Separation of Low-Molecular-Weight Organics by Water-Soluble Macrocyclic Arenes

In this study, we fabricate a series of water-soluble anionic macrocyclic arenes, including pillar[5]arene (WP5), pillar[6]arene (WP6), leaning pillar[6]arene (WLT6), and biphenyl-extended pillar[6]arene (WBpP6), which show different separation capabilities toward low-molecular-weight organics, such as short chain haloalkanes, cyclic aliphatics, and aromatics, in water. The liquid-liquid distribution experiments are carried out at room temperature. The separation factor for low-molecular-weight organics is evaluated in the extraction of equimolar mixtures. WP6 demonstrates a high extraction efficiency of up to 89% in separating toluene/methylcyclohexane mixtures. These adsorbents also have the advantages of rapid adsorption, high separation efficiency, remarkable selectivity, and good recyclability. This work not only expands the application scope of macrocyclic chemistry, but also has practical research value for organics separation and water purification.

Copillar[5]arene Chemistry: Synthesis and Applications

Research on pillar[n]arenes has witnessed a very quick expansion. This emerging class of functionalized macrocyclic oligoarenes not only offers host–guest properties due to the presence of the central cavity, but also presents a wide variety of covalent functionalization possibilities. This short review focuses on copillararenes, a subfamily of pillar[n]arenes. In copillararenes, at least one of the hydroquinone units bears different functional groups compared to the others. After having defined the particular features of copillararenes, this short review compares the different synthetic strategies allowing their construction. Some key applications and future perspectives are also described.

1 Introduction

2 General Features of Pillar[5]arenes

3 Synthesis of Functionalized Copillar[4+1]arenes

4 Concluding Remarks

Efficiency and mechanism of C18-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for extracting weakly polar pesticides from human serum determined by UHPLC-QTOF-MS and molecular dynamics simulations

Detecting pesticide residues in human serum is a challenging process due to trace-level chronic exposure. Several methods using magnetic adsorbents have been developed for analyzing pesticide residue levels in human serum, but it is still difficult to achieve lower quantitative levels, and the adsorption mechanism for extracting pesticides is unclear. Herein, we propose a feasibility concept of using C₁₈-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for the adsorption of target pesticides, focusing on the extensively used weakly polar pesticides based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. To support this, the facilitated target nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-C₁₈ were synthesized at a size of 12-13 nm with a magnetic saturation of 40 emu/g. After optimizing and establishing the extraction conditions (1.8 mL C₁₈ modifier, 10 mg sorbents, 3 min adsorption time, 1000 μL ACN for desorption eluent at pH 3.8 and 5 min desorption time), which exhibited recovery = 72.3%-118.3% with RSDs = 0.03-6.57, linearity at 0.01-10 ng/mL with R² = 0.9561-0.9993, and LODs = 0.01-0.30 ng/mL for the 11 weakly polar pesticides in human serum. Furthermore, the mechanism by which the C₁₈ group selectively extracts weakly polar pesticides was confirmed by binding van der Waals and electrostatic interactions under stable and strong binding energy. The extraction process of efficient adsorption and desorption with C₁₈ functional magnetite nanoparticles suggests a simple method for detecting weakly polar pesticides. The concept may lead to a general approach to analyzing multiple pesticide residues in human serum at trace levels.

Fullerene-containing pillar[n]arene hybrid composites

The construction and application of fullerene-containing pillar[n]arene organic–inorganic hybrid composites/systems has been discussed and summarized.

Pillararene-based molecular-scale porous materials

This review discusses the design and syntheses of molecular-scale pillar[n]arene-based porous materials with promising applications and summarises the development of using pillar[n]arenes as the building blocks of porous materials. From the perspective of "role of participation" in the syntheses of molecular-scale pillar[n]arene-based porous materials, the content can be divided into pillar[n]arenes serving as supramolecular nanovalves on surfaces and as ligands for metal-organic frameworks and covalent organic polymers. By integrating pillararenes, which possess rigid pillar-like structures, electron-rich cavities and desirable host-guest properties, with porous polymers of large surface areas and abundant active sites, applications of the resulting materials in drug release platforms, molecular recognition, sensing, detection, gas adsorption, removal of water pollution, organic photovoltaic materials and heterogeneous catalysis can be realised simultaneously and efficiently. Finally, in the conclusions and perspectives part, we put forward the challenges and viewpoints of the current research on pillar[n]arene-based porous materials. We hope this article can provide a timely and valuable reference for researchers interested in synthetic macrocycles and porous materials.

Electromagnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction based on polyaniline-coated magnetite/silica materials for the determination of Sudan red I in drinks

By replacing the permanent magnet with an electromagnet, traditional magnetic solid-phase extraction was developed into electromagnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction. A simple operation of power on and off can realize the separation of adsorbents from solutions easily. The improvement makes it possible for the automation of the determination of Sudan Red I by high-performance liquid chromatography. After series of optimization, a trace amount of Sudan red I was well-determined, and excellent linearity was achieved in the range of 0.005 to 1 mg/L with the correlation coefficient (R² ) = 0.997. The limit of detection with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was found to be 0.001 mg/L. The spiked recoveries of Sudan red I for the samples ranged from 93.6 to 104.9%. Moreover, the adsorbent could be recycled at least ten times. The results show that the electromagnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography is a rapid, eco-friendly, effective, and sensitive determination method with fascinating automation potential and high practical applicability.

Fluorescence-Based Sensing of Pesticides Using Supramolecular Chemistry

The detection of pesticides in real-world environments is a high priority for a broad range of applications, including in areas of public health, environmental remediation, and agricultural sustainability. While many methods for pesticide detection currently exist, the use of supramolecular fluorescence-based methods has significant practical advantages. Herein, we will review the use of fluorescence-based pesticide detection methods, with a particular focus on supramolecular chemistry-based methods. Illustrative examples that show how such methods have achieved success in real-world environments are also included, as are areas highlighted for future research and development.

Fe3O4 nanoparticles as matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction adsorbents for the analysis of thirty pesticides in vegetables by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Herein we report the first example of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (FNPs) being used as single-matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) adsorbents for the extraction of 30 representative pesticides from vegetables. This study was aimed at analyzing the extracted samples using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Various condition parameters, such as the eluent, volume of the eluent, and amount of FNPs were optimized to achieve good sensitivity and precision for the elution and extraction of the analytes. The developed method was validated using matrices consisting of eight vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, carrot, tomato, pepper, shallot, Chinese flowering cabbage, and cabbage) spiked with 30 pesticides at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/kg. The recoveries of the 30 pesticides (organophosphorus, triazole, carbamate, nicotine, amide, and other different structures of pesticides) were in the range 71.0-110.8% (n = 5) (except those of prothioconazole and dinotefuran), with relative standard deviations lower than 13.5% in all the matrices under optimal conditions. The matrix effects were observed by comparing the slope of the matrix-matched standard calibration curve with that of the solvent. However, the matrix effects of the eight vegetables did not show evident regularities. For pepper, tomato, and shallot, a sizable number of pesticides (24, 21, and 21, respectively) showed suppressive matrix effects. On the other hand, for cucumber, Chinese flowering cabbage, and cabbage, a good number of pesticides (19, 18, and 15, respectively) showed negligible matrix effects. Furthermore, for carrot matrices, 21 pesticides showed a matrix enhancement effect. Excellent linearity was achieved at pesticide concentrations of 0.01-1.0 mg/L, and the limits of quantification (LOQ) for the developed method reached 0.01 mg/kg (except that for dinotefuran, which was 0.1 mg/kg), based on the spiked test. The developed method was successfully employed in the analysis of real samples in Nanning, China, and three pesticide residues (halosulfuron methyl, tebuconazole, and azoxystrobin) were commonly detected in vegetable samples. In the present study, a reliable method-validation performance and excellent cleanup effects were observed by using the modified MSPD method consisting of the FNPs in the cleanup step.

Supramolecular kinetic effects by pillararenes: the synergism between spatiotemporal and preorganization concepts in decarboxylation reactions

Spatiotemporal and preorganization factors were both responsible for the catalytic and inhibitory supramolecular effects in decarboxylation reactions.

Applications of surface functionalized Fe3O4 NPs-based detection methods in food safety

Food safety has always been an issue of great concern to people. The development of rapid, sensitive and specific detection technology of food pollutants is one of the hot issues in food science field. The rapid development of functionalized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) provides unprecedented opportunities and technical support for the innovation of food safety detection. The surface functionalized Fe₃O₄ NPs, which combine superparamagnetic with nanoscale feature, have become an excellent tool for food quality and safety detection. This review highlights the mechanism, principles, and applications of surface functionalized Fe₃O₄ NPs-based detection technique in the agrifood industry. Then the relevant characteristics, functional roles and general mechanisms of nanomaterial-based detection of various endogenous components and exogenous pollutants in foods are discussed in detail. Ultimately, this review is expected to promote the optimization of functionalized Fe₃O₄ NPs and provide direction for the diversity of signal recognition and the sustainability of detection methods.

Pillar[n]arene-Based Supramolecular Switches in Solution and on Surfaces

The design and synthesis of new synthetic macrocycles has driven the rapid development of supramolecular chemistry and materials. Pillar[n]arenes, as a new type of macrocyclic compounds, are used as a promising type of building blocks for switchable supramolecular systems due to their versatile functionalization and the ability of binding toward various guest molecules. A number of guests can form inclusion complexes with pillar[n]arenes and their derivatives in solution, which are sensitive to different external triggers. Interestingly, the pursuit of complex stimuli-responsive functional materials and devices has largely motivated the shift of pillar[n]arene-based switches from solution media to surfaces for controllable macroscopic motions on solid platforms. Facilitated by the facile modification of pillar[n]arenes on various solid supports and the dynamic binding of host-guest complexes, numerous functional hybrid materials with adjustable physical or chemical properties and integrated functionalities have been reported in the last decade. Here, the advance of supramolecular switches in solution and on surfaces based on pillar[n]arenes and derivatives with an emphasis on the efforts and the latest contributions from the field is discussed.

Monodisperse pillar[5]arene-based polymeric sub-microsphere for on-line extraction coupling with high-performance liquid chromatography to determine antioxidants in the migration of food contact materials

The monodisperse pillar[5]arene-based polymeric sub-microsphere was prepared by polycondensation of hydroxylated pillar[5]arene and cyanuric chloride through a one-pot reaction in mild condition. The preparation was realized by a simple two-step temperature-programmed process without heating operation. The obtained polymeric sub-microsphere exhibited monodisperse and regular spherical structure with uniform particle size distribution of 220-320 nm accounting for 94%. The prominent adsorption capacity of the polymeric sub-microsphere for antioxidants was demonstrated and attributed to the synergistic effect of the cladding interaction with the π-electron rich cavity and hydrophilic interaction with terminal hydroxyl on pillar[5]arene. Then the pillar[5]arene sub-microsphere was packed into a micro-column to realize effective on-line enrichment of antioxidants coupling with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The flow rate of extraction and desorption solvent, clean-up and desorption volume were assessed to optimize the method. The method showed wide linear ranges with R² greater than 0.9926, low limits of detection (0.030-0.20 μg/L) and limits of quantification (0.10-0.67 μg/L). The developed method was successfully applied to determine trace antioxidants in the migration of food contact materials with simulated solution, which demonstrated the promising potential of this method for practical analysis. Furthermore, the migration behavior of antioxidants from food packaging materials into different food matrix was also investigated.

Integration of Fe3O4@UiO-66-NH2@MON core-shell structured adsorbents for specific preconcentration and sensitive determination of aflatoxins against complex sample matrix

Aflatoxins have been a hot topic in the field related into public health and ecosystem protection, and great effort has been made in developing of adsorptive materials for effective probing the target aflatoxins. Conventional materials, like metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) showed promising application in separation science. However, the cumbersome separation process, competitive adsorption are also major challenges. Regarding this, a novel magnetic micro-composite denoted as Fe₃O₄@UiO-66-NH₂@MON with core-shell structure was constructed. The core of Fe₃O₄ microspheres was coated with MOFs crystals, and then microporous organic network (MON) was introduced onto the surface of Fe₃O₄@UiO-66-NH₂ through a sonogashira coupling reaction. It exhibited good magnetic separation ability, which effectively simplified the pre-treatment steps. The proposed method possessed excellent selectivity and sensitivity, with detection limits in the range of 0.15-0.87 μg L^-1 combination with HPLC analysis. More importantly, the MON coating significantly improved the hydro-stability of whole adsorbents, thus enhancing the adsorption efficiency and favoring the practical application of the materials. The developed Fe₃O₄@UiO-66-NH₂@MON-based solid extraction method has been well-applied for real sample analysis, with the recovery of 87.3%-101.8%. We believe the newly-constructed hybrid nano-adsorbents hold great potential in further application in various analytical methods for different target analytes.

Fabrication of chromium-imprinted polymer: a real magneto-selective sorbent for the removal of Cr(vi) ions in real water samples

Graphical representation (a and b) show the procedure for the synthesis of Cr(vi) ion-imprinted magnetic polymer.

Functionalization of inorganic nanomaterials with pillar[n]arenes

Pillar[n]arenes, which consist of hydroquinone units linked by -CH2- bridges at 2,5-positions, are a relatively new class of synthetic macrocycles since 2008. Their facile preparation and flexible modification properties make them ideal stabilizers for inorganic nanomaterials. Furthermore, their symmetrical and columnar architectures with very rigid and π-rich cavities endow them with rich host-guest properties. This Feature Article provides an overview of the functionalization of inorganic nanomaterials with pillar[n]arenes and their applications. These inorganic nanomaterials are classified into three major classes according to different types of compositions: (1) novel metal nanomaterials; (2) hybrid metal nanomaterials; and (3) porous materials. The applications of these nanomaterials such as catalysis, drug delivery, cancer therapy, and sensing have been comprehensively discussed.

Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for the detection of aminopyralid in milk using dispersive solid-phase extraction

A method for dummy molecular imprinting-magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction (MI-MDSPE) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the selective determination of aminopyralid in milk. The magnetic material and polymers were combined via a series of modifications in Fe₃O₄. Fe₃O₄@SiO₂–NH₂@MIP, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂–COOH@MIP and two types of aminopyralid-specific magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) were prepared on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles modified with amino and carboxyl groups. The morphology and magnetic properties of the polymer were characterized. Fe₃O₄@SiO₂–NH₂@MIP exhibits not only good dispersibility and magnetic properties, but also an outstanding recognition pattern to the target analyte. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that Fe₃O₄@SiO₂–NH₂@MIP, with a high specific surface area and fast mass transfer rate, had a higher affinity than Fe₃O₄@SiO₂–COOH@MIP towards aminopyralid. Under the optimized MI-MDSPE conditions, the method had good linearity (R² > 0.9972), excellent recoveries (83.3–90%), and good precision (relative standard deviations (RSDs) < 12.6%). This method has limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.231 and 0.77 μg kg⁻¹, respectively, indicating that these MMIPs can be used to analyse trace levels of aminopyralid in real samples.

(a) Preparation of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂–NH₂@MMIP. (b) Diagram of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for the detection of aminopyralid in milk using dispersive solid-phase extraction.

Supramolecular Nanosystem Based on Pillararene-Capped CuS Nanoparticles for Targeted Chemo-Photothermal Therapy

A smart supramolecular nanosystem integrating targeting, chemotherapy, and photothermal therapy was constructed based on carboxylatopillar[5]arene (CP[5]A)-functionalized CuS nanoparticles (CuS@CP NPs). CuS@CP NPs with good monodispersibility and strong near-infrared absorption were synthesized in aqueous solution through a facile one-pot supramolecular capping method, followed by surface installation of a liver cancer-targeted galactose derivative through host-guest binding interaction. The resulting smart supramolecular nanosystem, namely, CuS@CPG, exhibited excellent photothermal ablation capability to HepG2 cells upon irradiation with laser at 808 nm. Chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), was further loaded on CuS@CPG via electrostatic interactions between positively charged DOX and negatively charged CP[5]A to give CuS@CPG-DOX with a high drug-loading capacity up to 48.4%. The weakening of DOX-CP[5]A interactions in an acidic environment promoted the pH-responsive drug release from CuS@CPG-DOX. Significantly, this multifunctional supramolecular nanosystem showed a remarkably enhanced therapeutic effect through the combination of targeted chemotherapy and photothermal therapy upon in vitro cell study. Moreover, preliminary in vivo study demonstrated that CuS@CPG and CuS@CPG-DOX had good biocompatibility and excellent tumor inhibition effects upon near-infrared laser irradiation.

Preferential adsorption of flavonoids from peanut shell by amino-modified Fe3 O4 nanoparticles (MNP-NH2 )

BACKGROUND

The highly selective capture of individual components of complex systems such as Chinese medicine extracts is a great challenge. With the rapid development of nanoscience, magnetic materials have attracted increased attention as suitable candidates for use in drug transport vehicles.

RESULTS

In this work, amino-modified Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticles (MNP-NH₂ ) have been synthesized and successfully used to selectively isolate luteolin, a type of flavonoid, from peanut shell, coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography. MNP-NH₂ were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer analysis, which showed that the amino functional groups were successfully bound to the surface of the magnetic particles. Adsorption of six different flavonoids by MNP-NH₂ showed that the mechanism of adsorption was related to the number of ortho-phenolic hydroxyl groups. The optimized adsorption conditions were extraction for 40 min at 30 °C by single-factor experiments and the final elution conditions were determined to be 5 mL of 20% glacial acetic acid (methanol:water = 60:40) and ultrasonication for 40 min by L9 (3⁴ ) orthogonal test.

CONCLUSION

Based on these findings, we first created a method for separating luteolin from peanut shell extract by MNP-NH₂ . This newly developed magnetic method of extracting chemical compounds from herbal foodstuffs and medicines provides new ideas for the utilization of a cash crop. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Biological and related applications of pillar[n]arenes

Pillar[n]arenes are a new class of synthetic supramolecular macrocycles streamlined by their particular pillar-shaped architecture which consists of an electron-rich cavity and two fine-tuneable rims. The ease and diversity of the functionalization of the two rims open possibilities for the design of new architectures, topological isomers, and scaffolds. Significantly, this emerging class of macrocyclic receptors offers a unique platform for biological purposes. This review article covers the most recent contributions from the pillar[n]arene field in terms of artificial membrane transport systems, controlled drug delivery systems, biomedical imaging, biosensors, cell adhesion, fluorescent sensing, and pesticide detection based on host-guest interactions. The review also uniquely describes the properties of sub-units that make pillar[n]arenes suitable for biological applications and it provides a detailed outline for the design of new innovative pillar-like structures with specific properties to open up a new avenue for pillar[n]arene chemistry.

Disk solid-phase extraction of multi-class pharmaceutical residues in tap water and hospital wastewater, prior to ultra-performance liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analyses

In this work, a new clean-up and pre-concentration method based on disk solid-phase extraction (SPE) was developed to determine multi-class pharmaceutical residues covering a wide range of polarities (log K_ow values from −0.5 to 5.1) in water systems, prior to ultra-performance liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analyses. Electrospray ionisation in positive and negative modes was used for the simultaneous determination of both acidic and basic pharmaceuticals. The performances of disk SPE and cartridge SPE were compared. The targeted pharmaceutical compounds list included bronchodilators, antidiabetic drugs, antihypertensive drugs, a lipid-lowering agent, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Based on our results, the disk SPE demonstrated a higher sensitivity and recovery value and less analysis time as compared to the cartridge SPE method. The limits of detection (LOD) for the new method ranged from 0.02–3.2 ng L⁻¹, 0.02–3.1 ng L⁻¹ and 0.02–4.7 ng L⁻¹ for tap, effluent and influent wastewater, respectively. The method's absolute recovery values ranged from 70% to 122% for tap water, 62% to 121% for effluent wastewater and 62% to 121% for influent wastewater, except for metformin in which the absolute recovery value was approximately 48% for all samples. Intra-day precision for tap water, effluent and influent wastewater ranged from 3–12%, 4–9% and 2–8%, respectively. The method developed was applied for the determination of targeted pharmaceuticals in tap, effluent, and influent wastewater from one hospital treatment plant in Malaysia. The results revealed that the highest concentrations of certain pharmaceuticals were up to 49 424 ng L⁻¹ (acetaminophen) and 1763 ng L⁻¹ (caffeine) in the influent and effluent wastewater, respectively. The results also showed a variation in the treatment efficiencies for the hospital treatment plant from one compound to another. Nevertheless, the removal efficiencies ranged from 0–99%.

A new sensitive analytical method was developed for pharmaceuticals with a very wide range of polarities, and log K_ow ranging from −0.5 to 5.12.

Design of Organic Macrocycle-Modified Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

Paul Ehrlich's vision of a "magic bullet" cure for disease inspires the modern design of nanocarriers whose purpose is to deliver drug cargo to specific sites in the body while circumventing endogenous immunological clearance mechanisms. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have emerged as particularly promising nanocarriers because of their biodegradability, ability to be guided magnetically to sites of pathology, mediation of hyperthermic therapy, and imaging capabilities. In this review, we focus on the design and drug-delivery aspects of IONPs coated with organic macrocycles (crown ethers, cyclodextrins, calix[n]arenes, cucurbit[n]urils, or pillar[n]arenes), which, by means of reversible complexation, allow for the convenient loading and release of drug molecules. Macrocycles can be attached to IONPs indirectly or directly. Indirect attachment requires the use of small organic linking molecules or conjugation to shell materials. Direct attachment requires neither. We discuss in detail drug release from the macrocycles, highlighting mechanisms that depend on external stimuli such as changes in pH, the competitive binding of ions or small molecules, or the application of ultrasound or electromagnetic radiation.

Preparation of pillar[5]arene-quinoline Langmuir–Blodgett thin films for detection of volatile organic compounds with host–guest principles

In this study, a novel pillar[5]arene-quinoline (P5-Q) as an organic material is used to fabricate Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) thin films and its organic vapor sensing properties have been investigated.

Pillar-Shaped Macrocyclic Hosts Pillar[n]arenes: New Key Players for Supramolecular Chemistry

In 2008, we reported a new class of pillar-shaped macrocyclic hosts, known as "pillar[n]arenes". Today, pillar[n]arenes are recognized as key players in supramolecular chemistry because of their facile synthesis, unique pillar shape, versatile functionality, interesting host-guest properties, and original supramolecular assembly characteristics, which have resulted in numerous electrochemical and biomedical material applications. In this Review, we have provided historical background to macrocyclic chemistry, followed by a detailed discussion of the fundamental properties of pillar[n]arenes, including their synthesis, structure, and host-guest properties. Furthermore, we have discussed the applications of pillar[n]arenes to materials science, as well as their applications in supramolecular chemistry, in terms of their fundamental properties. Finally, we have described the future perspectives of pillar[n]arene chemistry. We hope that this Review will provide a useful reference for researchers working in the field and inspire discoveries concerning pillar[n]arene chemistry.

Nanoparticles functionalized with supramolecular host-guest systems for nanomedicine and healthcare

Synthetic macrocyclic host compounds can interact with suitable guest molecules via noncovalent interactions to form functional supramolecular systems. With the synergistic integration of the response of molecules and the unique properties at the nanoscale, nanoparticles functionalized with the host-guest supramolecular systems have shown great potentials for a broad range of applications in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this review article, we focus on the applications of the nanoparticles functionalized with supramolecular host-guest systems in nanomedicine and healthcare, including therapeutic delivery, imaging, sensing and removal of harmful substances. A large number of examples are included to elucidate the working mechanisms, advantages, limitations and future developments of the nanoparticle-supramolecule systems in these applications.

Covalently bonded double-charged ionic liquid on magnetic graphene oxide as a novel, efficient, magnetically separable and reusable sorbent for extraction of heavy metals from medicine capsules

Development of a new SPE sorbent with a chemically bonded double-charged ionic liquid on magnetic graphene oxide to solve the disadvantages of ionic liquid based SPE methods.

Highly efficient extraction of actinides with pillar[5]arene-derived diglycolamides in ionic liquids via a unique mechanism involving competitive host–guest interactions

A novel extraction mechanism is described.

Construction of a photo-responsive supra-amphiphile based on a tetracationic cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) and an azobenzene-containing guest in water

A photo-responsive supra-amphiphile was constructed based on the host–guest molecular recognition between a tetracation cyclophane cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) host and an azobenzene-containing guest.

Ionic liquid-based carbon nanotube coated magnetic nanoparticles as adsorbent for the magnetic solid phase extraction of triazole fungicides from environmental water

Ionic liquid-based magnetic carbon nanotubes (IL-Fe₃O₄@MWCNTs) were synthesized as a novel adsorbent in MSPE for determination of six triazole fungicides in environmental water.

Precipitation polymerization: a versatile tool for preparing molecularly imprinted polymer beads for chromatography applications

Minireview on recent advances of application of MIPs prepared by precipitation polymerization for recognition of target analytes in complex matrices.

Modification of cellulose paper with polydopamine as a thin film microextraction phase for detection of nitrophenols in oil samples

Polydopamine cellulose paper was used as a novel extraction phase to detect nitrophenols in oil samples.

A pillar[5]arene-containing cross-linked polymer: synthesis, characterization and adsorption of dihaloalkanes and n-alkylene dinitriles

A pillar[5]arene-containing cross-linked polymer was synthesized and utilized to adsorb dihaloalkanes and n-alkylene dinitriles.