Highly efficient photocatalytic removal of antineoplastic drug and selective fluorescence detection of organophosphate pesticide employing NiFe2O4 modified 2D g-C3N4 heterostructures.

A dual functional platform based on nickel ferrite (NF) modified magnetically retrievable 2D metal free g-Carbon Nitride (CN), with varied ratios of NF, was easily fabricated via sonication-calcination strategy and successfully employed for photocatalytic degradation as well as fluorescence sensing of antineoplastic drug, Doxorubicin as well as organophosphate pesticide, Chlorpyrifos for the first time. [Display omitted] • Multifunctional platform of magnetically retrievable g-C 3 N 4 was fabricated. • Profound photocatalytic activity for antineoplastic drug, doxorubicin was observed. • Direct Z-scheme led to effective charge separation and visible light absorption. • Selective and sensitive detection of toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos and doxorubicin. • Excellent analytical performance for detection of analytes in real water samples. With the goal to detect, quantify and remove virulent toxins for water decontamination, a dual functional platform based on nickel ferrite (NF) modified magnetically retrievable 2D metal free g-Carbon Nitride (CN), with varied ratios of NF, was fabricated via simple sonication-calcination route. The % degradation of antineoplastic drug, doxorubicin (DXR) were obtained to be 69.8 %, 49.1 %, 71.1 %, 85.4 %, 94.2 %, 88.5 % and 81.7 % for CN, NF, 2-CNNF, 4-CNNF, 6-CNNF, 8-CNNF and 10-CNNF, respectively with corresponding rate constant values of 0.069, 0.047, 0.075, 0.100, 0.148, 0.113 and 0.078 min−1. CNNF heterostructure displayed outstanding photocatalytic performance with 6-CNNF heterostructure displaying highest rate kinetics with rate constant value 2.2 and 3.2 times greater than pure CN and NF, respectively. The charge transfer occurring in CNNF heterostructure followed direct Z-scheme mechanistic pathway, which proffers two advantages of high photoinduced charge carriers separation and optimized redox capacity of binary system. UV–vis DRS, XPS and PL results supported the proposed mechanism. Radical scavenging experiments further validated the role of •O 2 −, h+ and HO• radicals in degrading target pollutant. Moreover, the fabricated material was efficiently employed as selective and sensitive sensor for fluorescence detection of pesticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF) and DXR with respective LOD values of 4.1 µM in the range of 5 µM to 100 µM and 1.6 µM in the range of 0.1 µM to 40 µM. Real world applicability was established by monitoring CPF and DXR in real water samples. This study presents the designing of multi-functional platform, exhibiting excellent optical as well as physical characteristics, for monitoring and obliteration of noxious pollutants in aqueous environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]