Photocatalytic removal of heavy metal ions and antibiotics in agricultural wastewater: A review

Abstract In recent years, the treatment of agricultural wastewater has been an important aspect of environmental protection. The purpose of photocatalytic technology is to degrade pollutants by utilizing solar light energy to stimulate the migration of photocarriers to the surface of photocatalysts and occur reduction-oxidation reaction with pollutants in agricultural wastewater. Photocatalytic technology has the characteristics of high efficiency, sustainability, low-energy and free secondary pollution. It is an environmental and economical method to recover water quality that only needs sunlight. In this paper, the mechanism and research progress of photocatalytic removal of heavy metal ions and antibiotics from agricultural water pollution were reviewed by combining photocatalytic degradation process with agricultural treatment technology. The mechanism of influencing factors of photocatalytic degradation efficiency was discussed in detail and corresponding strategies were proposed, which has certain reference value for the development of photocatalytic degradation.