Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation of Organic Compounds on Nanoscale Semiconductor Materials

Abstract

This review focuses on pressing issues of photoelectrocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants of wastewaters on semiconductor materials upon their irradiation with both UV and visible light of the solar spectrum. Various photoactive semiconductor materials were considered, including titanium dioxide (n-TiO2), zinc oxide, tungsten oxide, hematite, and composites based on n-TiO2 doped with metals, nonmetals, carbon, and polymer materials. The effect of structural factors and the electrolyte selection on the photoelectrochemical generation and the efficiency of active reagents for the oxidation of the main components of organic pollutants, as well as the effect of the electrolyte components adsorption on the photoelectrocatalytic characteristics of the electrodes have been demonstrated. Suggestions have been made on the prospects of the method of photoelectrocatalytic wastewater decontamination from organic pollutants.