Mitigation of pollutants by chitosan/metallic oxide photocatalyst: A review

The semiconductor photocatalysis system has been the subject of numerous investigations, as it is an attractive technique for complete mitigation of undesirable pollutant in waste water using UV or solar irradiation. However, the application of nano-sized metal oxide semiconductors in photocatalysis process normally suffers from the coagulation and agglomeration problem, especially in an aqueous medium. Hence, the addition of support material into a photocatalysis system has the potential to yield major steps for tackling major environmental concerns. This review highlights the potential application of Chitosan (CS) as support materials in photocatalyst system. Due to the high surface area and strong adsorption characteristics, CS reduces the amount of intermediates produced during photocatalysis process. In the meantime, the addition of CS would further increase the mass transfer and processes for efficient photodegradation. Indeed, CS allows for fast and easy photocatalyst recovery and re-use with or without regeneration. The objective of this report is to inspire more prospects to use CS as multifunctional support material in photocatalysis system, focusing on mitigation, degradation and mineralization of different ranged pollutants in wastewater. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.