Microplastic pollution in Himalayan lakes: assessment, risks, and sustainable remediation strategies

• Sameeksha Rawat,
• S. M. Tauseef and
• Madhuben Sharma

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2144–2167, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.148

• permanently removed without causing secondary pollution [72]. 5.3.2 Nanotechnology for degradation. Nanotechnology offers a novel method for the accurate and effective breakdown of MPs. Under UV light, nanomaterials such as ZnO and TiO2 work as photocatalysts to break down MPs into CO2 and water, which are

• ., these changes make TiO2 photocatalysts more effective in natural sunlight by letting more visible light pass through them [75]. ZnO has demonstrated potential as a result of its compatibility with UV light and high oxidative potential. Its nanostructured forms, such as nanorods and nanowires, provide

• more surface area, allowing for better interaction with MPs [76]. The incorporation of GO in composite materials not only improves photocatalytic activity, but it also serves a second purpose by adsorbing MPs prior to degradation. The utilization of photocatalysts that have been engineered with defects

Piezoelectricity of layered double hydroxides: perspectives regarding piezocatalysis and nanogenerators

• Evgeniy S. Seliverstov,
• Evgeniya A. Tarasenko and
• Olga E. Lebedeva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1812–1817, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.124

• piezocatalytic environmental remediation, achieved ≈98% degradation of rhodamine B within 20 min under ultrasonic activation when used together with PMS, with a kinetic constant significantly higher than many simple photocatalysts [16]. Thus, we can conclude that LDHs are competitive with, and in several cases

Ambient pressure XPS at MAX IV

• Mattia Scardamaglia,
• Ulrike Küst,
• Alexander Klyushin,
• Rosemary Jones,
• Jan Knudsen,
• Robert Temperton,
• Andrey Shavorskiy and
• Esko Kokkonen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1677–1694, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.118

• important challenges for modern human civilization. Reactions such as water splitting, CO2 reduction, and pollutant degradation rely on photocatalysts that absorb light, generate electron–hole pairs, and drive redox reactions at interfaces. For the rational and methodical design of a more sophisticated

Nanotechnology-based approaches for the removal of microplastics from wastewater: a comprehensive review

• Nayanathara O Sanjeev,
• Manjunath Singanodi Vallabha and
• Rebekah Rubidha Lisha Rabi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1607–1632, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.114

• effectively removing MPs, especially those in the nanosize range. This review presents a detail analysis of the sources, pathways, detection methods, and health impact of MPs, while emphasizing the emerging role of nanotechnology in their remediation. Nanomaterials, including nanoadsorbents, photocatalysts

• processes [96]. The particle size of photocatalysts plays a very important role in the recombination of electrons and holes. Smaller particles exhibit higher photocatalytic activity due to their increased surface area, which allows for greater adsorption of pollutants and enhanced production of hydroxyl

Photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin in water assisted by TiO₂ nanowires on carbon cloth: contributions of H₂O₂ addition and substrate absorbability

• Iram Hussain,
• Lisha Zhang,
• Zhizhen Ye and
• Jin-Ming Wu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1567–1579, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.111

• photocatalysis [8]. However, TiO2 as a sole component presents challenges partly due to the rapid recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, which significantly reduces its photocatalytic efficiency and practical applicability [9][10]. Recent advancements have focused on TiO2 photocatalysts supported

• mitigates the aggregation issues and simplifies the separation and recovery of photocatalysts within a slurry system. TiO2 nanowires are known for their significantly high surface area and are important for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical applications. Template-mediated methods such as sol–gel

• Discussion Microstructure and morphology of photocatalysts Figure 1a shows schematically the synthesis of TiO2 nanowires on an activated carbon cloth substrate. When the carbon cloth is immersed in the Ti–H2O2 precursor solution maintained at 80 °C, first, the carbon cloth surface is activated, and, second

Laser processing in liquids: insights into nanocolloid generation and thin film integration for energy, photonic, and sensing applications

• Akshana Parameswaran Sreekala,
• Pooja Raveendran Nair,
• Jithin Kundalam Kadavath,
• Bindu Krishnan,
• David Avellaneda Avellaneda,
• M. R. Anantharaman and
• Sadasivan Shaji

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1428–1498, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.104

• . Pulsed laser processing in liquids offers a unique advantage by producing surfactant-free nanocolloids, which can be directly used for the fabrication of thin film devices such as photodiodes, photovoltaics (PV), photocatalysts, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors, electrochemical sensors

Enhancing the photoelectrochemical performance of BiOI-derived BiVO₄ films by controlled-intensity current electrodeposition

• Huu Phuc Dang,
• Khanh Quang Nguyen,
• Nguyen Thi Mai Tho and
• Tran Le

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1289–1301, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.94

• conditions led to better light-harvesting capabilities and enhanced surface area owing to finer particle morphologies and increased porosity of the photocatalysts. XPS analysis highlighted the presence of oxygen vacancies and well-defined chemical states, further contributing to the improved catalytic

Influence of ion beam current on the structural, optical, and mechanical properties of TiO₂ coatings: ion beam-assisted vs conventional electron beam evaporation

• Agata Obstarczyk and
• Urszula Wawrzaszek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1097–1112, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.81

• , and good availability, TiO2 in the form of thin films is now widely used in the development of gas sensors, photodetectors, solar cells, memristors, and photocatalysts [1][12][15][16][17]. The area of application of titanium dioxide is also related to the crystal structure in which it occurs, that is

Soft materials nanoarchitectonics: liquid crystals, polymers, gels, biomaterials, and others

• Katsuhiko Ariga

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1025–1067, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.77

• [149][150][151][152][153]. Nanoarchitectonics is also used in the development of chemical catalysts [154][155][156][157][158], photocatalysts [159][160][161][162][163], sensors [164][165][166][167][168], biosensors [169][170][171][172][173], devices [174][175][176][177][178], solar cells [179][180][181

Insights into the electronic and atomic structures of cerium oxide-based ultrathin films and nanostructures using high-brilliance light sources

• Paola Luches and
• Federico Boscherini

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 860–871, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.65

• can be exploited to obtain insight into the processes following photoexcitation in photocatalysts, important for the rational optimization of these materials’ efficiency. In ceria, as well as in other semiconducting oxides, the formation of photoinduced small polarons after bandgap photoexcitation

Emerging strategies in the sustainable removal of antibiotics using semiconductor-based photocatalysts

• Yunus Ahmed,
• Keya Rani Dutta,
• Parul Akhtar,
• Md. Arif Hossen,
• Md. Jahangir Alam,
• Obaid A. Alharbi,
• Hamad AlMohamadi and
• Abdul Wahab Mohammad

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 264–285, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.21

• to human health and ecological balance, requiring immediate and novel intervention techniques. Regarding this, semiconductor-based photocatalysts have appeared as promising candidates, providing a sustainable and efficient way to remove antibiotics from aquatic ecosystems. Nanomaterials can

• effectively and precisely break down and neutralize antibiotic compounds with high efficiency and selectivity by utilizing a complex interaction between radical reactive oxygen species and non-radical equivalents under light irradiation. Although photocatalysts have certain drawbacks, such as a limited

• capacity to absorb light and concerns about catalytic stability, photocatalysis outperforms other advanced oxidation processes in multiple aspects. This study focuses on summarizing recent advances in the sustainable removal of antibiotics using semiconductor-based photocatalysts. By reviewing the latest

Clays enhanced with niobium: potential in wastewater treatment and reuse as pigment with antibacterial activity

• Silvia Jaerger,
• Patricia Appelt,
• Mario Antônio Alves da Cunha,
• Fabián Ccahuana Ayma,
• Ricardo Schneider,
• Carla Bittencourt and
• Fauze Jacó Anaissi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 141–154, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.13

• photocatalysts for treating solutions containing the MB dye (400 mg·L−1) at 25 °C. The results showed adsorption and photocatalysis efficiency above 94% for both samples. The blue-colored BEOx and BEPh samples were then applied as a hybrid pigment. The power pigment and its dispersion in colorless paint were

Various CVD-grown ZnO nanostructures for nanodevices and interdisciplinary applications

• The-Long Phan,
• Le Viet Cuong,
• Vu Dinh Lam and
• Ngoc Toan Dang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1390–1399, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.112

• ], radio-frequency magnetron sputtering [47], pulsed laser ablation [48], and electrodeposition methods [49]. They have many application potentials in dye-sensitized solar cells [46], self-powered energy-harvesting devices [47], photocatalysts [48], and turbid lenses [50]. It has been suggested that the

Green synthesis of carbon dot structures from Rheum Ribes and Schottky diode fabrication

• Muhammed Taha Durmus and
• Ebru Bozkurt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1369–1375, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.110

• range of uses in the fields of electrocatalysis, bioimaging, chemical sensors, biosensors, nanomedicine, biomolecule/drug release, light-emitting diodes, and photocatalysts. They also have promising applications in areas such as lasers and optoelectronic device applications [2][3][4][5]. CDs can be

Mn-doped ZnO nanopowders prepared by sol–gel and microwave-assisted sol–gel methods and their photocatalytic properties

• Cristina Maria Vlăduț,
• Crina Anastasescu,
• Silviu Preda,
• Oana Catalina Mocioiu,
• Simona Petrescu,
• Jeanina Pandele-Cusu,
• Dana Culita,
• Veronica Bratan,
• Ioan Balint and
• Maria Zaharescu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1283–1296, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.104

• photocatalysts; water depollution; Introduction Over the past decades, significant research has been focused on designing and preparing nanostructures of various shapes and sizes, which exhibit unique properties and potential applications [1]. Considerable advancements have been made in synthesizing

• FTIR post-reaction spectra (Supporting Information File 1, Figure S1). Zeta potential measurements revealed values of +17.48 mV and +11.09 mV for SG and MW samples, respectively, suggesting a better adsorption of oxalate ions on the SG sample than on the MW sample. The ability of the photocatalysts to

Photocatalytic methane oxidation over a TiO₂/SiNWs p–n junction catalyst at room temperature

• Qui Thanh Hoai Ta,
• Luan Minh Nguyen,
• Ngoc Hoi Nguyen,
• Phan Khanh Thinh Nguyen and
• Dai Hai Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1132–1141, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.92

• carriers prior to their participation in reactions significantly reduces the efficiency of methane oxidation reactions [23][24]. To address these issues of TiO2 nanomaterials, many scientists have developed TiO2-based nanostructure composites as advanced photocatalysts [25][26][27][28][29][30]. The

• electrons for reactions [25][26][27]. However, the generated electron affinity of metal NPs is sometimes insufficient and cannot prevent recombination or maintain electrons for further reactions. As an advanced solution for catalysis modification, p–n junction photocatalysts with an intrinsic electric field

• photocatalysts. As depicted in Figure 4a, the Raman spectrum of Si exhibits a single peak located at 519 cm−1, corresponding to the first-order transverse optical (TO) mode of Si [46]. For the TiO2/Si photocatalyst, two distinct peaks were observed, namely, (i) the characteristic Eg vibration of TiO2, located at

Intermixing of MoS₂ and WS₂ photocatalysts toward methylene blue photodegradation

• Maryam Al Qaydi,
• Nitul S. Rajput,
• Michael Lejeune,
• Abdellatif Bouchalkha,
• Mimoun El Marssi,
• Steevy Cordette,
• Chaouki Kasmi and
• Mustapha Jouiad

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 817–829, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.68

• ]. Typically, semiconductor-based photocatalysts, such as TiO2, ZnO2, and some other high-bandgap transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMD) have shown their ability to efficiently degrade the activated MB by irradiation [10][11]. Recently, TMD such as MoS2 and WS2, have displayed remarkable potential as

• evaluated the PD of the MB dye solution under light excitation without any photocatalysts (MB photolysis) as well as its PD in the dark in the presence of a photocatalyst. The optical absorbance spectra of the MB solution in the presence of MoS2 and WS2 were recorded in the dark and under visible light

• model [38]. Our results show a PD rate constant of 6.1 × 10−3 min−1 and 3.3 × 10−3 min−1 achieved by WS2 and MoS2, respectively. To evaluate the cyclability of our photocatalysts, we have conducted four consecutive PD runs. After each cycle (3 h), the MB dye solution was replaced with a fresh one to

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots

• Vo Chau Ngoc Anh,
• Le Thi Thanh Nhi,
• Le Thi Kim Dung,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Truong Son,
• Nguyen Thi Thao Uyen,
• Nguyen Ngoc Uyen Thu,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Le Trung Hieu,
• Tran Ngoc Tuyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 475–489, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.43

• multiple-component photocatalysts is a common way to overcome the issues of single-phase photocatalysts [9]. Stacking GQDs sheets onto CF nanoparticles not only prevents CF from agglomeration but also forms heterojunction contacts, which possibly reduce the recombination of the photo-induced electron–hole

• excellent heterojunctions between CoFe2O4 and GQDs. The former is favourable for more MB molecules to adsorb on the active sites of the photocatalysts, and the latter can facilitate the GQDs layers acting as electron acceptors, which are beneficial for suppressing the recombination of photogenerated

Nanomaterials for photocatalysis and applications in environmental remediation and renewable energy

• Viet Van Pham and
• Wee-Jun Ong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 722–724, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.58

• appropriate for treating pollutants, even in atmospheric conditions [9][10][11]. Moreover, the photocatalysis method is also a potential solution for environmental remediation, carbon emission reduction, and renewable energy production [12][13][14]. Combining photocatalysts and sunlight irradiation is a

• potential strategy for water treatment via the effectively infinite energy from the sun and the photocatalysts. Photocatalysis based on nanostructured semiconductors can significantly contribute to tackling several environmental pollution problems, sustainable synthesis, and energy production [2][15][16

• was used whereas for water splitting natural sunlight was used [24][25][26]. These results are mentioned as scaling up photocatalytic systems to reach net zero emission goals and the next technology to produce green hydrogen energy [14]. Up-to-date trending topics on photocatalysts based on

Bismuth-based nanostructured photocatalysts for the remediation of antibiotics and organic dyes

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo and
• Faisal Suleiman Mustafa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 291–321, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.26

• promising green and sustainable wastewater treatment method for a cleaner environment. Due to their narrow bandgaps, distinctive layered structures, plasmonic, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties, and desirable physicochemical features, bismuth-based nanostructure photocatalysts have emerged as one

• of the most prominent study topics compared to the commonly used semiconductors (TiO2 and ZnO). In this review, the most recent developments in the use of photocatalysts based on bismuth (e.g., BiFeO3, Bi2MoO6, BiVO4, Bi2WO6, Bi2S3) to remove dyes and antibiotics from wastewater are thoroughly

• covered. The creation of Z-schemes, Schottky junctions, and heterojunctions, as well as morphological modifications, doping, and other processes are highlighted regarding the fabrication of bismuth-based photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic capabilities. A discussion of general photocatalytic

Non-stoichiometric magnetite as catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of phenol and 2,6-dibromo-4-methylphenol – a new approach in water treatment

• Joanna Kisała,
• Anna Tomaszewska and
• Przemysław Kolek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1531–1540, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.126

• solar radiation as an energy source [11]. The photocatalysts are activated by radiation and produce highly reactive photo-induced charge carriers, which can react with the contaminants adsorbed on the surface of the catalyst. Understanding the properties of the photocatalyst material is critical to

• catalysts has been investigated by us in our previous article [17] as photocatalysts for the degradation of 4,4′-isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol) in comparison with ozonolysis. Magnetite was chosen as a photocatalyst because of its low cost, interesting electron properties, and indisputably low

• as possible photocatalysts. The morphology, optical properties, and structural properties of the M1 and M2 samples were investigated. The stoichiometry of magnetite noticeably impacted the optical and surface properties. Direct photolysis indicated that the bromine substituent facilitated the

A TiO₂@MWCNTs nanocomposite photoanode for solar-driven water splitting

• Anh Quynh Huu Le,
• Ngoc Nhu Thi Nguyen,
• Hai Duy Tran,
• Van-Huy Nguyen and
• Le-Hai Tran

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1520–1530, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.125

• . This approach improves solar water splitting performance [7][9]. However, an excess amount of CNTs can deteriorate the photoactivity of TiO2 nanoparticles because CNTs block and cover the surface of TiO2 [9]. There are three categories of water splitting techniques applying photocatalysts, namely

• research focuses on synthesizing and modifying photocatalysts for photoanodes and photocathodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting [11]. Several TiO2-based photocatalysts have been developed and applied in photoelectrochemical water splitting. The results showed that the solar-to-hydrogen (STH

LED-light-activated photocatalytic performance of metal-free carbon-modified hexagonal boron nitride towards degradation of methylene blue and phenol

• Nirmalendu S. Mishra and
• Pichiah Saravanan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1380–1392, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.114

• mL of a solution containing 20 ppm of MB and 10 ppm of phenol under continuous stirring. All the batches were subjected to a dark reaction until adsorption–desorption equilibrium was achieved. A control experiment in the absence of photocatalysts was performed to study the removal percentage due to

• ]. Additionally, the photon harvesting ability of the studied photocatalysts was also evaluated by determining the light harvesting efficiency (LHE). The LHE of the material was determined from the following equation and has been demonstrated in Figure 5g [29]. where T and R denote the transmittance and

Recent trends in Bi-based nanomaterials: challenges, fabrication, enhancement techniques, and environmental applications

• Vishal Dutta,
• Ankush Chauhan,
• Ritesh Verma,
• C. Gopalkrishnan and
• Van-Huy Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1316–1336, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.109

• environmental restoration and energy conversion is photocatalysis powered by solar light. Traditional photocatalysts have limited practical uses due to inadequate light absorption, charge separation, and unknown reaction mechanisms. Discovering new visible-light photocatalysts and investigating their

• modification is crucial in photocatalysis. Bi-based photocatalytic nanomaterials have gotten much interest as they exhibit distinctive geometric shapes, flexible electronic structures, and good photocatalytic performance under visible light. They can be employed as stand-alone photocatalysts for pollution

• photocatalysts, upgrading the photocatalytic ability, and understanding essential reactions of the photocatalytic process. This paper provides insights into the characteristics of Bi-based photocatalysts, making them a promising future nanomaterial for environmental remediation. The current review discusses the

Rapid fabrication of MgO@g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions for photocatalytic nitric oxide removal

• Minh-Thuan Pham,
• Duyen P. H. Tran,
• Xuan-Thanh Bui and
• Sheng-Jie You

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1141–1154, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.96

• heterojunction photocatalysts were synthesized by one-step pyrolysis of MgO and urea at 550 °C for two hours. The photocatalytic NO removal efficiency of the MgO@g-C3N4 heterojunctions was significantly improved and reached a maximum value of 75.4% under visible light irradiation. Differential reflectance

• simple way to synthesize photocatalytic heterojunction materials with high reusability and the potential of heterojunction photocatalysts in the field of environmental remediation. Keywords: g-C3N4; MgO; nitric oxide; photocatalyst; visible light; Introduction The rapid development of industrialization

• redox potential by coupling two or more semiconductors [23][24], such as Bi2MoO6-based [25][26][27][28][29], BiOCl-based [30][31], g-C3N4-based [32][33][34], ZnO-based [35][36][37], TiO2-based [38][39], and MgO-based heterostructured photocatalysts [40]. Among these, the combination of MgO and g-C3N4