Catalyst-free photodegradation of ethylparaben on surface-engineered PBT membranes: a coupled adsorption–photolysis mechanism

Key Points

• The aim is to explore the removal of ethylparaben using surface-engineered PBT membranes without catalysts.
• Utilized surface-engineered PBT nonwovens for experiment.
• Investigated combined effects of adsorption and UV light exposure.
• Monitored ethylparaben degradation rates.
• Achieved effective removal of ethylparaben using only PBT membranes.
• Demonstrated the role of adsorption and UV-induced photolysis in the degradation process.