Plasmonic hydrogels for capture, detection and removal of organic pollutants

Year: 2020

Authors: Vassalini I., Ribaudo G., Gianoncelli A., Casula MF., Alessandri I

Autors Affiliation: Univ Brescia, Dept Mech & Ind Engn, Chem Technol Lab, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; INSTM UdR Brescia, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; CNR INO, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; Univ Brescia, Dept Mol & Translat Med, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; Univ Cagliari, Dept Mech Chem & Mat Engn, CINSA, Via Marengo 2, I-09123 Cagliari, Italy; Univ Cagliari, INSTM, Via Marengo 2, I-09123 Cagliari, Italy; Univ Brescia, Dept Informat Engn, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.

Abstract: Ensuring high quality of water is an urgent challenge for today’s research. In spite of the enormous progress achieved in the area, the quest for all-in-one systems able to adsorb, detect and degrade pollutants has not been sufficiently accomplished. Here, we present multi-functional plasmonic hydrogels composed of beta-cyclodextrin-functionalized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) embedded within bubbles made of alginate. The synergistic combination of individual building blocks enables multi-purpose systems to be obtained: the alginate matrix ensures good adsorption properties, beta-cyclodextrins (beta CD) act as molecular receptors and Ag NPs enable the pollutant detection through surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and its plasmon-assisted photo-degradation. Their activity has been tested during the capture, detection and photodegradation of methylene blue and sulfamethoxazole, but the general affinity of beta CD receptors towards benzene and heterocyclic rings makes these nanocomposite hydrogels extremely versatile scavengers for most of the common organic pollutants, including biphenyls, other dyes and pharmaceutical compounds. In addition, their stability, ease of manipulation, dispersion and recovery make these systems ideal for both in situ and ex situ applications, enabling water-treatment under real conditions.

Journal/Review: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO

Volume: 7 (12)      Pages from: 3888  to: 3900

More Information: This work was carried out with the support of Ministero Italiano delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari, Forestali e del Turismo (MIPAAFT) in the framework of RESTART project and with the support of INSTM and Regione Lombardia in the framework of the project “Microsfere adattative per il monitoraggio e l´abbattimento di inquinanti persistenti-MI ADATTI E L´ABBATTI”. We kindly acknowledge Dr. A. Ardu and CeSAR (Centro Servizi Ricerca d´Ateneo) core facility at the University of Cagliari for access to the Jeol JEM 1400 Plus microscope.
KeyWords: INCLUSION COMPLEX-FORMATION; METHYLENE-BLUE; SILVER NANOPARTICLES; BETA-CYCLODEXTRIN; COMPOSITE BEADS; ALGINATE; WATER; ADSORPTION; REMEDIATION; SERS
DOI: 10.1039/d0en00990c

Citations: 33
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