Robust gel-combustion preparation strategy for environmentally friendly bismuth tungstate nanocatalyst: Antimicrobial and photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible and UV light irradiation

With rapid industrialization and urbanization, environmental remediation and sustainable water management have become major global concerns. Industries and domestic households discharge large quantities of organic and inorganic pollutants into water systems, leading to severe ecological and public health challenges. The development of efficient materials for wastewater treatment and water resource protection is therefore of significant importance. This work used gel combustion method to develop novel bismuth tungstate (Bi 2 WO 6 ) material. The purpose of this research is the treatment of polluted water and to examine the microbicidal behavior of the prepared material. The structure, phase, optical, thermal, morphological, and compositional evaluations have been carried out by PXRD, FTIR, UV–visible, PL, TG/DTA, and HR-TEM, FESEM with EDX analyses. The XRD profiles showed a well crystallized Bi 2 WO 6 orthorhombic phase. The antibacterial activity against different pathogens at high and low concentrations has been demonstrated. The prepared Bi 2 WO 6 nanoparticles (NPs) are identified to have a profound antimicrobial efficiency. Moreover, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye on bismuth tungstate nanostructures was investigated in UV and visible light irradiation. The efficient degradation of nearly 100% MB in the presence of Bi 2 WO 6 catalyst and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) within 40 min in UV irradiation. In the presence of visible light, it degraded nearly 100% MB in 165 min. The efficient photodegradation performance is observed under UV light. It is anticipated that this research will provide a useful pathway for the synthesis of photocatalysts aimed at addressing water pollution and advancing sustainable water management in real-world applications. • Bismuth tungstate (Bi 2 WO 6 ) nanoparticles successfully prepared by gel-combustion process. • A broad photo-absorption from 200 to 485 nm in both the ultraviolet and visible regions. • Exceptional thermal stability up to 900 °C. • Bi 2 WO 6 exhibited prominent antimicrobial activity against the tested Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. • Significant photocatalytic efficiency of Bi₂WO₆ for methylene blue dye in the presence of H 2 O 2 under UV (40 min) and visible (165 min) irradiation.