Effective photocatalytic antibacterial of Bi2WO6/Bi4O5I2 driven by visible light

The escalation of medication resistance in pathogenic bacteria has resulted in significant damage to public health and safety, as bacterial and fungal illnesses proliferate. Additionally, pathogenic bacteria disseminate via water resources, leading to water contamination and adversely impacting the quality of the living environment. Consequently, the creation of an efficient antibacterial material has emerged as a focal point of study. Photocatalysis, as an innovative, environmentally friendly, and effective technique, has been extensively used in degrading and antibacterial domains.For the first time, Bi 2 WO 6 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 composites with molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 were produced using the water bath-calcination technique including bismuth nitrate pentahydrate, sodium tungstate dihydrate, and potassium iodide, and their photocatalytic antibacterial characteristics were examined. Their characterization was conducted using XRD, XPS, SEM, FT-IR, and UV techniques. The antibacterial efficacy was evaluated using a low-power 35 W LED light irradiation dilution coated plate technique. The experimental findings demonstrated that, in the presence of 35w LED lighting, the antibacterial rate against E.coli , Bacillus subtilis , and P.aeruginosa reached 100 % in 10 min at a concentration of 1000 mg/L of BWOI-3 composite material, and the antibacterial efficiency against S. aureus reached 100 % in 5 min. Within 50 min, the antibacterial efficacy against Candida albicans was 100 %. The Bi 2 WO 6 /Bi 4 O 5 I 2 compound has shown exceptional broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy.