Photocatalyst radical generation species allow for the degradation of organic pollutants into non-toxic compounds at a high efficiency. Use of CuO nanosheets to breakdown azo bonds in food dyes is one such example, with 96.99% degradation after only 6 minutes. Degradation of organic matter is a highly applicable property, particularly in waste processing.
The use of photocatalyst TiO as a support system for filtration membranes shows promise in improving membrane bioreactors in the treatment of wastewater. Polymer-based membranes have shown reduced fouling and self-cleaning properties in both blended and coated TiO membranes. Photocatalyst-coated membranes show the most promise, as the increased surface exposure of the photocatalyst increases its organic degradation activity.
Photocatalysts are also highly effective reducers of toxic heavy metals like hexavalent chromium from water systems. Under visible light the reduction of Cr(VI) by a Ce-ZrO sol-gel on a silicon carbide was 97% effective at reducing the heavy metal to trivalent chromium.