Recent Advances in Photocatalytic Treatment of Pollutants in Water

The pervasive contamination of water resources by persistent and emerging pollutants—including pharmaceuticals, industrial dyes, pesticides, and heavy metals—represents one of the most critical global environmental and public health challenges. Conventional water treatment methods often prove inadequate, inefficient, or costly for achieving the complete mineralization of these complex, non-biodegradable contaminants. With pollutants posing significant environmental threats, developing environmentally benign, efficient, and cost-effective treatment technologies is paramount. Photocatalysis stands at the forefront of this shift, offering a "green chemistry" pathway for water purification. In this Reprint, we focus on cutting-edge research on the application of photocatalysis for water treatment.