Papers

20 results
|
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

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

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

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

Investigation of the efficiency of several TiO2 microstructures for the photocatalytic degradation of nanoplastics.

Researchers tested the efficiency of multiple titanium dioxide microstructures for photocatalytic degradation of nanoplastics in aquatic environments, addressing the growing problem of sub-micron plastic fragments in global water systems. TiO2-based photocatalysis showed varying effectiveness depending on catalyst structure and particle properties.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Systematic Review Tier 1

Advances in Photocatalytic Degradation of Emerging Microplastics: A Systematic Review

This systematic review summarizes advances in using light-activated chemical processes to break down microplastics in the environment. The research shows that photocatalysis, especially using titanium dioxide, is a promising method for destroying microplastics without creating harmful byproducts, though more work is needed to speed up the process for real-world use.

2025 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 1 citations
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

Photocatalytic Technologies for Transformation and Degradation of Microplastics in the Environment: Current Achievements and Future Prospects

This review examines photocatalytic technologies that use light-activated materials to break down microplastics in the environment. Various catalysts can generate reactive oxygen species that degrade plastic polymers into simpler, less harmful molecules. The authors assess the strengths and limitations of different photocatalytic approaches and highlight the need for scalable solutions that work under real-world environmental conditions.

2023 Catalysts 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Light-driven degradation of microplastics: Mechanisms, technologies, and future directions

This review examines photocatalytic technologies for breaking down microplastics using light-driven chemical processes. Researchers found that photocatalysts can potentially mineralize microplastics into carbon dioxide and water, with some approaches also enabling recovery of useful chemical products. The study highlights light-driven degradation as a promising direction for microplastic remediation, though challenges around efficiency and scalability remain to be addressed.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 6 citations
Article Tier 2

TiO₂-based photocatalytic degradation of microplastics in water: Current status, challenges and future perspectives

This review examines how titanium dioxide-based materials can break down microplastics in water using light energy, generating reactive molecules that dismantle plastic polymer chains. While promising, the technology still faces challenges with efficiency and potential harmful byproducts, and more research is needed before it can be used at scale to clean microplastics from real-world water supplies.

2025 Journal of Water Process Engineering 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Countering microplastics pollution with photocatalysis: Challenge and prospects

This review summarized the use of photocatalysis for degrading microplastics, covering catalyst types, reaction mechanisms, and operational parameters, and discussing challenges including the stability of highly polymerized plastics and prospects for scaling photocatalytic treatment to address environmental microplastic pollution.

2023 Progress in Natural Science Materials International 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic Degradation and Remediation of Microplastics

This review chapter examines photocatalysis as a remediation strategy for microplastic pollution in aquatic and terrestrial environments, describing how solar energy conversion drives chemical reactions that degrade plastic particles. The authors assess the current state of photocatalytic methods, their mechanisms, and their potential for sustainable microplastic removal.

2024 Microplastics
Review Tier 2

A Review on the Use of Metal Oxide-Based Nanocomposites for the Remediation of Organics-Contaminated Water via Photocatalysis: Fundamentals, Bibliometric Study and Recent Advances

This review examines how metal oxide nanocomposite materials can be used as photocatalysts to break down toxic organic pollutants in contaminated water using light energy. While focused on cleaning up dyes, drugs, and pesticides, the technology is relevant to microplastics because similar photocatalytic approaches are being explored to degrade plastic particles in water. Improving water treatment technologies like these could help reduce human exposure to the cocktail of pollutants, including microplastics, found in water supplies.

2023 Toxics 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic degradation of different types of microplastics by TiOx/ZnO tetrapod photocatalysts

Researchers tested titania-coated zinc oxide tetrapod photocatalysts for breaking down polyethylene microparticles and polyester microfibers under UV light. They found that the shape of the microplastics significantly affected degradation speed, and that adding electron scavengers was necessary to maintain the catalyst's effectiveness over time. Complete breakdown of both plastic types was achieved, though it required hundreds of hours of UV exposure.

2023 Heliyon 68 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

Photocatalytic Removal of Polyester Polyurethane, and Polyethylene Microplastics via ZnO-Fe-Mg-C Nanocomposite to H2

Scientists created a zinc oxide-based nanocomposite catalyst that can break down polyester, polyurethane, and polyethylene microplastics under light, and simultaneously convert them into hydrogen gas. This dual function — destroying plastic pollution while generating a clean fuel — represents a potentially valuable approach to turning a major environmental problem into a usable energy resource.

2024 International Journal of Applied Sciences & Development 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic Degradation of Microplastics in Aquatic Environments: Materials, Mechanisms, Practical Challenges, and Future Perspectives

This review examines how light-activated materials called photocatalysts can break down microplastics in water into harmless byproducts using sunlight or UV light. While still facing challenges with incomplete breakdown and variable sunlight conditions, this technology offers a promising way to reduce microplastic contamination in water sources that affect human health.

2025 Water 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of Micro- and Nano-Plastics by Photocatalytic Methods

This paper reviews photocatalytic methods — using light-activated catalysts — as a way to break down micro- and nano-plastics in the environment. These approaches offer a promising path toward degrading persistent plastic particles that accumulate in marine and drinking water systems.

2017 Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Applications 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of the efficiency of several TiO2 microstructures for the photocatalytic degradation of nanoplastics.

This study tested the efficiency of several TiO2 microstructures as photocatalysts for degrading nanoplastics in aquatic environments. Results identified the most effective TiO2 configurations for breaking down sub-micron plastic fragments under light exposure.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Advancing photocatalytic strategies for microplastic degradation in aquatic systems: Insights into key challenges and future pathways

This review examines how light-activated chemical reactions (photocatalysis) can break down microplastics in water, using advanced materials like doped semiconductors and metal-organic frameworks. While promising for cleaning up waterways, challenges remain around scaling these methods for real-world use and ensuring the breakdown products are not themselves harmful.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering 29 citations