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

• oxidation mechanisms. These processes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) through methods such as photocatalysis, ozonation, and electrochemical activation, which effectively break down the polymer chains of MPs, leading to their mineralization. The primary AOP techniques used for removing MPs from water

• reactive radicals act as strong oxidizing agents, attacking pollutants by breaking their chemical bonds, ultimately leading to their degradation and mineralization [97]. For a compound to undergo oxidation using a photocatalyst, its redox potential should be higher than the valence band edge of the

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

• all tested concentrations of OFL (50–200 ppm), indicating progressive mineralization of the pollutant. At 50 ppm, the TOC decreased from 51.04 to 17.31 mg·L−1 after 12 h, corresponding to a 66% reduction. At 200 ppm, the TOC decreased from 205.1 to 30.25 mg·L−1 (12 h), achieving an 85% reduction

• , which demonstrates effective mineralization even at high pollutant loads. This trend aligns with the photocatalytic degradation kinetics (Figure 5b), where the reaction rate constant was the highest at lower concentrations (0.169 h−1 for 50 ppm vs 0.103 h−1 for 200 ppm). While the degradation rate was

• concentration of 200 ppm, suggesting the high adsorption capacity and probably a deep mineralization capacity of the thin film photocatalyst developed in the current investigation. This work represents a new promising strategy to tackle emerging contaminants and could lead to the advancement of cutting-edge

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

The role of biochar in combating microplastic pollution: a bibliometric analysis in environmental contexts

• Tuan Minh Truong Dang,
• Thao Thu Thi Huynh,
• Guo-Ping Chang-Chien and
• Ha Manh Bui

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1401–1416, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.102

• ) MPs significantly reduce total exchangeable cations (Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) by 4–6% [58]. Additionally, non-biodegradable MPs such as PE and PVC inhibit organic phosphate mineralization, alkaline phosphatase activity, and inorganic phosphate solubilization. By contrast, biodegradable MPs such as PLA

Piezoelectricity of hexagonal boron nitrides improves bone tissue generation as tested on osteoblasts

• Sevin Adiguzel,
• Nilay Cicek,
• Zehra Cobandede,
• Feray B. Misirlioglu,
• Hulya Yilmaz and
• Mustafa Culha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1068–1081, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.78

• ]. Osteocytes, the longest-lived bone cells, arise from osteoblast differentiation and regulate bone maintenance [7]. Osteoblasts, found on bone surfaces, drive bone formation through two key steps: matrix deposition and mineralization. During matrix deposition, collagen and noncollagenous proteins are secreted

• , while proteoglycans help form the organic matrix [8]. During matrix mineralization, calcium and phosphate ions generate hydroxyapatite crystals within the matrix region. Once bone formation is complete, some osteoblasts become embedded within the matrix, transforming into osteocytes, which leads to

• ROS levels can contribute to the enhancement of calcium deposits in osteoblasts. Additionally, it has been emphasized that ROS, when produced at physiological levels, serves as a crucial signaling molecule that supports osteogenic differentiation and mineralization [63]. IC50 values, which represent

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

• -based photocatalysts often achieved superior efficiency and high mineralization rates, offering a comprehensive solution for antibiotic contamination (see below in Tables 1–6). The progressively increasing trend of publications and corresponding citations in recent times highlight the superiority of

• semiconductor-based photocatalysts for the degradation of antibiotics (Figure 1). The appeal of photocatalysis lies in its potential to achieve extensive mineralization, converting organic pollutants into harmless mineral compounds. Furthermore, its nonselective nature enables it to address a broad spectrum of

• − (+1.99 eV vs RHE) [35][57]. Both ROS (HO• and O2•−) are highly reactive oxidizing agents in photocatalysis. Under extended exposure to high-energy light, they have the ability to efficiently convert antibiotics and their intermediates into the final mineralization products, such as CO2 and H2O

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

• generate OH• radicals (strong oxidants), leading to the mineralization of organic pollutants, including textile dyes [8]. In this study, the strategy and objective are to modify bentonite clay with niobium phosphate and niobium oxide by the calcinated method, and then use it as an adsorbent or

• , leading to mineralization into CO2 and H2O [8]. According to the observed results, the BEOx and BEPh samples notably exhibited higher efficiency in the adsorption process (99.01% and 99.99%, respectively) than in photocatalysis. This phenomenon can be attributed to the negative surface charge of the

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

• their newly proved functionality, namely, the ability to photogenerate distinct reactive oxygen species (·OH or O2−) and to act as photoactive materials in aqueous media. The solar light-induced mineralization of oxalic acid by Mn-doped ZnO materials was clearly observed while similar amounts of

• generated CO2 were measured for both catalysts. These inexpensive semiconductor materials, which proved to be light-responsive, can be further used for developing water depollution technologies based on solar light energy. Keywords: microwave-assisted synthesis; oxalic acid mineralization; semiconductor

• -structural characterizations of the resulting materials and investigates their photocatalytic performance for the mineralization of oxalic acid in aqueous solutions under simulated solar irradiation. Results and Discussion As-prepared samples The synthesis process involved the preparation of precursor

Electrospun nanofibers: building blocks for the repair of bone tissue

• Tuğrul Mert Serim,
• Gülin Amasya,
• Tuğba Eren-Böncü,
• Ceyda Tuba Şengel-Türk and
• Ayşe Nurten Özdemir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 941–953, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.77

• , which is closely related to mineralization, other non-collagenous organic proteins such as osteonectin and osteopontin, as well as proteoglycans [10][12][22]. The cellular structure of bone tissue Bone, a living tissue, is constantly changing with the help of cells playing different roles. There are a

• , the mineralization phase begins, and new bone tissue is formed [9][14]. The main function of osteoclasts, which have properties similar to those of macrophages, is to resorb the mineralized bone matrix [13][18]. Another group of cells derived from osteoblasts are bone-lining cells, which cover the

Green synthesis of biomass-derived carbon quantum dots for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

• Dalia Chávez-García,
• Mario Guzman,
• Viridiana Sanchez and
• Rubén D. Cadena-Nava

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 755–766, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.63

• mineralization of the MB molecule [38]. Other aspects that contribute to the MB degradation are the adsorption capacity of MB on the photocatalyst surface (i.e., CQD) and the specific surface area of the CQDs. All samples (but M3 and M7) presented a similar behavior, increasing their photocatalytic activity when

Cholesterol nanoarchaeosomes for alendronate targeted delivery as an anti-endothelial dysfunction agent

• Horacio Emanuel Jerez,
• Yamila Roxana Simioni,
• Kajal Ghosal,
• Maria Jose Morilla and
• Eder Lilia Romero

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 517–534, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.46

• potentially lethal condition that induces profound hemodynamic alterations [2]. Bisphosphonates are synthetic, nonhydrolyzable analogs of inorganic pyrophosphate [3] that are clinically employed to remove osteoclasts in the treatment of osteoporosis and tumors and reduce bone mineralization [4]. Interestingly

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

• time intervals, 10 mL of the sample was taken and centrifuged to separate the material from the solution. The concentration of remaining MB in the solution was determined by using UV–vis spectroscopy. Identification of intermediates Intermediate products and mineralization level of the MB

Titania nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of ethanol under simulated solar light

• Evghenii Goncearenco,
• Iuliana P. Morjan,
• Claudiu Teodor Fleaca,
• Florian Dumitrache,
• Elena Dutu,
• Monica Scarisoreanu,
• Valentin Serban Teodorescu,
• Alexandra Sandulescu,
• Crina Anastasescu and
• Ioan Balint

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 616–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.51

• regarding the mineralization of ethanol in the gas phase. The highest activity was measured for TO-250-a, which generated around 70 µmol CO2 after 3 h. All catalysts of this series exhibit a higher activity than P25. Also, an increase of the CO2 formation rate after the first hour of irradiation can be

• observed, probably due to the mineralization of the previously generated intermediates. The catalysts of the series “b” are less active than P 25 regarding the mineralization to CO2. A very good correlation can be established between these results and Figure 8 illustrating the hydroxyl radical formation

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

• bromide; Figure 6). However, a normalized bromide ion concentration smaller than 0.5 for ozonolysis may denote the production of brominated organic by-products. Release yields of bromine in the form of bromide ions as high as 90% showed eventual mineralization. The half-live of DBMP in photocatalytic

Hydroxyapatite–bioglass nanocomposites: Structural, mechanical, and biological aspects

• Olga Shikimaka,
• Mihaela Bivol,
• Bogdan A. Sava,
• Marius Dumitru,
• Christu Tardei,
• Beatrice G. Sbarcea,
• Daria Grabco,
• Constantin Pyrtsac,
• Daria Topal,
• Andrian Prisacaru,
• Vitalie Cobzac and
• Viorel Nacu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1490–1504, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.123

• , which exhibits a strong correlation with porosity, as well as on the mineralization capability and cell viability due to the different dissolution rate. Keywords: bioactivity; hardness; microstructure; nanocomposites; porosity; Introduction Within the last decades increasing emphasis is placed on the

• one hand, it induces antibacterial activity, and, on the other hand, it promotes the formation and mineralization of bone tissue [19][32]. The HA-BG composites investigated in this work contained two types of HA, obtained either by the sol–gel method (HAG) or by the precipitation method (HAP). It was

• , therefore, higher dissolution rate. HAP-based composites with a denser structure need a longer period of immersion in SBF for solubilization and the beginning of the mineralization process. And indeed, after 5 days of soaking, a well-pronounced precipitate was observed on HAP-based composites, too (Figure

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

• attachment using BaSO4 as the standard. The electronic arrangement of the studied materials was revealed through a PHI 5000 versa probe III high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (HR-XPS). The mineralization efficiency was estimated through the variation in the total organic carbon content by using

• gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC–MS, Thermo Fisher Scientific) by taking aliquots at 150 min and 330 min. The photocatalytic degradation and mineralization efficiencies were calculated by utilizing the following equations [19]: where Abs(0) symbolizes the initial absorbance, Abs

• other hand, the photocatalytic degradation of phenol demonstrated a removal rate of 0.0015 min−1 with 48.56% removal and a mineralization efficiency of 20.17%. The AQE for phenol/H2O2 system was found to be at 2.67%. A negligible removal percentage in the order of 4% for MB and 6% for phenol over a

Biomimetic chitosan with biocomposite nanomaterials for bone tissue repair and regeneration

• Se-Kwon Kim,
• Sesha Subramanian Murugan,
• Pandurang Appana Dalavi,
• Sebanti Gupta,
• Sukumaran Anil,
• Gi Hun Seong and
• Jayachandran Venkatesan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1051–1067, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.92

• with a thick cortical covering which is porous and has a cancellous interior. The calvaria is a flat bone with cortical layers on the outside and a cancellous structure on the inside [28][29]. The physical behaviour of the cortical bone is mainly controlled by porosity, mineralization rate, and solid

Spindle-like MIL101(Fe) decorated with Bi₂O₃ nanoparticles for enhanced degradation of chlortetracycline under visible-light irradiation

• Chen-chen Hao,
• Fang-yan Chen,
• Kun Bian,
• Yu-bin Tang and
• Wei-long Shi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1038–1050, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.91

• traditional measures were difficult to be popularized. Photocatalysis is considered as an alternative and promising strategy for degradation and mineralization of antibiotics due to its low cost, high efficiency, mild reaction condition, and no secondary pollution [9][10][11]. A variety of semiconductors have

Recent advances in nanoarchitectures of monocrystalline coordination polymers through confined assembly

• Lingling Xia,
• Qinyue Wang and
• Ming Hu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 763–777, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.67

• ]. This is applicable to monocrystalline coordination polymers as well. For instance, poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) molecular chains show an affinity to Zn2+ ions, and can, thus, trigger mineralization of ZIF-8 crystals around. Doxorubicin, a kind of antitumor drug, could be dissolved in the parent solution

Micro- and nanotechnology in biomedical engineering for cartilage tissue regeneration in osteoarthritis

• Zahra Nabizadeh,
• Mahmoud Nasrollahzadeh,
• Hamed Daemi,
• Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad,
• Ali Akbar Shabani,
• Mehdi Dadashpour,
• Majid Mirmohammadkhani and
• Davood Nasrabadi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 363–389, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.31

• express hypertrophic markers such as type X collagen and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Mineralization occurs after the tidemark, which is a thin wavy layer between the deep zone and calcified layer [15]. Overall, the complexity of the hierarchical structure and considerable differences visible in the gene

• enhancing the ALP activity and mineralization, the scaffold showed improved cell proliferation. Khoshroo et al. fabricated a 3D PCL/TiO2 sintered microsphere scaffold, which improved the mechanical and biological properties for bone TE purposes [143]. Moreover, the results showed that the presence of TiO2

• nanotubes enhanced the biocompatibility and bioactivity of the PCL microspheres and provided an excellent biomaterial for cell differentiation and mineralization. In recent years, numerous efforts have been made to evaluate new candidate biomaterials to bridge the gap between material sciences and

Engineered titania nanomaterials in advanced clinical applications

• Padmavati Sahare,
• Paulina Govea Alvarez,
• Juan Manual Sanchez Yanez,
• Gabriel Luna-Bárcenas,
• Samik Chakraborty,
• Sujay Paul and
• Miriam Estevez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 201–218, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.15

• contributes to hydroxyapatite (HA) formation and bone matrix mineralization [71]. Likewise, nanophase titania/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) composites have been designed that showed greater osteoblast adhesion compared to plain PLGA [72]. In vivo tissue engineering (TE) holds tremendous potential in

Self-assembly of amino acids toward functional biomaterials

• Huan Ren,
• Lifang Wu,
• Lina Tan,
• Yanni Bao,
• Yuchen Ma,
• Yong Jin and
• Qianli Zou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 1140–1150, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.85

• (Cd2+) to form a three-dimensional crystal of Cys/Cd nanorods. Then, upon the introduction of Na2S, the Cys/Cd template mediates the mineralization of cadmium sulfide (CdS) into a layered CdS quantum dot structure, finally making a simple bionic daylight antenna with sustainable photocatalytic

• -spectrum antimicrobial metallohydrogel based on Ag+-coordinated Fmoc-amino acid self-assembly and local mineralization. The antibacterial activity of the amino acid metallohydrogel against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was better than that of Ag+ solution. In addition, Fmoc-amino acid

Comprehensive review on ultrasound-responsive theranostic nanomaterials: mechanisms, structures and medical applications

• Sepand Tehrani Fateh,
• Lida Moradi,
• Elmira Kohan,
• Michael R. Hamblin and
• Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 808–862, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.64

Nanocasting synthesis of BiFeO₃ nanoparticles with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

• Thomas Cadenbach,
• Maria J. Benitez,
• A. Lucia Morales,
• Cesar Costa Vera,
• Luis Lascano,
• Francisco Quiroz,
• Alexis Debut and
• Karla Vizuete

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1822–1833, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.164

• the complete mineralization of dyes is achieved by the generation of hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals [10][11]. Traditional photocatalysts, such as TiO2 or ZnO, provide chemical stability and facile preparation methods [12][13]. However, their environmental benefit in large-scale industrial

Multilayer capsules made of weak polyelectrolytes: a review on the preparation, functionalization and applications in drug delivery

• Varsha Sharma and
• Anandhakumar Sundaramurthy

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 508–532, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.41

• [34]. Certain limitations such as low stability and low EE have been reported in organic and inorganic templates, respectively. Interestingly, the deposition of an additional silica layer through a biomimetic mineralization process onto a protamine/PSS microcapsule formed on a CaCO3 template improved