Themed collection Nanomaterial applications in water

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are gaining considerable interest for various uses ranging from adsorption, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, chemical sensing, catalysis and gas separation.

ZIF-based catalysts have great potential for PMS activation in environmental treatment. State of the art and prospects in recent breakthroughs are presented in this review.

Carbon nanomaterial-based membranes exhibit fascinating permselectivity for water and wastewater treatment, and their performance could be further improved under electrochemical assistance, benefiting from their good electrical conductivity.

This review provides guidance for solar absorber design, selection, and optimization, and evaporation system engineering for efficient solar-driven evaporation.

A simple-to-manufacture and inexpensive biosensor based on a nanostructured copper electrode, mediators and immobilized yeast or bacteria is proposed for determining the biochemical oxygen demand in wastewater.

This study demonstrates that GO membranes enable efficient separation of aqueous and alcoholic vapor mixtures and discusses the critical vapor-permeation mechanism.

A CeNiCu-LDH@CC electrochemical sensor for efficient detection of 2,4-dichlorophenol and 3-chlorophenol.

Mechanism diagram of TC-HCl degradation in the PTA-LDHs/H₂O₂/vis system.

Activating persulfate to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the effective degradation of toxic organic compounds is an important research topic in environmental management.

Here, a novel MOF-based photo-Fenton material (Ce/W-MIL-88B(Fe)) was fabricated, which achieved synchronous arsenate (As(V)) uptake and nitrite (NO₂⁻) resourcing.

Cu–cy/Ti₃C₂MXene demonstrated outstanding catalytic performance in activating peroxymonosulfate, leading to the production of reactive oxygen species that decomposed up to 98.6% of carbamazepine.

2D-BMO fluorescent nanosheets were synthesized using a solvothermal method followed by probe sonication.

Fabrication of cauliflower-like Fe(III) carboxylate MOF-based catalyst for degradation of MTZ via ROS generation in a solar-light-activated photocatalytic system and testing its efficacy under various water parameters and environmental substrates.

RuCl₃-modified hollow Co₃O₄ nanospheres (Ru³⁺-C@Co₃O₄ HNSs) were utilized to establish a colorimetric sensor for selective determination of S²⁻ ions.

Co@MXene activation of peracetic acid and degradation of sulfamethazine via two major pathways: non-radical activation and organic radical activation.

A recyclable metal-free photocatalytically active hybrid fiber is fabricated, and presents a significantly photo-enhanced removal effect on tetracycline.

The MIL-100@ZIF-67@MXene composite was synthesized for the enhanced degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) and activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS).

Cu–Fe bimetallic synergy plays an important role in the generation of SO₄·⁻.

A simple room temperature fabrication methodology was reported in this work to prepare an interfacial solar evaporator for achieving stable water evaporation performance, with excellent anti-oil fouling capability.

The establishment of a heterojunction holds significant promise for facilitating the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers, thereby engendering robust photooxidation–reduction capabilities.

FePc supported on 2D rGO has the enhanced catalytic activity. The prepared FePc@rGO nanocomposites not only can catalyze the oxidation of colorimetric substrates, but also can degrade RhB with the help of PMS.

Selectively and efficiently capturing trace titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) in environmental waters is a prerequisite for their determination to understand their occurrence, behavior and effects in the environment.

A novel environment-friendly oxygen-vacancy-rich Cu-doped zeolite decorated with Cu⁰ (Cu⁰@CuZ) was fabricated to achieve the high-efficiency removal of refractory organic pollutants in a photo-Fenton-like reaction.

The crystallinity of ultrathin Co₃O₄ nanosheet was tuned by adjusting the calcination atmosphere. The enriched oxygen vacancies, PMS-binding affinity and rapid Co²⁺/Co³⁺ conversion triggered both radical and nonradical reactions for SMX oxidation.

Al-MOF synthesized based on MOF irradiation stability rules exhibits high stability against β-irradiation and ultra-high thorium adsorption capacity, which proves its huge potential application value in the field of radionuclide adsorption.

Nucleation and growth of terbium-doped amorphous calcium phosphate (Tb-ACP) on cellulose fibers of a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) towards an environmentally friendly design of a sensor for water pollutant.

Higher order trends in the photocatalytic activity of semiconductors, concerning environmental remediation and energy applications, under increasing light illumination may originate in part or in whole from potential dependent kinetics.

S doping promoted the conversion of Fe(III) to Fe(II), which greatly improved the performance of the Fenton-like reaction.

A core–shell silver-encapsulated polypyrrole, Ag@PPy, was prepared via in situ synthesis for simultaneous efficient adsorption and immobilization of iodide and iodate.

The continuous monitoring of remote drinking water purification systems is a global challenge with direct consequences for human and environmental health. Nanoplasmonic sensors can monitor treatment systems and warn of failures.

The elaborate design of the peroxydisulfate-based nonradical oxidation process. Nitrogen vacancies enhanced the surface affinity between the catalyst and PDS, and thus, the formation of the key complex (i.e., ACN–PDS*).

Fe₃S₄/Ti₃C₂MXene shows over 90% TC degradation via Fenton activity, driven by the generation of reactive oxygen species. It exhibits remarkable reusability and stability over multiple cycles, promising sustainable TC removal from wastewater.

Most researchers believe that the high catalytic activity of FeOCl originates from its unique structure. In this study, we show that dissolved iron contributes significantly to the catalytic activity of FeOCl in the Fenton and photo-Fenton processes.

A carbonized PAN array was designed and applied as an effective SERS substrate. It provided a significant signal enhancement (∼10⁵) with its strong broadband charge-transfer resonance and high reproducibility and consistency in the SERS spectrum.

Pharmaceutical-induced water pollution threatens health and ecosystems. Advanced oxidation, like electrocatalysis with peroxymonosulfate and calcium copper titanate as a key catalyst, shows promise for removing trace pollutants.

Nanoconfinement in silica nanopores strengthens hydrogen bonds near surfaces, and weakens hydrogen bonds in nanopore volume away from the surfaces.

In this study, carbon black nanoparticles were introduced in one-step to develop a super-hydrophobic polystyrene foam with efficient photo-thermal conversion and adsorption for highly viscous crude oil.

A rational approach for exploiting the physicochemical properties of porous silica nanospheres (pSN) affecting biomolecule immobilization and aromatic water pollutant monitoring has been demonstrated.

A heterostructured diatomic catalyst synthesized by a microwave hydrothermal method accelerates interfacial charge transfer and enhances the ability to treat antibiotic wastewater.

The incubation of agarose hydrogels embedded with BSA and chloroauric acid in alkali solutions facilitates the in situ growth of gold nanoclusters in capillary microcontainers, enabling the portable detection of ClO⁻ with fluorescent responses.

The influence of the preparation process (sulfurization method, sulfur reagents, and S/Fe molar ratio) and the decontamination conditions (initial pH value, and temperature) on the decontamination effect was quantitatively evaluated by meta-analysis.

The combination of peptide nanosheets and magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanozymes promotes colorimetric detection and selective adsorption of Hg²⁺.

Proposed mechanism of catalytic ozonation in different surface acid sites of oxide aqueous suspensions.

The hollow Cu–Co HNB catalyst selectively reduces NO₃⁻ to N₂ by tandem catalysis in a chlorine-free system.

A novel hierarchical structured Cu@carbon/carbon cloth film is developed for highly-efficient interfacial solar steam generation.

The in situ ultrasonic texturization of commercial Fe powder was employed to replace the n-ZVI for U(VI) extraction in fluoride (F⁻)-containing wastewater.

In this study, we present a novel strategy of accelerating cycle of Fe(II)/Fe(III) in iron-mediated catalyst for heterogeneous Fenton-like processes.

Graphene-supported C₃N₄/TiO₂ hetero-aerogels with high photocatalytic properties and sustainability are designed and synthesized.

Iron-based poly(ionic liquid)/polydopamine composite shows excellent degradation performance for organic pollutants, providing a promising route for the design of efficient and stable heterogeneous Fenton catalysts.

Schematic diagram of the photocatalytic reduction mechanism for the PAM40 system.

A leaf vein-biomimetic nanofibrous membrane was constructed by nonsolvent-induced phase inversion for high-performance surface filtration of water contaminants.

Harmful algal blooms lead to cyanobacteria toxins increase in natural water. A novel nanochannel-based sensing system utilizing metal–organic frameworks and DNA aptamers was developed for highly sensitive detecting microcystin-LR in real water.

Superior catalytic activity toward As(III) for P FeCo₂O_4−x/GCE with increasing reductive Fe(II)/Co(II) sites.

Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III) with electrochemical technique has been regarded as an effective method for the treatment of toxic Cr(VI) contaminated wastewater.

A multi-ratiometric fluorescence sensor was designed for the sensing of the anthrax biomarker based on a bimetallic lanthanide metal–organic framework.

Promoting the growth of sulfide particles by regulating heterogeneous nucleation and aggregation to facilitate their sedimentation and separation.

In the current work, a CuS nanoflower-modified ZnO nanorod heterojunction was synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method.

The feasibility of a novel surface-anchored bifunctional photocatalytic nanofiltration membrane for simultaneously degrading and separating target antibiotics in sewage effluent in a continuous flow-through process was verified.

The mechanism of antibiotic photodegradation on SA-BiOCl.

The study reports a concept for fabrication of [MoS₄]²⁻ clusters intercalated into CaAl-LDH for heavy metal removal, which involves Pb–S bonding for Pb(II) and lattice substitution for Cd(II).

A new cationic porous organic polymer (VBT-POP) has been synthesized and it showed excellent selective and quantitative adsorptive removal of anionic dyes RB (1252 mg g⁻¹) and XO (735 mg g⁻¹).

BiO_1−XBr/CeVO₄ S-scheme heterostructures with rich oxygen vacancies boosted the simultaneous removal of Cr(VI) and tetracycline.

The fabricated nano-sized magnetic material exhibited an excellent removal performance towards 9-phenanthrene, and its underlying binding mechanism is proposed.

A novel strategy of “preadsorption–degradation” for efficient PFOA removal based on the EC-NaClO system with an Fe/Ni foam electrode has been successfully achieved.

Electrochemical sensor with green gold sononanoparticles (from Malva sylvestris leaf extract) and carbon black onto a Sonogel-Carbon electrode to determine simultaneously hydroquinone, catechol and resorcinol in various water samples.

Gold nanosphere-encapsulated mesoporous silica exhibits excellent performance in phenol degradation by providing high surface area, blocking external interfering materials, and preventing leakage of gold nanospheres.

A carbon nanoparticle-based visual fluorescent array sensing–artificial intelligence (deep learning) integrated platform for remote detection of toxic heavy metal ions.

A 3D-MoS₂ based wood sponge absorbent was upcycled to construct a solar steam generator for drinking water purification.

The activation of peroxymonosulfate by metal-doped C–N-based materials has been used extensively for pollutant degradation but usually suffers from low efficiency and stability due to the relatively few N coordination sites.

Rational design of covalent organic frameworks has been performed for efficient photocatalytic H₂O₂ production without using any sacrificial agent.