Developments in Cobalt Sulfide Based Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes: A Review

ABSTRACT The use of synthetic organic dyes for various industrial purposes contaminates water bodies, which is one of the prime causes for human health and environmental hazards. Dyes effluents released in water bodies not only affect the aesthetic value of water but also deteriorate aquatic life by increasing chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand. Moreover, by entering in food chain it may severely affect human health by being genotoxic and carcinogenic. After conventional wastewater treatment methods, which are often, less effective, advanced oxidation processes including the photocatalytic degradation techniques have been emerged as efficient methods for dye degradation. Among the effective photo‐catalyst, cobalt sulfide‐based nanomaterials are emerging as one of the potential candidates for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. The cost‐effectiveness, high adsorption efficiency and reusability of cobalt sulfides are the additional support for their promising photocatalytic applications. The present manuscript describes the industrial contamination of organic dyes and their effect on human health and ecosystem. It systematically reviews various synthetic routes for cobalt sulfide and their composites for photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. In addition, the manuscript elaborates on mechanistic insight, influencing factors and future aspects of cobalt sulfide‐based nanomaterials in photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes.