Indium phosphide quantum dots as green nanosystems for environmental detoxification: surface engineering, photocatalytic mechanisms, and comparative material insights

Abstract

Indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots (QDs) offer a sustainable, low-toxicity alternative to heavy-metal-based nanomaterials for environmental detoxification. This critical review evaluates their potential as green photocatalysts, focusing on their ability to degrade organic pollutants, including dyes, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), under visible-light irradiation. Innovations in ligand functionalization, core/shell architectures, and eco-friendly synthesis enhance colloidal stability, photostability, and charge separation, surpassing traditional photocatalysts such as CdSe/ZnS and TiO₂ in efficiency and safety. By elucidating structure–property relationships, this work provides a novel framework for designing scalable, biocompatible nanomaterials, paving the way for advanced nanoremediation technologies to address global pollution challenges.