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

• supply systems is a global concern due to their persistence and ability to adsorb toxic pollutants. Despite having effectiveness, conventional water treatment processes still have limited efficiency in removing MPs, especially smaller particles. Thus, it requires researchers to develop effective and

• these materials into existing water treatment systems. Similarly, the reviews by Yu et al. and Das et al. highlighted the purification potential of different nanomaterials but lack a detailed discussion on the risks and limitations of these materials, particularly in the context of water supply systems

• in water supply systems worldwide, and MP pollution directly affects the water quality used in water treatment plants (WTPs) [35]. The occurrences of MPs in water supply systems The water distribution systems are responsible for transporting treated water from WTPs to various locations through the

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

• synthesis and characterisation techniques have enabled the detection of materials at the nanoscale, unlocking new opportunities across various streams. In the field of water treatment, nanotechnology is gaining wide attention due to its enhanced efficiency, effectiveness, affordability, and durability. The

• key properties of nanoparticles include high surface area, extensive functionalization, high reactivity, and size-dependent characteristics. By leveraging these properties, water treatment methods can be refined at the nanoscale to selectively target pollutants [16][17]. This comprehensive review

• capabilities. By combining the principles of water treatment technologies and nanoscience, this study highlights innovative pathways for improved removal efficiency, selective pollutant targeting, and sustainable application. As the global concern over plastic pollution is a rising concern, this review sets

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

• modulating plant gene expression and ARG dynamics in the soil. Ultimately, these effects foster a healthier and more resilient soil ecosystem under MP contamination. Water treatment MP removal from aqueous media by BC adsorption A summary of research on MP removal is provided in Table S2, Supporting

Synthesis and antibacterial properties of nanosilver-modified cellulose triacetate membranes for seawater desalination

• Lei Wang,
• Shizhe Li,
• Kexin Xu,
• Wenjun Li,
• Ying Li and
• Gang Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1380–1391, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.100

• significant attention for their ability to enhance the antibacterial properties of membrane materials, effectively addressing critical issues such as biofouling and microbial contamination in water treatment systems. These nanomaterials, characterized by their high surface area-to-volume ratio, tunable

Synthesis of a multicomponent cellulose-based adsorbent for tetracycline removal from aquaculture water

• Uyen Bao Tran,
• Ngoc Thanh Vo-Tran,
• Khai The Truong,
• Dat Anh Nguyen,
• Quang Nhat Tran,
• Huu-Quang Nguyen,
• Jaebeom Lee and
• Hai Son Truong-Lam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 728–739, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.56

• provides an abundant and low-cost source of raw materials and mitigates environmental issues linked to the burning or improper handling of agricultural by-products. Notably, PGC also shows strong potential for commercialization as an efficient water treatment solution. Nonetheless, the presence of humic

Enhancing mechanical properties of chitosan/PVA electrospun nanofibers: a comprehensive review

• Nur Areisman Mohd Salleh,
• Amalina Muhammad Afifi,
• Fathiah Mohamed Zuki and
• Hanna Sofia SalehHudin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 286–307, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.22

• sensitive compounds [3]. Electrospun nanofibers exhibit a large surface area, high porosity, and small pore size, making them useful for a wide range of applications, as shown in Figure 1. Chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrospun nanofibers have many applications, including water treatment, biomedical

• water treatment. Table 1 shows the properties applications of chitosan that have been studied. Among the crucial factors in the electrospinning process is the solubility of the polymer [51]. Chitosan is soluble in organic acids such as diluted aqueous acetic, formic, and lactic acids, but it is

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

• , rGO-ZnO, ferrocene-rGO-ZnO, α-Fe2O3/ZnO/rGO, CdS-Bi2MoO6/rGO, and rGO-modified tin selenide (see below in Table 5). Tungsten oxide-based materials or composites Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is considered environmentally benign, making it a preferable option for eco-friendly water treatment applications. In

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

• formed at the interface have emerged, which effectively force charge carriers to move in opposite directions and hinder recombination [31][32][33]. Very recently, Cu2O/BiVO4, Ag2O/Bi12O17Cl2 and CuFe2O4/Bi4Ti3O12 composite powders have shown improved efficiencies in water treatment based on p–n

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

• place corrective actions for the development of efficient strategies for water treatment [3]. Following these measures, various technologies have proven their efficacy for water depollution, including adsorption and photocatalysis, and are often utilized for heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticide

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

• 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

Metal-organic framework-based nanomaterials as opto-electrochemical sensors for the detection of antibiotics and hormones: A review

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo,
• Saba Derakhshan Oskouei and
• Mustafa Gazi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 631–673, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.52

• in MOFs can either be quenched or enhanced. Due to their exceptional characteristics, MOFs have found usage in a variety of fields, including sensors, gas adsorption, energy storage, drug delivery, catalysis, water treatment, and bio-medical imaging [89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100

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

• optimize and extend this functionality. Combining solar energy and water, the most abundant resources on earth, SSG is expected to lead to a sustainable future through synergy with other solar devices and water treatment technologies. Design concept for high-performance SSG devices. (a) Solar spectral

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

• techniques has demonstrated varying levels of effectiveness and drawbacks that restrict their widespread use. For instance, due to deficiencies such as the formation of harmful by-products and incomplete removal of organic pollutants, traditional water treatment methods such as sedimentation, filtration, and

• treatment technologies, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are regarded as a practical, efficient, and fiercely competitive technology for water treatment for the removal of a variety of toxic and bio-recalcitrant organic pollutants and for the inactivation of pathogen microorganisms that cannot be treated

• , using noble metals in small or medium-sized industrial water treatment plants will be rather expensive. Recently, bismuth demonstrated a clear surface plasmon resonance effect, indicating the possibility of substituting it for noble metals. Because of the intrinsic photocatalytic characteristics of

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

• the available electrons, and, as a result, bromide ions can be released. The results confirm that magnetite is an effective photocatalyst in the degradation of halogenated aromatic pollutants. Keywords: magnetite; ozonolysis; persistent organic pollutants; photocatalysis; water treatment

A comprehensive review on electrospun nanohybrid membranes for wastewater treatment

• Senuri Kumarage,
• Imalka Munaweera and
• Nilwala Kottegoda

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 137–159, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.10

• agricultural run-offs, leading the world to a critical situation in meeting the growing demand for clean water. When compared with the conventional water treatment methods, ENH membranes have shown promising results to meet these challenges. This article reviews ENH membranes that have been developed in recent

• years for water purification and treatment. The basics of electrospinning, the limiting factors affecting electrospinning and the advantages of the ENH membranes in water treatment/purification over conventional membranes are highlighted. The application of ENHs in removing major pollutants and their

• utilization in different membrane technologies for water treatment are then elaborated. Finally, the future potentials of the ENH membranes are discussed. 2 Electrospinning technology Due to its simple operating technique and the superior properties of the produced nanofiber mats, electrospinning has become

Fate and transformation of silver nanoparticles in different biological conditions

• Barbara Pem,
• Marija Ćurlin,
• Darija Domazet Jurašin,
• Valerije Vrček,
• Rinea Barbir,
• Vedran Micek,
• Raluca M. Fratila,
• Jesus M. de la Fuente and
• Ivana Vinković Vrček

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 665–679, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.53

• 200 tons/year by 2022 [1]. AgNPs are extensively used in multiple industries and fields spanning from electronics, textiles, food, cosmetics to water treatment and healthcare [2][3]. A significant market contribution originates from the agriculture sector as evidenced by the Center for Food Safety

High-yield synthesis of silver nanowires for transparent conducting PET films

• Gul Naz,
• Hafsa Asghar,
• Muhammad Ramzan,
• Muhammad Arshad,
• Rashid Ahmed,
• Muhammad Bilal Tahir,
• Bakhtiar Ul Haq,
• Nadeem Baig and
• Junaid Jalil

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 624–632, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.51

• & Optoelectronics Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 9004, Saudi Arabia Center of Research Excellent in Desalination & Water Treatment, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia 10.3762/bjnano.12.51 Abstract Silver nanowires

On the stability of microwave-fabricated SERS substrates – chemical and morphological considerations

• Limin Wang,
• Aisha Adebola Womiloju,
• Christiane Höppener,
• Ulrich S. Schubert and
• Stephanie Hoeppener

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 541–551, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.44

• in PBS and the corresponding particle size distributions. (b) SERS spectra of a monolayer of 4-ATP. The spectrum obtained after water treatment serves as a reference. (c) Error analysis of the 1078 cm−1 marker peak which is attributed to the electromagnetic field enhancement mechanism [29]. The blue

• dotted line marks the Raman intensity level obtained for 1 h of water treatment. Stability test of microwave-fabricated SERS substrates for different buffer solutions with different pH values. (a) SEM images of Ag nanoparticle coatings after 1 h of immersion into different buffer solutions. (b) SERS

• spectra of a monolayer of 4-ATP. The spectrum obtained after water treatment serves as a reference. (c) Error analysis of the 1078 cm−1 marker peak which is attributed to the electromagnetic field enhancement mechanism [29]. The blue dotted line marks the Raman intensity level obtained for 1 h of water

Unravelling the interfacial interaction in mesoporous SiO₂@nickel phyllosilicate/TiO₂ core–shell nanostructures for photocatalytic activity

• Bridget K. Mutuma,
• Xiluva Mathebula,
• Isaac Nongwe,
• Bonakele P. Mtolo,
• Boitumelo J. Matsoso,
• Rudolph Erasmus,
• Zikhona Tetana and
• Neil J. Coville

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1834–1846, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.165

• efficient, reliable, and eco-friendly water-treatment and decontamination techniques in order to mitigate this issue [3][4]. Among the various techniques, the use of semiconducting photocatalysts for light-stimulated degradation of dye pollutants has been extensively investigated [5]. Owing to its chemical

• inertness, low cost, and non-toxicity, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used as a photocatalyst in the degradation of dyes in textile industries as well as in water-treatment systems [5][6]. There are three different phases of TiO2, namely anatase, rutile, and brookite. Compared to the rutile and

Photothermally active nanoparticles as a promising tool for eliminating bacteria and biofilms

• Mykola Borzenkov,
• Piersandro Pallavicini,
• Angelo Taglietti,
• Laura D’Alfonso,
• Maddalena Collini and
• Giuseppe Chirico

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1134–1146, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.98

• and water treatment industries. As the conventional drugs and agents fail to eradicate bacteria and biofilms, the search for new tools has become a hot research topic worldwide. Several studies have reported that various types of nanomaterials (both inorganic and organic) have demonstrated promising

Gram-scale synthesis of splat-shaped Ag–TiO₂ nanocomposites for enhanced antimicrobial properties

• Mohammad Jaber,
• Asim Mushtaq,
• Kebiao Zhang,
• Jindan Wu,
• Dandan Luo,
• Zihan Yi,
• M. Zubair Iqbal and
• Xiangdong Kong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1119–1125, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.96

• specifically, Ag NPs have been widely used in many fields, such as dental filling, wound dressing, water treatment and textile fabrics [12][13]. However, issues have been raised concerning Ag-associated genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in human cells [14]. To solve these toxicity problems, nanocomposite materials

Electrochemically derived functionalized graphene for bulk production of hydrogen peroxide

• Munaiah Yeddala,
• Pallavi Thakur,
• Anugraha A and
• Tharangattu N. Narayanan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 432–442, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.34

• gaining tremendous attention due to its importance in many fields, including water treatment technologies. Oxidized graphitic carbon-based materials have been recently proposed as an alternative to metal-based catalysts in the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and in this work we unravel

• ; functionalized graphene; H2O2 production; water treatment; Introduction Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is identified as one among the most important 100 chemicals in the world, and its applications extend from the pharmaceutical industry to water purification [1][2][3]. Today, a majority of the required H2O2 is

• oxygen via electrochemical ORR is identified as an effective route for water treatment technology, where economically viable, biologically friendly, sustainable catalysts are required [10][11][12][13][14]. Of the various routes, the direct synthesis of H2O2 through the reaction between H2 and O2 in the

Processing nanoporous organic polymers in liquid amines

• Jeehye Byun,
• Damien Thirion and
• Cafer T. Yavuz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1844–1850, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.179

• and economic sustainability for gas capture [12] and water treatment applications [13]. Nanoporous polymers are classified as network polymers, and such network polymers do not dissolve in common organic solvents but rather swell. Despite the advantages of network structures, the nanoporous polymers

Biocompatible organic–inorganic hybrid materials based on nucleobases and titanium developed by molecular layer deposition

• Leva Momtazi,
• Henrik H. Sønsteby and
• Ola Nilsen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 399–411, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.39

• of the same samples was measured after each period of water treatment. The three hour and four day time periods are the durations in which cells were cultured on these substrates for cell attachment and cell proliferation assays, respectively, in our previous study [23]. Unlike for the Ti-amino acids

• films that were virtually unchanged by water treatment, the thickness of the films decreases significantly after 15 minutes of water treatment for all systems but thereafter remains almost constant at ≈30 nm, where the data is shown in Table 2. The effect of water treatment on the refractive index and

• density of the systems were measured after 15 minutes of water treatment (Table 3), indicating some variations in index of refraction, but relatively small variations in film density between the different systems. The surface topography of films as-deposited on Si(100) and after being immersed in water