UV-Iron Oxide Nanocatalyst-Based Photocatalytic Degradation of Endrin Pesticide in Contaminated Water and In-Vitro Cytotoxicity Study on HepG2 Cells

Abstract The extensive use of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) has led to significant environmental and health concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. This study investigated the degradation of endrin pesticide using a UV-based iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) photocatalytic system. Prior, Fe 3 O 4 nanocatalyst was synthesized via co-precipitation and characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope with electron diffraction spectroscope (SEM–EDX), ultraviolet spectrophotometer (UV–visible), photoluminescence (PL), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). FTIR showed a Fe–O vibrational peak at 450 cm −1 , and SEM revealed irregular spherical-shaped agglomeration, confirming the successful synthesis of iron oxide nanocatalyst. Batch photocatalytic degradation of endrin in aqueous solution using a UV-H 2 O 2 -Fe 3 O 4 nanocatalyst-based system achieved 97.87% degradation efficiency, demonstrating its potential as an effective method for removing persistent OCPs from contaminated water. Kinetic studies followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with a R 2 value of 0.9533. Cytotoxicity assessment with HepG2 cells indicated that only one sample (compound 2) exceeded a 10% cytotoxicity value, indicating potential hazardous effects on mammalian cells. The other three samples (compounds 1, 2, And 3) displayed 0% cytotoxicity, demonstrating no toxicity. These findings highlight the effectiveness of photocatalytic degradation in treating pesticide-contaminated water, contributing to the development of efficient and environmentally friendly methods, thereby reducing the detrimental impacts of OCPs on human health and ecosystems.