was analyzed by physical and electrochemical characterizations. Moreover, to evaluate the potential application of multi-metal oxide electrodes for organic pollutants removal, phenol was selected as the target pollutant. To complete the research, the effect of different operational conditions (current density, initial pH, initial phenol concentration, and flow rate) on the COD removal of the wastewater in the divided flow cell configuration was investigated. Furthermore, the removal pathway was studied using GC/MS. Acknowledgment: This project has received funding through the HYSOLCHEM project (grant agreement No. 101017928) from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Visible Light Photocatalysis: Green Hydrogen Production

The next few decades will experience the convergence of diverse materials and scientific disciplines resulting in innovative products and processes for the benefit of mankind. If the proliferation of today’s technologies and the urgent need to address global climate change issues is any indication of the speed and power of changes in economies to be expected, a dramatic shift to sustainable technologies has to occur to provide cost-effective, low carbon footprint solutions. In this talk we will introduce about possible strategies based on fundamentals of physics and materials engineering that can potentially contribute to our efforts to preserve the planet’s environment at an acceptable level. Exploiting solar energy, as visible radiation constitutes a major share (~ 46%) of the solar spectrum, strategies for carbon reduction technologies can be devised. We have been working on the synergistic development of visible light active photocatalysts suitable for activating reactions by engineering nanomaterials and interfaces. Hydrogen production (H2) by Photocatalytic reactions is a promising process for green H2 generation as a fuel or an alternate energy source. Organic compounds like alcohols, polyols, sugars, as well as organic acids and lignocellulosic compounds can serve as sacrificial agents (electron donors) to reduce e−–h+ recombination leading to a more efficient process. Cellulose, the most abundant material on the earth that is a part of some of the waste generated by humans is a natural and carbon-neutral source as a sacrificial agent during photo-induced splitting of water for green H2 production and can be an attractive for building a sustainable system for photocatalytic H2 production. Some of these areas utilising visible light photocatalysis for oxidation of organic pollutant, microbe removal, anti-biofouling coatings and microplastic degradation will be briefly discussed.