New Insights into Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants

Dear Colleagues,

Water scarcity is a major global challenge, and sustainable strategies for wastewater reclamation are essential. However, the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including pharmaceutical and personal care products, in aquatic environments has become a significant environmental issue. Photocatalytic oxidation has emerged as a promising alternative for the removal of CECs in wastewater. The use of photocatalysts under UV or visible-light irradiation can promote the generation of reactive oxidative species capable of degrading a wide range of CECs.  Different strategies for photocatalyst synthesis and modification have been extensively investigated, including the incorporation of semiconductors, metal and non-metal doping, heterojunction construction, surface engineering, and the development of composite materials. The photocatalytic performance is strongly influenced by several key parameters, such as surface area, porosity, crystallinity, bandgap energy, charge carrier separation, and the presence of functional groups. In addition, the physical configuration of photocatalysts, including suspended powders and immobilized systems, also plays an important role in their practical application and efficiency. This Special Issue will focus on the development of photocatalytic materials for the degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater treatment, including photocatalyst synthesis, mechanistic studies, visible-light-responsive systems, heterojunction engineering, reactor design, and real environmental applications.

Dr. João Gomes
Dr. Rui C. Martins
Dr. Eryk Fernandes
Guest Editors

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