ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION USING CEO₂/ZN₂V₂O₇ HYBRID NANOCATALYSTS

Abstract

Toxic pollutants in wastewater present serious risks to both the environment and human health, highlighting the pressing need for efficient and sustainable remediation methods. Among the available techniques, photocatalytic degradation has emerged as an environmentally friendly and effective strategy for eliminating organic contaminants, especially synthetic dyes. In this study, a CeO₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ heterostructured nanocatalyst was synthesized through a coprecipitation method and evaluated for its photocatalytic performance in degrading methylene blue.

The structural, optical, and morphological characteristics of the synthesized nanomaterials were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The CeO₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ composite exhibited markedly superior photocatalytic efficiency compared to pure Zn₂V₂O₇, with the 50% CeO₂ composition achieving the highest degradation rate. This enhanced activity is attributed to improved charge carrier separation and increased redox capability, demonstrating the strong potential of CeO₂-based heterojunctions for advanced wastewater treatment applications.