Platinum and gold activated ZnFe₂O₄ nanomaterials for boosting photocatalytic inhibition of bacteria under visible light

We successfully synthesized visible-light-activated magnetic photocatalysts, namely PtAu/ZnFe2O4, by modified hydrothermal process in which ascorbic acid was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the reduction of Pt and Au nanoparticles. These photocatalysts have the ability to use visible light for photocatalytic reactions and also exhibits magnetic properties. Photocatalytic tests conducted in this study showed that PtAu/ZnFe2O4 composites have greater photocatalytic performance under visible light. These composites, obviously improved have shown effectiveness against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Moreover, the analysis of charge carrier density presented that the addition of Pt and Au to ZnFe2O4 resulted in an increased fragmentation of the photogenerated charge carriers. This finding suggests that the said metals introduced enhance the overall photocatalysis performance by significantly facilitating charge carrier separation Application. Trapping experiments indicating reactive species such as O-center dot(2)- (superoxide) ions and h(+) (pores) in PtAu/ ZnFe2O4 performs a key role in the photocatalytic process. Furthermore, the as-prepared PtAu/ZnFe2O4 composite can be efficiently separated through external magnetic field after the photocatalytic reaction. Additionally, the hybrid materials displayed extremely effectual photocatalytic antibacterial property. The antibacterial activity was much proficient in light (E. coli inhibition zone= 17, and S. aureus inhibition zone = 19) than in dark (E. coli inhibition zone= 09, and S. aureus inhibition zone = 11). Taken together, these findings highlight the promising potential of the PtAu/ZnFe2O4 photocatalyst as a magnetic photocatalyst with antibacterial properties for practical applications in wastewater treatment. This research opens up avenues for the future development and implementation of photocatalysis in addressing environmental challenges associated with wastewater treatment.