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Abstract
Dyes are employed in industrial processes that result in large volumes of wastewater. This situation is hazardous for the environment and human health and requires the development of cost effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable technologies. Photocatalysis with polymer supported quantum dots is promising for the treatment of dye containing wastewater. Here, polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) composites were produced by solution casting for methylene blue (MB) removal from wastewater. The characterization of PBAT/CdSe QDs nanocomposite films was performed by x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and spectrophotometry. The influence of pH, initial MB concentration, PBAT/QDs composition, and catalyst dosage upon the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation were investigated. The highest efficiency was obtained using 0.8 g/L catalyst dosage at pH 12.0 with a value of 98.27% in 120 min. This study shows that biodegradable PBAT and CdSe QDs are suitable for photocatalysis-based wastewater treatment.