The Effect of Mineral Ions Present in Tap Water on Photodegradation of Organic Pollutants: Future Perspectives

Photodegradation is the chemical conversion of large, toxic, and complex molecules into non-toxic, simpler, and lower molecular weight species due to light exposure. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has sufficient potential to degrade toxic organic pollutants present in wastewater. As industries discharge their effluents containing organic pollutants into natural water bodies, which penetrate into the subsurface through connected pores it is necessary to study this process in natural or tap water. Tap water (TW) is mainly obtained from underground wells having inorganic salts in a minute quantity with a conductivity of 500 mu S/cm. TW contains inorganic anions, which affect the photocatalytic activity and photocatalysis process. The aim of this review is to evaluate the effect of TW on the photo-degradation of organic pollutants such as dyes, pharmaceutical products, pesticides, etc., with the support of the literature. The TW had a diverse effect on the photodegradation of organic pollutants; either it may enhance or decrease the rate of pollutants' photodegradation.

Automated summary

Photodegradation is the process of converting large, toxic, and complex molecules into simpler and non-toxic substances through exposure to light. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has the potential to degrade toxic organic pollutants in wastewater. Tap water, obtained mainly from wells, contains inorganic salts and anions that can affect the photocatalytic activity and process of photodegradation. This review evaluates the impact of tap water on the photodegradation of organic pollutants and discusses its diverse effects on the rate of degradation.