Photoreduction of 4-nitrophenol catalysed by carbon quantum dots embedded cerium oxide nanocomposite

Increased industrial activity has led to the environmental release of significant quantities of phenolic compounds and their derivatives. Among all organic pollutants, the discharge of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) has caused harm to human vital organs including the kidney, liver, and central nervous system as well as mild respiratory difficulties, due to its toxic nature. Carbon quantum dots embedded cerium oxide (CQDs@CeO 2 ) would be an effective material for the photocatalytic reduction of organic pollutants like 4-NP into 4-aminophenol, which is a critical stage in the photocatalytic reduction process. A newly developed fluorescent nanocomposite CQDs@CeO 2 has exceptional qualities such as high crystallinity, homogeneous morphology & a large surface area. The nanocomposite was synthesized using facile one-pot hydrothermal techniques and characterized using sophisticated techniques. The reduced product of 4-NP was confirmed using the GC/MS technique. Furthermore, the nanocomposite employed to reduce 4-NP demonstrated a reduction efficiency of 90% was achieved at 120 min.