Mechanisms in the photocatalytic breakdown of persistent pharmaceutical and pesticide molecules over TiO-based photocatalysts: A review.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) based photocatalysts have been widely used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of various persistent organic compounds in water and air. The degradation mechanism involves the generation of highly reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl radicals, which react with organic compounds to break down their chemical bonds and ultimately mineralize them into harmless products. In the case of pharmaceutical and pesticide molecules, TiOand modified TiOphotocatalysis effectively degrade a wide range of compounds, including antibiotics, pesticides, and herbicides.