Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis Using Semiconductor and Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Textile and dyeing industries are the prime causes for pollution of water bodies. Several unauthorized units have been adversely affected, and shutdown has been a part of pollution control measure. But even today we can find the water bodies are contaminated and its impact on the surroundings has become unmanageable. The banned synthetic dyes dig its way into the market and later accumulate in water and soil. Most of these small-scale units find the setting up of water treatment plants very expensive. As a result, several small-scale industries are forced to shut down as an attempt to reduce pollution. Textile industry plays a major role in the global economy. So, development of new methodologies and innovative practices must be brought in to solve the problem of pollution without affecting the economy. Solving these problems by cost-effective implementation of photocatalysts is the major outcome of these projects. This chapter reviews some of the most used techniques with focus on visible-light-driven photocatalytic treatment.