Visible
light-driven Ag
2
S-grafted NiO–ZnO ternary
nanocomposites are synthesized using a facile and cost-effective homogeneous
precipitation method. The structural, morphological, and optical properties
were extensively studied, confirming the formation of ternary nanocomposites.
The surface area of the synthesized nanocomposites was calculated
by electrochemical double-layer capacitance (
C
dl
). Ternary Ag
2
S/NiO–ZnO nanocomposites
showed excellent visible light photocatalytic property which increases
further with the concentration of Ag
2
S. The maximum photocatalytic
activity was shown by 8% Ag
2
S/NiO–ZnO with a RhB
degradation efficiency of 95%. Hydroxyl and superoxide radicals were
found to be dominant species for photodegradation of RhB, confirmed
by scavenging experiments. It is noteworthy that the recycling experiments
demonstrated high stability and recyclable nature of the photocatalyst.
Moreover, the electrochemical results indicated that the prepared
nanocomposite exhibits remarkable activity toward detection of acetone.
The fabricated nanocomposite sensor showed high sensitivity (4.0764 μA
mmol L
–1
cm
–2
) and a lower detection
limit (0.06 mmol L
–1
) for the detection of acetone.
The enhanced photocatalytic and the sensing property of Ag
2
S/NiO–ZnO can be attributed to the synergistic effects of
strong visible light absorption, excellent charge separation, and
remarkable surface properties.
A major and growing concern within society is the lack of innovative and effective solutions to mitigate the challenge of environmental pollution. Uncontrolled release of pollutants into the environment as a result of urbanisation and industrialisation is a staggering problem of global concern. Although, the eco-toxicity of nanotechnology is still an issue of debate, however, nanoremediation is a promising emerging technology to tackle environmental contamination, especially dealing with recalcitrant contaminants. Nanoremediation represents an innovative approach for safe and sustainable remediation of persistent organic compounds such as pesticides, chlorinated solvents, brominated or halogenated chemicals, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and heavy metals. This comprehensive review article provides a critical outlook on the recent advances and future perspectives of nanoremediation technologies such as photocatalysis, nano-sensing etc., applied for environmental decontamination. Moreover, sustainability assessment of nanoremediation technologies was taken into consideration for tackling legacy contamination
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