Hazardous Products Research Articles

CONDUCTING AN INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AUDIT AT OIL AND GAS FACILITIES

In modern conditions, it has become necessary to partially shift responsibilities for supervision and control of industrial safety without deterioration of quality from the state to business. Large-scale oil and gas companies have a great demand for an independent assessment of industrial safety at hazardous production facilities, due to a significant increase in financial costs for eliminating the consequences of accidents at hazardous production facilities of I and II hazard classes. The state is interested in controlling a new type of activity and expanding the regulatory framework for industrial safety. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir V. Putin signed Federal Law No. 637-FZ dated December 25, 2023, which amends the Federal Law «On Industrial Safety of Hazardous Production Facilities» and some other legislative acts. One of the key innovations is the introduction of the Institute for Audit of Industrial Safety Management Systems. This article analyzes the best existing practices of conducting industrial safety audits in large-scale oil and gas companies of the Russian Federation. Particular emphasis was placed on identifying the advantages and positive aspects of implementing such activities in organizations like Rosneft, Gazprom and Lukoil. The issues of assessing the compliance of hazardous production facilities in the oil and gas complex with the requirements of legislation in the field of industrial safety by conducting an industrial safety audit were raised. The purpose of the work is to develop a step-by-step algorithm for conducting an industrial safety audit for oil and gas facilities. The industrial safety audit algorithm includes four steps: preparation for the audit, documentary analysis, full-scale audit, and registration of the results. The result of an industrial safety audit is an audit report drawn up at the final meeting of auditors and customers, based on documentary and in-kind inspections. This document is necessary for the management of the enterprise and the supervisory authorities of the Russian Federation. Industrial safety audit provides a number of significant advantages that help organizations to identify deviations from mandatory requirements established in the field of industrial safety. This makes it possible to detect violations in a timely manner and promptly take the necessary corrective measures to eliminate the identified problems. As a result, effective audit contributes to improving the overall safety level at enterprises, preventing possible risks and reducing the possibility of emergencies.

EAP and ECPCP urge ban on novel nicotine- (NNCPS) and non-nicotine-containing products (NNDS) to youth.

We want to verify the correlation between the increasing use of novel nicotine-containing products (NNCPs) and non-nicotine delivery products (NNDPs) among young individuals and the escalating negative health consequences, necessitating their prohibition. We performed a comprehensive analysis of the most relevant literature about the utilisation of NNCPs and NNDPs among young individuals and their health effects. Despite being initially seen as less harmful alternatives, for smokers aiming to quit, these products have become more popular due to misleading marketing claims. Teenagers using NNCPs and NNDPs, despite having no smoking history, are more likely to transition to tobacco smoking. Consistent use can lead to health issues like pulmonary damage, asthma, and cardiovascular and ocular problems. The EAP and the ECPCP endorse the WHO's appeal to outlaw these hazardous products. They urge European governments to forbid the sale of NNCPs and NNDPs to children and adolescents in order to safeguard their well-being. They also propose specific recommendations (box4) to support this cause.

Negative impact of vibration on process pipelines of a compressor station with electrically driven gas pumping units

Relevance. In gas industry, the amount of equipment that has outlived its intended service life is increasing every year. In accordance with the law “On Industrial Safety of Hazardous Production Facilities,” compressor stations are dangerous objects, the reliable operation of which largely determines the condition of main gas pipelines. Technological pipelines of a compressor station are important objects of this system. They are subject to strict requirements due to the action of static and dynamic loads on them. Reliability of compressor stations is based on the results of a study of the condition of the object and the main factors affecting increased wear of equipment. The solution to wear problem is timely monitoring of equipment, in particular level measurement and determining the causes of pipeline vibrations using vibration diagnostics methods, and frequency and modal analysis methods. Aim. To study the causes of increased dynamic loads on the technological piping that arise during the operation of electric and gas pumping units at a compressor station using vibration monitoring methods. Methods. Vibration monitoring methods to analyze the causes of increased vibration values in the process piping of a compressor station with an electric gas pumping unit. Results and conclusions. The authors have measured vibration in a wide frequency band and assessed the technological condition of the main equipment of the compressor station with EGPA-6.3/8200-56/1.44-R based on the regulatory documentation STO Gazprom 2-2.3-324-2009. The main frequencies of the root-mean-square value of the vibration velocity, at which the highest vibration values were observed, were identified, and a modal analysis was performed using ANSYS software. Based on the results of natural studies and modal analysis, it was concluded about the occurrence of resonant high-frequency oscillations, multiple of the rotor rotation frequency.

Supply Base attributes and diversion risk in a supply chain for hazardous pharmaceutical products

AbstractWe develop a novel construct, diversion risk, defined as the potential for post‐retail diversion that results from increased sales of hazardous goods. We examine diversion risk in the context of prescription opioid sales in the United States. We ask how supply base attributes and nonprofit ownership influence the creation of opioid diversion risk. We use performance‐outcome expectancy theory to hypothesize that pharmacies organize supply bases to help them avoid negative evaluations and that nonprofit ownership alters expectancy concerning legal but questionable behavior. We develop and test multilevel hypotheses explaining how supply base complexity, chain size, and nonprofit ownership influence diversion risk. Our analysis of DEA data from 2006 to 2019 finds that after accounting for other attributes, supply base complexity is positively related to diversion risk, within and between firms. Retail chain size is negatively related to diversion risk in the within‐firm model, but positively in the between firm model. Testing our nonprofit hypothesis reveals that nonprofit pharmacies also use size and supply base complexity to manage diversion risk. This research sheds light on the dynamics of diversion risk in pharmaceutical supply chains. It has practical implications for the industry, potentially informing future policy and practice addressing this critical issue.

Volatilization and cleaning recovery of Pb, Se and Hg in acid sludge of copper smelting system during vacuum distillation

The high lead acid sludge, containing a small amount of selenium and mercury, is a hazardous waste product of the copper smelting system. Improper disposal of this waste can cause serious harm to the environment. In this study, the method of vacuum distillation was proposed for treating the high lead acid sludge. The study aimed to investigate the volatilization rule of selenium, mercury, and lead in the acid sludge during vacuum distillation, as well as to purify PbSe and metallic lead. The results indicated that under 5 Pa, Hg and Se commence volatilizing at 300 ℃, the content of Hg in volatile substances remains relatively constant after reaching 400 ℃, demonstrating nearly complete volatilization at this temperature with a ratio of 92.93 %. Similarly, selenium almost completely volatilizes at 800 ℃ with a ratio of 96.74 %, while lead does so at around 1000 ℃ with a ratio of approximately 99.27 %. Mercury at 400 ℃ can be recovered as mercury selenide. Lead selenide can be achieved at 800 ℃, while lead sulfate can be decomposed and purified at 1000 ℃ to obtain metallic lead with a purity higher than 99 %. The method can properly treat and recover mercury, selenium, lead and other elements in the acid sludge with short process and no pollution, which provides a new cleaning approach for high lead acid sludge.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Cosmetic Product Safety Regulations in Malaysia: The Role of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and Industry Compliance

Various legislative measures, such as the Sale of Drugs Act 1952, Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984, Poison Act 1952, Guidelines for Control of Cosmetic Products 2022, and other directives introduced by the NPRA in Malaysia, are intended to control the safety of cosmetic products. Despite these existing laws and directives, cosmetic products containing hazardous ingredients persist in the Malaysian market. NPRA reportedly received 1,041 complaints about cosmetic products in 2022, while its website also displays an annual increase in cases involving cosmetic products that contain hazardous ingredients. The persistent presence of harmful cosmetic products in the market highlights significant gaps in efforts to control hazardous cosmetic products. This study examined the efficacy of cosmetic product safety regulations in Malaysia, focusing on the role of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and industry compliance. This qualitative study gathered data from library databases and conducted semi-structured interviews with NPRA officers, cosmetic manufacturers, and cosmetic industry experts. Findings suggest that despite the extensive nature of the regulatory framework, its implementation, which heavily relies on self-regulation and post-market surveillance, requires serious improvement. While some cosmetic producers adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, there are still persistent issues related to product notification, misuse of self-regulation, and inadequate penalties for non-compliance. Therefore, an intensive awareness campaign aimed at cosmetic manufacturers is necessary to ensure the production of safe cosmetic products. Consumers must play their role in helping the NPRA control the sale of hazardous cosmetic products by performing safety checks before purchasing them.

Constructing piperazine pyrophosphate@LDH@rGO with hierarchical core-shell structure for improving thermal conductivity, flame retardancy and smoke suppression of epoxy resin thermosets

The integration and miniaturization development of electronic devices placed the great demand for epoxy resin (EP) thermosets with excellent thermal management, flame retardancy and electrical insulation. Herein, a multifunctional additive piperazine pyrophosphate@layered double hydroxide@reduced graphene oxide (PPAP@LDH@rGO) with hierarchical core-shell structure was constructed by solvothermal and electrostatic self-assembly methods to meet the above requirements. Profiting from the distinct structure of PPAP@LDH@rGO, the thermal conductivity of EP/PPAP@LDH@rGO reached 0.951 W m−1 K−1 at 7 wt% addition (3 wt% rGO containing), which is 320.8 % increment compared to pristine EP. Meanwhile, when 4 wt% PPAP@LDH@rGO was added, the EP thermoset reached UL-94 V-0 rating during vertical burning tests with the limiting oxygen index of 29.8 % due to the synergistic effect of PPAP, LDH and rGO. The release of hazard products including smoke and carbon monoxide for EP/PPAP@LDH@rGO visibly declined during combustion. Besides, the EP thermosets also well-maintained the electrical insulation and mechanical properties. This work provided an alternative approach for preparing high performance EP thermosets which was suitable to be applied in electronics and electrical fields.

소비자 안전보건을 위한 ESG 공시기준에의 제품안전 지표설정 연구

ESG management has now become a new management paradigm both domestically and internationally. ESG is a non-financial performance indicator to achieve corporate sustainability, and encompasses responsibilities and obligations to stakeholders. Recently, as the safety issue of overseas products imported from online shopping malls in China has emerged, the need to ensure consumer safety and health from hazardous products is increasing. Accordingly, the establishment of product safety disclosure standards for consumer protection is required in the ESG information disclosure process. In this paper, in order to establish product safety indicators for sustainability disclosure standards for ESG management, the disclosure standards of major domestic and foreign initiatives were reviewed and analyzed to examine the introduction of product safety-related indicators, and product safety indicators that can be set for consumer safety and health were developed and presented. As product safety indicators, this paper first presented the occurrence of illegal and defective products, occurrence of product accidents, block hazardous products, number of recall orders and recommendations, and recall recovery rate as indicators that can be introduced throughout the entire product life cycle. In addition, the product risk level, the number and ratio of products for which risk assessment was performed, and the methods and standards used for risk assessment were presented as indicators related to product risk that indicate the level of impact of the product on consumer safety and health. In addition, the consumer safety index was presented as an indicator related to product safety accidents that occur during the consumer product use phase. The consumer safety index is an index that allows consumers to directly feel the level of product safety due to product accidents that occur when consumers use the product. It can be said to be a product safety index from the consumer's perspective that can protect consumer safety.

Antineoplastic drugs in healthcare settings: Occupational exposure and risk graduation

Antineoplastic drugs (ADs) are hazardous medicinal products highlighted in the EU strategic framework on health and safety at work 2021–2027. To minimize workers' chronic exposure in oncologic settings, regular monitoring programs for these drugs are crucial and mandatory in the EU (Directive 2004/37/EC). No surveillance exists in Portugal, thus we intended to assess environmental contamination and to perform occupational exposure and risk graduation in a Portuguese tertiary hospital. Wipe sampling and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry were employed to analyze thirteen drugs of concern (bicalutamide, capecitabine, cyclophosphamide, cyproterone, doxorubicin, etoposide, flutamide, ifosfamide, imatinib, megestrol, mycophenolate mofetil, paclitaxel, prednisone), eight for the first time worldwide, in 152 surface samples over three sampling campaigns. Surface contamination before general cleaning (worst-case scenario) was higher and more widespread in the pharmacy (84%–98 % positive samples) than in the day-care hospital (40%–72 %). No samples were found above the “action limit” (10000 pg/cm2), but concentrations were frequently above the “safe”/alert level (100 pg/cm2), particularly for cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide (largest campaign's 90th percentiles: 2197 pg/cm2 and 1898 pg/cm2). Despite the approach's nuances, the maximum daily dermal intake calculated (1.6 μg/day, considering a single genotoxic drug) was lower than the acceptable daily intake. This study provided knowledge regarding surface contamination in a European hospital, where occupational exposure to some ADs of concern cannot be ruled out and follow-up monitoring is recommended, even if workers seem unlikely to develop cancer from handling them. Furthermore, this work contributes to the implementation of regular environmental monitoring programs for ADs in Portugal, enhancing compliance with EU recommendations.

Applied and expert research on fire and industrial safety of main pipelines

The article provides an analytical assessment of the consequences of violations of industrial and fire safety rules during repair work on the example of main oil pipelines. The issue is urgent due to explosions and fires, as well as staff injuries, which requires an analysis and assessment of the causes of their occurrence and reliability improvement during repair work at hazardous production facilities in Irkutsk region. The factual basis of the study is data on incidents related to the personnel training and repair sites, explosions (pops), the dynamics of the emergency situation and consequences for personnel and the economy. The study concludes that in terms of eliminating explosions and fires and minimizing their consequences, the industrial and fire safety system has not been properly developed for repair and other works at hazardous production facilities.

The relationship between the deterioration of frying oil and the generation of hazards during frying

Deep-fat frying gives food a desirable color and flavor but inevitably leads to oil deterioration and production of hazards. In this study, the simultaneous generation of multiple hazards under different frying conditions was investigated, the deterioration of frying oil was evaluated, and finally, their correlation was analyzed. The results showed that as the temperature of frying chicken wings increased from 150 to 190 °C, the levels of acrylamide (AA), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the oil also increased proportionally. At 190 °C, the fried potato oil contained the highest AA content of 2.60 mg·kg−1, while the content of HCAs and PAHs was the highest in fried chicken wings oil, with values of 5.06 μg·kg−1 and 5.18 μg·kg−1, respectively. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural was detected only in fried potato oil. Oil quality deteriorated gradually with increasing frying temperature and heating time, as indicated by increased acid value, carbonyl value, and levels of total polar compounds. Overall, the results indicated hazards were positively correlated with oil deterioration, suggesting that oil deterioration contributed to the generation of hazards. This work links hazards and oil deterioration, which is crucial for improving the quality and safety of fried foods, while reducing negative environmental impacts, and achieving clean production.

Advances in Phosphogypsum Calcination and Decomposition Processes in Circulating Fluidized Beds.

Phosphogypsum (PG) is an industrial hazardous waste product discharged during wet-process phosphoric acid production. Once crystallized, the byproduct PG is filtered and separated from the liquid-phase product and sluiced to the disposal area near the production site for storage, seriously threatening the harmonious symbiosis between humans and nature. Therefore, devising effective solid waste management and cleaner production programs to contain and eliminate PG is of interest to researchers. In this study, the utilization status of PG is comprehensively reviewed, and a feasibility pathway for resourceful recovery of PG is proposed. The key challenges and countermeasures for the high-temperature calcination and decomposition of PG are analyzed and discussed. The visualization analysis based on bibliometrics reveals that the maximum recovery of abundant calcium (as CaO) and sulfur (as SO2) in PG and their utilization for the copreparation of calcium-based materials and sulfuric acid are the most suitable solutions for the large-scale application of PG. Five challenges that restrict the commercial promotion of PG calcination and decomposition processes are perfecting the calcium-sulfur conversion mechanism, establishing a process strengthening strategy, developing value-added technology routes, mastering unit scale-up regularity, and conducting sustainable performance assessment. Industrial applications are expected within 10-15 years.

Filovirus outbreak responses and occupational health effects of chlorine spraying in healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of alternative disinfectants and application methods.

In the context of filovirus outbreaks, chlorine spraying has been the standard for infection prevention and control. Due to potential occupational health risks, public health institutions now recommend wiping, which is labor-intensive and may increase the risk of heat stress for healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment. This systematic review and meta-analysis quantified the health effects of occupational exposure to chlorine-based products compared to other disinfectants, and the effects of spraying compared to general disinfection tasks (GDTs) like wiping and mopping, in healthcare settings. MEDLINE, Scopus, and ScienceDirect were searched for studies addressing the association between exposure to disinfectants applied by different application methods and occupational diseases in healthcare settings. Risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers using a validated tool. Two reviewers independently screened and performed data extraction and synthesis. A third reviewer resolved disagreements. Meta-analyses were conducted using fixed- and random-effects models based on the Higgins I2 statistic. 30 studies investigating chlorine-based products (7,123 participants), glutaraldehyde (6,256 participants), peracetic acid, acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide (4,728 participants), quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) (9,270 participants), use of spray (4,568 participants) and GDTs (3,480 participants) were included. Most had a cross-sectional design and high risk of bias. Meta-analysis indicates a significant association between respiratory conditions and exposure to chlorine-based products (OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.41-2.08), glutaraldehyde (OR 1.44, 95%CI 1.14-1.81), QACs (OR 1.30, 95%CI 1.06-1.60), use of spray (OR 2.25, 95%CI 1.61-3.14) and GDTs (OR 2.20, 95%CI 1.66-2.90). The relative odds ratio (ROR) of respiratory conditions for chlorine-based products compared to QACs was 0.76 (95%CI 0.62-0.94). The ROR for the use of spray compared to GDTs was 0.98 (95%CI 0.74-1.29). Strengths include evaluating respiratory health risks of disinfectants, applying a validated tool, using both fixed- and random-effects models, and comparing pooled effect sizes. Limitations include high risk of bias for the majority of included articles, varying confounder adjustments, underreported non-respiratory outcomes, and unspecified disinfectants and PPE use for spray and GDTs articles. Chlorine-based disinfectants significantly increase respiratory risk compared to QACs. Sprays and general disinfection tasks present similar risks. Our findings advocate for using less hazardous products like QACs, rather than banning sprays in filovirus outbreak responses to enhance disinfection safety. CRD42023479363.

Estimation of reliability and safety level for hazardous production facilities

Estimation of reliability and safety level for hazardous production facilities

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN OF HAZARDOUS PRODUCTION FACILITIES

The risk-oriented approach to industrial safety allows for the operation of hazardous production facilities in the cracks presence. There is a problem of assessing the critical size of cracks by non-destructive methods, which are currently not widely tested and standardized. Changing operating conditions and damage accumulation can transfer cracks into the category of developing cracks, and this can lead to catastrophic consequences. From this point of view, close proximity of objects containing explosive substances, as it is the case at processing plants, pumping stations, production platforms, poses a danger. Visualization of hazardous objects and their location areas warns the personnel about the need to comply with increased safety measures. This is aimed at using industrial design, which defines the principles of warning of hazardous objects by using color signs. A common trend in the coating usage is their multifunctionality. In this regard, the present research attempts to combine color warning signs with the possibility of their usage in composite coatings designed for corrosion protection, as well as showing the changes in temperature conditions of processes.

Efficient reductive recovery of arsenic from acidic wastewater by a UV/dithionite process

The removal of arsenic (As(III)) from acidic wastewater using neutralization or sulfide precipitation generates substantial arsenic-containing hazardous solid waste, posing significant environmental challenges. This study proposed an advanced ultraviolet (UV)/dithionite reduction method to recover As(III) in the form of valuable elemental arsenic (As(0)) from acidic wastewater, thereby avoiding hazardous waste production. The results showed that more than 99.9 % of As(III) was reduced to As(0) with the residual concentration of arsenic below 25.0 μg L−1 within several minutes when the dithionite/As(III) molar ratio exceeded 1.5:1 and the pH was below 4.0. The content of As(0) in precipitate reached 99.70 wt%, achieving the purity requirements for commercial As(0) products. Mechanistic investigations revealed that SO2·‒ and H· radicals generated by dithionite photolysis under UV irradiation are responsible for reducing As(III) to As(0). Dissolved O2, Fe(III), Fe(II), Mn(II), dissolved organic matter (DOM), and turbidity slightly inhibited As(III) reduction via free radicals scavenging or light blocking effect, whereas other coexisting ions, such as Mg(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), F(−I), and Cl(−I), had limited influence on As(III) reduction. Moreover, the cost of treating real arsenic-containing (250.3 mg L−1) acidic wastewater was estimated to be as low as $0.668 m−3, demonstrating the practical applicability of this method. This work provides a novel method for the reductive recovery of As(III) from acidic wastewater.

Automated, Near Real-Time Ground-Motion Processing at the U.S. Geological Survey

Abstract We describe automated ground-motion processing software named gmprocess that has been developed at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in support of near-real-time earthquake hazard products. Because of the open-source development process, this software has benefitted from the involvement and contributions of a broad community and has been used for a wider range of applications than was initially envisioned. Here, we give an overview and introduction to the software, including how it has leveraged other open-source libraries. We highlight some key features that gmprocess provides, compare response spectra calculated with the automated processing approach of gmprocess to the response spectra provided by the Next Generation Attenuation projects, and summarize projects that have utilized gmprocess. These use-cases demonstrate that this software development effort has been successfully leveraged in earthquake research activities both within and outside the USGS.

Cell Mergers, Boundary Interactions, and Convective Systems in Cases of Significant Tornadoes and Hail

Abstract Though discrete supercells are usually emphasized in severe weather forecasting, hazard production is often preceded by their interaction with external features. Past studies have examined the impacts of cell mergers, boundaries, other supercells, convective systems, etc., but usually in isolation. Here, we investigate 230 significant tornadoes, 246 significant hail events, and 191 null cases across the United States using WSR-88D data. We find that in over 90% of cases, supercells that produced significant hazards were accompanied by external features. These features varied between hazards; for example, hailstorms were more frequently near boundaries than tornadic storms. That said, the positions of these features with respect to the storm (and storm-relative inflow) distinguished between hazard potential and type. For example, tornadic storms were predominantly on the more-unstable side of a boundary, while non-tornadic storms and hailstorms were on the less-unstable side. Similarly, tornadic storms had more cells in their rear flanks than forward flanks, while hailstorms had more cells in their forward flanks than rear flanks. Although these conditions were observed regardless of the background environment, they were affected by certain variables in the vertical profile, especially in tornadic cases. Namely, when storm-relative inflow was stronger and lifting condensation level (LCL) was lower, tornadic storms were accompanied by more rear-flank cells that were closer to the storm, more directly opposite the storm-relative inflow, for a longer period of time. We propose that these interactions likely modulate hazard potential, in ways that are not accounted for in traditional environmental parameter-based forecasting.

Amine-decorated metal-organic frameworks MIL-53(Al) on titanosilicate zeolite ETS-10 for radioactive iodine entrapment

The storage/disposal of the hazardous fission product iodine (I2) from waste of nuclear industries has caused worldwide concerns because of its severely negative impacts on organisms and environments. Therefore, searching for appropriate adsorbent is of great importance for effective capture of radioactive I2. Herein, a series of novel hierarchical adsorbents, composed of the nanoscale Materials of Institute Lavoisier-53(Al) (MIL-53(Al)) or its amine functionalized derivative NH2-MIL-51(Al) onto a supporter Engelhard Titanosilicate-10 (ETS-10) were successfully synthesized via a wet impregnation method. The performance for I2 removal of the absorbents (MIL-53(Al), NH2-MIL-51(Al) and NH2-MIL-51(Al)@ETS-10) were studied as functions of loading amount, morphology and pore structure, respectively. The NH2-MIL-51(Al)@ETS-10 represents the best adsorption performance due to its good cooperative effects including larger surface area, higher load capacity, strong affinity of charge-transfer complexes with I2 (-NH2 or –NH with I). The adsorption capacity of NH2-MIL-51(Al)@ETS-10 could be reached to 1.16 g·g−1 and is ∼ 2.5 and 5 times higher than the NH2-MIL-51(Al) and MIL-51(Al), respectively. The kinetics and isotherms for adsorption could be fitted via pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, respectively, indicating the strong monolayer chemisorption interactions. The study manifests that the designed material has certain potential for application in I2 entrapment.

Fabrication of ZnO[sbnd]Cu3SnS4 NCs for enhanced visible light-induced photocatalytic degradation of carvedilol

The widespread use of pharmaceutical drugs like carvedilol (CAR) has raised concerns regarding antibiotic resistance, environmental pollution, and potential human health risks. This study addresses these issues by employing advanced pristine nanomaterials, including ZnO and Cu3SnS4 to intricately engineer ZnOCu3SnS4 nanocomposite (NCs). These NCs are designed for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of CAR. Detailed characterization through SEM, and elemental mapping reveals the nanocluster morphology, amorphous nature, proper deposition distribution, and heterojunction formation. XRD studies confirm the purity of the synthesized materials, while XPS validate their chemical states and bonding nature. BET and BHJ analyses demonstrate the enhanced surface area and mesoporous nature of the NCs respectively. UV–visible DRS illustrates successful visible-light sensitization of the ZnOCu3SnS4 NCs with a bandgap of 2.96 eV. Photoluminescence studies indicate reduced charge carrier recombination in the NCs. .OH being the dominant radical involved in photodegradation. The photocatalytic degradation of CAR by ZnOCu3SnS4 NCs achieves a remarkable degradation efficiency of 98 % under optimal condition. These NCs also show outstanding stability across several cycles and remain to function in the presence of ions. Finally, GC–MS analysis suggests the potential CAR degradation routes that result in less hazardous end products. In conclusion, the present research highlights the potential of ZnOCu3SnS4 NCs for efficient wastewater treatment and highlights their capacity to tackle issues related to pharmaceutical drug contamination.