Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Thiamethoxam (Thia) by Starch/cu-mof Composite

In this work, a composite based on a starch-copper metal organic framework (starch/Cu-MOF) was synthesized and used as a highly efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of thiamethoxam (THIA) in the presence of sun light. The material was synthesized using solvothermal method and different characterization techniques like Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and UV-Visible spectroscopy were applied for the characterization of the material. Integration of starch not only enhanced the dispersion and stability of Cu-MOF particles but also enhanced the surface area and facilitated the charge carrier separation. The evaluation of photocatalytic process revealed that the composite achieved an impressive 94.95% degradation efficacy under the optimized conditions and following zero order kinetics. The catalyst displayed excellent reusability across multiple cycles with negligible loss in performance. The novelty of this study lies in the synergistic integration of starch with Cu-MOF to create an eco-friendly, cost effective catalyst with superior degradation efficiency as compared to pristine MOFs. These findings highlight the potential of the synthesized composite for the sustainable remediation of pesticides contaminated water.