Low intensity UV driven dual functional Cu doped BiVO4 for enhanced methylene blue degradation and Staphylococcus aureus inactivation

This study reported on a dual-functional Cu-doped BiVO₄ photocatalyst synthesized via the hydrothermal method. Optimized 1 wt% Cu doping narrowed the bandgap to 2.24 eV, enabling 85% methylene blue (MB) degradation under low-intensity UV (13 W) within 180 min; a 5.1-fold enhancement over bare BiVO₄. Radical trapping confirmed hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and superoxide radicals (·O₂^-) as the dominant reactive species. The catalyst retained > 92% efficiency over three cycles and exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (12.6 ± 0.4 mm inhibition zone) in dark conditions, attributed to Cu²⁺ release. Cost analysis further revealed a competitive synthesis cost of approximately RM 7.57 per gram, supporting the economic viability for large-scale environmental remediation applications. The integration of dual photocatalytic and antibacterial functionalities, along with cost efficiency, reinforces the practical potential of Cu-doped BiVO₄ in wastewater treatment applications.