Enhanced photocatalytic antibacterial Ag3PO4/AgCl nanocomposites for water purification from organic and microbial contaminants
Tugelbay S. Shalabayev Z. Khan N. Mukhanbetzhanov N. Jumagaziyeva A. Sultanov F. Kozhakhmetov S. Kushugulova A. Shevelkov A.V. Mucsi G. Tatykayeva U. Daniyeva N. Burkitbayev M. Tatykayev B.
October 2025Elsevier Ltd
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
2025#13Issue 5
In the current research, a scalable and sustainable technology for the solid-state synthesis of multifunctional hybrid Ag3PO4/AgCl nanocomposites for water treatment from organic pollutants and microorganisms has been successfully developed. This method relies on a solution-free, mechanochemical synthesis of nanocomposites in planetary ball mill. Among the synthesized composites, the Ag3PO4/AgCl (75:25) demonstrated the highest and most stable photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation, achieving an organic dye degradation rate constant twice that of pure Ag3PO4 nanoparticles and four times that of AgCl nanoparticles. Additionally, the antimicrobial and fungicidal efficacy of the nanocomposites was evaluated against test strains, including Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Erwinia amylovora. Ag3PO4/AgCl showed high antibacterial activity against all microorganisms. Moreover, it was proven that the antibacterial activity of nanocomposites was enhanced when illuminated with visible light. Mechanistic studies confirmed that the enhanced antibacterial activity stems from a synergistic effect of ROS production under visible light and direct Ag+ interaction with bacterial membranes. SEM-EDS analysis revealed silver deposition on cell surfaces, while TEM imaging showed progressive membrane degradation, supporting the dual mechanism of action. Weakly visible light irradiation of Ag3PO4/AgCl powered their antibacterial activity via photocatalytic production of oxidizer radicals. In general, photocatalytic antibacterial activity was 10 times higher than simple antibacterial activity. These findings highlight the potential of this novel solid-state synthesis technology in tackling pressing issues related to water pollution and microbial contamination, paving the way for sustainable solutions in environmental remediation.
And antibacterial fungicidal activity , Ball milling , Nanocomposites , Photocatalyst , Silver chloride , Silver phosphate
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Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Systems for Energy Storage, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Microbiome, Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay batyr ave, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Scientific Center for Anti-Infectious Drugs, Almaty, 050060, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
Faculty of Earth Science and Engineering, University of Miskolc, Miskolc, 3515, Hungary
Department of Human Pathology, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkistan, 161200, Kazakhstan
Core Facilities, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry
Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Systems for Energy Storage
Laboratory of Microbiome
Scientific Center for Anti-Infectious Drugs
Department of Chemistry
Faculty of Earth Science and Engineering
Department of Human Pathology
Core Facilities
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