0D/3D Z-scheme heterojunction composite formed by decorating BaFe2O4 nanoparticles on SrTiO3 microspheres for ameliorating photocatalytic wastewater treatment and bactericidal performance

A novel 0D/3D BaFe2O4/SrTiO3 composite was successfully fabricated via a two-step precipitation-solvothermal method. The BaFe2O4 nanoparticles were intimately deposited onto SrTiO3 microspheres, and the fabricated composite showed significantly improved visible light photoactivity. The BaFe2O4/SrTiO3 composite showed good performance in treating palm oil mill effluent (POME) with 97.5 % COD removal and 83.3 % TOC removal within 210 min irradiation, outperforming SrTiO3, BaFe2O4 and SrTiO3 + BaFe2O4. Other emerging organic pollutants like phenol, tetracycline, resorcinol and bisphenol A were also successfully photodegraded under similar experimental conditions. Furthermore, bactericidal analysis revealed that the BaFe2O4/SrTiO3 efficiently inactivated Bacillus Cereus. The enhanced photoactivity was attributed to the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction, facilitating electron migration from SrTiO3 to BaFe2O4, thereby accelerating charge separation and boosting reactive species yield.