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Volume 27
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Optimized Microfluidic Synthesis of Magnesium Magnetic Silica-Based Aerogels for Pesticide Removal and Antimicrobial Water Treatment

by
Dana-Ionela Tudorache (Trifa)
1,
Alexandra-Cătălina Bîrcă
1,
Alexandra Cristina Burdușel
1,
Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu
1,2,
Elena-Theodora Moldoveanu
1,
Ionela C. Voinea
3,
Miruna S. Stan
3,
Roxana Trușcă
1,
Bogdan Purcăreanu
1,4,
Tony Hadibarata
1,5,
Marius Rădulescu
6,
Alina Maria Holban
2,
Dan Eduard Mihaiescu
7,
Valentin Crăciun
8 and
Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
1,2,*
1
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
2
Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
3
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
4
BIOTEHNOS SA, Gorunului Rue, No. 3-5, 075100 Otopeni, Romania
5
Environmental Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Malaysia, CDT 250, Miri 98009, Malaysia
6
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 1-7 Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
7
Department of Organic Chemistry, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
8
National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Magurele, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(3), 1456; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031456 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 29 December 2025 / Revised: 27 January 2026 / Accepted: 29 January 2026 / Published: 1 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Silica-Based Materials: From Molecular Design to Sustainable Applications)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Water represents the fundamental source of life for all human and animal populations; however, its consumption has become increasingly hazardous due to high levels of pollution. Modern agricultural practices rely heavily on pesticides, which significantly contribute to water contamination and imbalances in aquatic ecosystems. Moreover, another critical category of pollutants consists of pathogenic bacteria that proliferate in aquatic environments, mainly originating from hospital and urban wastewater because of human activity. Considering these major environmental and health challenges, the present study aims to develop an optimized method for water treatment by synthesizing magnetic silica-based aerogels using a microfluidic vortex chip and systematically varying synthesis parameters to enhance material performance. The physicochemical properties of the aerogels were characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, and BET. The pesticide adsorption capacity of the materials was evaluated using FT-ICR HR-MS analysis, which demonstrated the high efficiency of the aerogels in removing a complex mixture of pesticides. In parallel, antimicrobial efficacy was assessed against E. faecalis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa isolated from surface water, hospital wastewater, and the influent of a well-known wastewater treatment plant in Bucharest, as well as against ATCC reference strains. Additionally, the study investigated the biocompatibility and biological responses of magnetic aerogels using MTT assays, nitric oxide production, lactate dehydrogenase release, intracellular ROS levels, and quantification of total protein, malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione in HaCaT and HEK293 cell lines. The results confirm the efficiency and application potential of the developed materials and emphasize the importance of optimizing synthesis to achieve high-performance aerogels for effective decontamination of polluted waters.
Keywords: magnetic aerogels; silica aerogels; vortex-microfluidic; microfluidic synthesis; water decontamination; pesticide adsorption; antimicrobial potential magnetic aerogels; silica aerogels; vortex-microfluidic; microfluidic synthesis; water decontamination; pesticide adsorption; antimicrobial potential

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

, D.-I.T.; Bîrcă, A.-C.; Burdușel, A.C.; Niculescu, A.-G.; Moldoveanu, E.-T.; Voinea, I.C.; Stan, M.S.; Trușcă, R.; Purcăreanu, B.; Hadibarata, T.; et al. Optimized Microfluidic Synthesis of Magnesium Magnetic Silica-Based Aerogels for Pesticide Removal and Antimicrobial Water Treatment. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031456

AMA Style

D-IT, Bîrcă A-C, Burdușel AC, Niculescu A-G, Moldoveanu E-T, Voinea IC, Stan MS, Trușcă R, Purcăreanu B, Hadibarata T, et al. Optimized Microfluidic Synthesis of Magnesium Magnetic Silica-Based Aerogels for Pesticide Removal and Antimicrobial Water Treatment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026; 27(3):1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031456

Chicago/Turabian Style

(Trifa), Dana-Ionela Tudorache, Alexandra-Cătălina Bîrcă, Alexandra Cristina Burdușel, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu, Elena-Theodora Moldoveanu, Ionela C. Voinea, Miruna S. Stan, Roxana Trușcă, Bogdan Purcăreanu, Tony Hadibarata, and et al. 2026. "Optimized Microfluidic Synthesis of Magnesium Magnetic Silica-Based Aerogels for Pesticide Removal and Antimicrobial Water Treatment" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27, no. 3: 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031456

APA Style

, D.-I. T., Bîrcă, A.-C., Burdușel, A. C., Niculescu, A.-G., Moldoveanu, E.-T., Voinea, I. C., Stan, M. S., Trușcă, R., Purcăreanu, B., Hadibarata, T., Rădulescu, M., Holban, A. M., Mihaiescu, D. E., Crăciun, V., & Grumezescu, A. M. (2026). Optimized Microfluidic Synthesis of Magnesium Magnetic Silica-Based Aerogels for Pesticide Removal and Antimicrobial Water Treatment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(3), 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27031456

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