Abstract
Nowadays, endocrine-disrupting chemicals are recognized as among the most dangerous compounds for marine life and human health as well. Here, we present the use of commercially available MnO2 microparticles as self-propelled micromotors for on-the-fly photocatalytic degradation and removal of the β-estradiol hormone due to the micromotors’ self-propulsion ability and photoactivity. Effective removal of the contaminant is demonstrated without any external stirring showing a degradation efficiency of 72%, significantly higher than static MnO2 microparticles (27%). In particular, adsorption and photocatalytic processes were here exploited separately to evaluate the specific contribution of the motion toward the overall β-estradiol removal effect from the water. This study presents an effective alternative to conventional water purification in removing hormones and a starting point for future improvements on adsorption and photocatalytic abilities of micro- and nanomotors toward emerging organic pollutants in water.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 101312 |
Journal | Applied Materials Today |
Volume | 26 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 Mar |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Distinguished Scientist Fellowship Program (DSFP) of King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Materials Science(all)