Issue 5, 2024

Biowaste valorization: multifunctional hybrid lignin/TiO2 nanostructures for bacterial-biocide disinfection and dye removal

Abstract

An urgent goal is to enhance the economic and environmental value of biowaste via recycling and conversion techniques. Lignin, a plentiful plant polymer, holds significant potential for the development of sustainable multifunctional materials. Despite its advantages in terms of red-ox and pollutant adsorption properties, challenges in lignin valorization must address its chemical complexity and tendency to aggregate in water. We demonstrate that lignin and TiO2 can be intimately combined through a versatile in situ hydrothermal strategy to obtain hybrid multifunctional nanostructures with tunable functionalities. An in-depth physicochemical analysis elucidates the structure–property–function correlations. The synergistic combination of lignin and TiO2 in hybrid nanoparticles enhances ROS-scavenging/generating properties. Indeed, a lignin content of 20% wt/wt within nanostructures (TiO2_DL200 sample) resulted in nanoparticles with improved antibacterial/antimycotic properties (15 mm increase in the diameter of bacterial growth inhibition (DDK) and 3-fold decrease in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against fungi compared to neat TiO2 nanoparticles and around 1.3 mm DDK increase and 3-fold MIC decrease against fungi compared to neat lignin) and 90% radical scavenging activity in only 2 minutes. In addition, TiO2_DL200 nanoparticles achieved nearly 80% and 90% removal of methylene blue (MB) and fuchsin (F) dyes, respectively, by adsorption within 5 minutes. Conversely, by tuning the lignin content within the hybrid nanomaterial, a trade-off between the adsorption capacity and the photocatalytic activity is achieved, with MB and F removal efficiencies exceeding 80% in 120 minutes under UV-A conditions for TiO2_DL50. These outcomes prove the potential uses of the obtained hybrid nanoparticles as antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal additives and for the decontamination of dyes in water remediation.

Graphical abstract: Biowaste valorization: multifunctional hybrid lignin/TiO2 nanostructures for bacterial-biocide disinfection and dye removal

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Feb 2024
Accepted
25 Mar 2024
First published
04 Apr 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024,11, 2127-2144

Biowaste valorization: multifunctional hybrid lignin/TiO2 nanostructures for bacterial-biocide disinfection and dye removal

M. Gallo, V. Venezia, M. Muscetta, R. Grappa, M. Verrillo, G. Landi, R. Marotta and G. Luciani, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024, 11, 2127 DOI: 10.1039/D4EN00091A

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