Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics by α-Fe2O3/g-C3N4

This study tested a composite photocatalyst (α-Fe2O3/g-C3N4) for degrading polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics using visible light. The catalyst caused surface cracking and oxidation of both plastic types, showing promise as a solar-powered method for breaking down microplastic pollution in water.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Plastic Degrading Nanomaterials via Photocatalysis

This review examines photocatalytic degradation of plastics using nanomaterials including TiO2, ZnO, and their nanocomposites under UV and solar irradiation as an energy-efficient alternative to conventional plastic disposal methods. The paper covers reactive oxygen species-mediated breakdown of PP, PS, PVC, LDPE, and HDPE polymers and highlights nano-enabled strategies for microplastic and nanoplastic degradation.

2023 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics by α-Fe2O3/g-C3N4

An alpha-Fe2O3/g-C3N4 composite photocatalyst was shown to degrade both polyethylene and polystyrene microplastic films under visible light irradiation, with the photocatalyst causing surface cracking and mass loss significantly exceeding non-catalyzed controls.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic Degradation of Plastic Waste: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives

This review examined photocatalytic degradation as an environmentally friendly approach to destroying microplastic waste, focusing on nanomaterial-based semiconductors such as TiO2 and ZnO. The review highlighted recent progress and remaining challenges in developing efficient photocatalytic systems capable of fully mineralizing persistent plastic pollutants.

2024 Advances in Nanoparticles 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Modified TiO2 and ZnO photocatalysts for microplastic degradation: mechanisms, challenges, and recent advances

This review examines recent advances in using modified titanium dioxide and zinc oxide photocatalysts to degrade microplastics in the environment. Researchers summarized the mechanisms by which these catalysts break down plastic particles when activated by light, as well as the challenges that remain for practical application. The study suggests that photocatalytic degradation is a promising approach for addressing microplastic pollution, though significant technical hurdles still need to be overcome.

2026 Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences
Article Tier 2

A convenient strategy for mitigating microplastics in wastewater treatment using natural light and ZnO nanoparticles as photocatalysts: A mechanistic study

Researchers showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles can break down polypropylene microplastics using natural sunlight as an energy source. The photocatalytic process generated free radicals that attacked and degraded the plastic polymer chains. This solar-powered approach could provide a low-cost, practical method for removing microplastics from wastewater before it is discharged into the environment.

2024 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative Photocatalytic Performance of Gd, Zn, and Ti Metal Oxide Catalysts for Polyethylene Microplastics Removal

Photocatalysis — using light to drive chemical reactions that break down pollutants — shows real promise for degrading microplastics in water. Testing three different metal oxide catalysts, this study found that a modified zinc oxide catalyst could degrade 78% of polyethylene microplastics within two hours under visible light, outperforming both commercial catalysts and the other materials tested. The results point toward surface-engineered ZnO as a potentially practical tool for treating microplastic-contaminated water, though scaling these lab conditions to real-world water treatment remains a significant challenge.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Low Environmental Impact Remediation of Microplastics: Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of PET Microplastics Using Bio-Inspired C,N-TiO2/SiO2 Photocatalysts

Researchers developed bio-inspired carbon and nitrogen co-doped TiO2/SiO2 photocatalysts capable of degrading PET microplastics under visible light, offering a low-energy alternative to UV-based photocatalysis for remediating microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Peroxymonosulfate activation by assistance of Co₃O₄/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite and UVC for efficient microplastic photodegradation

Researchers developed a cobalt-based nanocomposite (Co3O4/g-C3N4) that, when activated by UVC light and a chemical oxidant, degraded up to 55% of PET and polypropylene microplastics in water through highly reactive free radicals. The approach offers a promising photocatalytic strategy for breaking down plastic pollution in water treatment systems.

2025 Desalination and Water Treatment
Article Tier 2

Visible light-induced catalytic performance of composite photocatalyst synthesized with nanomaterials WO3 and two-dimensional ultrathin g-C3N4

Researchers synthesized a WO3/ultrathin g-C3N4 composite photocatalyst and optimized preparation conditions to enhance visible light-driven catalytic performance, finding the optimal WO3/UCN mass ratio to be 1:1 with a 9-hour stirring time. The composite demonstrated improved photocatalytic activity under visible light compared to individual components, with performance controllable through ratio adjustment.

2023 Water Science & Technology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of Microplastic Residuals in Water by Visible Light Photocatalysis

Researchers demonstrated that zinc oxide-based photocatalysts activated by visible light can degrade low-density polyethylene microplastic residues in water. This photocatalytic approach could offer an energy-efficient method for reducing microplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2018 KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(2-vinylpyridine) and Poly(4-vinylpyridine) with Metal Oxide (TiO2, ZnO) Films for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange and Benzoic Acid

Researchers synthesized composite films of poly(2-vinylpyridine) and poly(4-vinylpyridine) with metal oxides (TiO2 and ZnO) via spin coating and evaluated their photocatalytic efficiency for degrading methyl orange and benzoic acid as model environmental pollutants. The characterization revealed semicrystalline polymer structures with clustered morphologies, and the composites demonstrated photocatalytic activity for environmental remediation applications.

2022 Polymers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

TiO2-based photocatalysts for the degradation of microplastics in aquatic environments

Researchers synthesized TiO2-based photocatalysts via sol-gel and hydrothermal methods and characterized their morphology and photocatalytic properties for the degradation of microplastics in aqueous environments, optimizing catalyst formulations to improve efficiency and assessing their potential as an environmentally friendly advanced treatment for waterborne microplastic pollution.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic degradation of polyethylene films using green-synthesized ZnO and Fe3O4 nanoparticles from Acacia nilotica

Researchers synthesized ZnO and Fe3O4 nanoparticles using Acacia nilotica leaf extract and tested their photocatalytic activity against LDPE and HDPE films under sunlight, finding up to 27% weight reduction in LDPE after 30 days with FTIR and SEM evidence of carbonyl group formation and surface fragmentation indicative of polymer chain scission.

2026 Scientific Reports
Article Tier 2

Photocatalysis of low-density polyethylene using FKMW-ZnO NPs: optimization and predication model using a radial basis function neural network ensemble system

Researchers biosynthesised zinc oxide nanoparticles using fungal supernatant grown in kitchen wastewater with microelectronic sludge (FKMW-ZnO NPs) and evaluated their photocatalytic efficiency for degrading low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in aqueous solution. Optimisation using response surface methodology and prediction modelling with a radial basis function neural network ensemble identified the key parameters governing LDPE degradation performance.

2024 Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

First Insights into Photocatalytic Degradation of HDPE and LDPE Microplastics by a Mesoporous N–TiO2 Coating: Effect of Size and Shape of Microplastics

A nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide photocatalyst successfully degraded high-density and low-density polyethylene microplastics under visible light, with smaller particles showing greater degradation than larger ones or film-shaped particles. The study establishes a foundation for visible-light photocatalysis as a potential strategy for removing microplastics from water.

2020 Coatings 205 citations
Article Tier 2

Advanced TiO2-based catalysts for polypropylene degradation in aquatic media

Researchers developed TiO2-based catalysts enhanced with zinc and cerium oxides to degrade polypropylene microplastics in water under UV light. The best-performing catalyst achieved roughly 6-8% degradation of microplastic surface area, with slightly lower effectiveness in wastewater compared to pure water. The study demonstrates a photocatalytic approach to breaking down one of the most common microplastics found in aquatic environments.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Complete Photocatalytic Mineralization of Microplastic on TiO2 Nanoparticle Film

Scientists tested TiO2 nanoparticle films as a photocatalytic treatment for microplastics and found complete mineralization of polystyrene and polyethylene microspheres under UV irradiation, offering a potential destruction pathway for microplastic pollution.

2020 iScience 402 citations
Article Tier 2

Visible light photocatalytic degradation of microplastic residues with zinc oxide nanorods

LDPE microplastic residues were treated with zinc oxide nanorods under visible light irradiation, resulting in a 30% increase in carbonyl index and increased brittleness, demonstrating photocatalytic oxidation of the plastic surface. The study shows that ZnO nanorod photocatalysis can initiate microplastic degradation using visible light, offering a potential low-energy remediation approach.

2019 Environmental Chemistry Letters 498 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoreforming of PET and PLA microplastics for sustainable hydrogen production using TiO2 and g-C3N4 photocatalysts

Researchers used photoreforming—a light-driven process—to break down PET and PLA microplastics while simultaneously generating hydrogen gas, demonstrating a dual-benefit approach that addresses plastic pollution while producing clean energy from waste plastic.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Harnessing Bio-Immobilized ZnO/CNT/Chitosan Ternary Composite Fabric for Enhanced Photodegradation of a Commercial Reactive Dye

This paper is not about microplastics; it describes the fabrication and testing of a ZnO/carbon nanotube/chitosan composite fabric as a photocatalyst for degrading textile dye (Reactive Blue 4) in wastewater, with no connection to microplastic research.

2023 Molecules 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution reduction by a carbon and nitrogen-doped TiO2: Effect of pH and temperature in the photocatalytic degradation process

Scientists tested a carbon and nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalyst for degrading microplastics and found that degradation efficiency depended strongly on pH and temperature, with optimal conditions achieving significant surface mineralization of tested polymer types.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 432 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation of heterojunction C3N4/WO3 photocatalyst for degradation of microplastics in water

Researchers synthesized a carbon nitride/tungsten oxide heterojunction photocatalyst that effectively degrades PET microplastics in water while simultaneously generating hydrogen, offering a dual-benefit approach to addressing plastic pollution through photocatalysis.

2023 Chemosphere 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis of Nano-Composite Ag/TiO2 for Polyethylene Microplastic Degradation Applications

Ag/TiO2 nano-composites were synthesized using a Photo Assisted Deposition method to evaluate their ability to degrade polyethylene microplastics in drinking water. The nano-composites showed effective photocatalytic degradation of microplastic particles across different particle sizes.

2021 IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering 73 citations