ZnO nanowires and nanorods based ZnO/WO3/Pt heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic degradation of estriol (E3) hormone

•ZnO nanowires and nanorods were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method.•ZnO based WO3/Pt heterojunctions were fabricated by spray method.•Efficient E3 degradation using continuous Drip Flow Biofilm Reactor (under UV light).•The photoactivity of heterostructures was quantified using facile HPLC method.•Highest efficiency was for ZnOnw/WO3/Pt (86.2%) while least for ZnOnr (22.9%). In this report, ZnO nanowires and nanorods based ZnO/WO3/Pt heterojunction were successfully prepared on a glass substrates via a facile hydrothermal growth method followed by spraying. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated by the degradation of estriol (E3) hormone under UV light irradiation (∼365 nm) in a closed continuous flow reactor. The as-prepared samples achieved an excellent photodegradation rate in the range of 23–37% and 63–86% for the nanorods and nanowires morphology, respectively. This article provides a new insight into the construction of suitable geometrically optimized heterojunction for the remediation of persistent bio toxicants.