Surface methyl/methylene regulates WO3 directional activation of molecular oxygen into singlet oxygen for the removal of organic pollutants in water

The efficient removal of organic pollutants using singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) represents a pivotal advancement in environmental purification. Despite its potential, the controlled generation of 1 O 2 remains a challenging endeavor. In this study, we present a novel approach whereby methyl/methylene are utilized to modulate the production of 1 O 2 by tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ), thereby enhancing the photocatalytic degradation of persistent pollutants through deep oxidation. Employing a dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB)-assisted hydrothermal synthesis, we successfully fabricated WO 3 capable of generating 1 O 2 . This modified WO 3 demonstrates superior performance in the photocatalytic degradation of chloroquine phosphate by facilitating the rapid separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, thereby accelerating the degradation process. Furthermore, WO 3 augmented with 1 O 2 exhibits enhanced efficacy in decomposing other challenging organic contaminants, compared to its untreated counterpart. Our findings not only contribute to the advancement of photocatalytic design principles centered on 1 O 2 but also underscore the critical role of controlled 1 O 2 production in the effective eradication of pollutants.