ADVANCED PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS USING DOPED TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOSTRUCTURES

Abstract

The growing global concern regarding the persistence of organic contaminants in aquatic environments has intensified research into advanced oxidation processes, particularly photocatalysis. Titanium dioxide, despite its widespread application as a photocatalyst, exhibits intrinsic drawbacks such as limited visible-light absorption and rapid electron–hole recombination. The present study investigates the photocatalytic performance of metal- and non-metal-doped TiO₂ nanostructures synthesized via a modified sol–gel route. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between structural defects, dopant incorporation, and charge-transfer pathways that collectively determine catalytic activity. The findings demonstrate that synergistic doping substantially enhances the degradation kinetics of model pollutants, outperforms pristine TiO₂ under identical irradiation conditions, and offers a scalable platform for wastewater purification. The study also articulates methodological refinements, analytical rigor, and mechanistic interpretation, providing critical insight into the engineering of next-generation photocatalysts.