Catalytic modification of corn straw facilitates the remediation of Cd contaminated water and soil

Turning postharvest residue into high-value-added products is crucial for agricultural waste management and environmental remediation.In this proofofconcept study, nanosized PtTiO2 was used as a model catalyst to modify corn straw materials through a simple low-temperature oxidation process. This method was demonstrated to be selfsustainable, waste-free, and with high yields. According to the d-band theory, the unexpected role of catalysts in CS modification could be associated with dissociative adsorption of molecular O2 on the Pt surface. These results provide insights for the development of economic and sustainable technologies to reutilize agricultural waste biomass for water and soil remediation.