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Green Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites for Water Remediation: Synthesis and Current Applications

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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Nanoscience and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 5306

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Dr. Gianluca Viscusi

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Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Interests: polymers; composites; nanomaterials; green materials; natural extracts; antibacterial nanoparticles; electrospinning; material characterization
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The expansion of the global population and industrial development have greatly contributed to water pollution, which has significantly harmed the environment and human health. In this context, it is necessary to conduct studies and develop effective solutions for water remediation. In recent years, remarkable advances in nanotechnology have been observed, potentially enabling its application in water treatment and quality monitoring. Green nanoparticles (NPs) and nanocomposites prepared using green synthesis methods, and these are ideal for water remediation. For example, microorganisms, algae, plants and their extracts, agricultural wastes, enzymes, and biomolecules can be used to fabricate green nanoparticles for application in environmental remediation.

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials aims to present research related to the synthesis, surface modification and properties of nanomaterials, including their selectivity and propensity to absorb contaminants, when used for the removal of contaminants from wastewater via adsorption, oxidation, disinfection, photocatalytic degradation and membrane filtration. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: the chemistry of nanosorbents, photocatalysis in water treatment, nanoparticles, nano clay, carbon-based sorbents, and nanoporous polymeric systems with advanced adsorption features.

Dr. Gianluca Viscusi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

biogenic nanoparticles, water remediation
pollution, nanocomposites, adsorption
green synthesis
polymer membranes
nano sorbents

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 4880 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Upcycling Coffee Waste into Sustainable Nano Zerovalent Iron for Environmental Contaminant Remediation: Characterization, Applicability and Cytotoxicity

by Filipe Fernandes, Maria Freitas, Cláudia Pinho, Ana Isabel Oliveira, Cristina Delerue-Matos and Clara Grosso

Nanomaterials 2025, 15(23), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15231788 - 27 Nov 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1424

Abstract

The agrifood sector produces considerable waste, offering opportunities for sustainable innovation. In the coffee industry, spent coffee grounds (SCG) can be valorized to generate eco-friendly nanomaterials such as nano zerovalent iron (nZVI), widely applied in soil and water remediation. In this study, green nZVIs were synthesized using SCG hydromethanolic extracts and FeCl₃, subsequently characterized, and assessed for cytotoxicity. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was employed to identify hydroxycinnamic acids, caffeine, and trigonelline in the SCG extracts. Preliminary remediation assays were conducted with seven contaminants, with venlafaxine selected for detailed pH and kinetic studies. Characterization of nZVIs included SEM and EDS analyses, which revealed spherical nZVI particles (72–83 nm) composed of carbon (47%), oxygen (34%), and iron (16%). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements indicated the presence of smaller particles (15–23 nm). Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) confirmed a residual mass of about 20% at 1400 °C. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed phenolic compound incorporation, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed an amorphous structure. The particles exhibited magnetic behavior and showed no cytotoxicity toward MRC-5 and U87 cell lines. Among the tested contaminants, venlafaxine displayed the highest removal efficiency in remediation tests. Compared with chemically synthesized nZVI, the green version exhibited enhanced stability, attributed to the presence of surface-bounded organic matter. Overall, this sustainable and cost-effective approach to produce nZVI from SCG provides an innovative method for waste valorization and environmental remediation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites for Water Remediation: Synthesis and Current Applications)

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15 pages, 2431 KB

Open AccessArticle

One-Pot Synthesis for Doped Amorphous Carbon-Based Compounds: Influence of ZnO Dopant on the Charge Transfer Efficiency

by Bernardo Alberto Vargas-Vidal, Esperanza Baños-López, María del Rosario Munguía-Fuentes, Yazmín Mariela Hernández-Rodríguez and Oscar Eduardo Cigarroa-Mayorga

Nanomaterials 2025, 15(19), 1486; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15191486 - 29 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1048

Abstract

Amorphous carbon (a-C) materials have attracted significant attention for environmental remediation due to their chemical stability and high surface area; however, their photocatalytic activity remains limited by rapid electron–hole recombination. In this study, ZnO-doped amorphous carbon (a-C@ZnO) composites were synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method to enhance charge separation and photocatalytic performance. The synthesis involved the carbonization of glucose and the incorporation of zinc species under controlled conditions, resulting in composites with varying ZnO contents. The physical and chemical properties of the materials were thoroughly characterized by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, confirming the successful integration of ZnO within the carbon matrix and the formation of Zn–O–C chemical bonds. Photocatalytic tests, evaluated through the degradation of rhodamine 6G under UV irradiation, demonstrated that ZnO doping significantly improved photocatalytic efficiency, with the a-C@ZnO_0.75 sample achieving a 72% degradation rate and the highest kinetic rate constant. The enhancement was attributed to improved charge transfer and reactive oxygen species generation facilitated by the ZnO–a-C interface. These findings highlight the potential of ZnO-doped amorphous carbon composites as effective, low-cost photocatalysts for water purification applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites for Water Remediation: Synthesis and Current Applications)

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11 pages, 3834 KB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Ag-Decorated TiO₂ Composite Materials and Study on Photocatalytic Performance

by Hongfei Dou, Jie Wang, Yan Zhao, Junjie Liu and Yannan Li

Nanomaterials 2025, 15(18), 1383; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15181383 - 9 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1534

Abstract

Aiming at the insufficient broad-spectrum absorption and high carrier complexation rate in the photocatalytic antimicrobial application of TiO₂, Ag/TiO₂ composite materials were prepared by co-precipitation method in this study. The material characterization showed that Ag was uniformly dispersed on the TiO₂ surface in the form of nanoparticles, and the specific surface area of Ag/TiO₂ composite materials was enhanced by 59.6% compared with that of pure TiO₂, and the mesoporous structure was significantly optimized. Visible photocatalytic tests showed that the degradation rate of Ag/TiO₂ composite materials for Rh B and M O was more than two times higher than that of pure TiO₂. Under dark conditions, the material showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 62.5 μg/mL against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with an antimicrobial rate of 99.8% for 8 h, confirming its non-light-dependent antimicrobial activity. Mechanistic studies revealed that photogenerated electrons were efficiently captured by Ag nanoparticles, which inhibited e-h⁺ complexation; meanwhile, the photothermal effect (ΔT > 15 °C) promoted the sustained release of Ag⁺, which realized the triple synergistic antimicrobial activity by disrupting the bacterial membrane and interfering with metabolism. This study provides a new strategy for the development of efficient solar-powered water treatment materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites for Water Remediation: Synthesis and Current Applications)

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21 pages, 2030 KB

Open AccessReview

Green-Synthesized Nanomaterials for Catalytic Reduction of para-Nitrophenol and Methylene Blue: Recent Advances and Perspectives

by Himanshi Soni, Monika Bhattu, Mikhael Bechelany and Jagpreet Singh

Nanomaterials 2026, 16(6), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16060362 - 16 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 590

Abstract

Nitrophenol (NP) and methylene blue (MB) are considered among the most hazardous organic contaminants frequently released from pharmaceutical, textile, and paper industries, posing significant risks to both human health and the environment. The conventional treatment involves adsorption, oxidation, biological, filtration, and other photochemical degradation methods, which often suffer from low efficiency, limited reusability, and the production of secondary toxic by-products. In this context, the nanomaterials (NMs) mediated catalytic reduction of MB into leucomethylene blue and p-NP into p-aminophenol (p-AP) has emerged as a promising approach, due to its high efficiency and effectiveness. This review emphasizes the green synthesis of NMs for catalytic applications, which align with the principles of the circular economy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This thorough review systematically examines the mechanistic understanding of the reduction of both p-NP and MB via different green synthesized NMs and evaluating their catalytic efficiencies. Furthermore, a detailed discussion of the reduction of pollutants (p-NP and MB) is provided, along with their mechanistic insights. In addition, this paper also provides a comparative table highlighting the effects of using different precursors, experimental conditions on the conversion catalytic efficiency and reusability potency. Thus, this work provides the insights into recent research on the catalytic reduction of p-NP and MB into valuable products, highlighting the significance of green synthesized nanocatalysts for effective wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites for Water Remediation: Synthesis and Current Applications)

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