As a well-known photocatalyst, TiO₂ still suffers from rapid electron–hole recombination and limited visible light absorption. To overcome these challenges, the combination of graphene and TiO₂ has been proposed. However, traditional methods such as ball milling and hydrothermal synthesis face limitations, including high energy consumption and complex procedures. Here, we develop a simple and industrially feasible method to prepare reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-coated TiO₂ nanoparticles, referred to as rGO-TiO₂ composites. The optimized rGO-TiO₂ composites exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under simulated sunlight conditions, about 99.95% for 4% rGO-TiO₂ within 80 min. The first-order reaction rate constant (k) of 4% rGO-TiO₂ (0.0867 min⁻¹) is 5.42 times higher than that of nano TiO₂ (0.0135 min⁻¹). The key reactive species involved in the degradation process are identified. Additionally, the effects of pH and NaCl concentration on the degradation efficiency of rGO-TiO₂ are also investigated. The 4% rGO-TiO₂ composite exhibits an excellent photocatalytic activity within the pH range of 3.87–11.89, and the NaCl concentration does not affect its photocatalytic efficiency. After characterization, the enhanced photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the introduction of rGO and the generation of surface oxygen vacancies (O_V) and Ti³⁺ in TiO₂ crystals.

The outbreak of algae in freshwater bodies poses an important threat to aquatic ecosystems, making finding an effective method for controlling algal blooms imperative. Numerous key factors influence algal bloom outbreaks, with nutrient levels in the water body being the decisive factor. Current research regarding the effect of nutrient levels on algal growth shows that phosphorus is a nutrient that influences algal blooms. Herein, we propose the concept of a modified Monod model for the relationship between algal specific growth rate and phosphorus concentration. Through this improved Monod model, we inferred that the phosphorus concentration at a specific growth rate of zero is the lower threshold of phosphorus concentration that limits algal growth and can effectively control algal outbreaks. This lower threshold is denoted as S′. On the basis of this concept, we designed algal growth experiments. Our results provided an equation that effectively describes the relationship between algal growth and nutrient concentration. When three algal species grow under phosphorus-limited conditions, the corresponding phosphorus concentrations at which they maintain a growth rate of 0 are 0.0565, 0.0386, and 0.0205 mg/L as reflected by the following order of their S′ values: Microcystis wesenbergii S′ < Microcystis aeruginosa S′ < Chlorella vulgaris S′. Furthermore, with the increase in phosphorus concentration, the growth of M. aeruginosa becomes faster than that of M. wesenbergii and C. vulgaris. Consequently, M. aeruginosa becomes the dominant population in the water, leading to its predominance in algal blooms. This situation explains the common occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for regulating the concentration of phosphorus to control algal outbreaks. Therefore, our study is of great importance for controlling the eutrophication of water bodies.

As a well-known photocatalyst, TiO₂, still suffers from rapid electron-hole recombination and limited visible light absorption. To overcome these challenges, the combination of graphene and TiO₂ has been proposed. However, traditional methods such as ball milling and hydrothermal synthesis face limitations, including high energy consumption and complex procedures. Here, we developed a simple and industrially feasible method to prepare reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated TiO₂ nanoparticles, referred to as rGO-TiO₂ composites. The optimized rGO-TiO₂ composites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic degradation of of Rhodamine B (RhB) under simulated sunlight condition. The effects of pH and NaCl concentration on the degradation efficiency of rGO-TiO₂ were also investigated. Additionally, the key reactive species involved in the degradation process were identified. After characterization, the enhanced photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the introduction of rGO and the generation of surface oxygen vacancies (OV) and Ti³⁺ in TiO₂ crystals.