Rice husk biochar mediated red phosphorus for photocatalysis and photothermal removal of E. coli

The current photocatalytic bactericidal materials in the field of food pathogen control are usually consisted of metals that always suffering from poor stability and possible secondary pollution. Besides, the requirement for high energy excitation also inspires the enthusiasm on exploring non-metallic catalysts. Herein, the non-metallic composite of rice shell biochar loaded with red phosphorus (B@RP) was developed for photocatalysis and photothermal removal of bacteria. The B@RP showed effective photocatalysis performance to stimulate the generation of (OH)-O-center dot and O-center dot(2)- free radicals for the elimination of Escherichia coli (E. coli). At the same time, the photothermal effect of B@RP can also increase the permeability of cell membrane, which is conducive to free radicals entering the cell interior. Therefore, the non-metallic composite could achieve complete removal of E. coli within 2 h under illumination. Meanwhile, B@RP had excellent stability and the sterilization efficiency maintained 100% after 9 cycles. Hence, B@RP is expected to be a harmless and efficient bactericidal material for food industry.

Automated summary

Researchers developed a non-metallic composite material B@RP for photocatalysis and photothermal removal of bacteria, which showed effective performance in eliminating E. coli within 2 hours. It also demonstrated excellent stability and maintained 100% sterilization efficiency after 9 cycles.