Remediation System Research Articles

Continuous surface Z-Scheme and Schottky heterojunction Au/La2Ti2O7/Ag3PO4 catalyst with boosted charge separation through dual channels for excellent photocatalysis: Highlight influence factors regulation and catalytic system applicability

The efficient separation and transmission of photogenerated charges is crucial for photocatalysis. In this paper, a novel continuous surface Z-Scheme and Schottky heterojunction composite Au/La2Ti2O7/Ag3PO4 with dual heterointerface channels was constructed for the steering separation and transport of charges. Excitedly, the composites exhibited outstanding photocatalytic activity under natural sunlight toward the organic photodegradation in contrast to the latest published researches because of the synergism of Z-Scheme and Schottky heterojunction. And the wide applicability of this photocatalytic system was well verified with various cations/anions, solution pH, reaction temperature, water quality, and peroxydisulfate (PDS) addition. Simultaneously, the rapid charge transport pathway and its induced active substances were deduced from the analysis of structural characteristics of the composite. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism was proposed based on the analysis of organic molecules’ reaction sites calculated by density functional theory (DFT) and the degradation intermediates detected by HPLC/MS. Additionally, the toxicity of degradation products was significantly diminished, which can secure the aquatic environment safety of receiving water body. This work not only affords a strategy for efficient separation of photogenerated carriers, but also provides an efficient photocatalytic system for environmental remediation of refractory organic polluted wastewater under natural sunlight irradiation.

Punitive Damages for Corporations in China: Establishment and improvement

Punitive damages are remedies for non-specific subjects like communities without specific rights suffering from illegal behaviors. Having the functions of compensation, punishment, and prevention, punitive damages are the necessary solution to the inherent deficiencies in current remedy system in China that both civil and public remedies can hardly cover the losses of communities. However, punitive damages are misunderstood theoretically and practically in China. Traditional critics like caseload of courts, lack of procedural protections, ineffectiveness in punishment and deterrence, and overlapping in functions cannot deny the necessity of establishing punitive damages. Meanwhile, punitive damages in Chinese legal system cannot fit in with their functions, comparing with legal practice in the US. This issue is mainly the result of the inadequate application conditions, narrow scope of factors, and single distribution of damages, which are also the issues to be resolved when reconstructing the punitive damages system. Based on legal analysis of positive law and judicial practice in both America and China, this article attempts to justify the necessity of punitive damages as well as putting forward some approaches to the reconstruction of punitive damages in China.

Overlooked impacts of natural organic matter conversion in a Fe(II)-induced peroxymonosulfate activation system for river water remediation

The peroxymonosulfate (PMS) process may be hindered severely due to natural organic matter (NOM) conversion in the treatment of emerging pollutants from river water, becoming a critical engineering and technical issue. In this study, a Fe(II)-induced river water (RW)/PMS catalytic system was constructed for investigating molecular transformation of NOM and related influence mechanism to sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) analysis indicated that NOM molecules containing no more than one heteroatom in river may be attacked by hydroxyl radicals (OH) and then polymerized, converting into molecules with two or three heteroatoms during PMS oxidation. Based on the correlation analysis, CHONP-NOM, CHOSP-NOM and CHONSP-NOM showed a significant inhibition against SMX degradation, while CHONS-NOM exhibited a moderate inhibitory effect. Besides, more condensed aromatic structures, carbohydrates and tannins were generated via reactive species (OH and sulfate radicals (SO4−)) oxidation, radical addition and polymerization reactions. Notably, condensed aromatic structures, carbohydrates and tannins presented weak, modest and strong inhibition to SMX degradation, respectively. Based on the current results, the inhibition of target pollutants degradation would be mitigated via regulation of NOM molecules in a Fe(II)-induced PMS activation system, providing valuable information to reduce NOM impact. In addition, this study paves the way to achieve efficient removal of emerging pollutants from river water.

Lowering pH enables duckweed (Lemna minor L.) growth on toxic concentrations of high-nutrient agricultural wastewater

The use of duckweed species to remediate nutrient-rich wastewater has grown as a field of research and in industry; however, the need to dilute wastewater to the low ammoniacal-N concentrations tolerated by duckweed represents a barrier to commercially implementing these systems in agriculture. This study investigated the potential for acidifying anaerobically digested cattle slurry (digestate), shifting the NH4+:NH3 equilibrium towards the less toxic ionised form, thus allowing the growth of Lemna minor on less dilute wastewater. First, a study was conducted to identify the ammoniacal-N concentrations tolerated by L. minor and to confirm the positive effect of lower pH on growth in high nutrient solutions using modified Hutner's solutions at two pH levels (8.2 and 6.5). In Hutner's solution at a pH of 8.2, L. minor growth was highest at the lowest ammoniacal-N concentration of 10 mg L−1 and decreased with increasing concentrations. At a pH of 6.5, L. minor growth remained unaffected with increasing ammoniacal-N up to a concentration of 250 mg L−1. L. minor was then grown in digestate concentrations ranging from 5% (65 mg L−1 ammoniacal-N) to 30% (350 mg L−1 ammoniacal-N), based on its growth in Hutner's solutions. It was hypothesised, that growth would decrease as the digestate concentration increased at pH 8.2, and that acidifying digestate to pH 6.5 would alleviate this effect. On unamended digestate (pH 8.2), L. minor growth was prevented even in the most dilute treatment (5%); however, on acidified digestate (pH 6.5), growth rates remained positive and significantly higher than the unamended controls up to the 20% dilution (239.3 mg L−1 ammoniacal-N). Higher growth rates in the Hutner's solutions compared to digestate, particularly at pH 8.2 where no growth was recorded in digestate, suggest the presence of additional inhibitory factors in complex, high-nutrient wastewaters, and potentially sub-optimal concentrations of some of the nutrients provided in Hutner's solution. Nevertheless, correlation matrix analysis of digestate chemical properties highlighted the importance of acidification, with a strong negative correlation between pH and L. minor growth rate. For the first time, we demonstrate that by lowering pH, L. minor could be grown on dilutions of nutrient-rich agricultural wastewater that were otherwise toxic, and which make it feasible as a nutrient removal method. These findings could have important implications for implementing duckweed-based remediation systems in agriculture, increasing water- and land use efficiency, and thus, their commercial viability.

Review of the application of surfactants in microemulsion systems for remediation of petroleum contaminated soil and sediments.

Microemulsions are important for soil and sediment remediation technology. The characteristics of the surfactants that make up these microemulsions include low sorption into soil or sediments, low surface and interfacial tension, the ability to penetrate tiny pores, and good solubilization of contaminants. This review revealed that microemulsions formulated with nonionic and anionic surfactants have higher recovery efficiencies for hydrophobic contaminants than cationic ones, as evidenced by the surveyed studies reporting effective remediation of soils and sediments using on microemulsions. These microemulsified systems have been found to remove petroleum and its derivatives from soil or sediments at percentages ranging from 40 to 100%. As such, this review can aid with the choice of surfactants used in microemulsions for remediation, such as those with plant-based components, which are promising solutions for the remediation of contaminated soils due to their contaminant extraction efficiency and biodegradability.

Preparation of a novel iron oxychloride (FeOCl) auxiliary electrode in promoting electrokinetic remediation of Cr(VI) contaminated soil: An experimental and DFT calculation analysis.

The utilization of auxiliary electrode can improve substantially the electrokinetic remediation efficiency of heavy metal contaminated soil. The increase in the auxiliary electrode performance is the key to further promote the electrokinetic remediation efficiency. In this study, two kinds of auxiliary electrodes, pure FeOCl and doped FeOCl with W and S, were prepared and used in the electrokinetic remediation of Cr(VI) contaminated soil. The system equipped with the auxiliary electrode doped FeOCl brought more stable system current (202mA) and more uniform electric field than blank group (130mA). The reduction rate of Cr(VI) was increased by 50% due to the presence of Fe2+ and S2-. The accelerating migration of ions by auxiliary electrode was responsible for the improvement in electrokinetic remediation efficiency. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation showed that Cl vacancy formation energies of pure FeOCl, S-doped FeOCl (S/FeOCl) and W-doped FeOCl (W/FeOCl) were 1.29, 1.15 and 1.49eV respectively, and the ion diffusion barriers were 0.093, 0.099 and 0.148eV respectively. Calculation results indicated that the doping of S was conducive to the diffusion of Cl ions, and the bonding of W-Cl was stronger than Fe-Cl. The charging and discharging process of auxiliary electrode became easier due to the formation of lower vacancy in S-doped FeOCl, which could bring a higher current for the electrokinetic remediation system. The electrochemical performance of FeOCl doped with W and S was improved obviously. This study provided a further explanation for the positive role of auxiliary electrode in electrokinetic remediation system.

Facile Construction of Iron Phthalocyanine/Carbon Nitride Heterojunction toward Visible Light-Assisted Peroxydisulfate Activation for Efficient Tetracycline Degradation

Iron phthalocyanine/carbon nitride (FePc/CN) heterojunction nanosheets were prepared by a facile calcination strategy, which exhibited superior ability of peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation toward degradation of tetracycline (TC) assisted by visible light. The removal rate of high-concentration TC (50 mg L–1) over FePc/CN-6 reached 97% within 40 min, with the degradation rate constant of 4.4 and 9.2 times those of CN and FePc, respectively. The excellent catalytic performance of FePc/CN-6 could be attributed to the synergistic effect between photocatalysis and PDS activation. The construction of the FePc/CN-6 heterojunction with an intimate interface via π–π conjugation inhibited the aggregation of FePc, promoted charge separation and transfer, and broadened the response range of visible light. As a result, the highly dispersed Fe active sites as well as more available photogenerated electrons and holes enhanced the PDS activation and the photodegradation. EPR spin-trapping tests and radical quenching experiments confirmed the role of multiple active species in the TC removal. The effects of temperature, pH, coexisting anions, and water sources on the removal rate of TC were investigated. FePc/CN-6 also displayed good potential in actual wastewater treatment. This work not only provides insight into design and preparation of efficient and stable catalysts for PDS activation but also establishes a promising catalytic oxidation system for the green remediation of actual wastewater.

Improving the uptake of PAHs by the ornamental plant Sedum spectabile using nano-SiO2 and nano-CeO2

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution is a global ecological soil problem. Screening and establishing an efficient phytoremediation system would be beneficial for alleviating this problem. The ornamental plant Sedum spectabile was selected as the remediation plant to study the removal efficiencies of PAHs after adding different concentrations of nano-SiO2, nano-CeO2, and traditional Na-montmorillonite (Na-MMT). The results demonstrated that shoot biomass was increased and photosynthesis was enhanced by the nanomaterial amendments. The uptake of 16 PAHs by S. spectabile was remarkably increased. Moreover, the two highest shoot concentrations were 7.61 (Phe) and 12.03 (Flo) times that of the control, and the two highest translocation factors were 31 (BbF) and 28 (BaP) times that of the control. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the addition of nano-SiO2 increased the abundance of Acidobacteria, and the genera related to PAH degradation was higher under nanomaterial treatments. The very high Si concentration in the shoots of S. spectabile had a significant linear correlation with the concentration of PAHs. In conclusion, the S. spectabile remediation system assisted by two nanomaterials was effective for the removal of PAHs from soil, and the transfer of PAHs to easily harvested aboveground plant parts was especially worthy of attention.

Textile wastewater phytoremediation using Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. assisted by novel bacterial consortium in a two-step remediation system

The study aims at developing a phyto-microremediation system for textile wastewater treatment using Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. and a consortium of bacterial strains isolated from textile wastewater-contaminated matrices and rhizosphere of S. polyrhiza. The sequential phyto-microremediation of textile wastewater was carried out utilizing two-stage phyto-microremediation systems I [phytoremediation system (Stage 1) preceded microremediation system (Stage 2)] and II [microremediation system (Stage 1) preceded phytoremediation system (Stage 2)]. Pseudomonas stutzeri, Janibacter anophelis, Bacillus safensis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus cereus constituted the bacterial consortium that was involved in the microremediation of textile wastewater. Biochemical characterization of Spirodela on exposure to untreated textile wastewater showed cadmium and nickel uptake as 26.03 and 22.99 mg g−1 dw−1. S. polyrhiza exhibited anatomical changes like distortion in the structure of the xylem, phloem, lower epidermis, and increased aerenchyma formation when remediating textile wastewater. The textile wastewater bioremediation in phyto-microremediation system I gives final reduction of COD 77.36%, color 91.70%, calcium 61.65%, iron 69.41%, nickel 89.30%, cadmium 88.37%, nitrate 70.83%, phosphate 73.11%, and sulfate 75.49%. Further, LC-MS analysis of treated wastewater from phyto-microremediation system I have shown biotransformation of metabolites into simpler compounds like 2-{Bis [4-(2-cyanophenoxy)phenyl]methyl}benzoic acid (C34H22N2O4). The FTIR spectrum of bacterial biomass exposed to textile wastewater exhibits substantial shifts of various bands in the IR region for functional groups such as alcohol, alkene, esters, azide, and amine as compared to non-exposed biomass.

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.

Twin-brush ZnO mesocrystal for the piezo-activation of peroxymonosulfate to remove ibuprofen in water: Performance and mechanism

Mesocrystals are highly ordered mesoporous superstructures with rich defects and high internal porosity, which are featured by the anisotropic charge migration in catalysis. In this work, we first used twin-brush hierarchical structures of ZnO (TB-ZnO) as piezoelectric mesocrystal with abundant oxygen vacancies to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) under piezoelectric activation. Compared with non-mesocrystal of common ZnO nanorods (NR-ZnO), TB-ZnO exhibited 3.7 times of performance for the ibuprofen (IBP) pollutants degradation in the presence of PMS and ultrasonic vibration, and achieved a high PMS utilization efficiency that exceeds the state-of-the-art catalysts. Experimental and theoretical results revealed that the presence of oxygen vacancies together with order mesoporous superstructures in TB-ZnO promoted the electron transfer, decreased the reaction barriers, and facilitated the mass transfer, thus enabling more electrons to participate in PMS activation. These findings open up an avenue to improving the utilization efficiency of PMS in the piezo-activation system for environmental remediation.

The Institutional Positioning of Environmental Tort Remedy in China: Executive-Led or Judicial-Led?

There are two options for environmental tort remedy in China: resorting to environmental administration or environmental justice, with an ongoing debate over which of the two should lead. Firstly, it compares the structure of China's environmental tort remedy system and the two types of power: administrative power and judicial power, concluding that administrative power is dominant. Then, it argues for the indispensability of judicial power, attempts to find a clear boundary between the two sides, and justifies their mutual division of labor and collaboration. Through sufficient demonstration, it clarifies why the dominant position of environmental administrative power must be guaranteed. Then, it summarizes the experience of other countries and the practice of environmental protection in China; and provides three innovative paths of the future environmental rights remedy system. These three aspects are setting up a review procedure for administrative priority judgment before filing an environmental lawsuit, establishing the independent position of experts in environmental litigation, advocating a risk communication mechanism other than litigation, and providing a richer institutional guarantee for the relief of environmental rights.

Innovative photoelectrocatalytic water remediation system for ammonia abatement

Ammonia, produced by human and animal activities, contributes to water and soil pollution because it is toxic for aquatic flora and fauna, and responsible for eutrophication. In this work, the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) oxidation of ammonia is investigated employing a stainless-steel PEC reactor, consisting of a central UV Hg-vapor lamp surrounded by a metallic Ti mesh coated with a photoactive TiO2 film, directly grown by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO). The so prepared TiO2 film is characterized by XRD, SEM, UV–vis DRS and IPCE. The PEC reactor operates at 4 V potential drop between the TiO2 coated mesh (photoanode) and the body of the reactor (cathode). The effect of the operating parameters (recirculation flowrate and air bubbling) and type of electrolyte solution (KCl or K2SO4) on the PEC performance are investigated in terms of ammonia conversion and selectivity to nitrite, nitrate and molecular nitrogen. Full ammonia conversion (XNH3) with a selectivity to molecular nitrogen up to 67 % are attained after 12 h in 5 mM KCl electrolyte solution. Nitrite is produced within the first 6 h irradiation and then fully converted into nitrate. By contrast, only a slight XNH3 (ca. 10 %) is observed in K2SO4 electrolyte solution. These results suggest that chlorine has a crucial role in the ammonia PEC oxidation process: photo-generated holes on the photoanode surface can oxidize Cl− to Cl• (electro-induced process), which is a reactive radical able to oxidase ammonia.

Correction: A scalable twin surface dielectric barrier discharge system for pollution remediation at high gas flow rates

Correction for ‘A scalable twin surface dielectric barrier discharge system for pollution remediation at high gas flow rates’ by Alexander Böddecker et al., React. Chem. Eng., 2022, 7, 2348–2358, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RE00167E.

Kilka uwag o modelu procedur kontrolnych w postępowaniach dyscyplinarnych nauczycieli akademickich w świetle standardów konstytucyjnych

The subject of the analysis is selected issues related to the model of the instance review procedure in the proceedings of disciplinary responsibility of academic staff conducted under the Law on Higher Education and Science (p.s.w.n.). The research perspective is formed by constitutional values in the form of the principle of appealability of judgments (Art. 78 of the Constitution) and the right to court (Art. 45 in conjunction with Art. 77 of the Constitution). Consideration of the system of legal remedies provided for in the law p.s.w.n. leads to the constatation about the non-uniform model of instance-based control of decisions issued during disciplinary proceedings in the largo sense conducted against an academic teacher. The analysis of the model is carried out taking into account the possibility of challenging decisions issued in the preliminary phase of the proceedings, in the investigation and disciplinary proceedings sensu stricto.

Study on the possibility of compensation for moral damages for breach of contract

The purpose of this article is to explore the possibility of establishing a system of moral damages for breach of contract through the study of tourism contracts, so as to protect the interests of contractual counterparties who suffer non-pecuniary losses as a result of non-serious damages. The current state of affairs is that, in general, for breach of contract, current scholarship and general doctrine is strongly opposed to the inclusion of moral damages in the system of damages for breach of contract, and instead insists on a dualistic system of remedies for breach of contract and tort. The shortcomings of this approach are that tort damages and breach of contract damages have different principles of proof and imputation, and the standard of damages cannot be claimed without reaching a certain standard, making it impossible for the interests of the right holder to be adequately remedied. This article will examine the case law and comparative approach to the possibility of moral damages for pure contractual breaches that have not yet resulted in serious damage, and thus to develop a vision for the establishment of such a system. The establishment of such a system will provide a higher degree of protection for the interests of the contractual counterparty and thus achieve a full remedy of rights.

The role of dissolved pyrogenic carbon from biochar in the sorption of As(V) in biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxides

Water contamination by arsenic (As) affects millions of people around the world, making techniques to immobilize or remove this contaminant a pressing societal need. Biochar and iron (oxyhydr)oxides [in particular, biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxides (BIOS)] offer the possibility of stabilizing As in remediation systems. However, little is known about the potential antagonism in As sorption generated by the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from biochar, or whether DOC affects how As(V) interacts with BIOS. For this reason, our objectives were to evaluate the i) As(V) sorption potential in BIOS when there is presence of DOC from pyrolyzed biochars at different temperatures; and ii) identify whether the presence of DOC alters the surface complexes formed by As(V) sorbed in the BIOS. We conducted As(V) sorption experiments with BIOS at circumneutral pH conditions and in the presence of DOC from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) straw biochar at pyrolyzed 350 (BC350) and 750 °C (BC750). The As(V) content was quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the BIOS structure and As(V) sorption mechanisms were investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. In addition, the organic moieties comprising the DOC from biochars were investigated by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The addition of DOC did not change the biomineral structure or As(V) oxidation state. The presence of DOC, however, reduced by 25 % the sorption of As(V), with BC350 being responsible for the greatest reduction in As(V) sorption capacity. Structural modeling revealed As(V) predominantly formed binuclear bidentate surface complexes on BIOS. The presence of DOC did not change the binding mechanism of As(V) in BIOS, suggesting that the reduction of As(V) sorption to BIOS was due to site blocking. Our results bring insights into the fate of As(V) in surface waters and provide a basis for understanding the competitive sorption of As(V) in environments with biochar application.

Remediation effects and mechanisms of typical minerals combined with inorganic amendment on cadmium-contaminated soil: a field study in wheat.

The remediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil has gained much attention recently because Cd in soil threatens human health through the food chain. Although tremendous progress has been made in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil in rice acid soil system, the mechanism and effects of Cd-contaminated soil remediation under these amendments in wheat weak alkaline soil are still limited. In this study, the remediation effect and related mechanism of Cd in weakly alkaline soil were carried out using zeolite, diatomite, and sodium bentonite as the main remediation components, supplemented by calcium dihydrogen phosphate and fulvic acid. The results of field experiments showed that the concentration of Cd reduced by 27.3 ~ 31.2% in rhizosphere soil and 34.3 ~ 54.2% in non-rhizosphere soil, and the maximum reduction rate of Cd concentration in wheat grain was 25.5%. The main factors affecting the concentration of Cd in wheat grains include the change in exchangeable Cd, the absorption capacity of wheat root, and the inhibitory effect on Cd transport from stem to grain in this paper. In general, this work provides a new potential management feasible pathway to alleviate the Cd toxicity of weakly alkaline soil and wheat grain.

Microbial Electrochemical-based Biofuel Cell System for Remediation of Oil Contaminated Soil

With the growing problem of oil seepage from gas stations around the world, remediation of oil-contaminated soils is receiving increased attention. Microbial electrochemical techniques have been shown to remove hydrocarbons from soil. Microbial fuel cells (MFC) show a strong potential to immobilize and dissipate contaminants using microorganisms. In this context, this review briefly introduces the conventional methods for remediation of petroleum soil contamination, focusing on the effects of different factors and configurations on the effectiveness of MFC remediation. Compared to traditional remediation methods, applying MFC to petroleum leaks in gas stations has better environmental and economic benefits. It does not require the application of chemicals or ex situ remediation of the soil, which largely reduces the cost and does not cause secondary pollution to the surrounding environment such as soil or atmosphere. In the long term, this technology has a good potential to enhance the remediation effect by changing the applied electric field, soil texture, and petroleum degrading bacteria. In addition, making soil MFC simultaneously achieve combined remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons and other contaminants remains to be studied. Finally, this paper emphasizes that there are few practical applications about MFC site remediation and there is a need to conduct site tests with large scale. If the pilot-scale tests are similar to the laboratory-scale treatment results, the technology will gain more popularity.

Hydrated Properties of Composite Systems for Water and Soil Remediation on the Basis of Nanosilicas and Yeast Cells

The method of low-temperature 1Н NMR spectroscopy is applied to study the hydrated properties of bio-nanocomposite created on the basis of the mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic silicas (АМ1-300 and А 300 with ratio of 1:1), water, n-decane, and yeast cells. The produced mixture of nanosilicas contributes to mitosis and cell growth. It is shown that the cause of activation of their vital processes may be related to the formation of the system of water polyassociates, which change the conditions of substance transport through the cell membranes, on the phase boundaries of solid particles and aqueous medium.