Engineering Advanced TiO₂-nanoparticle Photocatalytic Systems for Efficient Methylene Blue Industrial Dye Degradation

The contamination of aquatic ecosystems by industrial dyes is a formidable environmental crisis especially in developing regions, underscoring the need for scalable, economical and eco-friendly remediation strategies. This study investigates the optimization of hydrogen peroxide $\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{2}\right)$ in a TiO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf>-nanoparticle photocatalytic system as a green, sustainable technology for degrading methylene blue, a carcinogenic dye prevalent in industrial wastewater. Photodegradation efficiency of the suspension improved with increasing H<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> O<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> dosage, reaching a maximum decolorization efficiency of 89.3% at $2.7 \mathbf{~ m L}$. The addition of H<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> O<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> also nearly doubled the rate constant of the photocatalysis reaction, significantly reducing the required irradiation time for efficient decolorization. Given the results, it is evident the addition of oxidative species to photocatalytic systems offers a promising pathway for advancing and improving existing water treatment practices.