Optimization of photocatalysis using vanadium doped WO3 under visible light to completely eliminate residual antibiotics in aqueous environment

The study successfully doped vanadium into the WO₃ lattice to enhance its activity for the effective photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline, a pollutant known to induce various adverse effects on environmental and ecological systems due to its excessive use and discharge. The results demonstrated that vanadium doping effectively reduced band gap energy and enhanced electron-hole separation efficiency of WO₃. Under visible light, V-WO₃ generated a large number of electron-hole pairs for tetracycline degradation. The study further revealed that the optimal vanadium doping content to maximize the degradation efficiency of WO₃ was 3 wt% (V/W). Exceeding this doping content led to the formation of V₂O₅ on the WO₃ surface. The V₂O₅ occupied active sites and/or acted as centers for the recombination of generated electron-hole pairs, thereby reducing the photocatalytic performance of WO₃. Additionally, the study identified that the optimal pH for tetracycline degradation using 3 V-WO₃ was 6. The 3 V-WO₃ demonstrated high photocatalytic efficiency, achieving complete mineralization of tetracycline. Finally, the study confirmed that 3 V-WO₃ exhibited excellent stability during photocatalysis and could be effectively recovered after use.