Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparison of Cytotoxicity and Photocatalytic Properties of Iron Vanadate Nanoparticles with Commercial Catalysts: For the Degradation of Microplastics and Bacterial Inactivation Application

Researchers compared iron vanadate nanoparticles with commercial photocatalysts for degrading microplastics and inactivating bacteria using solar light. The iron vanadate catalyst showed moderate cytotoxicity at low concentrations and demonstrated effective photocatalytic activity against both microplastics and bacterial contamination. The study suggests that iron vanadate nanoparticles could serve as a dual-purpose water treatment material for addressing microplastic pollution and microbial contamination simultaneously.

2025 ACS Omega 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Decomposition of microplastics using copper oxide/bismuth vanadate-based photocatalysts: Insight mechanisms and environmental impacts

Researchers developed a light-activated catalyst using copper oxide and bismuth vanadate that can break down microplastics in wastewater. The treatment effectively degraded the plastic surfaces, though the treated water still needed dilution before being safely discharged due to residual chemicals that were harmful to test organisms. This technology could help reduce microplastic levels in wastewater before it reaches rivers and oceans where it enters the food chain.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 23 citations
Article Tier 2

The Photocatalytic Degradation of Enrofloxacin Using an Ecofriendly Natural Iron Mineral: The Relationship Between the Degradation Routes, Generated Byproducts, and Antimicrobial Activity of Treated Solutions

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research; it investigates the photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic enrofloxacin in water using a natural iron mineral, focusing on pharmaceutical contamination rather than plastic particles.

2024 Molecules 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanophotocatalytic synergistic degradation of antibiotics and microplastics: Mechanisms, material design, and environmental applications

This review examines how microplastics and antibiotics interact in water during photocatalytic treatment, finding that microplastics can both help (by shuttling electrons) and hinder (by shielding light or hosting biofilms) the degradation process, depending on conditions. Aged microplastics — which have more surface oxygen groups — adsorb more antibiotics, making them tougher composite targets for treatment systems. Understanding these interactions is essential for designing water purification systems that can handle the combined pollution reality of modern waterways.

2026 Environmental Technology & Innovation
Article Tier 2

Humic substance/metal-oxide multifunctional nanoparticles as advanced antibacterial-antimycotic agents and photocatalysts for the degradation of PLA microplastics under UVA/solar radiation

Researchers developed hybrid nanoparticles made from humic substances and metal oxides that can both break down PLA microplastics under UV or sunlight and kill harmful bacteria and fungi. The nanoparticles showed strong photocatalytic activity, degrading microplastics while simultaneously acting as antimicrobial agents. The study suggests these biowaste-derived materials could offer a dual-purpose solution for tackling both plastic pollution and microbial contamination.

2023 Chemosphere 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on tertiary/quaternary treatment of urban wastewater: Fe-biochar/peroxymonosulfate/sunlight vs solar photo-Fenton

Researchers evaluated how microplastics present in secondary-treated urban wastewater affect the degradation of four pharmaceutical micropollutants and the inactivation of antibiotic-resistant E. coli using two advanced oxidation processes. Microplastics were found to influence the performance of both iron-modified biochar/peroxymonosulfate and solar photo-Fenton treatments.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Iron‐Based Catalysts for the Removal of Microplastics

This review evaluates the potential of iron-based catalysts for degrading microplastics in water through photocatalytic, Fenton, and electrocatalytic approaches. Researchers highlight the advantages of iron's abundance, low toxicity, and catalytic versatility for generating reactive oxygen species that can break down plastics. The study identifies challenges including scalability and catalyst recovery while recommending interdisciplinary collaboration to advance iron-based remediation solutions.

2025 Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorptive–Photocatalytic Performance for Antibiotic and Personal Care Product Using Cu0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4

This paper is not about microplastics — it develops a photocatalytic nanomaterial for removing antibiotics and parabens from wastewater.

2023 Antibiotics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of Micro- and Nano-Plastics by Photocatalytic Methods

This paper reviews photocatalytic methods — using light-activated catalysts — as a way to break down micro- and nano-plastics in the environment. These approaches offer a promising path toward degrading persistent plastic particles that accumulate in marine and drinking water systems.

2017 Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Applications 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, catalytic application and assessment of toxicity

Researchers developed iron-based magnetic nanoparticles as catalysts that can rapidly break down bisphenol A (BPA) — a common plastic additive and endocrine disruptor — in water using a combination of low-dose hydrogen peroxide and UV light, achieving complete degradation in under 15 minutes. The treated water also showed reduced toxicity to human cancer cells, suggesting this approach could help remove persistent chemical pollutants from water supplies.

2018 Scientific Reports 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of the effect of microplastics on the UV inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in water

Researchers found that polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics significantly reduced UV disinfection effectiveness against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as bacteria associated with microplastic surfaces were shielded from UV exposure, creating a potential public health concern.

2022 Water Research 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Silver Doped TiO2 Photocatalyst for Disinfection ofE. coli and Microplastic Pollutant Degradation in Water

Researchers developed a silver-doped titanium dioxide photocatalyst that could simultaneously kill E. coli bacteria and break down polyethylene microplastics in water under light exposure. This combined disinfection and plastic degradation capability could be useful in water treatment systems.

2021 Asian Journal of Chemistry 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic strategy to mitigate microplastic pollution in aquatic environments: Promising catalysts, efficiencies, mechanisms, and ecological risks

This review summarizes recent advances in photocatalytic degradation of microplastics, covering catalysts, mechanisms, and reactive oxygen species generation pathways. The authors call for more realistic photocatalytic materials, better mechanistic understanding of degradation intermediates, and quantitative ecological risk assessment of photocatalysis byproducts.

2022 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Porphyrin-Conjugated Hybrid Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Wastewater Remediation

Researchers reviewed the use of porphyrin-conjugated hybrid nanomaterials for photocatalytic wastewater treatment, including the degradation of microplastics. The study found that these materials show strong visible-light absorption and enhanced electron properties that make them effective at breaking down hazardous pollutants, offering a promising approach for environmental remediation.

2026 Applied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on urban wastewater disinfection and impact on effluent reuse: Sunlight/H2O2 vs solar photo-Fenton at neutral pH

Researchers found that microplastics interfere with the inactivation of E. coli in urban wastewater during advanced oxidation processes (sunlight/H2O2 and solar photo-Fenton), with higher microplastic concentrations reducing bacterial inactivation efficiency and complicating effluent reuse.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic and biological technologies for elimination of microplastics in water: Current status

This review examines emerging photocatalytic and biological technologies for breaking down microplastics in water, since conventional treatment facilities can capture but not fully destroy these particles. Researchers found that while photocatalysis and microbial degradation show promise, their effectiveness varies widely and the underlying mechanisms are only partly understood. The study highlights the urgent need for more efficient solutions to eliminate rather than simply filter out microplastic pollution from water supplies.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 137 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid iron redox cycling for nanoplastic and antibiotic electro-Fenton remediation by FeCo alloy on cellulose-derived carbon

Researchers developed an iron-cobalt alloy catalyst supported on biomass-derived carbon that achieves 100% degradation of both nanoplastics and antibiotics in water via the electro-Fenton process, overcoming the slow iron cycling and pH sensitivity that limit conventional iron-based catalysts.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Preliminary investigation of microorganisms potentially involved in microplastics degradation using an integrated metagenomic and biochemical approach

This study evaluated the photocatalytic degradation of microplastics using titanium dioxide nanoparticles under UV irradiation, achieving significant fragmentation of polystyrene particles within 48 hours. The approach shows promise for treating microplastic-contaminated water but generates smaller fragments as byproducts.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Photocatalytic degradation of industrial waste that contaminates tributaries of the cundiboyacense region by means of vanadium and niobium pentoxide.

Researchers investigated photocatalytic degradation of industrial waste pollutants contaminating river tributaries, evaluating catalyst performance and degradation efficiency for reducing organic and plastic-derived contamination in waterways.

2024 Lumieres - Repositorio institucional Universidad de América
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicology Evaluation of a Fenton—Type Process Catalyzed with Lamellar Structures Impregnated with Fe or Cu for the Removal of Amoxicillin and Glyphosate

Not relevant to microplastics — this study evaluates the ecotoxicity of water treatment byproducts when antibiotics (amoxicillin) and pesticides (glyphosate) are broken down using Fenton-type advanced oxidation processes.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2 citations