Nanocomposite Fiber Based on Natural Material for Water Disinfection under Visible Light Irradiation

Abstract

In the last decade, pathogenic bacteria and organic micropollutants have become a major issue in the water purification process. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a low-cost and an ecofriendly process, which provides a sustainable solution for water treatment and its utilization in rural areas. In this context, we studied the generation and the surface engineering of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/goethite composite nanofibers for photocatalytic water remediation under visible-light illumination. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated for dye (methylene blue) degradation and bacteria inactivation, as contaminant models, of the composite nanofibers. The PAN/goethite nanofibers were elaborated by an electrospinning technique, and the morphology and the composition, before and after spin coating, were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX). The results showed partially intercalated structures of the PAN/goethite Composite-nano-fiber (CNF) were identified by SEM and EDX analysis. The composite nanofibers exhibited high photoefficiency upon dye bleaching (only 10% left after 5 h of illumination) and bacterial deactivation Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens (4.4- and 3.5-fold, respectively, in less than 5 h). The steadiness and pliancy of the generated nanofibers provide a promising application in the continuous flow system.

Preparation of a composite coating film via vapor induced phase separation for air purification and real-time bacteria photocatalytic inactivation

“…The collected solution was dropped on glass slide, stained with Gram stain, dried and observed under a microscope (MO, CL-S, Nikon, Japan) [ 28 , 35 ]. Moreover, the surface of the coating film was rinsed for 3 times with 10 mL PBS buffer, and 50 μL of the collected solution was cultured in an incubator at 37 °C for 24 h via the plate coating method [ 36 , 37 ]. The photocatalytic inactivation effect of the coating film was evaluated by calculating number of E. coli colonies.…”

Phosphorylating Tannin in Urea System: A Simple Approach for Enhanced Methylene Blue Removal from Aqueous Media

“…Water contamination is becoming a significant problem that affects all living organisms. 1,2 Numerous organic contaminants have been identified in a variety of water sources. 3 These are divided into several categories, including pesticides, fertilizers, phenols, plasticizers, detergents, and drugs.…”

“…Unfortunately, due to population increases, industrialization, agriculture, and various other activities, water quality is continuously declining. Water contamination is becoming a significant problem that affects all living organisms. , Numerous organic contaminants have been identified in a variety of water sources . These are divided into several categories, including pesticides, fertilizers, phenols, plasticizers, detergents, and drugs.…”

Getting Greener with the Synthesis of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials

“…Aziz et al [ 9 ] showed that natural-based photoactive membranes can be easily prepared by the electrospinning method. This process is especially interesting because it enables the incorporation of natural minerals such as goethite in a polymeric nanofiber structure in one step, as prepared materials showed high biological activity in photocatalytic water remediation under visible-light illumination.…”

“…The elaborated goethite composite nanofibers showed improved photoefficiency upon dye bleaching Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens deactivation. Moreover, due to the specific porous structure, these materials provide a promising application in continuous flow systems [ 9 ]. Small metallic nanoparticles such as Pt, Au, or Pd are also commonly used for catalytic applications.…”