Refinery

Engineering

Reusability

Business

Catalysis

Marketing

Organic chemistry

Chemistry

Materials science

Programming language

Oil refinery

Reuse

Software

Commercialization

Environmental science

Computer science

Waste management

Photocatalysis

Pollutant

Environmental engineering

Wastewater

Journal of Cleaner Production

Environmental pollution by Petroleum refinery wastewater (PRW) raises vital call for attention to scientist and industrialists due to its impact on human and eco-system. This manuscript reviews methods on modification of semiconductors, effect of operating parameters, reusability/stability, along with recent development on TiO2- and ZnO-based photocatalysts towards degradation of PRW pollutants. TiO2 and ZnO can be successfully modified to visible/solar light responsive photocatalysts. In-depth knowledge of reaction mechanism between photocatalysts and sorbates, structure formation in modified photocatalysts with respect to generation/mobilization of photo-charged carriers, informs the choice of composition of photocatalysts. Petroleum refineries are yet to benefit from heterogeneous photocatalysis due to some setbacks such as: recovery of photocatalysts for reuse, inability of the catalyst to degrade high concentration of pollutants, inability to handle the complex nature of PRW, and its reusability. Thus, a multifunctional and cost effective photocatalyst with reusability/stability needs more exploration to enable commercialization of the photocatalysts.

Photocatalytic degradation of pollutants in petroleum refinery wastewater by TiO2- and ZnO-based photocatalysts: Recent development