Photocatalytic Dye Degradation Using Green-synthesized Nanoparticles: Toward Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

Water pollution and contamination are critical global challenges that require immediate, practical solutions. Industrial wastes contain a variety of highly toxic inorganic and organic pollutants, including dyes and heavy metals, which adversely affect the environment and human health. Among different types of water pollution, synthetic dyes are considered one of the most hazardous classes of wastewater pollutants. Numerous studies have demonstrated that many dyes exhibit carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties. Every year, large quantities of different dyes, such as methylene blue, methyl orange, rhodamine B, and Congo Red, are produced and widely used in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, paper, cosmetics, plastics, leather, agriculture, photoelectrochemical cells, and food processing.