Rapid photocatalytic mineralization of glyphosate by Pd@BiVO4/BiOBr nanosheets: Mechanistic studies and degradation pathways
Gbemisola J. Bamiduro, Caitlyn M. Dollar, Sarah Abaddi, Nicholas Ensinger, Elsayed M. Zahran
Abstract
Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide, has been linked to adverse effects on human health and non-target species. We report a highly efficient light-activated catalytic mineralization of glyphosate by Pd@BiVO4/BiOBr dual heterojunction photocatalyst. Rapid degradation of glyphosate by Pd@BiVO4/BiOBr was achieved within 5 min of the reaction. The palladium decoration of BiVO4/BiOBr nanocomposite enhanced the degradation four times. The glyphosate photocatalytic mineralization pathway was investigated via the determination of the degradation products. Pd@BiVO4/BiOBr photocatalyst displayed high stability after six glyphosate degradation cycles. Such results pave the way for sustainable catalytic technologies to minimize the global impact of pesticides.