Facile construction of plasmonic Ag/Nb2O5 films and their photocatalytic activity against organic dye and nanoplastics

Advanced photocatalytic materials for micro/nanoplastic degradation: A comprehensive review

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Tiny plastic particles called micro- and nanoplastics are turning up everywhere, in our oceans, soil, and likely our bodies, raising concerns about long-term health effects. This review rounds up the latest science on using light-activated materials (photocatalysts) to break down these plastic particles, including newer "green" methods made from plants, algae, and bacteria that could make cleanup cheaper and more eco-friendly. While these technologies are still being developed rather than ready for widespread use, they represent a promising direction for tackling plastic pollution at its source.

Nanotechnology-Enhanced Photocatalysis for Microplastic Degradation: A Sustainable Approach

Research progress on photocatalytic degradation of microplastics by graphitic carbon nitride

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This review systematically examined graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as a photocatalytic tool for degrading microplastics, identifying hydroxyl radicals, holes, and superoxide radicals as the key reactive species and showing that pH, light intensity, and MP morphology significantly affect degradation efficiency. While still at laboratory scale, photocatalytic degradation offers a chemical pathway to break down persistent microplastics in water—an important complement to physical filtration approaches.

Sustainable strategies for microplastic waste management: utilizing nickel oxide nanoparticles as photocatalysts

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Researchers synthesized nickel oxide nanoparticles via sol-gel method and demonstrated their photocatalytic degradation of LDPE, PP, PVC, and PET microplastics under sunlight, with NiO/PET nanocomposites achieving approximately 41.64% degradation of PET films in 30 days. Solar-driven photocatalysis using metal oxide nanoparticles offers an eco-friendly and scalable approach to degrading microplastic waste without intensive energy input.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants and Microplastics Using Ag/TiO2: Recent Advances in Mechanism, Synthesis and Properties

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This study reviewed how silver-modified TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) photocatalysts enhance the degradation of organic pollutants and microplastics by improving light absorption and charge separation compared to TiO2 alone. Developing efficient photocatalytic systems like Ag/TiO2 is a promising pathway for breaking down persistent microplastic particles in water and soil environments where conventional treatment methods fall short.