Advances in Photocatalytic Degradation of Environmental Pollutants

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental pollution poses a significant threat to both living organisms and ecosystems, making the development of efficient and sustainable remediation technologies a priority. Although numerous conventional methods have been developed for the removal of pollutants from water and other environmental matrices, many of these approaches are limited by high operational costs, incomplete contaminant removal, secondary pollution, and energy-intensive processes. These challenges continue to drive the search for cleaner, more efficient, and environmentally benign remediation strategies.

Photocatalysis has emerged as one of the most promising advanced oxidation technologies for environmental remediation owing to its ability to harness light energy for the degradation and mineralisation of a wide range of pollutants. Recent advances in photocatalyst design, heterojunction engineering, defect engineering, co-catalyst modification, and reactor development have significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance, bringing this technology closer to practical implementation.

This Special Issue aims to showcase the latest scientific advances in the photocatalytic degradation of environmental pollutants, highlighting innovative materials, mechanistic insights, reactor technologies, and real-world applications that contribute to sustainable environmental remediation.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Design and synthesis of advanced photocatalytic materials;
2. Heterojunctions, Z-scheme, S-scheme, and plasmonic photocatalysts;
3. Defect engineering, doping, and surface modification strategies;
4. Photocatalytic degradation of emerging contaminants, pharmaceuticals, dyes, pesticides, and industrial pollutants;
5. Photocatalytic disinfection and microbial inactivation;
6. Solar-driven photocatalysis and visible-light-responsive materials;
7. Photocatalytic reactor design and scale-up;
8. Mechanistic studies and charge carrier dynamics;
9. Hybrid photocatalytic processes and coupled advanced oxidation technologies;
10. Practical implementation of photocatalysts;
11. Water remediation.

We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications that advance the understanding and application of photocatalytic technologies for sustainable environmental protection.

Dr. Phindile Khoza
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Dabai Bala
Prof. Dr. Kayode Sanusi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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