University of Kashan Journal of Nanostructures 2251-7871 15 2 2025 04 01 Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Brilliant Blue Dye by ZnS@ZnO Nanocomposite: An Ecofriendly Solution for Pollutant Removal and Healthy protective 516 524 114810 10.22052/JNS.2025.02.012 EN Aseel M. Aljeboree Department of Chemistry, College of Science for Women, University of Babylon, Iraq Uday Abdul-Reda Hussein Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Al-Ameed, Iraq Safaa Mustafa Hameed Department of Optics Technologies, College of Health and Medical Technology, Sawa University, Almuthana, Iraq Usama S. Altimari Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, AL-Nisour University College, Baghdad, Iraq Muntadher Abed Hussein Department of Sciences, Al-Manara College For Medical Sciences, Maysan, Iraq Ayad Fadhil Alkaim Department of Chemistry, College of Science for Women, University of Babylon, Iraq Journal Article 2025 01 21 The degradation mechanism is largely driven by the generation of molecular oxygen and other reactive oxygen species (ROS), produced through sequential photochemical reactions, which play a pivotal role in the oxidative breakdown of dye molecules. The synergistic combination of ZnS and ZnO is proposed to further enhance photocatalytic efficiency while minimizing reliance on costly and potentially hazardous sensitizers. In this experimental investigation, ZnO-based photocatalysts were successfully synthesized, doped with transition metals, and characterized using advanced techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The photocatalytic degradation of Brilliant Blue (BB) dye was employed as a model reaction to evaluate the influence of metal dopants on both degradation efficiency and reaction kinetics. Additionally, UV-Visible spectroscopy was utilized to monitor the degradation process. The results demonstrated that the ZnS/ZnO-based photocatalyst achieved complete (100%) degradation of BB dye within 60 minutes, confirming its high efficacy in the treatment of azo dye-contaminated wastewater. Furthermore, it was observed that increasing dye concentrations led to the formation of multiple molecular layers, which hinder light penetration and consequently reduce photocatalytic activity. An optimal photodegradation efficiency of 86.25% was recorded at a dye concentration of 20 mg·L⁻¹. These findings highlight the potential of ZnS/ZnO nanocomposites as efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable photocatalysts for the removal of azo dyes from industrial wastewater, thereby contributing to advances in environmental remediation technologies. https://jns.kashanu.ac.ir/article_114810_2fddccb16ffeb080445282568c853134.pdf