Graphitic carbon nitride-based photocatalysts for the degradation of contaminants of emerging concern: recent advances and future perspectives
- 1Department of Chemistry, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) P.O. Nilore Islamabad 45650 Pakistan
- 2Chemistry Division, Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) Nilore Islamabad 45650 Pakistan +92-51-9248808
- 3Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) 50 UNIST-gil Ulsan 44919 South Korea
Abstract
Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds, and personal care products are frequently reported in aquatic environments, which pose serious risks to ecosystems and human health for their potential persistence and resistance to traditional wastewater treatment. Photocatalysis has emerged as one of the most promising sustainable and efficient strategies for degradation of these contaminants. The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), as a photocatalyst has gained wide interest owing to its metal-free nature, appropriate bandgap (∼2.7 eV) and excellent chemical stability. However, its practical utilization is restricted by low quantum efficiency and fast charge recombination. This review comprehensively discusses the occurrence and environmental impact of CECs, fundamentals of g-C3N4 photocatalysis, synthesis approaches, characterization techniques, photocatalytic mechanisms, and recent modification strategies developed to overcome the intrinsic limitations of pristine g-C3N4. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between structural engineering and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of various CECs. The review also discusses the main challenges such as catalyst deactivation, transformation product toxicity, and mass production restrictions. Finally, some emerging directions like AI-guided materials design, green synthesis pathways and pilot-scale practices are discussed that could be explored to close the gap between lab research and real-world applications.
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BibTeX
@article{ghaffar2026graphitic,
title = {{Graphitic carbon nitride-based photocatalysts for the degradation of contaminants of emerging concern: recent advances and future perspectives}},
author = {Maryam Ghaffar and Muhammad Saifullah and Mohsin Ali Raza Anjum},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra06963k},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662550},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Graphitic carbon nitride-based photocatalysts for the degradation of contaminants of emerging concern: recent advances and future perspectives
AU - Maryam Ghaffar
AU - Muhammad Saifullah
AU - Mohsin Ali Raza Anjum
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra06963k
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662550
AB - Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds, and personal care products are frequently reported in aquatic environments, which pose serious risks to ecosystems and human health for their potential persistence and resistance to traditional wastewater treatment. Photocatalysis has emerged as one of the most promising sustainable and efficient strategies for degradation of these contaminants. The graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), as a photocatalyst has gained wide interest owing to its metal-free nature, appropriate bandgap (∼2.7 eV) and excellent chemical stability. However, its practical utilization is restricted by low quantum efficiency and fast charge recombination. This review comprehensively discusses the occurrence and environmental impact of CECs, fundamentals of g-C3N4 photocatalysis, synthesis approaches, characterization techniques, photocatalytic mechanisms, and recent modification strategies developed to overcome the intrinsic limitations of pristine g-C3N4. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between structural engineering and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of various CECs. The review also discusses the main challenges such as catalyst deactivation, transformation product toxicity, and mass production restrictions. Finally, some emerging directions like AI-guided materials design, green synthesis pathways and pilot-scale practices are discussed that could be explored to close the gap between lab research and real-world applications.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -