Current status of using adsorbent nanomaterials for removing microplastics from water supply systems: a mini review

• Nguyen Thi Nhan and
• Tran Le Luu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1837–1850, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.127

• methods Adsorbent nanomaterials have recently shown great potential for removing MPs. They can be classified into four main groups, including carbon-based adsorbents, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), magnetic nanomaterials, and aerogels and sponge-based adsorbents [49]. These materials are fabricated and

• ]. Such hybrid materials show significant ability to remove MPs and should be further investigated to improve their properties and optimize operational parameters for practical application [66]. Aerogels and sponge-based adsorbents. Porous materials, such as sponges and aerogels, can increase the number

• adsorbents such as the bimetallic organic framework (ZnCo-ZIF) and sponge, MS@ZnCo-ZIF@HDTMS was successfully fabricated and demonstrated an ability to remove over 98% of MPs through electrostatic forces and hydrogen bonding [70]. By fabricating bidirectionally ordered GO–nanocellulose aerogels (D-DPGG), Liu

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

• environmental conditions and across a wide pH range, making them reliable materials for pollutant removal [83]. Sun et al. [84] studied the removal of MPs from water using a sustainable adsorbent composed of graphene oxide and chitin. The elastic nature of the sponge retains its high porosity, enabling

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

• and deionized water alternately in an ultrasonic bath, followed by drying at 60 °C. After that, it was immersed in 200 mL of a 30 wt % H2O2 solution, containing 60 mg of melamine, 4 mL of 65 wt % HNO3, and 1 g of titanium sponge, at 80 °C for 24 h to facilitate the precipitation of hydrogen titanate

• , the hydrogen titanate nanowires precipitate. In the acidic medium, the reaction between metallic Ti sponge and hydrogen peroxide produces titanium hydroxide species in solution. Once the concentration of these species reaches saturation, hydrogen titanate nanowires nucleate and grow directly on the

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

• ] assessed different biosorbents, including biochar, sponge/aerogel biomass-derived materials, and biomass-based graphene materials, revealing that biochar exhibits comparable efficiency to sponge/aerogel biomass-derived materials. Furthermore, while MP-induced soil alterations have shown positive responses

Better together: biomimetic nanomedicines for high performance tumor therapy

• Imran Shair Mohammad,
• Gizem Kursunluoglu,
• Anup Kumar Patel,
• Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq,
• Cansu Umran Tunc,
• Dilek Kanarya,
• Mubashar Rehman,
• Omer Aydin and
• Yin Lifang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1246–1276, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.92

• siRNA and enabled proton sponge-mediated endosomal escape, ensuring cytoplasmic release of the gene cargo. These LC3siRNA-loaded nanoparticles (LC3siRNA-NPs) exhibited pH-responsive behavior, enhanced cellular uptake, and potent suppression of autophagy. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated

• angiopep-2 provided enhanced BBB penetration. The inner PLL-CA cavity provided charge conversion in the acidic compartments of the tumor by proton sponge effects, resulting in NP escape from the acidic endosomes. Meanwhile, the outer RBC membrane shell is disrupted and accelerates the release of siRNA into

Polyurethane/silk fibroin-based electrospun membranes for wound healing and skin substitute applications

• Iqra Zainab,
• Zohra Naseem,
• Syeda Rubab Batool,
• Muhammad Waqas,
• Ahsan Nazir and
• Muhammad Anwaar Nazeer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 591–612, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.46

• models using permeable freeze-dried silk, a highly porous sponge with an adequate pore size is crucial for controlling cell migration and proliferation, particularly when the objective is to generate a dermally well-vascularized layer [105]. The most common approach for constructing a double-layer skin

Synthetic-polymer-assisted antisense oligonucleotide delivery: targeted approaches for precision disease treatment

• Ana Cubillo Alvarez,
• Dylan Maguire and
• Ruairí P. Brannigan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 435–463, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.34

• tris(propylene) amines that facilitate nucleotide escape from the endosomes through a “proton sponge” effect, whereas primary amines are found in the periphery, which enable further particle functionalisation and effective complexation with nucleic acids [131]. Hollins et al. analysed the efficacy of

Nanocarriers and macrophage interaction: from a potential hurdle to an alternative therapeutic strategy

• Naths Grazia Sukubo,
• Paolo Bigini and
• Annalisa Morelli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 97–118, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.10

• ]. NCs enhance the delivery of biological therapeutics, and endosomal escape can be controlled by tuning their structure and physicochemical properties. For example, NCs designed with “proton sponge” capability contain materials that adsorb and buffer protons under acidic conditions and, typically, have

Fabrication of hafnium-based nanoparticles and nanostructures using picosecond laser ablation

• Abhishek Das,
• Mangababu Akkanaboina,
• Jagannath Rathod,
• R. Sai Prasad Goud,
• Kanaka Ravi Kumar,
• Raghu C. Reddy,
• Ratheesh Ravendran,
• Katia Vutova,
• S. V. S. Nageswara Rao and
• Venugopal Rao Soma

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1639–1653, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.129

• liquids was also investigated. Experimental Materials Hf sponge was produced by metallurgical operations involving solvent extraction, briquetting, carbochlorination, Kroll reduction and vacuum distillation. The sponge samples were further refined by consolidation and refining under vacuum (3–6 × 10−5

AI-assisted models to predict chemotherapy drugs modified with C₆₀ fullerene derivatives

• Jonathan-Siu-Loong Robles-Hernández,
• Dora Iliana Medina,
• Katerin Aguirre-Hurtado,
• Marlene Bosquez,
• Roberto Salcedo and
• Alan Miralrio

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1170–1188, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.95

• C60 [21]. The unmodified fullerene C60 is known as a “free radical sponge” because its double bonds tend to accept free radicals [22]. Because of its size, surface area, and capacity to extinguish or generate reactive oxygen species, C60 is very promising in medicine and clinical therapy [23][24]. It

Comparative analysis of the ultrastructure and adhesive secretion pathways of different smooth attachment pads of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)

• Julian Thomas,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Thies H. Büscher

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 612–630, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.52

• exocrine cells type I is transported through a two-layered inner cuticle band via pores (comparable to the endocuticle layer 2) and accumulates in the secretion reservoir. It then passes through a layered cuticle via pores (comparable to the endocuticle layer 1) into a sponge-like cuticle where it fills

Conjugated photothermal materials and structure design for solar steam generation

• Chia-Yang Lin and
• Tsuyoshi Michinobu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 454–466, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.36

• PDA as a PTM to improve the chemical stability and light absorption ability [49]. The Ni1Co3@PDA was dispersed onto the surface of a round commercial sponge by drop casting. The photothermal performance of the Ni1Co3@PDA deposited on the sponge was then evaluated using a kerosene lamp-like setup

• (Figure 11a). In this setup, a cotton rod was employed to connect between the sponge and bulk water. Thorough capillary forces, water is transported to the photothermal sponge. This is a simple design but efficiently minimizes the transport energy loss. In order to optimize the water evaporation rate and

• energy efficiency, the thickness of the photothermal sponge was changed in the range from 0.6 to 6.0 cm. It was then found that the evaporation rate increased from 1.49 to 2.42 kg·m−2·h−1 (Figure 11b). This was most likely because the average temperature of the sponge surface was lowered by the increased

Nanotechnology – a robust tool for fighting the challenges of drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer

• Filip Gorachinov,
• Fatima Mraiche,
• Diala Alhaj Moustafa,
• Ola Hishari,
• Yomna Ismail,
• Jensa Joseph,
• Maja Simonoska Crcarevska,
• Marija Glavas Dodov,
• Nikola Geskovski and
• Katerina Goracinova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 240–261, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.23

• the lysosomes, exposing the PDMAEMA layer decorated with triphenylphosphonium (TPP) ligand to the environment. The TPP lipophilic cation is characterized by a large hydrophobic surface area, which facilitates its permeation throughout phospholipid bilayers, lysosomal escape due to the proton sponge

Cyclodextrins as eminent constituents in nanoarchitectonics for drug delivery systems

• Makoto Komiyama

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 218–232, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.21

• abundantly expressed. In the positively charged dendrimer the siRNA is stably protected from enzymatic digestion. The composite easily escapes from the endosome through the proton sponge effect of the dendrimer. Furthermore, inclusion complex formation of α-CyD with phospholipids facilitates the release of

Recent advances in green carbon dots (2015–2022): synthesis, metal ion sensing, and biological applications

• Aisha Kanwal,
• Naheed Bibi,
• Sajjad Hyder,
• Arif Muhammad,
• Hao Ren,
• Jiangtao Liu and
• Zhongli Lei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1068–1107, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.93

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

• porous structure of the chitosan with an absorbable collagen sponge encourages osteoblast stem cells to attach to the surface to proliferate and differentiate promoting bone development. As compared to absorbable collagen sponges, the increase in bone mineral density, defect closure, and new bone

Zinc oxide nanostructures for fluorescence and Raman signal enhancement: a review

• Ioana Marica,
• Fran Nekvapil,
• Maria Ștefan,
• Cosmin Farcău and
• Alexandra Falamaș

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 472–490, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.40

• –Au NPs, and ZnO nanospheres–Au NPs, using this method. Some unusual fabrication methods include a poriferous ZnO–Ag substrate obtained by a film scraping method on paper [51][52]. A film with fluffy sponge-like morphology was obtained, pointing out its high specific surface area and showing uniform

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

Nanogenerator-based self-powered sensors for data collection

• Yicheng Shao,
• Maoliang Shen,
• Yuankai Zhou,
• Xin Cui,
• Lijie Li and
• Yan Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 680–693, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.54

• intelligence. Wang et al. proposed a hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene film and sponge-like graphene/polydimethylsiloxane composite material to prepare a multifunctional self-powered sensor [51]. The sensor can infer the performance of the material through the difference in the output of the electrical

Wafer-level integration of self-aligned high aspect ratio silicon 3D structures using the MACE method with Au, Pd, Pt, Cu, and Ir

• Mathias Franz,
• Romy Junghans,
• Paul Schmitt,
• Adriana Szeghalmi and
• Stefan E. Schulz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1439–1449, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.128

• underneath the noble metal [13]. The second mechanism involves two holes (n = 2). Per etched Si atom one H2 molecule is formed. This etching mechanism is not limited to the metal–silicon interface and occurs in a wider area around the noble metal. This etching mechanism mainly results in nanoporous sponge

• created nanoporous sponge-like structures, which consist of various pinholes with a diameter below 1 nm. This shows that the etching was dominated by the second etching mechanism where n = 2. Higher H2O2 concentrations lead to significant structural destruction, including the delamination of wide areas

• . The etching process with Pd yields bundles of nanoscopic sponge structures. They are separated by larger free spaces formed by agglomerated Pd particles (Figure 7b). The mean etching depth was approx. 600 nm at the wafer centre. The wafer edge showed significant structure delamination. In contrast to

Interfacial charge transfer processes in 2D and 3D semiconducting hybrid perovskites: azobenzene as photoswitchable ligand

• Nicole Fillafer,
• Tobias Seewald,
• Lukas Schmidt-Mende and
• Sebastian Polarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 466–479, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.38

• studies. A plate-like appearance and the sharp reflexes of 2D-AzoC2 and 2D-AzoOC4 indicate highly ordered materials, which we explain by strong π-stacking forces between the organic ligands. 2D-AzoOC12 forms a more sponge-like unordered network and yields broader reflexes, which is due to the more

Poly(1-vinylimidazole) polyplexes as novel therapeutic gene carriers for lung cancer therapy

• Gayathri Kandasamy,
• Elena N. Danilovtseva,
• Vadim V. Annenkov and
• Uma Maheswari Krishnan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 354–369, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.26

• efficiency [3]. One of the widely explored non-viral polymeric carriers for gene delivery is poly(ethylene imine) (PEI), which can effectively escape from the endosomes through the “proton sponge” mechanism [4]. However, PEI systems are limited by their toxicity and, hence, there is a need for less toxic but

• systems have emerged as a front-runner for gene delivery applications due to their polycationic nature, biocompatibility as well as the ability to escape the endosome by activating the proton sponge mechanism. In an earlier report, histidylated poly(ʟ-lysine) was found to exhibit high transfection

• delivery applications. The imidazole moieties in PVI can neutralize the acidic pH value, which in turn can aid their endosomal escape through the proton sponge mechanism, through altering the membrane permeability or through by-passing the endosomes [26]. However, the confocal images also reveal that a

Interactions at the cell membrane and pathways of internalization of nano-sized materials for nanomedicine

• Valentina Francia,
• Daphne Montizaan and
• Anna Salvati

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 338–353, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.25

• endosomal compartment, including – among others – via the so-called “proton sponge effect” [170][171]. Materials capable to induce this proton sponge effect started to find their application in vivo only recently [172]. Several other strategies are being developed, including some inspired by viruses and

An advanced structural characterization of templated meso-macroporous carbon monoliths by small- and wide-angle scattering techniques

• Felix M. Badaczewski,
• Marc O. Loeh,
• Torben Pfaff,
• Dirk Wallacher,
• Daniel Clemens and
• Bernd M. Smarsly

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 310–322, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.23

• as the pitch (red) and the resin (green) graphitized at 3000 °C. The sponge-like monolithic structure is retained even at high temperature. The resin-derived carbon monolith displays thicker macropore walls and a less homogenous macropore space, while the macroporosity of the pitch-based carbon

Internalization mechanisms of cell-penetrating peptides

• Ivana Ruseska and
• Andreas Zimmer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 101–123, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.10