Machine learning modeling to predict the photocatalytic degradation rate constant in wastewater using TiO₂

Many researchers have studied the application of titanium dioxide (TiO₂​) for photodegradation, but optimization is time-consuming and resource-intensive due to the complexity of various experimental parameters. In this study we developed a machine learning model for enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO₂ photocatalyst for pollutant degradation. Therefore, we compiled a dataset of 150 experimental results from published literature. This dataset was compiled based on various parameters that influence the reaction rate constant (k), such as pollutant type, catalyst particle size, surface area, pollutant concentration, TiO₂ dosage, pH, light intensity, and temperature. Several machine learning models were trained and tested, among them the CatBoost model, demonstrating the prediction with R² of 0.9044 and MAE of 0.1052. Analysis revealed that catalyst load, light intensity, and pollutant concentration were the most influential factors in the model's predictions. The optimized CatBoost model successfully predicted a degradation rate constant of 0.1383 min^- 1 for methylene blue, which was experimentally validated as equivalent to the rate constant of 0.1278 min^- 1, confirming the potential of machine learning. This work confirms the potential of machine learning models for optimizing the photocatalysis efficiency of TiO₂ photocatalysts for environmental applications.