Solar-driven activated carbon/g-C3N4/Fe2WO6 nanocomposites for efficient dye degradation with machine learning-guided optimization and ecotoxicological assessment

An affordable Activated Carbon/g-C 3 N 4 /Fe 2 WO 6 nanocomposites (ACNFeW NCs)-based solar-driven photocatalyst was developed for environmental remediation and toxicity applications. The degradation of Congo Red (CR), Methylene Red (MR), and Mixed Dye (MD) in natural sunlight was used to evaluate photocatalytic performance. The ACNFeW NCs achieved a maximum degradation efficiency of 95% for CR, with a corresponding apparent rate constant of 0.0422 min −1 within 70 min. After eight cycles, the photocatalyst preserved over 95% of its initial activity, demonstrating stability and reusability. Experimental data were further used to develop hybrid Adaptive Nuero-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) models optimized using metaheuristic algorithms. Among the evaluated models, TLBO-ANFIS exhibited the best predictive performance and was subsequently used as a decision support tool for photocatalytic process optimization. Additionally, ACNFeW NCs also showed high antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus . The concentration-dependent larvicidal activity of ACNFeW NCs against Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles stephensi were strong. Additionally, acute toxicity tests in Artemia salina and Moina macrocopa showed no harmful effects at environmentally relevant doses. These findings demonstrate ACNFeW NCs promise as a stable and multifunctional photocatalyst for solar-driven wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.