Zero-valent Iron Nanoparticles Research Articles

From Microenvironment Remediation to Novel Anti-Cancer Strategy: The Emergence of Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles.

Accumulated studies indicate that zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles demonstrate endogenous cancer-selective cytotoxicity, without any external electric field, lights, or energy, while sparing healthy non-cancerous cells in vitro and in vivo. The anti-cancer activity of ZVI-based nanoparticles was anti-proportional to the oxidative status of the materials, which indicates that the elemental iron is crucial for the observed cancer selectivity. In this thematic article, distinctive endogenous anti-cancer mechanisms of ZVI-related nanomaterials at the cellular and molecular levels are reviewed, including the related gene modulating profile in vitro and in vivo. From a material science perspective, the underlying mechanisms are also analyzed. In summary, ZVI-based nanomaterials demonstrated prominent potential in precision medicine to modulate both programmed cell death of cancer cells, as well as the tumor microenvironment. We believe that this will inspire advanced anti-cancer therapy in the future.

Stabilization of zero-valent iron for wastewater treatment: Challenges and future prospective

Cost effectiveness and environmental toxicity are the two most important factors in environmental remediation technologies and sustainable development. In this regard, technology based on nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) or iron nanoparticles has proven to be particularly promising. Because of its large surface area and prominent reductive character, it is relatively inexpensive and easy to adopt when compared to alternatives. However, nano zero valent iron has several disadvantages, such as passivation, agglomeration and corrosion, which can impair reactivity and efficiency, as well as have some negative impacts on living organisms. nZVI surface modification is an alternate strategy for increasing optimization, mobility, improving reduction capacity, and longevity, as well as environmental toxicity and lowering agglomeration rate. In this reviewthe most recent and advanced surface modification strategies of nZVI applied to the treatment of pollutants of rising concern are discussed and analysed in depth.

LCA of Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Algal Biomass for Polishing Treated Effluents

Abstract Research data produced within the CARIPLO IMAP and Perform Water 2030 projects were processed using the SimaPro software to carry out the Life Cycle Assessment according to ISO 14040-44 of an innovative process of treated effluents’ polishing. The study aims to evaluate the integration of a microalgae culture as a side-stream process into the baseline layout of a wastewater treatment plant to remove nitrogen from the supernatant of sludge centrifugation from an environmental perspective. In particular, the investigated system focuses on using the algal biomass produced as an organic matrix for encapsulating zero-valent iron nanoparticles to be used for the final refinement of the effluent. Zero-valent iron (ZVI) is a reactive metal and an effective reducing agent. It can be used to remove organic and inorganic pollutants (e.g., chlorinated organics, pharmaceuticals, metals, textile dyestuffs). The encapsulation of ZVI by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) in a carbonaceous matrix allows for overcoming the problems related to its lack of stability, easy aggregation, and difficulty in separating the ZVI nanoparticles from the treated solution. The case study refers to Bresso wastewater treatment plant (Milan province, Northern Italy). The environmental performances of the study were assessed following the Life Cycle Impact Assessment methods IMPACT 2002+. According to the results, the new process integration does not affect the environmental performance of the WWTP, still implying a significant improvement in the removal of metals and micropollutants. In fact, due to the ability of ZVI nanoparticles to remove organic and inorganic pollutants, the outflowing load will be significantly reduced, which will improve the environmental performance of the entire Bresso wastewater treatment plant.

Mechanical Properties of Cement Mortars Incorporating Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles

AbstractIn this study, the effects of zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles (NPs) on the mechanical performance of cementitious composites were investigated. For this purpose, the use of a novel nan...

Interactions between Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron and Silver Nanoparticles Control the Reactivity in Aqueous Environments

Interactions between Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron and Silver Nanoparticles Control the Reactivity in Aqueous Environments

Encapsulation of Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles in Fully Biodegradable Amphiphilic Janus Particles and its Application in Groundwater Remediation

Encapsulation of Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles in Fully Biodegradable Amphiphilic Janus Particles and its Application in Groundwater Remediation

Mechanisms of enhanced hexavalent chromium removal from water by bentonite stabilized zerovalent iron nanoparticles

Mechanisms of enhanced hexavalent chromium removal from water by bentonite stabilized zerovalent iron nanoparticles

Study of stability and aggregation kinetics of coated zero-valent iron nanoparticles

Study of stability and aggregation kinetics of coated zero-valent iron nanoparticles

A comparative study of the degradation efficiency of chlorinated organic compounds by bimetallic zero-valent iron nanoparticles

Various bimetallic nZVI were used in the degradation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOC) in spiked water and real groundwater. It was found that Ni may be a good alternative to Pd to be used along with nZVI for dechlorination of CVOC.

Oryza sativa as a Tool for Assessing Arsenic Efficacy of Arsenic Remediation of Agricultural Soils by Sulfidated Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles.

Arsenic (As) is highly toxic in its inorganic form. It is naturally presented at elevated levels in the groundwater of a number of countries and contaminates drinking water sources, generating numerous health and environmental problems. Current methodologies for its remediation have deficiencies which fuel the constant exploration of new alternatives. Therefore, the development of robust methodologies for the evaluation of potential remediation technologies are not only timely but also highly needed. In this study we have investigated the use of a rice plant species as a means to evaluate the efficacy of As remediation using sulfidated zerovalent iron nanoparticles (S-nZVI). The obtained results show that addition of S-nZVI to soils had a beneficial impact to plant growth in the presence of As(V) and As(III) concentrations between 10 and 50 ppm. Positive effects were also found for plant biomass and chlorophyll content in the plants. Moreover, evaluation of As uptake by plants showed that the application of S-nZVI reduced the amount of both As(V) and As(III) in shoots and increased the amount of As in the roots. Studies on the Fe and P content in shoot and root after exposure to As with and without the nanoparticles demonstrated that nanoparticles remain mainly in the roots and that P uptake by plants was not significantly affected, suggesting that S-nZVI treatment is safe for plants at the assayed doses. These results overall confirm the method as robust and reliable for demonstrating the reduction of the bioavailability of As in soil by S-nZVI sequestration.

Combining electrokinetic treatment with modified zero-valent iron nanoparticles for rapid and thorough dechlorination of trichloroethene

In situ injection of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) slurry is a promising method to treat chlorinated solvents represented by trichloroethylene (TCE) in groundwater. In this study, the effects of sulfidation and emulsification treatment on the performance of nZVI reductive dechlorination of TCE under enhancement by an external electric field were evaluated. The hydrophobic oil film on the surface of sulfidized and emulsified zero-valent iron (S-EZVI) can sequestrate more than one-fifth of the unreacted TCE in the early stage of the experiment (at 5 min). The FeS layer formed on the surface of S-EZVI can facilitate the electron-transfer process and reduce the degree of corrosion of Fe0 with water by 94.0%. Electric-field-enhanced S-EZVI technology can remove more than 93.1% of TCE in the pH range 6.0–9.0, and the performances in overly acid and overly alkali environments both improved. Under the optimal conditions, the TCE removal rate and reaction constant of the applied electric field group reached 96.7% and 1.6 × 10−2 L g−1 min−1, respectively, which were much higher than those of the group without an electric field (53.2% and 3.3 × 10−3 L g−1 min−1) owing to rapid concurrent hydrogenolysis of dichloroethenes and vinyl chloride, or another transformation pathway, such as direct oxidation by the anode. Thereby, this method avoids accumulation of chlorinated intermediates, especially toxic vinyl chloride. This work shows that combination technology has many characteristics that are favorable for field application, and it is expected to provide a new reference and have application value for development of in situ efficient and thorough treatment of TCE-contaminated groundwater.

Synthesis of Atmospherically Stable Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles (nZVI) for the Efficient Catalytic Treatment of High-Strength Domestic Wastewater

Here, we report the fabrication of nZVI by the wet chemical technique in the presence of ethanol using ferric iron and sodium borohydride as the reducing agents under ambient conditions. The obtained nZVI particles are mainly in a zero-valent oxidation state and do not undergo significant oxidation for several weeks. The structural and morphological parameters of nZVI were investigated by using UV, XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, and DLS analysis. The optical nature, bandgap energy, and absorption edge were all revealed by the UV–visible spectrum. The phase development and crystallinity of nZVI particles were shown by the XRD pattern. The morphological investigation revealed that the nanoparticles were spherical with an average size of 34–110 nm by using ImageJ software, and the elemental analysis was analyzed using EDX. Furthermore, the catalytic treatment performance of domestic wastewater was evaluated in terms of pH, COD (chemical oxygen demand) solubilization, total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), phosphorous, and total nitrogen (TN) reduction under aerobic and anaerobic operating conditions. The effluent was subjected to a process evaluation with a different range (100–500 mg/L) of nZVI dosages. The COD solubilization and suspended solids reduction were significantly improved in the anaerobic condition in comparison to the aerobic condition. Furthermore, the effect of nZVI on phosphorous (PO43−) reduction was enhanced by the electrons of iron ions. The high concentration of nZVI dosing has a positive impact on COD solubilization and phosphorous removal regardless of the aeration condition with 400 mg/L of nZVI dosage.

Degradation of azo dye RED ME4BL treated with immobilised bimetallic zero-valent iron nanoparticles doped with palladium

ABSTRACT The present investigation aims to optimise the degradation of an azo dye RED ME4BL in the presence of Zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) particles doped with palladium, immobilised on polyurethane matrix (PUF). A fixed volume (50 mL) of the dye solution was taken for analysis. The factors investigated included contact time (10–30 minutes), pH (5.0–10.0) and initial RED ME4BL concentration (50–250 mg/L). Phytotoxicity assay was carried out using Sorghum seeds and ecotoxicity study was experimented using Artemia salina. The results revealed that a maximum degradation of 92.0% was seen after 20 minutes. The optimal pH was found to be 5.0 and the degradation reaction was dose-dependent. Phytotoxicity and Eco-toxicity assays showed that the nanoparticle treated dye solutions showed better results than the untreated dye sample, in terms of germination and survival rate.

Removal of nitrate from groundwater by nano-scale zero-valent iron injection pulses in continuous-flow packed soil columns

Injection of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) into aquifers has gained increasing attention of researchers for in-situ treatment of NO3−-contaminated groundwater. nZVI has proved efficient in chemically reducing NO3− and, according to recent research efforts, in supporting biological denitrification under favoured conditions. Given the scarce research on nZVI pulsed injection in continuous-flow systems, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nZVI pulses on the removal of NO3− from groundwater in packed soil columns and, more particularly, to elucidate whether or not biotic NO3− removal processes were promoted by nZVI. Three identical columns were filled with aquifer soil samples and fed with the same nitrate polluted groundwater but operated under different conditions: (A) with application of nZVI pulses and biocide spiked in groundwater, (B) without application of nZVI pulses and (C) with application of nZVI pulses. Results showed that the application of nZVI (at 30 mg/L and 78 mg/L doses) resulted in an immediate and sharp removal of NO3− (88–94%), accompanied by an increase in pH (from 7.0 to 9.0–10.0), a drop in redox potential (Eh) (from +420 mV to <100 mV) and a release of Fe(II) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in the effluent (to 200 mg/L and 150–200 mg/L, respectively). The released TOC came from the organic polymer used as stabilizer of the nZVI particles. Comparison against the sterilized control column revealed that, under the experimental conditions, no biological denitrification developed and that the removal of NO3− was due to chemical reduction by nZVI. The main by-product of the NO3− removal was NH4+, which at the prevailing pH was partially converted to NH3, which dissipated from the aqueous solution resulting in a net removal of total dissolved N. A mass balance of Fe permitted to quantify the percentage of injected nZVI trapped in the column (>98%) and the NO3− retention capacity of the nZVI particles (13.2–85.5 mg NO3−/g nZVI).

Nanoscale zero-valent iron for aqueous lead removal

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles (NZVI) were synthesized using chemical reduction method. These were applied for lead removal from water. The structural, morphological, compositional and optical studies were studied out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The NZVI optical energy band gap as calculated by UV absorption spectrum was 1.7 eV. The zeta potential was obtained as -32.0 mV. The biocompatibility test of NZVI was performed using MTT assay on MDCK-2 as model cell lines. Lead adsorption on NZVI was examined at different pHs, equilibrium time, temperature, and NZVI/Pb2+ concentrations. Almost 100% Pb2+ removal was achieved at NZVI dose: 0.4 g/L; Pb2+ concentration: 50 mg/L; equilibrium time: 15 min; pH 5-6; and temperature: 25°C. Pb2+ sorption kinetic data were fitted to pseudo-first and second-order kinetic equations. Pseudo-second-order kinetic equation best fitted the data. These studies clearly demonstrate NZVI as an efficient nano-adsorbent for Pb2+ removal from water. Copyright © 2017 VBRI Press

The anti-schistosomal activity of magnetite and zero-valent iron nanoparticles on Schistosoma mansoni: An in vivo study

The anti-schistosomal activity of magnetite and zero-valent iron nanoparticles on Schistosoma mansoni: An in vivo study

Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles Induce Reactive Oxygen Species in the Cyanobacterium, Fremyella diplosiphon.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVIs) are known to boost biomass production and lipid yield in Fremyella diplosiphon, a model biodiesel-producing cyanobacterium. However, the impact of nZVI-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in F. diplosiphon has not been evaluated. In the present study, ROS in F. diplosiphon strains (B481-WT and B481-SD) generated in response to nZVI-induced oxidative stress were quantified and the enzymatic response determined. Lipid peroxidation as a measure of oxidative stress revealed significantly higher malondialdehyde content (p < 0.01) in both strains treated with 3.2, 12.8, and 51.2 mg L–1 nZVIs compared to untreated control. In addition, ROS in all nZVI-treated cultures treated with 1.6–25.6 mg L–1 nZVIs was significantly higher than the untreated control as determined by the 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate fluorometric probe. Immunodetection using densitometric analysis of iron superoxide dismutase (SOD) revealed significantly higher SOD levels in both strains treated with nZVIs at 51.2 mg L–1. In addition, we observed significantly higher (p < 0.001) SOD levels in the B481-SD strain treated with 6.4 mg L−1 nZVIs compared to 3.2 mg L–1 nZVIs. Validation using transmission electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed adsorption of nZVIs with a strong iron peak in both B481-WT and B481-SD strains. While the EDS spectra showed strong signals for iron at 4 and 12 days after treatment, a significant decrease in peak intensity was observed at 20 days. Future efforts will be aimed at studying transduction mechanisms that cause metabolic and epigenetic alterations in response to nZVIs in F. diplosiphon.

“Doing More with Less”: Ni(II)@ORMOSIL, a Novel Sol-Gel Pre-Catalyst for the Reduction of Nitrobenzene

Reduction of nitrobenzene with NaBH4 using zero-valent iron nanoparticles (ZVI-NPs) and NiCl2∙6H2O incorporated in organically modified hybrid silica matrices as ZVI@ORMOSIL and Ni(II)@ORMOSIL catalysts is proposed as a remediation strategy. Ni(II)@ORMOSIL is prepared by ion-exchanging H+ of the ORMOSIL matrix with NiII. Ni(II)@ORMOSIL is a pre-catalyst that undergoes reduction by NaBH4 by an in-situ reaction and promotes nitrobenzene reduction by the unconsumed NaBH4, leading to sparing use of the catalyst. Ni(II)@ORMOSIL undergoes color change from green to black in this process, returning to a green hue after washing and drying. Nitrobenzene reductions were examined in aqueous acetonitrile solvent mixtures, and the reduction cascade produced the reaction end-products with catalytic implications. Plausible mechanisms of ZVI@ORMOSIL and Ni(II)@ORMOSIL catalyzed reductions of nitrobenzene are discussed. This work is the first to report M(II)@ORMOSIL pre-catalysts for in-situ reduction of nitrobenzene, and expands the scope of the ORMOSIL series of catalysts for the reduction of polluting compounds. This approach enables the development of catalysts that use very low concentrations of transition metal cations.

Assessing the Performance of Environmentally Friendly-Produced Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles to Remove Pharmaceuticals from Water

Nano zerovalent iron (nZVI), produced from green tea extracts, was incorporated in a cation exchange resin (R-nFe) to investigate its performance regarding the removal of four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): ibuprofen (IBU), naproxen (NPX), ketoprofen (KTP) and diclofenac (DCF). The effect of contact time, NaCl pretreatment, pH, R-nFe dose, the role of the supporting material, the initial concentration of pollutants, and the combined effect of nZVI with oxidative reagents was assessed through a series of batch experiments. According to the results, the best removal efficiencies obtained for DCF and KTP were 86% and 73%, respectively, at 48 h of contact time with NaCl pretreated R-nFe at a dose of 15 g L−1 and a pH of 4. The maximum removal efficiency for NPX was 90% for a contact time of 60 min with PS 1 mM and a pH of 3, which was quite similar to the experiment with a greater contact time of 48 h without PS addition. The maximum IBU removal was 70%; this was reached at pH 3, with a contact time of 30 min and R-nFe 15 g L−1. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first study investigating the utilization of nZVI, produced from leaf extracts and incorporated into a cationic exchange resin, to remove NSAIDs from water.

Lignin Biopolymer for the Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles and the Composite Applied for the Removal of Methylene Blue.

In the current study, lignin, an abundant natural polymer, was dissolved in ethylene glycol and acidic H2O to form nanoscale lignin. Then, zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles were synthesized in nanoscale lignin, producing a nZVI/n-lignin composite, via the borohydride reduction method. The use of nZVI/n-lignin for environmental remediation was tested by the removal of methylene blue in aqueous solutions at room temperature. The nZVI/n-lignin composite achieved a higher methylene blue removal ratio than that achieved by traditional nZVIs. Moreover, its excellent dispersibility in water and stability against oxidation in the air were observed. The functions of the nanoscale lignin in the composite material are (1) prevention of further growth and aggregation of the nZVI nanoparticles, (2) protection of nZVI from serious oxidation by H2O/O2, and (3) allowing better dispersibility of nZVI in aqueous solutions. These three functions are important for the field applications of nZVI/n-lignin, namely, to travel long distances before making contact with environmental pollutants. The present method for producing nZVI/n-lignin is straightforward, and the combination of nZVI and lignin is an efficient and environmentally friendly material for environmental applications.