The synthesized materials were subsequently evaluated as photocatalysts to facilitate the oxidative decomposition of dyes (MO and safranin O) and antibiotics (ofloxacin and norfloxacin). The increased surface area of Sm-doped nanoferrites, Sm ions' affinity for the octahedral location, and their smaller band gap contributed to their remarkable catalytic efficacy. These nanoferrites are highly recyclable, making them ideal for wastewater treatment photocatalysts. A study investigated the use of a non-toxic sol-gel process to create nickel-zinc ferrite nanostructures (Ni0.6Zn0.4Fe2O4 and Ni0.6Zn0.2Ce0.2Fe2O4) with cubic shapes. These NPs exhibited remarkable effectiveness in eliminating harmful bacteria present in sewage samples. The results suggest that magnetic NPs (MNPs) hold promise as powerful tools for sewage treatment by eliminating harmful bacteria. Notably, the nickel-zinc-cerium ferrite demonstrated superior performance compared to the other two ferrite types in suppressing microbial growth. Basfer, N.M et al. synthesized cobalt-magnesium ferrites doped with the rare earth element cerium (Ce) with the chemical formula Co0.7Mg0.3CexFe2-xO4 (abbreviated as CMCF) by a combustion technique to generate a highly efficient nano-photocatalyst capable of removing harmful dyes. Although the CMCF nanoferrites used a bigger ion (Ce) instead of a smaller ion (Fe), the lattice parameter and crystallite size exhibited an unexpected pattern, reducing from 8.4077 to 8.3922 and 34.66 to 20.76 nm, respectively. The CMCF (x = 0.1) photocatalyst was used to induce four distinct stages in the MB degradation process. The CMCF NPs hold great potential as efficient photocatalysts for eliminating harmful MB in wastewater treatment processes. Irfan, M. et al. produced a wide variety of Co0.5Cd0.5Fe2-xCexO4 (CoCdCeFO) nanoferrites using the sol-gel method. The presence of Ce 3+ in the Co-Cd photocatalyst did not have a substantial impact on its photocatalytic activity throughout the range of x = 0 to 0.04. However, the photocatalytic activity of Co-Cd exhibited a noticeable decrease as the Ce 3+ concentration increased. Hence, the incorporation of a small quantity of Ce 3+ in Co-Cd samples enhances the photocatalytic activity under visible light. Table . Exploring various synthesis methods for incorporating rare earth metals into spinel ferrites to effectively remove virulent chemicals from wastewater. Researchers investigated a sol-gel auto-combustion technique to synthesize undoped and dysprosium (Dy 3+ )-doped zinc-magnesium (Zn-Mg) NCs. The effectiveness of these NCs for degrading a model organic dye (MG dye) under sunlight irradiation was evaluated. The study revealed that ZM3, a specific composition of the doped NCs, exhibited the highest degradation efficiency, reaching 94.23%.