Field Of Environmental Remediation Research Articles

Construction of novel ternary MoSe2/ZnO/p-BN photocatalyst for efficient ofloxacin degradation under visible light

Photocatalysis has attracted much attention in the field of environmental remediation. However, the photocatalytic performance largely depends on efficient charge migration and solar light utilization. Herein, the ternary MoSe2/ZnO/p-BN (MZB) photocatalyst was successfully designed and synthesized. The degradation rate of the optimal sample 30 wt% MZB for ofloxacin (OFL) under visible light irradiation can reach 99.2%, and the photocatalytic reaction rate is 5.33 times and 2.10 times higher than that of pure ZnO and ZnO/p-BN. In the MoSe2/ZnO/p-BN system, p-BN can achieve the enrichment of pollutant to accelerate the catalytic rate, while the hybridization of MoSe2 expands the spectral response of the catalysts. In addition, the formation of stepped electron transport routes reduces the electron-hole pair recombination rate. The active species quenching experiments reveal that e-, •O2−, h+ and •OH play a major role in the removal of antibiotic contaminants. The analysis of OFL degradation intermediates reveals the possible degradation pathways and proposes a reasonable photocatalyst mechanism. Therefore, this work provides new ideas for designing high-performance visible light responsive photocatalysts for pollution treatment.

Thermodynamic and Kinetic Investigation on Electrogeneration of Hydroxyl Radicals for Water Purification

The water oxidation reaction (WOR) is of fundamental importance for the development of promising technologies in the field of energy conversion and environmental remediation. Although effort has been devoted to uncovering the mechanism of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by four-electron WOR, little attention has been paid to an in-depth understanding of one-electron WOR for •OH formation, which is the key to the electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP) for environmental applications. Currently, oxygen evolution potential (OEP) is generally regarded as an important thermodynamic descriptor responsible for •OH production, but the kinetic descriptor has been overlooked; thus, the trade-off between thermodynamic and kinetic factors remains unclear. In this study, the thermodynamic feasibility and kinetic activity of electrogeneration of •OH were regulated by doping three kinds of low-electronegativity elements (Ce, Al, and In) into the prototype PbO2 nonactive anode. We investigated these electrodes in terms of •OH production and electrochemical decontamination performance in the context of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) removal. The results showed that 0.8%Ce-PbO2 anode (OEP = 3.67 V vs Ag/AgCl) achieved the highest SMX removal performance (∼100%; kobs = 0.027 min–1) and the highest •OH production with a relatively high number of •OH = 2.7 × 107. In comparison, the highest OEP (5.98 V vs Ag/AgCl) for the 1.6%Ce-PbO2 anode exhibited the lowest SMX removal (∼59%; kobs = 0.008 min–1) and 1 order of magnitude lower •OH production (relative number of •OH = 1.5 × 106). This suggested that the electrogeneration of •OH was unlikely to be always positively correlated to the OEP of the anode. Both experimental results and theoretical calculations verified the importance of suitably high OEP and relative fast electron transfer rate toward WOR to generate H2O+ (oxidation intermediate of H2O) for the ideal anode of EAOP. This study not only demonstrates the trade-off existing between thermodynamic (OEP) and kinetic (charge/electron transfer) factors responsible for electrogeneration of •OH via WOR fundamentally but also suggests a possible strategy for developing a high-efficiency anode by doping low-electronegativity elements to optimize one-electron WOR for environmental applications.

Microwave-assisted method synthesis of Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 with excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of norfloxacin

In this paper, through microwave-assisted process combined with a chemical reduction method, the novel ternary photocatalysts Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 composites were prepared successfully for the norfloxacin removal. The Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 composites possessed the suitable specific surface area, better crystal structure and excellent stability. Furthermore, forming an internal electric field, the isotype heterojunction structure between CNQDs and g-C3N4 could promote effective carrier separation. Unexpectedly, the Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 with the synergistic effect of the up-conversion fluorescent properties of CNQDs and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Ag NPs, showed the excellent photocatalytic property. As a result, the optimized Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 composites exhibit excellent photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin under visible light irradiation. The norfloxacin removal rate was reached almost 100% within 120 min, and the quasi-first-order kinetic constant (k) value was 0.04233 min−1, which was more than 4 times higher than that of g-C3N4. Moreover, the·O2- and h+ were the dominant active species involved in the photo-degradation of norfloxacin. In the mineralization process, the toxicity of norfloxacin degradation intermediates gradually reduced. This work not only provides new insights for the design of g-C3N4-based composites for photocatalysis applications, but also affords an effective strategy in the environmental remediation field.

2D/2D α-Fe2O3/single-layer MXene Schottky photocatalysis-PMS activation bidirectionally enhanced coupling system for environmental remediation

Photocatalytic process coupled with persulfate activation can produce a synergistic effect to release active groups, which is promising in the field of environmental remediation, but remains challenging. Herein, 2D/2D α-Fe2O3/single-layer MXene Ti3C2/Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) Schottky-scheme photocatalytic-PMS activation coupled system with bidirectional strengthening properties (significant charge separation and high PMS activation) is designed. It is found that α-Fe2O3/single-layer MXene Ti3C2 has excellent light absorption properties and utilization, and a Schottky junction is formed between the component interfaces, which promotes electron transfer and inhibits the recombination of photogenerated charges. The coupled PMS further promotes the charge separation of the material and achieves its own efficient activation. Impressively, α-Fe2O3/single-layer MXene Ti3C2/PMS exhibits ultra-high pollutant degradation activity with an apparent rate constant of 0.04613 min−1, which is 17.3 and 5.6 times higher than that of α-Fe2O3 and α-Fe2O3/PMS, respectively. It is further proved that 1O2 originating from the preferential reaction between photogenerated holes and PMS is the active group with the highest contribution. This work leads a suitable direction for designing coupled systems for environmental remediation using sustainable energy sources.

Boosted degradation of tetracycline over a novel hierarchical 2D/1D S-scheme heterojunction Bi2O4 @SnS under visible light irradiation

Highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracyclines (TCs) has drawn increasing interest in the field of environmental remediation. Constructing S-scheme heterojunction is a desirable strategy for booting the photocatalytic activity of the semiconductors. Herein, rod-like Bi2O4 was decorated with SnS nanosheets with excellent light harvesting ability to construct 2D/1D hierarchical S-scheme heterojunction Bi2O4 @SnS. The photocatalytic degradation of TC over Bi2O4 @SnS was carried out under visible-light. S-scheme interfacial charge transfer mode was inferred via in-situ irradiated X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optimum Bi2O4 @SnS composites 20-SSBO exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity and stability for degradation of TC in both deionized water and natural river water. Within 120 min, the degradation efficiency of tetracycline reaches 91%. The degradation rate constant of TC over 20-SSBO is 3.3 and 10.6 folds that over Bi2O4 and SnS, respectively. The significant enhancement of photocatalytic activity is mainly due to two aspects: On the one hand, the successful construction of S-scheme heterojunction between Bi2O4 and SnS not only effectively promotes the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers but also preserves electrons with strong reduction ability and photogenerated holes with strong oxidation ability. On the other hand, the 2D/1D hierarchical core-shell structure resulted in increased specific surface area and broadened visible-light absorption region. In addition, environmental factor such as pH, typical inorganic cations and anions, and natural organic matters have less effect on the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline. The possible photocatalytic degradation pathway of TC was proposed. The S-scheme heterojunction Bi2O4 @SnS have promising application in natural Environmental remediation.

Fe3S4 nanoparticles wrapped in a g-C3N4 matrix: an outstanding visible active Fenton catalysis and electrochemical sensing platform for lead and uranyl ions

Fe3S4, commonly known as greigite, is a transition metal chalcogenide and has attracted enormous attention in the field of energy storage and environmental remediation.

Antioxidant Potentials and Environmental Application of Tamarindus Indica Plant: A Brief Narrative Review

Different potentials has been devoted to most of the abundant and under-utilized plants found in Africa. This characteristic properties can be harness and channel to aid environmental, economic and social development. Tamarindus indica is one of the most commonly under-utilized plant materials with a number of reported biological and environmental relevance. In this mini review, we reported on antioxidant potentials and environmental role associated with tamarindus indica which might be due to its vast phytochemical profile. The aim of the work was to unravel the applicability of antioxidant possession of Tamarindus indica in the field of environmental health and remediation. About sixty one (61) publications out of two hundreds (200) sourced from various databases were consulted. The articles were screened based on their bearing to the areas concerned this report. Numerous researchers revealed antioxidant capacity, phenolics and ascorbic acid content of different parts of tamarind to be significantly appreciative. This property shows a strong association with the vast amount of phytochemical confined in this plant. Antioxidant property in Tamarindus indica might serve a driving force in many of its displayed biologicals potentials. Thus, tamarindus indica could also serve a reasonably in the field of environmental health and safety due to their abundance and less utilization. Keywords: Tamarind; antioxidants; phytochemicals; environment; remediation DOI: 10.7176/JEES/13-1-02 Publication date: January 31 st 2023

Visible-light-driven Ag3VO4-BiVO4/C3N4 with continuous type II heterojunctions for effective removal of Cr(VI)

Heterogeneous photocatalysis have attracted extensive attention in the field of environmental remediation. The low charge separation efficiency and poor light response of single semiconductor can be remarkably improved through forming heterojunction. The construction of ternary heterojunctions can further inhibit the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers by the separated redox active sites. A novel and highly efficient Ag3VO4-BiVO4/C3N4 ternary heterojunction were successfully synthesized and characterized in terms of structure, chemical composition and photocatalytic properties. The photocatalytic activities of as-synthesized photocatalysts were evaluated by the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in the aqueous solution. The photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction rate of ternary heterojunction is 19 times higher than that by single BiVO4. The lower pH, higher concentration of coexisted organics and stronger light intensity endowed photocatalysts with better photocatalytic performance. More Cr(VI) ions were remained in the solution with higher initial concentration of Cr(VI) under the same light irradiation. The Cr(VI) ions could also be totally removed by the ternary heterojunction even after five cycling tests showing good cycling stability. The internal electric field between Ag3VO4, BiVO4 and graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4) facilitated the separation of photogenerated electron/hole pairs. The suitable band alignments endow ternary heterojunction with isolated oxidation and reduction reactions due to the separated holes and electrons, meanwhile, suppressing charge carrier recombination. This research provides guidance for the rational design of multi-components heterojunction for photocatalytic environmental remediation.

Synthesis of Hydrogels and Their Progress in Environmental Remediation and Antimicrobial Application.

As a kind of efficient adsorptive material, hydrogel has a wide application prospect within different fields, owing to its unique 3D network structures composed of polymers. In this paper, different synthetic strategies, crosslinking methods and their corresponding limitations and outstanding contributions of applications in the fields of removing environmental pollutants are reviewed to further provide a prospective view of their applications in water resources sustainability. Furthermore, the applications within the biomedical field, especially in wound dressing, are also reviewed in this paper, mainly due to their unique water retention ability, antibacterial ability, and good biocompatibility. Finally, the development direction of hydrogels in the fields of environmental remediation and biomedicine were summarized and prospected.

Boron and nitrogen co-doped bright yellow fluorescent carbon dots as real-time selective detection of phthalic acid plasticizer in aqueous medium

Excessive usage and discharge of phthalic acid in the environment affect endocrine system of living beings via bioaccumulation in food chain. In this paper, boron and nitrogen co-doped yellow fluorescent carbon dots (B, N-C-dots) have been designed for the rapid recognition of plasticizer phthalic acid. These C-dots were prepared by carbonization of 4-bromo-1,2-diaminobenzene and boric acid mixture. The bright fluorescence (PLQY = 26.4 %) of C-dots showed a significant Stokes shift of 145 nm under 430 nm excitation wavelength. These B, N-C-dots selectively detect phthalic acid in aqueous solution instantaneously and experienced a maximum 95 % fluorescence quenching immediately upon the treatment with phthalic acid with a limit of detection of 91.12 nM. It has been proved that the combined effect of strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding, chemical conjugation, and non-fluorescent ground state complex formation between the probe and analyte led to fluorescence quenching of the C-dots. Static quenching has been confirmed from changes in B, N-C-dots UV–vis absorbance spectroscopy and non-changes in fluorescence lifetime after adding phthalic acid. Furthermore, these B, N-C-dots were successfully applied to recover the analyte in real water samples and showed an average recovery rate of 96.4–102 % with a good relative standard deviation from spiked samples. This study provides selective recognition ability in the field of environmental monitoring and remediation.

Magnetic-Transition-Metal Oxides Modified Pollen-Derived Porous Carbon for Enhanced Absorption Performance

In our work, the transition-metal-oxide precursor (TMO@BC, M = Fe, Co, Ni) has been loaded on the pollen carbon by the hydrothermal method and annealed at different temperatures to generate a composite material of metal oxide and pollen carbon in this study, which can effectively prevent agglomeration caused by a small size and magnetism. The XRD patterns of the samples showed that the as-synthesized metal oxides were γ-Fe2O3, CoO, and NiO. In the 20 mg/L methyl orange adsorption experiment, the adsorption amount of CoO@C at 500 ℃ reached 19.32 mg/g and the removal rate was 96.61%. Therefore, CoO@C was selected for the adsorption correlation-model-fitting analysis, which was in line with the secondary reaction. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2: 0.9683-0.9964), the intraparticle diffusion model, and the Freundlich adsorption isotherm model indicated that the adsorption process was the result of both physical and chemical adsorptions, and the judgment was based on the electrostatic action. The adsorption and removal efficiency of ciprofloxacin (CIP) by changing the pH of the reaction was about 80%, so the electrostatic attraction worked, but not the main factor. Recovered by an external magnetic field, the three-time recycling efficiency was still maintained at more than 80%. This novel biomass-derived magnetic porous carbon material embedded with transition-metal-oxide nanoparticles is highly promising for many applications, especially in the field of environmental remediation.

Simple Colorimetric Assay for Quantification of Persistent Free Radicals in Biochars

Persistent free radicals (PFRs) in biochars have been found to possess biotoxicity and cause negative impacts on plant germination and growth; however, the detection of PFRs requires bulky expensive devices that are unsuitable for massive and on-site sample measurements. Herein, we proposed a simple and effective colorimetric method for the quantification of PFRs in biochars. The proposed method was achieved by using tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) as a reporter to recognize PFRs through color development (from colorless to blue). By using the free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) as a standard, the absorbance of the color-developed TMB was transformed into the concentration of PFRs. With the developed method, the PFR concentrations in 15 biochars derived from different biomasses at different pyrolysis temperatures were determined and significantly correlated with those determined by the electron paramagnetic resonance method (Pearson’s r of 0.960; P < 0.01). The high-throughput detection application was tested by employing a commercial smartphone to take photographs of color-developed TMB and acquire their color signal. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can be used to quantify PFRs in biochars and consequently has applications in the fields of environmental remediation and soil conditioning.

In-situ growth of amorphous MnO2 on C-decorated Fe-based geopolymer sphere with rich structure defects for efficient solar light-induced photo-thermal-Fenton reaction

• A-MnO 2 /C-FeGS with rich structure defects was constructed as a photo-Fenton catalyst. • Highly stable and reactive A-MnO 2 was fabricated via ion exchange anchoring strategy. • Manganese residue was used as the source of Fe and Si for environmental remediation. • A-MnO 2 and C triggered photo-thermal conversion and lattice oxygen activation. • Photo-thermal synergy promoted photo-Fenton activity for tetracycline degradation. Crystalline MnO 2 exhibits excellent photo-thermal conversion and adjustability of valence states properties, but the weak near-infrared light absorption, poor charge transportation and utilization limit its environmental applications. Herein, a novel Na-doped amorphous MnO 2 /C-decorated Fe-based geopolymer sphere (A-MnO 2 /C-FeGS) with rich structure vacancies was constructed by ion exchange anchoring strategy and used to degrade tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) in solar light-induced photo-thermal-Fenton process. Manganese residue (MR), an industrial solid waste, was used as the source of Fe and Si. A-MnO 2 /C-FeGS exhibited excellent catalytic performance with TC removal of 98.2% within 30 min, being about 4.5 and 3.3 times faster than crystalline MnO 2 and C-FeGS, respectively. The improved photocatalytic activity was attributed to that rich oxygen vacancies could provide more catalytic active sites and accelerate Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ and Mn 4+ /(Mn 2+ +Mn 3+ ) conversion for more ·OH generation. Moreover, Na-doped amorphous MnO 2 and C decoration synergistically contributed to high photo-thermal conversion rate, which could in-situ heat the catalyst and induce the activation of H 2 O 2 . This promoted the activation of the surface lattice oxygen and accelerated the secondary transition and utilization of the thermal electrons captured by the defect sites. This work provides a novel strategy for the development of highly reactive catalysts and valorization of MR in the field of environmental remediation.

Heterogeneous photo-Fenton process over magnetically recoverable MnFe2O4/MXene hierarchical heterostructure for boosted degradation of tetracycline

Heterogeneous photo-Fenton technology is a kind of technology based on the in-situ generation of highly active and oxidized free radicals that can degrade most of the organic pollutants. As for the study, MnFe2O4/MXene (Ti3C2Tx) composites were obtained from a simple calcination strategy for photo-Fenton degradation of tetracycline (TC). The results of the characterization exhibit that MXene nanosheets could uniformly dispersed MnFe2O4 nanoparticles, which both improved the utilization rate of visible light over MnFe2O4 and effectively alleviate the agglomeration of MnFe2O4 nanoparticles as a support. The optimal sample (MT-10) displays the outstanding degradation efficiency (93.8%) of TC under the conditions of TC concentration (10 mg/L), catalyst dosage (100 mg/L), H2O2 dose (0.4 mL) and pH value (pH = 3). In addition, the as-prepared MnFe2O4/MXene composite also shows good cycle stability, magnetic recovery, and low biotoxicity. These findings expand the scope of MXene in synthesizing and designing efficient and stable composite material in environmental remediation field.

2-Methylimidazole-modifi ed Iron Metal-organic Framework as an Effi cient Methylene Blue Adsorbent

Metal organic frameworks have a wide range of applications in the fi eld of environmental remediation. In this study, Fe-BDC/Fe-2MI composites were synthesized by one-pot solvothermal method. By studying the adsorption performance of methylene blue (MB) in wastewater, it was confi rmed that Fe-BDC/Fe-2MI has excellent adsorption properties. When the initial molar ratio of FeCl3 .6H2O: H2BDC: 2-MI is 1:1.5:10, the adsorbent has the best adsorption performance. At the same time, the effects of different pH (2-10), temperature (303-323K) and initial concentration of adsorbate (30-90mg/L) on the adsorption capacity were further explored. It was found that when pH=6.0, T=303K was favorable for Fe-BDC/Fe-2MI to adsorb MB. The adsorption process conformed to the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model, indicating that it was a monolayer adsorption which was a good adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption process is a spontaneous exothermic reaction. These results demonstrated that Fe-BDC/Fe-2MI composites possess potential practical application value.

Mechanochemically activated microscale zero-valent iron with carboxymethylcellulose for efficient sequestration of phosphate in aqueous solution

This study modified microscale zero valent iron (mZVI) using hydrophilic sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) via mechanical ball milling method, which was donated as CMC-mZVI, and compared the phosphate removal performance of mZVI and CMC-mZVI. Characterization results of X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), EDS-mapping images of CMC-mZVI demonstrated that the dominant crystalline structure of mZVI did not alter significantly after the ball-milling process and CMC could be adsorbed on the surface of mZVI. Further phosphate (PO43-) removal experimental results revealed that the PO43- removal percentage of CMC-mZVI within 360 min was 99.99 %, which was much higher than that of mZVI (75.23 %). Subsequently, this study analyzed the concentration of ferrous ions and total iron ions dissolved by mZVI and CMC-mZVI, compared the high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) of mZVI and CMC-mZVI before and after the phosphate removal, and characterized the affinity of CMC-mZVI (or mZVI) to water by testing the static contact angle between CMC-mZVI (or mZVI) and water. The above results suggested that the existence of CMC on the surface of mZVI could promote the hydrophilic property of mZVI, resulting the enhancement of ferrous ions and total iron ions dissolution by 8 and 8.78 times than that of mZVI, and the rapid co-precipitation of phosphate. This study provided an environmentally friendly and effective method to improve the reactivity of commercial mZVI powder, and contributed to the wide application of mZVI technology in the field of environmental remediation.

3-D/3-D Z-Scheme Heterojunction Composite Formed by Marimo-like Bi2WO6 and Mammillaria-like ZnO for Expeditious Sunlight Photodegradation of Dimethyl Phthalate

In the present work, we assessed the photocatalytic performance of the new 3-D/3-D Z-scheme heterojunction composite for the degradation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP). The composite was composed by marimo-like Bi2WO6 and mammillaria-like ZnO which was named BWZ. The composite was successfully fabricated using a hydrothermal-precipitation method and analyzed via different characterization techniques. Under natural sunlight irradiation, the optimal composite with 20 wt% of Bi2WO6/ZnO (20-BWZ) exhibited a photodegradation rate constant of 0.0259 min−1, which reached 2.3 and 5.9-folds greater than those of pure ZnO (0.0112 min−1) and Bi2WO6 (0.0044 min−1), respectively. That was predominantly attributed to the formation of a Z-scheme photocatalytic system in the as-synthesized composite reduced the charge carrier recombination and accelerated the photoactivity. Transient photocurrent response and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses were performed to confirm this conclusion. The reusability test indicated that the 20-BWZ had no significant deactivation after four runs, which inferred good stability of the as-prepared composite. Furthermore, the quenching test demonstrated that the photogenerated hole, superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical were all involved in the photodegradation of DMP, among which •OH was the principal reactive species. This work revealed that the as-prepared BWZ composites have great potential applications for the degradation of refractory pollutants in the environmental remediation field.

State-of-the-Art on the Sulfate Radical-Advanced Oxidation Coupled with Nanomaterials: Biological and Environmental Applications.

Sulfate radicals (SO4-·) play important biological roles in biomedical and environmental engineering, such as antimicrobial, antitumor, and disinfection. Compared with other common free radicals, it has the advantages of a longer half-life and higher oxidation potential, which could bring unexpected effects. These properties have prompted researchers to make great contributions to biology and environmental engineering by exploiting their properties. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and peroxydisulfate (PDS) are the main raw materials for SO4-· formation. Due to the remarkable progress in nanotechnology, a large number of nanomaterials have been explored that can efficiently activate PMS/PDS, which have been used to generate SO4-· for biological applications. Based on the superior properties and application potential of SO4-·, it is of great significance to review its chemical mechanism, biological effect, and application field. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the latest design of nanomaterials that can effectually activate PMS/PDS to create SO4-·, including metal-based nanomaterials, metal-free nanomaterials, and nanocomposites. Furthermore, we discuss the underlying mechanism of the activation of PMS/PDS using these nanomaterials and the application of SO4-· in the fields of environmental remediation and biomedicine, liberating the application potential of SO4-·. Finally, this review provides the existing problems and prospects of nanomaterials being used to generate SO4-· in the future, providing new ideas and possibilities for the development of biomedicine and environmental remediation.

Small Amphiphile-Based Coacervation.

Coacervation plays an important role in the molecular assembly towards soft materials with a diversity of function (e. g., underwater adhesives of mussels and membraneless organelles). Coacervation is observed when one homogenous solution spontaneously separates into two immiscible liquid phases of low and high solute concentration, also known as liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which enables spatiotemporally local concentration of specific molecules. LLPS is a common physical phenomenon in aqueous solutions of polyelectrolytes, surfactants and biomolecules, which has been extensively explored for applications in the fields of environmental remediation, cosmetic formulation, protein purification, extractive fermentation and pharmaceutical microencapsulation. This review summarizes the development of LLPS with low molecular weight amphiphiles to construct simple and complex coacervates using conventional surfactants and novel amphiphiles such as azobenzene-derivatives and peptides. We also highlight the applications of these amphiphile coacervates in the extraction of biomolecules, construction of protocell models and drug delivery.

Rotary-angle 3D printing multilayer membrane dead-end filtration for rapid and highly efficient water treatment

Polluted water caused by antibiotics leads to serious risks to human health and ecosystem. Rapidly and efficiently treating antibiotic pollutions to make it safe is urgently needed for environmental protection and public health. Herein, we report that ZIF-67 derived nano-cube Co3O4 as model catalysts were immobilized in the rotary-angle three-dimensional (3D) printed multilayer reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes (Co3O4/R-rGO/CNTs) membrane for the highly efficient degradation of antibiotic pollutants through sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation process (SR-AOP). The macropores in the designed Co3O4/R-rGO/CNTs membrane are distributed in a rotationally staggered arrangement, which increases the opportunity for contaminant contact with the catalyst. The micro-cellular structures formed by the freeze-casting treatment in Co3O4/R-rGO/CNTs membrane provide abundant anchor sites for catalysts as-well-as plentiful active sites for catalytic reactions. The degradation efficiency of the designed membrane toward aureomycin hydrochloride (CTC) reached 99.3% at a flux rate of 636.9 L m−2 h−1, which is increased by 100% comparing with the traditional 3D printing membrane with vertical macroporous arrays. This strategy put forward a new idea for the efficient degradation of antibiotic pollutants and has great application prospects in the field of environmental remediation.