Yolk@Wrinkled-double shell smart nanoreactors: new platforms for mineralization of pharmaceutical wastewater

Nanomaterials with "yolk and shell" "structure" can be considered as "nanoreactors" that have significant potential for application in catalysis. Especially in terms of electrochemical energy storage and conversion, the nanoelectrode has a large specific surface area with a unique yolk@shell structure, which can reduce the volume change of the electrode during the charging and discharging process and fast ion/electron transfer channels. The adsorption of products and the improvement of conversion reaction efficiency can greatly improve the stability, speed and cycle performance of the electrode, and it is a kind of ideal electrode material. In this research, heterojunction nanoreactors (FZT Y@WDS) Fe3O4@ZrO2-X@TiO2-X were firstly synthesized based on the solvothermal combined hard-template process, partial etching and calcination. The response surface method was used to determine the performance of the FZT Y@WDS heterojunction nanoreactors and the effects of four process factors: naproxen concentration (NAP), solution pH, the amount of charged photocatalyst, and the irradiation time for photocatalytic degradation of NAP under visible light irradiation. To maximize the photocatalytic activity, the parameters of the loaded catalyst, the pH of the reaction medium, the initial concentration of NAP, and the irradiation time were set to 0.5 g/L, 3, 10 mg/L, and 60 min, respectively, resulting in complete removal of NAP and the optimum amount was calculated to be 0.5 g/L, 5.246, 14.092 mg/L, and 57.362 min, respectively. Considering the promising photocatalytic activity of FZT Y@WDS under visible light and the separation performance of the nanocomposite, we proposed this photocatalyst as an alternative solution for the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater.

Hydrogen peroxide modified and bismuth vanadate decorated titanium dioxide nanocomposite (BiVO4@HMT) for enhanced visible light photocatalytic growth inhibition of harmful cyanobacteria in water

The persistence of harmful cyanobacterial algal blooms in aquatic ecosystems leads to health damage for various life forms. In this study, a photocatalyst active in the visible light range was prepared by combining BiVO₄ with hydrogen peroxide modified titanium dioxide (BiVO₄@HMT; for short), using an impregnation method. The catalyst was used to photocatalytically inhibit the growth of cyanobacteria collected from a bloom site. To infer the optimum pH for cyanobacterial growth, the effect of pH was studied. The growth of cyanobacteria was favoured in an alkaline environment at pH values in the range of 8-9.5 when analysed on the 20^th day of incubation. Structural and chemical analysis of pristine and composite nano-powders was performed using XRD, SEM, TEM and XPS, confirming the heterojunction formation, while optical and band gap analysis revealed increased visible light absorption and reduced band gap of the composite. A small strawberry seed-like assembly of BiVO₄ particles increased the light absorption in the 15%BiVO₄@HMT composite and increased the inhibition efficiency up to 2.56 times compared to pristine HMT at an exposure time of 6 h and cell concentration at 0.1 g L^-1 with an optimum catalyst dose of 1 g L^-1. The amount of chlorophyll 'a' decreased due to the generation of catalytically reactive species, especially holes (h⁺), which caused oxidative damage to the cell wall, cell membrane and antioxidants in algal cells. This study reports that visible light active nanocatalysts can be used as a promising method for reducing algal blooms in water bodies.

Photocatalytic activity of ZrO2/TiO2/Fe3O4 ternary nanocomposite for the degradation of naproxen: characterization and optimization using response surface methodology

In this study, ZrO₂, TiO₂, and Fe₃O₄ components were synthesized by co-precipitation, sol–gel, and co-precipitation methods, respectively. In addition, solid-state dispersion method was used for synthesizing of ZrO₂/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ ternary nanocomposite. The ZrO₂/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was characterized by different techniques including XRD, EDX, SEM, BET, FTIR, XPS, EELS, and Photoluminescence (PL). The FTIR analysis of ZrO₂/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ photocatalyst showed strong peaks in the range of 450 to 700 cm⁻¹, which represent stretching vibrations of Zr–O, Ti–O, and Fe–O. The results of FTIR and XRD, XPS analyses and PL spectra confirmed that the solid-state dispersion method produced ZrO₂/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites. The EELS analysis confirmed the pure samples of Fe₃O₄, TiO₂ and ZrO₂. The EDAX analysis showed that the Zr:Ti:Fe atomic ratio was 0.42:2.08:1.00. The specific surface area, pores volume and average pores size of the photocatalyst were obtained 280 m²/g, 0.92 cm³/g, and 42 nm respectively. Furthermore, the performance of ZrO₂/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was evaluated for naproxen removal using the response surface method (RSM). The four parameters such as NPX concentration, time, pH and catalyst concentration was investigated. The point of zero charge of the photocatalyst was 6. The maximum and minimum degradation of naproxen using photocatalyst were 100% (under conditions: NPX concentration = 10 mg/L, time = 90 min, pH = 3 and catalyst concentration = 0.5 g/L) and 66.10% respectively. The stability experiment revealed that the ternary nanocatalyst demonstrates a relatively higher photocatalytic activity after 7 recycles.

Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Degradations of Analgesic, Mucolytic and Anti-Biotic/Viral/Inflammatory Drugs Widely Used in Controlling SARS-CoV-2

The COVID-19 pandemic has been transformed into one of the main worldwide challenges, in recent years. For controlling symptoms that are caused by this disease (e.g., chills or fever, shortness of breath and/or difficulty in breathing, cough, sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, the new loss of tastes and/or smells, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea), lots of medicines including analgesics, mucolytics, and anti-biotic/viral/inflammatory drugs have been frequently prescribed. As these medicines finally contaminate terrestrial and aquatic habitats by entering surface waterways through pharmaceutical production and excreting trace amounts of waste after human usage, they have negative impacts on wildlife’s health and ecosystem. Residual drugs in water have the potential to harm aquatic creatures and disrupt their food chain as well as the breeding cycle. Therefore, proper degradation of these broadly used medicines is highly crucial. In this work, the use of nanomaterials applicable in photocatalytic degradations of analgesics (e.g., acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen), mucolytics (e.g., ambroxol), antibiotics (e.g., azithromycin and quinolones including hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine phosphate), anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids (e.g., dexamethasone and cortisone acetate), antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), H2 blockers (e.g., famotidine), anthelmintics (e.g., praziquantel), and finally antivirals (e.g., ivermectin, acyclovir, lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, nitazoxanide, and remdesivir) which widely used in controlling/treating the coronavirus have been reviewed and discussed.

TiO2-La2O3 as Photocatalysts in the Degradation of Naproxen

The indiscriminate use of naproxen as an anti-inflammatory has been the leading cause of pollution in sewage effluents. Conversely, titanium dioxide is one of the most promising photocatalyst for the degradation of pollutants. Ti-La mixed oxides containing 0, 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt.% of lanthanum were synthetized by sol-gel and tested as photocatalysts in the degradation of naproxen (NPX). The materials were further characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen physisorption (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD patterns resembled that of anatase titania. The Eg values, determined from the UV-Vis spectra, vary from 2.07 to 3.2 eV corresponded to pure titania. The photocatalytic activity of these materials showed a degradation of naproxen from 93.6 to 99.8 wt.% after 4 h under UV irradiation.

High-performance photocatalytic membranes for water purification in relation to environmental and operational parameters

Growing technologies, increasing population and environmental pollution lead to severe contamination of water and require advanced water treatment technologies. These aspects lead to the need to purify water with advanced smart materials. This paper reviews the recent advances (during the last 5 years) in photocatalytic composite membranes used for water treatment. For this purpose, the authors have reviewed the main materials used in the development of (photocatalytic membranes) PMs, environmental and operational factors affecting the performance of photocatalytic membranes, and the latest developments and applications of PMs in water purifications. The composite photocatalytic membranes show good performance in the removal and degradation of pollutants from water.

Photocatalytic removal of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid from aqueous solution using tungsten oxide doped zinc oxide nanoparticles immobilised on glass beads

Groundwater is the only source of high quality water for human consumption in most parts of the world; however, it can be easily contaminated by domestic, industrial, and agricultural wastes such as fertilisers and pesticides. The main objective of the present research was to study the photocatalytic removal of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid pesticide (2,4-D) from aqueous media. This was a laboratory scale study in which the zinc oxide nanoparticles were doped with 0.5, 1, and 2 molar percent of tungsten oxide. The nanoparticles synthesised were characterised using powder XRD, SEM, FTIR, and UV-Vis Spectroscopy analyses. During the photodegradation of 2,4-D, the operational parameters studied were pH, nanoparticles dosage, initial pesticide concentration, light intensity, contact time, and the mineralisation trend of organic matter. It was found that the doped nanoparticles had a smaller band gap energy, which confirms the effect of doping. The percentage of the dopant can affect the pesticide removal efficiency. The optimal pH value obtained was 7. In addition, the process efficiency, increased from 27% to 78% with increasing UV light intensity from 172 to 505 W/m² respectively. Moreover, it was found that, with increasing light intensity, contact time and nanoparticle concentration all caused the pesticide removal efficiency to be increased too. In addition, the increase of the pesticide concentration would cause a reduction in the process removal efficiency. This study indicated that the photocatalytic process using tungsten doped zinc oxide nanoparticles can remove the 2,4-D pesticide by around 80% from the aquatic environment.

Photodegradation of naproxen using CuZnAl-layered double hydroxides as photocatalysts

We herein report CuZnAl-layered double hydroxide that exhibits excellent photocatalytic degradation of naproxen in water.

Decomposition of naproxen by plasma in liquid process with TiO2 photocatslysts and hydrogen peroxide

Naproxen (NPX), one of the representative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ingredients, was decomposed by plasma in liquid process (PiLP). Strongly oxidized species generated in the plasma field of the PiLP, such as OH radicals, were confirmed by optical emission spectroscopy Increasing the operation parameters (pulse width, frequency and applied voltage) of the power supply promoted plasma field generation and OH radical generation, and affected the NPX decomposition rate. Although the NPX decomposition reaction rate was improved by up to 18-30% by adding TiO₂ photocatalyst powder and H₂O₂ to PiLP, but the optimal addition amount should be determined considering the plasma generation and scavenger effects. A decomposition pathway was proposed, in which NPX was mineralized into CO₂ and H₂O through five intermediates mainly by decarboxylation, demethylation, hydroxylation, and dehydration reactions via hydroxyl radicals.

The construction of NiFeSx/g-C3N4 composites with high photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of refractory pollutants

In this work, a novel NiFe layered double hydroxide-derived sulfide (NiFeSx)-modified g-C3N4 nanosheet photocatalyst (NiFeSx/g-C3N4) was synthesized, and its morphology, structure and visible light absorption capacity were simultaneously characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, XPS, UV-Vis DRS, PL techniques and EIS Nyquist plots. Furthermore, it was discovered that at an optimum mass ratio of 3% (NiFeSx to g-C3N4), 3% NiFeSx/g-C3N4 composites exhibited the best degradation efficiency toward tetracycline hydrochloride refractory pollutants. The degradation rate of tetracycline hydrochloride by 3% NiFeSx/g-C3N4 composites was 92.54% under 70 min of visible light illumination, which was about 2.61 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4. The improved degradation activity may be attributed to the synergistic effect between the two constituents of as-synthesized composites, and the formed heterojunction reduced the efficiency of photogenerated carriers. More importantly, this work also gives some inspiration to synthesize some similar photocatalysts for a targeted environmental remediation.

Photoinduced defect engineering: enhanced photocatalytic performance of 3D BiOCl nanoclusters with abundant oxygen vacancies

Oxygen vacancies are highly important for photocatalytic performance in bismuth oxychloride, but their preparation is limited to vacuum roasting and hydrogen annealing techniques at high temperatures (200–400 °C).

Impact of H2O2 on the Lactic and Formic Acid Degradation in Presence of TiO2 Rutile and Anatase Phases under UV and Visible Light

The degradation rates of formic acid and lactic acid in the presence and absence of H2O2 were studied, utilizing several TiO2 catalysts: PC105 (100% anatase), MPT 625 (100% rutile), and P25 (80% anatase/20% rutile), and the results were discussed with regards to the current literature. The impact of hydrogen peroxide on the photocatalytic efficiency of eleven TiO2 samples was then determined, using commercial anatase structures (PC105, PC500, UV100), commercial mixed anatase/rutile (P25 and P90), and six rutile (two commercial samples: MPT 625 and C-R160, and four home-made rutile samples were synthesized by TiCl4 hydrolysis). The effect of catalyst surface area and TiO2 phase on the degradation rate of lactic acid (LA) and the decomposition of H2O2 was studied and discussed in regard to the active species generated. The intermediate products formed in the absence and presence of H2O2 were also an important factor in the comparison. Finally, the efficiency of the degradation of LA and formic acid (FA) in the presence of rutile and H2O2 was determined under visible light, and their reactivity was compared. The intermediate products formed in the degradation of LA were identified and quantified and compared to those obtained under UV (Ultra-Violet).

Enhancement of the photocatalytic synchronous removal of Cr(vi) and RhB over RP-modified flower-like SnS2

Although photocatalysis is frequently employed to remove various pollutants in water, it still suffers from low efficiency due to the rapid recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. In this study, a red phosphorus/tin disulfide (RP/SnS₂) composite photocatalyst is fabricated by loading nano-sized RP on flower-like SnS₂ films with a facile hydrothermal method. It is noteworthy that the 2D heterojunction formed between SnS₂ and RP provided channels for the rapid transfer of photon-generated carriers and their effective separation. Furthermore, the separated electrons can react with absorbed O₂ for the generation of superoxide radicals (˙O₂ ^-), thereby impacting the photocatalytic degradation oxidation reaction. The application of photocatalytic synchronous removal of Cr(vi) and RhB over RP/SnS₂ was implemented first. Compared with pristine SnS₂, the photocatalytic degradation activity of Cr(vi) and RhB over the RP/SnS₂ composite was significantly enhanced and the kinetic rate constant reached 8.2, which is 10.8 times that of pristine SnS₂. Moreover, the hybrid photocatalysts exhibited prominent reusability and stability. Therefore, a photocatalytic degradation mechanism and pathway of carriers are proposed in the study. Furthermore, it is considered that the present study is a promising method in the treatment of wastewater by photocatalysis.

Efficient organic pollutants conversion and electricity generation for carbonate-containing wastewater based on carbonate radical reactions initiated by BiVO4-Au/PVC system

In this paper, we propose an efficient simultaneous refractory organics degradation and electricity generation method for carbonate-containing wastewater based on carbonate radical reactions initiated by a BiVO₄-Au/PVC (PVC: photovoltaic cell) system. In the system, nanoporous BiVO₄ film and Au modified PVC were used as photoanode and photocathode, respectively. HCO₃^- was used as the electrolyte. Carbonate radicals, which have lower recombination rates than hydroxyl radicals and strong oxidation abilities, can be generated easily by the capture reaction of hydroxyl radicals with HCO₃^-, which is one of the most abundant anions in the aquatic environment. The results show that the removal ratios of rhodamine b, methyl orange and methylene blue in the system increased sharply to 77.98 %, 89.15 % and 93.2 % from 18.23 %, 21 % and 23.14 % (BiVO₄-Pt/ SO₄^2-), respectively, after 120 min. Meanwhile, the short-circuit current density is up to 2.19-2.41 times larger than the traditional system. Other common ions in natural water minimally affected the properties of the new system. The excellent performance could be ascribed to large amounts of carbonate radicals in the system, which have great potential for efficient carbonate-containing wastewater treatment and energy recovery.

Hybrid PDI/BiOCl heterojunction with enhanced interfacial charge transfer for a full-spectrum photocatalytic degradation of pollutants

The strong interaction between BiOCl and PDI preferentially formed. Owing to the strongly coupled heterojunction interface and conjugated structure of PDI, a rapid interfacial charge transfer was allowed from PDI to BiOCl across the interface.

Progress and Trend on the Regulation Methods for Nanozyme Activity and Its Application

Natural enzymes, such as biocatalysts, are widely used in biosensors, medicine and health, the environmental field, and other fields. However, it is easy for natural enzymes to lose catalytic activity due to their intrinsic shortcomings including a high purification cost, insufficient stability, and difficulties of recycling, which limit their practical applications. The unexpected discovery of the Fe3O4 nanozyme in 2007 has given rise to tremendous efforts for developing natural enzyme substitutes. Nanozymes, which are nanomaterials with enzyme-mimetic catalytic activity, can serve as ideal candidates for artificial mimic enzymes. Nanozymes possess superiorities due to their low cost, high stability, and easy preparation. Although great progress has been made in the development of nanozymes, the catalytic efficiency of existing nanozymes is relatively low compared with natural enzymes. It is still a challenging task to develop nanozymes with a precise regulation of catalytic activity. This review summarizes the classification and various strategies for modulating the activity as well as research progress in the different application fields of nanozymes. Typical examples of the recent research process of nanozymes will be presented and critically discussed.