Zn-doped CuSe Nano cones as an efficient catalyst for photodegradation of imidacloprid- a commonly used pesticide

[Display omitted] •The persistent use and inadvertent application of imidacloprid has endangered the non-target organisms.•Zn doped CuSe nanocones were prepared as photocatalysts toremediate imidacloprid.•The photocatalyst reduced the half life of pesticide to 60 minutes only.•No harmful metabolites of imidacloprid were produced during its photodegradation.•Zn doped CuSe nanocones provide an affordable, effective method to remove imidacloprid from wastewaters with zero waste. The present study focused on using Zn-doped CuSe nanomaterial for the complete mineralization of imidacloprid to ensure a pollutant-free and innocuous environment. Imidacloprid is an emergent contaminant with varying harmful effects on several non-target organisms, including humans. The Zn-doped CuSe nano-cones were prepared by using simple ion exchange and chemical precipitation methods and characterized by X-ray crystallography (EDX), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), and band gap measurements. According to the photocatalytic degradation kinetics, Zn-doped CuSe composites photodegraded imidacloprid with removal efficiency (R) 95% and DT50 of only 63 min. The degradation data obtained by UV–visible spectrophotometer was verified by employing HPLC-UV technique with ± 2 % SD for imidacloprid concentration. GC–MS analysis confirmed the complete mineralization of imidacloprid. Nano-sized Zn-doped CuSe (20 mg/100 mL) can be regarded as an efficient photocatalyst for imidacloprid removal from water at pesticide concentrations of 15 mg/L (100 mL) at neutral pH and 45 °C with UV light intensity of 18 W m−2. This work would help remediate agricultural wastewater contaminated with pesticides like imidacloprid using a simple and economical method. Further cost benefits are obtained due to the stability of the nano photocatalyst that may be repeatedly used without a major loss in activity.