Emerging nano photo-catalysts for degradation of paracetamol and its prospective: a short review

Pharmaceutical wastes are a major concern nowadays in different countries because of their toxic and hazardous effect on the environment and human health. Wide use of paracetamol is somewhat strenuous due to which degradation and detection of these analgesics in different water sources and soil samples attracted concerns from the scientific communities. Though some conventional treatments are available to degrade paracetamols, their complete mineralisation is mostly gruelling using these techniques. However, the emergence of heterogeneous nano photocatalysts help in efficient degradation of paracetamols and overcome the drawbacks of conventional methods. These nano-photocatalysts also yield non-toxic degradation products from paracetamols. The present review focuses on the basics of photocatalysts and a brief survey over a range of publications in recent years. This review also includes the advantage of nano photocatalyst over conventional methods. Modified and supported nano photocatalysts and their efficiencies in the degradation of paracetamols along with their optimisation and dosage control are briefly discussed. Moreover, different new generation catalysts such as use of low band gap inorganic nano photocatalysts and Z-scheme heterojunction systems are also comprised in the report.