WO
3 is a visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, but the potential of its conduction band is not negative enough to produce H
2 from water or to reduce O
2 in the photodegradation reaction of various waste organic materials, environmental pollutants, and biomass. The activity of WO
3 for the photodegradation of various organic substances into CO
2 was markedly enhanced by the addition of Fe
3+, mainly due to the electron-accepting effect of the reduction of Fe
3+ to Fe
2+. WO
3 in the presence of Fe
3+ was more active than TiO
2 even under ultraviolet-visible light for the degradation of lower-molecular-weight organic substances. The Fe
2+ generated in the photocatalytic reaction could be oxidized to Fe
3+ by means of a hybrid system of electrolysis and photocatalysis accompanied by the production of H
2 from water at a low external bias (<1 V).
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