Photodegradation of Personal Care Products (PCPS) with modified Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDCS) nanomaterials in water

Abstract: One of pressing issues South Africa face is the inability to access portable water due to water pollution. Due to increase in human population, the need for portable water increases each year. Industries are key drivers of water pollution. The contaminants from industries such as Personal Care Products (PCPs) which includes phthalates such as dibutyl phthalate considered as endocrine disruptive chemicals which can alter nervous system of human beings hence when present poses potential threat to life of human beings. They are classified as hazardous major industrial contaminant by Chinese Environment Monitoring Center and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because of ecological toxicity and high demand. DBP is used globally, and its consumption increases rapidly. The annual global production of dibutyl phthalate is more than 8 million tons hence its degradation is of paramount. Technology of sufficient removal DBP to less toxic is of great significance and has attracted researchers as their noble mission. Wastewater treatment plant can be used to biologically degrade organic pollutant from water using vast number of microorganisms. The study illustrated the enhanced biological degradation of DBP by combining biological and photocatalytic system making an ideal system for degradation of DBP in water with the use of advanced oxidation process such as photocatalysis...M.Sc. (Chemistry