A Review of the Use of Semiconductors as Catalysts in the Photocatalytic Inactivation of Microorganisms

Light-Induced Transformation of Virus-Like Particles on TiO2

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) shows significant potential as a self-cleaning material to inactivate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and prevent virus transmission. This study provides insights into the impact of UV-A light on the photocatalytic inactivation of adsorbed SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles (VLPs) on a TiO2 surface at the molecular and atomic levels. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, combined with density functional theory calculations, reveals that spike proteins can adsorb on TiO2 predominantly via their amine and amide functional groups in their amino acids blocks. We employ atomic force microscopy and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) to investigate the molecular-scale morphological changes during the inactivation of VLPs on TiO2 under light irradiation. Notably, in situ measurements reveal photoinduced morphological changes of VLPs, resulting in increased particle diameters. These results suggest that the denaturation of structural proteins induced by UV irradiation and oxidation of the virus structure through photocatalytic reactions can take place on the TiO2 surface. The in situ GISAXS measurements under an N2 atmosphere reveal that the virus morphology remains intact under UV light. This provides evidence that the presence of both oxygen and UV light is necessary to initiate photocatalytic reactions on the surface and subsequently inactivate the adsorbed viruses. The chemical insights into the virus inactivation process obtained in this study contribute significantly to the development of solid materials for the inactivation of enveloped viruses.

Advances on chalcogenide quantum dots-based sensors for environmental pollutants monitoring

Water contamination represents a significant ecological impact with global consequences, contributing to water scarcity worldwide. The presence of several pollutants, including heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and pathogens, in water resources underscores a pressing global concern, prompting the European Union (EU) to establish a Water Watch List to monitor the level of these substances. Nowadays, the standard methods used to detect and quantify these contaminants are mainly liquid or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC/GC-MS). While these methodologies offer precision and accuracy, they require expensive equipment and experienced technicians, and cannot be used on the field. In this context, chalcogenide quantum dots (QDs)-based sensors have emerged as promising, user-friendly, practical, and portable tools for environmental monitoring. QDs are semiconductor nanocrystals that possess excellent properties, and have demonstrated versatility across various sensor types, such as fluorescent, electrochemical, plasmonic, and colorimetric ones. This review summarizes recent advances (2019-2023) in the use of chalcogenide QDs for environmental sensing, highlighting the development of sensors capable of detect efficiently heavy metals, anions, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, endocrine disrupting compounds, organic dyes, toxic gases, nitroaromatics, and pathogens.

Photocatalytic-Driven Antiviral Activities of Heterostructured BiOCl0.2Br0.8 - BiOBr Semiconductors

Numerous methods for eliminating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are being extensively examined in recent years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects on society. Photocatalysis is among the most encouraging solutions since it has the capacity to fully annihilate pathogens, surpassing conventional disinfecting methods. A heterostructured photocatalytic composite of (70%W BiOCl0.2Br0.8 with 30%W BiOBr) was prepared via a simple synthetic route that yielded microspheres ∼3-4 μm in diameter. The composite was evidenced to inactivate stubborn enveloped viruses. By utilizing scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N2 sorption, and X-ray diffraction, the morphology and the chemical composition of the heterostructured composite was revealed. Full elimination of SARS-CoV-2 occurred 5 min following the light-activation of the photocatalytic mixture. Illumination absence bared a slower yet effective result of full viral decomposition at a time span of 25 min. A comparable efficacious outcome was observed in the study case of vesicular stomatitis virus with complete diminishing within 30 min of visible light exposure.

Detailed Insight into Photocatalytic Inactivation of Pathogenic Bacteria in the Presence of Visible-Light-Active Multicomponent Photocatalysts

The use of heterogeneous photocatalysis in biologically contaminated water purification processes still requires the development of materials active in visible light, preferably in the form of thin films. Herein, we report nanotube structures made of TiO2/Ag2O/Au0, TiO2/Ag2O/PtOx, TiO2/Cu2O/Au0, and TiO2/Cu2O/PtOx obtained via one-step anodic oxidation of the titanium-based alloys (Ti94Ag5Au1, Ti94Cu5Pt1, Ti94Cu5Au1, and Ti94Ag5Pt1) possessing high visible light activity in the inactivation process of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and other pathogenic bacteria-E. coli, Clostridium sp., and K. oxytoca. In the samples made from Ti-based alloys, metal/metal oxide nanoparticles were formed, which were located on the surface and inside the walls of the NTs. The obtained results showed that oxygen species produced at the surface of irradiated photocatalysts and the presence of copper and silver species in the photoactive layers both contributed to the inactivation of bacteria. Photocatalytic inactivation of E. coli, S. aureus, and Clostridium sp. was confirmed via TEM imaging of bacterium cell destruction and the detection of CO2 as a result of bacteria cell mineralization for the most active sample. These results suggest that the membrane ruptures as a result of the attack of active oxygen species, and then, both the membrane and the contents are mineralized to CO2.

Plants, animals, and fisheries waste-mediated bioremediation of contaminants of environmental and emerging concern (CEECs)-a circular bioresource utilization approach

The release of contaminants of environmental concern including heavy metals and metalloids, and contaminants of emerging concern including organic micropollutants from processing industries, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and anthropogenic sources, is a growing threat worldwide. Mitigating inorganic and organic contaminants, which can be coined as contaminants of environmental and emerging concern (CEECs), is a big challenge as traditional physicochemical processes are not economically viable for managing mixed contaminants of low concentrations. As a result, low-cost materials must be designed to provide high CEEC removal efficiency. One of the environmentally viable and energy-efficient approaches is biosorption, which involves using biomass or biopolymers isolated from plants or animals to decontaminate heavy metals in contaminated environments using inherent biological mechanisms. Among chemical constituents in plant biomass, cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, proteins, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and animal biomass include polysaccharides and other compounds to bind heavy metals covalently and non-covalently. These functional groups include carboxyl, hydroxyl, carbonyl, amide, amine, and sulfhydryl. Cation-exchange capacities of these bioadsorbents can be improved by applying chemical modifications. The relevance of chemical constituents and bioactives in biosorbents derived from agricultural production such as food and fodder crops, bioenergy and cash crops, fruit and vegetable crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, plantation trees, aquatic and terrestrial weeds, and animal production such as dairy, goatery, poultry, duckery, and fisheries is highlighted in this comprehensive review for sequestering and bioremediation of CEECs, including as many as ten different heavy metals and metalloids co-contaminated with other organic micropollutants in circular bioresource utilization and one-health concepts.

Cobalt isatin-Schiff-base derivative of MOF as a heterogeneous multifunctional bio-photocatalyst for sunlight-induced tandem air oxidation condensation process

A sunlight-induced tandem air oxidation-condensation of alcohols with ortho-substituted anilines or malononitrile for the efficient synthesis of benz-imidazoles/-oxazoles/-thiazoles, or benzylidene malononitrile catalyzed by Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) as a heterogeneous multifunctional bio-photocatalyst is reported. In these reactions, Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) acts both as a photocatalyst, and a Lewis acid to catalyze the reaction of the in-situ formed aldehydes with o-substituted anilines or malononitrile. A significant decrease in the band gap energy and an increase in the characteristic emission of MIL-101(Fe) after functionalization with cobalt Schiff-base according to the DRS analysis and fluorescence spectrophotometry, respectively, indicate that the photocatalytic effectiveness of the catalyst is associated primarily to the synergetic influence of Fe-O cluster and Co-Schiff-base. EPR results obviously pointed out that Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) is capable of creating ¹O₂ and O₂^⋅- as active oxygen species under visible light irradiation. Using an inexpensive catalyst, sunlight irradiation, air as a cost-effective and abundant oxidant, and a low amount of the catalyst with recoverability and durability in ethanol as a green solvent, make this methodology as an environmentally friendly process with energy-saving organic synthetic strategies. Furthermore, Co-isatin-Schiff-base-MIL-101(Fe) displays excellent photocatalytic antibacterial activity under sunlight irradiation against E. coli, S. aureus and S. pyogenes. Based on our knowledge, this is the first report of using a bio-photocatalyst for the synthesis of the target molecules.

C-TiO2+Ni and ZnO+Ni Magnetic Photocatalyst Powder Synthesis by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering Technique and Their Application for Bacteria Inactivation

In the current study, a bi-layered magnetic photocatalyst powder consisting of a Ni layer on one side and carbon-doped TiO2 or ZnO photocatalyst layers on the other side was synthesized by magnetron sputtering technique. SEM, XRD, and XPS analysis of powders revealed that the photocatalytic TiO2 layer had a mixed anatase-rutile structure, was doped by carbon to approximately 3 at. % and had a fraction of Ti(III) oxide. Meanwhile, the ZnO layer was crystalized in a wurtzite structure and had a considerable number of intrinsic defects, which are useful for visible light photocatalysis. The activity of magnetic photocatalyst powder was tested by photocatalytic bleaching of dyes, as well as performing photocatalytic inactivation of Salmonella bacteria under UV and visible light irradiation. It was observed, that C-TiO2+Ni magnetic photocatalyst had relatively high and stable activity under both light sources (for five consecutive cycles dye degradation reached approximately 95%), but ZnO+Ni was generally lacking in activity and stability (over five cycles under UV and visible light, dye degradation fell from approximately 60% to 55% and from 90% to 70%, respectively). Photocatalytic treatment of bacteria also provided mixed results. On one hand, in all tests bacteria were not inactivated completely. However, on the other hand, their susceptibility to antibiotics increased significantly.

Photo-Fenton and TiO2 Photocatalytic Inactivation of Model Microorganisms under UV-A; Comparative Efficacy and Optimization

Photocatalytic inactivation of pathogens in aqueous waste is gaining increasing attention. Several homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalytic protocols exist using the Fenton's reagent and TiO₂, respectively. A comprehensive study of homogeneous and heterogeneous photocatalysis on a range of microorganisms will significantly establish the most efficient method. Here, we report a comparative study of TiO₂- and Fe⁺³-based photocatalytic inactivation under UV-A of diverse microorganisms, including Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria, bacterial spores (Bacillus stearothermophilus spores) and viruses (MS2). We also present data on the optimization of TiO₂ photocatalysis, including optimal catalyst concentration and H₂O₂ supplementation. Our results indicate that both photo-Fenton and TiO₂ could be successfully applied for the management of microbial loads in liquids. Efficient microorganism inactivation is achieved with homogeneous photocatalysis (7 mg/L Fe⁺³, 100 mg/L H₂O₂, UV-A) in a shorter processing time compared to heterogeneous photocatalysis (0.5 g/L TiO₂, UV-A), whereas similar or shorter processing is required when heterogenous photocatalysis is performed using microorganism-specific optimized TiO₂ concentrations and H₂O₂ supplementation (100 mg/L); higher H₂O₂ concentrations further enhance the heterogenous photocatalytic inactivation efficiency. Our study provides a template protocol for the design and further application for large-scale photocatalytic approaches to inactivate pathogens in liquid biomedical waste.

Recent Progress in Photocatalytic Removal of Environmental Pollution Hazards in Water Using Nanostructured Materials

Water pollution has become a critical issue because of the Industrial Revolution, growing populations, extended droughts, and climate change. Therefore, advanced technologies for wastewater remediation are urgently needed. Water contaminants are generally classified as microorganisms and inorganic/organic pollutants. Inorganic pollutants are toxic and some of them are carcinogenic materials, such as cadmium, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Organic pollutants are contained in various materials, including organic dyes, pesticides, personal care products, detergents, and industrial organic wastes. Nanostructured materials could be potential candidates for photocatalytic reduction and for photodegradation of organic pollutants in wastewater since they have unique physical, chemical, and optical properties. Enhanced photocatalytic performance of nanostructured semiconductors can be achieved using numerous techniques; nanostructured semiconductors can be doped with different species, transition metals, noble metals or nonmetals, or a luminescence agent. Furthermore, another technique to enhance the photocatalytic performance of nanostructured semiconductors is doping with materials that have a narrow band gap. Nanostructure modification, surface engineering, and heterojunction/homojunction production all take significant time and effort. In this review, I report on the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials, and we discuss the photocatalytic performance of these nanostructured materials in reducing environmental pollutants.

Recent Advances on Metal Oxide Based Nano-Photocatalysts as Potential Antibacterial and Antiviral Agents

Photocatalysis, a unique process that occurs in the presence of light radiation, can potentially be utilized to control environmental pollution, and improve the health of society. Photocatalytic removal, or disinfection, of chemical and biological species has been known for decades; however, its extension to indoor environments in public places has always been challenging. Many efforts have been made in this direction in the last two–three years since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Furthermore, the development of efficient photocatalytic nanomaterials through modifications to improve their photoactivity under ambient conditions for fighting with such a pandemic situation is a high research priority. In recent years, several metal oxides-based nano-photocatalysts have been designed to work efficiently in outdoor and indoor environments for the photocatalytic disinfection of biological species. The present review briefly discusses the advances made in the last two to three years for photocatalytic viral and bacterial disinfections. Moreover, emphasis has been given to the tailoring of such nano-photocatalysts in disinfecting surfaces, air, and water to stop viral/bacterial infection in the indoor environment. The role of such nano-photocatalysts in the photocatalytic disinfection of COVID-19 has also been highlighted with their future applicability in controlling such pandemics.

Advanced Photocatalytic Treatment of Wastewater Using Immobilized Titanium Dioxide as a Photocatalyst in a Pilot-Scale Reactor: Process Intensification

In many nations, particularly those experiencing water scarcity, novel approaches are being applied to clean wastewater. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is the most widely used of these approaches because it entails the decomposition of organic molecules into water and carbon dioxide, which is a more ecologically benign process. In our study, we studied the photocatalytic degradation process on the effluent flumequine. This treatment is made through a solar pilot reactor in the presence of immobilized titanium dioxide with three light intensities and two types of water as solvents. A variety of factors that might influence the rate of deterioration, such as flow rate, light intensity, and initial concentration, have been investigated. The maximal degradation of flumequine was achieved at more than 90% after 2.5 h under optimal conditions (an initial concentration of 5 mg/L, three lamp light intensities, and a flow rate of 29 L/h). By combining the oxidized agent H2O2 with this process, the photocatalytic activity was improved further to 97% under the same conditions. The mineralization of this product has also been tested using total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. A high mineralization rate has been recorded at around 50% for a high initial concentration (20 mg/L) at a flow rate of 126 L/h. The results demonstrated the highly effective removal of flumequine and the efficacy of this photocatalytic system.

Bismuth Sillenite Crystals as Recent Photocatalysts for Water Treatment and Energy Generation: A Critical Review

Photocatalysis has been widely studied for environmental applications and water treatment as one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Among semiconductors that have been employed as catalysts in photocatalytic applications, bismuth sillenite crystals have gained a great deal of interest in recent years due to their exceptional characteristics, and to date, several sillenite material systems have been developed and their applications in photoactivity are under study. In this review paper, recent studies on the use of Bi-based sillenites for water treatment have been compiled and discussed. This review also describes the properties of Bi-based sillenite crystals and their advantages in the photocatalytic process. Various strategies used to improve photocatalytic performance are also reviewed and discussed, focusing on the specific advantages and challenges presented by sillenite-based photocatalysts. Furthermore, a critical point of certain bismuth catalysts in the literature that were found to be different from that reported and correspond to the sillenite form has also been reviewed. The effectiveness of some sillenites for environmental applications has been compared, and it has demonstrated that the activity of sillenites varies depending on the metal from which they were produced. Based on the reviewed literature, this review summarizes the current status of work with binary sillenite and provides useful insights for its future development, and it can be suggested that Bismuth sillenite crystals can be promising photocatalysts for water treatment, especially for degrading and reducing organic and inorganic contaminants. Our final review focus will emphasize the prospects and challenges of using those photocatalysts for environmental remediation and renewable energy applications.

Metal–organic-framework-based photocatalysts for microorganism inactivation: a review

A metal–organic framework (MOF) is a porous coordination material composed of multidentate organic ligands and metal ions or metal clusters.