Lignin-Based Sustainable Nanophotocatalysts for the Removal of Common Pollutants from Wastewater

Abstract

Drinking water scarcity has become one of the pressing challenges across the globe. Removal of common microbes and organic pollutants is one of the sustainable ways to restore industrial wastewater. In this work, the use of lignin is highlighted as a sustainable resource to develop nanophotocatalysts for the removal of common contaminants such as dye and microbes from textile and sewage industries. A simple, green and scalable approach is utilized to fabricate a nanocomposite based on ZnO and TiO₂ bimetal oxide enveloped in lignin. This nanocomposite efficiently removed common microbes (e.g., Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli) and dyes (methylene blue and Congo red) under low-cost light sources under UV and visible light irradiation, respectively. The showcased technology uses agri-waste, which is beneficial for the circular economy and has enormous potential to be a sustainable strategy for the large-scale removal of water pollutants.