EVALUATION OF HEAVY METALS IN VEGETABLES IRRIGATED WITH SEWAGE WATER: A CASE STUDY OF RADISH AND ZUCCHINI IN KHAN BELA

Abstract

Toxic contaminants in wastewater pose severe hazards to both the environment and human health, emphasizing the urgent need for efficient and eco-friendly remediation technologies. Among the various treatment methods, photocatalytic degradation stands out as a sustainable and green approach for the removal of organic pollutants, particularly synthetic dyes. In this work, a CeO₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ heterostructured nanocatalyst was synthesized using the coprecipitation technique and assessed for its photocatalytic efficiency in degrading methylene blue.

The synthesized materials were characterized for their structural, optical, and morphological properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The CeO₂/Zn₂V₂O₇ hybrid catalyst demonstrated significantly improved photocatalytic performance compared to pristine Zn₂V₂O₇, with the 50% CeO₂ composition achieving the highest degradation efficiency. This enhancement is attributed to more effective charge carrier separation and superior redox activity, confirming the potential of CeO₂-based heterojunctions as promising materials for advanced wastewater treatment applications.