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Molecules
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Fate, Behavior and Environmental and Human Health Effects of Nanomaterials
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Fate, Behavior and Environmental and Human Health Effects of Nanomaterials

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 9816

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mohammed Baalousha

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk (CENR), Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Interests: nanomaterials; environmental analysis; material characterization; materials; nanomaterials synthesis; polymers; thin films and nanotechnology; X-ray diffraction; SEM analysis; wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid development of nanotechnology has led to the release of engineered nanomaterials to environmental systems, where they may pose concerns to environmental and human health. However, many gaps remain in understanding the sources, release, fate, and effects of engineered nanomaterials. This Special Issue aims to gather the most recent contributions in relation to the sources, release, detection, quantification, behavior, fate, modelling, and environmental and human health effects of engineered nanomaterials.

Prof. Dr. Mohammed Baalousha
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Nanomaterials and nanoparticles
  • Environmental fate and behavior
  • Release and sources
  • Detection and quantification of nanomaterials
  • Toxicity
  • Environmental impacts

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3889 KiB  
Article
Advanced Nanoscale Surface Characterization of CuO Nanoflowers for Significant Enhancement of Catalytic Properties
by Muhammad Arif Khan, Nafarizal Nayan, Shadiullah, Mohd Khairul Ahmad, Soon Chin Fhong, Muhammad Tahir, Riyaz Ahmad Mohamed Ali and Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Ali
Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2700; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26092700 - 04 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2852
Abstract
In this work, advanced nanoscale surface characterization of CuO Nanoflowers synthesized by controlled hydrothermal approach for significant enhancement of catalytic properties has been investigated. The CuO nanoflower samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy [...] Read more.
In this work, advanced nanoscale surface characterization of CuO Nanoflowers synthesized by controlled hydrothermal approach for significant enhancement of catalytic properties has been investigated. The CuO nanoflower samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), high-angular annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) with elemental mapping, energy dispersive spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) and UV–Vis spectroscopy techniques. The nanoscale analysis of the surface study of monodispersed individual CuO nanoflower confirmed the fine crystalline shaped morphology composed of ultrathin leaves, monoclinic structure and purified phase. The result of HR-TEM shows that the length of one ultrathin leaf of copper oxide nanoflower is about ~650–700 nm, base is about ~300.77 ± 30 nm and the average thickness of the tip of individual ultrathin leaf of copper oxide nanoflower is about ~10 ± 2 nm. Enhanced absorption of visible light ~850 nm and larger value of band gap energy (1.68 eV) have further supported that the as-grown material (CuO nanoflowers) is an active and well-designed surface morphology at the nanoscale level. Furthermore, significant enhancement of catalytic properties of copper oxide nanoflowers in the presence of H2O2 for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) with efficiency ~96.7% after 170 min was obtained. The results showed that the superb catalytic performance of well-fabricated CuO nanoflowers can open a new way for substantial applications of dye removal from wastewater and environment fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate, Behavior and Environmental and Human Health Effects of Nanomaterials)
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18 pages, 4970 KiB  
Article
Investigation the Effects of Green-Synthesized Copper Nanoparticles on the Performance of Activated Carbon-Chitosan-Alginate for the Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution
by Inas A. Ahmed, Hala S. Hussein, Ahmed H. Ragab, Najla AlMasoud and Ayman A. Ghfar
Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2617; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26092617 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2169
Abstract
In the present investigation, green nano-zerovalent copper (GnZVCu), activated carbon (AC), chitosan (CS) and alginate (ALG) nanocomposites were produced and used for the elimination of chromium (VI) from a polluted solution. The nanocomposites GnZVCu/AC-CS-alginate and AC-CS-alginate were prepared. Analysis and characterization were performed [...] Read more.
In the present investigation, green nano-zerovalent copper (GnZVCu), activated carbon (AC), chitosan (CS) and alginate (ALG) nanocomposites were produced and used for the elimination of chromium (VI) from a polluted solution. The nanocomposites GnZVCu/AC-CS-alginate and AC-CS-alginate were prepared. Analysis and characterization were performed by the following techniques: X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The SEM analysis revealed that the nanocomposites are extremely mesoporous, which leads to the greatest adsorption of Cr+6 (i.e., 97.5% and 95%) for GnZVCu/AC-CS-alginate and AC-CS-alginate, respectively. The adsorption efficiency was enhanced by coupling GnZVCu with AC-CS-alginate with a contact time of 40 min. The maximum elimination of Cr+6 with the two nanocomposites was achieved at pH 2. The isotherm model, Freundlich adsorption isotherm and kinetics model and P.S.O.R kinetic models were discovered to be better suited to describe the exclusion of Cr+6 by the nanocomposites. The results suggested that the synthesized nanocomposites are promising for the segregation of Cr+6 from polluted solutions, specially the GnZVCu/AC-CS-alginate nanocomposite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate, Behavior and Environmental and Human Health Effects of Nanomaterials)
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17 pages, 2833 KiB  
Article
Exposure Media and Nanoparticle Size Influence on the Fate, Bioaccumulation, and Toxicity of Silver Nanoparticles to Higher Plant Salvinia minima
by Melusi Thwala, Stephen Klaine and Ndeke Musee
Molecules 2021, 26(8), 2305; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26082305 - 16 Apr 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2559
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are favoured antibacterial agents in nano-enabled products and can be released into water resources where they potentially elicit adverse effects. Herein, interactions of 10 and 40 nm AgNPs (10-AgNPs and 40-AgNPs) with aquatic higher plant Salvinia minima at 600 µg/L [...] Read more.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are favoured antibacterial agents in nano-enabled products and can be released into water resources where they potentially elicit adverse effects. Herein, interactions of 10 and 40 nm AgNPs (10-AgNPs and 40-AgNPs) with aquatic higher plant Salvinia minima at 600 µg/L in moderately hard water (MHW), MHW of raised calcium (Ca2+), and MHW containing natural organic matter (NOM) were examined. The exposure media variants altered the AgNPs’ surface properties, causing size-dependent agglomeration. The bio-accessibility in the ascending order was: NOM < MHW < Ca2+, was higher in plants exposed to 10-AgNPs, and across all exposures, accumulation was higher in roots compared to fronds. The AgNPs reduced plant growth and the production of chlorophyll pigments a and b; the toxic effects were influenced by exposure media chemistry, and the smaller 10-AgNPs were commonly the most toxic relative to 40-AgNPs. The toxicity pattern was linked to the averagely higher dissolution of 10-AgNPs compared to the larger counterparts. The scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence analytical techniques were found limited in examining the interaction of the plants with AgNPs at the low exposure concentration used in this study, thus challenging their applicability considering the even lower predicted environmental concentrations AgNPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate, Behavior and Environmental and Human Health Effects of Nanomaterials)
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13 pages, 2308 KiB  
Article
Transport of N-CD and Pre-Sorbed Pb in Saturated Porous Media
by Salahaddin Kamrani, Vahab Amiri, Mosleh Kamrani and Mohammed Baalousha
Molecules 2020, 25(23), 5518; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25235518 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1601
Abstract
Carbon dots (CDs) are a new type of nanomaterials of the carbon family with unique characteristics, such as their small size (e.g., <10 nm), high water solubility, low toxicity, and high metal affinity. Modification of CDs by Nitrogen functional groups (N-CDs) enhances their [...] Read more.
Carbon dots (CDs) are a new type of nanomaterials of the carbon family with unique characteristics, such as their small size (e.g., <10 nm), high water solubility, low toxicity, and high metal affinity. Modification of CDs by Nitrogen functional groups (N-CDs) enhances their metal adsorption capacity. This study investigated the influences of pH (4, 6, and 9), ionic strength (1, 50, and 100 mM), and cation valency (Na+ and Ca2+) on the competitive adsorption of Pb to quartz and N-CD surfaces, the transport and retention of N-CDs in saturated porous media, and the capacity of N-CDs to mobilize pre-adsorbed Pb in quartz columns. Pb adsorption was higher on N-CDs than on quartz surfaces and decreased with increases in ionic strength (IS) and divalent cations (Ca2+) concentration. N-CD mobility in quartz columns was highest at pH of 9- and 1-mM monovalent cations (Na+) and decreased with decreases in pH and increases in ionic strength and ion valency. N-CDs mobilized pre-adsorbed Pb from quartz due to the higher adsorption affinity of Pb to N-CD than to quartz surfaces. These findings provide valuable insights into the transport, retention, and risk assessment of lead in the presence of carbon-based engineered nanoparticles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fate, Behavior and Environmental and Human Health Effects of Nanomaterials)
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