Photocatalysis: A Sustainable Approach for Removing Hazardous Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons

Graphical Abstract

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose significant toxicity to both the environment and humans. Utilizing eco-friendly carbon-based catalysts for the photocatalytic removal of PAHs represents a sustainable method. During this process, photons from sunlight excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band, generating electron-hole pairs. These pairs then react with water, oxygen, and hydroxyl groups, producing free radicals that effectively destroy PAHs.

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are omnipresent toxic pollutants found in numerous ecosystems, including soil, water, and living organisms. Due to their hydrophobic nature, PAHs tend to accumulate in aquatic environments, leading to high concentrations in aquatic sediments and subsequent bioaccumulation in organisms. This accumulation poses substantial risks to humans and aquatic life. Recent advances in photocatalytic methods, particularly those using nanocomposite materials, have shown promising outcomes in the degradation of PAHs. Photocatalysis, a process that uses UV and visible light to accelerate a chemical reaction, is effectively breaking these harmful compounds. This review focuses on the recent advances in the degradation of PAHs, the toxicological effects of PAHs on living organisms, and the mechanisms underlying nanocomposite-based photocatalysis. The utilization of nanocomposite for photocatalysis is an eco-friendly substitute to traditional methods for remediating PAH pollution in the ecosystem. This green approach using nanocomposite-based photocatalysis offers a sustainable and effective approach for the degradation of PAHs.