Photocatalytic degradation of reactive blue 19 and antibacterial efficacy utilizing a magnetically separable C-doped TiO₂/copper-lead ferrite nanocomposite

The creation of multifunctional catalysts for the elimination of dye pollutants and antibacterial applications is crucial within the context of global sustainability and clean water programs. A visible-light-active photocatalyst, C-doped TiO₂ (CT), and its magnetically separable nanocomposite with copper‑lead ferrite (CPF/CT) were successfully synthesized using enhanced sol-gel and co-precipitation methods. The materials were examined using various procedures. Carbon doping and composite formation with CPF significantly enhanced visible-light absorption, reducing the bandgap energy to 2.8 eV for CT and 1.24 eV for CPF/CT nanocomposite. The CPF/CT nanocomposite demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic effectiveness, achieving complete degradation of Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) under visible light, surpassing CT nanocomposite. The levels of contaminants, duration of irradiation, and quantity of catalyst all influenced performance. A notable advantage for large-scale applications is the exceptional reusability of both CT and CPF/CT nanocomposites, which maintained high efficiencies of around 87% and 97%, respectively, across five consecutive cycles. Scavenger experiments indicated that hydroxyl radicals (OH • ) and electrons (e − ) are the primary active species in the breakdown process. Moreover, both CT and CPF/CT nanocomposites shown significant antibacterial efficacy against several evaluated gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. This study demonstrates that both CT and CPF/CT nanocomposites are extremely effective and recyclable photocatalysts for wastewater treatment and exhibit considerable potential for antibacterial applications. • CPF/CT NPs is a highly promising photocatalyst in the combat against RB19 dye commonly present in wastewater. • CPF/CT NPs outperform CT NPs in terms of photocatalytic activity against RB19. • The most important species in photocatalytic oxidation pathway are • OH • CPF/CT and CT NPs were extremely effective against 7 different gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.