Rationale: Endotoxin contamination in conventionally purified water poses serious risks to hemodialysis patients, leading to complications such as inflammation and sepsis. Addressing these risks is essential for enhan...Rationale: Endotoxin contamination in conventionally purified water poses serious risks to hemodialysis patients, leading to complications such as inflammation and sepsis. Addressing these risks is essential for enhancing patient safety and meeting global dialysis water quality standards. Advanced filtration technologies, such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂)-based nanoparticle filters, offer a promising approach to improve water purification processes in renal care. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a TiO₂-based nanoparticle microporous filtration system for hemodialysis water purification. The objectives included analyzing the system’s performance in reducing chemical contaminants (calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and lead) and microbiological contaminants (total viable count [TVC] and endotoxin units [EU]) across multiple renal centers. Methods: Water samples from three renal centers (RC1, RC2, and RC3) were analyzed pre- and post-filtration. TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method and characterized via Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX). The microporous filter, fabricated with TiO₂ nanoparticles, silicon dioxide, and polyethylene glycol (PEG), was tested for its ability to remove contaminants. Analytical techniques included spectroscopy for chemical analysis and microbiological assays for contaminant quantification. Results: Post-treatment analysis revealed significant reductions in chemical contaminants, with removal efficiencies averaging 78% for calcium, 80% for magnesium, 81% for aluminum, and 76.6% for lead across all centers. Microbiological contamination was also substantially reduced, with 78–80% removal of TVC and 76–84.6% reduction in EU levels. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyl groups critical for adsorption, while SEM/EDX characterization revealed a crystalline structure with a particle size of 1.45 nm, pore size of 4.11 μm, filter height of 2.56 mm, and bulk density of 0.58 g/cm³. Conclusion: The TiO₂-based nanoparticle filtration system demonstrated high efficacy in removing chemical and microbiological contaminants, significantly improving water quality for hemodialysis. These results highlight its potential as a practical solution for renal centers, especially in resource-constrained settings. Further studies are needed to evaluate its long-term performance and feasibility for widespread adoption. Recommendation: Renal centers should consider adopting TiO2-based nanoparticle filters to address persistent water quality challenges. Pilot implementations across diverse settings can provide insights into operational feasibility. Additional research should explore scalability, maintenance requirements, and cost-effectiveness to optimize integration into healthcare systems. Significance Statement: This study introduces a practical and innovative solution to improve hemodialysis water purification. By effectively reducing both chemical and microbiological contaminants, the TiO2-based filtration system has the potential to enhance patient safety and outcomes, particularly in settings where maintaining high water quality standards remains challenging.展开更多
The preparation of TiO2/poly（L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone）（PLCL） nanocomposites and their properties were reported.TiO2nanoparticles were surface modified by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone（ε-CL）...The preparation of TiO2/poly（L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone）（PLCL） nanocomposites and their properties were reported.TiO2nanoparticles were surface modified by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone（ε-CL）.The resulting poly（ε-caprolactone）-grafted TiO2（g-TiO2） was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）,thermogravimetric analysis（TGA） and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The g-TiO2can be uniformly dispersed in chloroform and the g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites were successfully fabricated through solvent-casting method.The effects of the content of g-TiO2nanoparticles on tensile properties and shape memory properties were investigated.A significant improvement in the tensile properties of the 5% g-TiO2/PLCL mass fraction nanocomposite is obtained：an increase of 113% in the tensile strength and an increase of 11% in the elongation at break over pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites with a certain amount of g-TiO2content have better shape memory properties than pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2nanoparticles play an additional physical crosslinks which are contributed to improvement of the shape memory properties.展开更多
In this study,the cytotoxicity of two different crystal phases of TiO2 nanoparticles,with surface modification by humic acid（HA）,to Escherichia coli,was assessed.The physicochemical properties of TiO2 nanoparticles ...In this study,the cytotoxicity of two different crystal phases of TiO2 nanoparticles,with surface modification by humic acid（HA）,to Escherichia coli,was assessed.The physicochemical properties of TiO2 nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized.Three different initial concentrations,namely 50,100,and 200 ppm,of HA were used for synthesis of HA coated TiO2 nanoparticles（denoted as A/RHA50,A/RHA100,and A/RHA200,respectively）.Results indicate that rutile（LC50（concentration that causes 50%mortality compared the control group）=6.5）was more toxic than anatase（LC50=278.8）under simulated sunlight（SSL）irradiation,possibly due to an extremely narrow band gap.It is noted that HA coating increased the toxicity of anatase,but decreased that of rutile.Additionally,AHA50 and RHA50had the biggest differences compared to uncoated anatase and rutile with LC50of 201.9 and21.6,respectively.We then investigated the formation of reactive oxygen species（ROS）by TiO2 nanoparticles in terms of hydroxyl radicals（OH）and superoxide anions（O2^-）.Data suggested that O2^- was the main ROS that accounted for the higher toxicity of rutile upon SSL irradiation.We also observed that HA coating decreased the generation of OH and O2^- on rutile,but increased O2^- formation on anatase.Results from TEM analysis also indicated that HA coated rutile tended to be attached to the surface of E.coli more than anatase.展开更多
The function of protein in long-range biological electron transfer is a question of debate. We report some preliminary results in femtosecond spectroscopic study of photosynthetic bacterial light-harvesting antenna co...The function of protein in long-range biological electron transfer is a question of debate. We report some preliminary results in femtosecond spectroscopic study of photosynthetic bacterial light-harvesting antenna complex assembled onto TiO2 nanoparticle with an average size of 8 nm in diameter. Crystal structure shows that photosynthetic bacterial antenna complex LH2 has a ring-like structure composed by alpha- and beta-apoprotein helices. The alpha- and beta-transmembrance helices construct two concentric cylinders with pigments bacteriochlorophyll a (Bchl a) and carotenoid (Car) buried inside the protein. We attempt to insert TiO2 nanoparticle into the cavity of the inner cylindrical hollow of LH2 to investigate the nature of the electron transfer between the excited-state Bchl a and the TiO2 nanoparticle. A significant decrease in the ground state bleaching recovery time constant for Bchl a at 850 run (B850) in respect to that of the Bchl a in free LH2 has been observed. By using the relation of distance-dependent long-range electron transfer rate in protein, the distance between the donor B850 and the acceptor TiO2 nanoparticle has been estimated, which is about 0.6 nm. The proposed method of assembling proteins onto wide-gap semiconductor nanoparticle can be a promising way to determine the role of the protein playing in biological electron transfer processes.展开更多
Increasing application of nanotechnology highlights the need to clarify and understand nanotoxicity. Mammalian and in vitro studies have raised concerns about the toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles （TiO2-NPs...Increasing application of nanotechnology highlights the need to clarify and understand nanotoxicity. Mammalian and in vitro studies have raised concerns about the toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles （TiO2-NPs）, but there are limited data on ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms. In this work, the sub-acute toxicity of TiO2-NPs to carp （Cyprinus carpio） was assessed. Superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and peroxidase （POD） activities and lipid peroxidation （LPO） levels in liver, gill and brain tissues of carps varied with concentration of TiO2-NPs suspensions and exposure time （up to 8 d）. As a result, 100 and 200 mg/L TiO2-NPs caused statistically significant decrease in SOD, CAT and POD activities and significant increase in LPO levels in tissues （P 〈 0.05）, suggesting that the fish exposed to these two concentrations of TiO2-NPs suffered from the oxidative stress. The extent of depletion of antioxidant enzymes activities and the elevation of LPO in the liver was the greatest, indicating that the liver might be the most susceptible organ to TiO2-NPs exposure. In addition, carps had gill pathologies including edema and thickening of gill lamellae as well as gill filaments, and liver pathologies including necrotic and apoptosis hepatocytes after exposed to 100 and 200 mg/L TiO2-NPs for 20 d. These results indicated a potential risk from TiO2-NPs released into the aqueous environment.展开更多
Plants are essential components of all ecosystems and play a critical role in environmental fate of nanoparticles. However, the toxicological impacts of nanoparticles on plants are not well documented. Titanium dioxid...Plants are essential components of all ecosystems and play a critical role in environmental fate of nanoparticles. However, the toxicological impacts of nanoparticles on plants are not well documented. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles（TiO2-NPs） are produced worldwide in large quantities for a wide range of purposes. In the present study, the uptake of TiO2-NPs by the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrrhiza and the consequent effects on the plant were evaluated.Initially, structural and morphological characteristics of the used TiO2-NPs were determined using XRD, SEM, TEM and BET techniques. As a result, an anatase structure with the average crystalline size of 8 nm was confirmed for the synthesized TiO2-NPs. Subsequently, entrance of TiO2-NPSto plant roots was verified by fluorescence microscopic images. Activity of a number of antioxidant enzymes, as well as, changes in growth parameters and photosynthetic pigment contents as physiological indices were assessed to investigate the effects of TiO2-NPs on S. polyrrhiza. The increasing concentration of TiO2-NPs led to the significant decrease in all of the growth parameters and changes in antioxidant enzyme activities. The activity of superoxide dismutase enhanced significantly by the increasing concentration of TiO2-NPs. Enhancement of superoxide dismutase activity could be explained as promoting antioxidant system to scavenging the reactive oxygen species. In contrast, the activity of peroxidase was notably decreased in the treated plants. Reduced peroxidase activity could be attributed to either direct effect of these particles on the molecular structure of the enzyme or plant defense system damage due to reactive oxygen species.展开更多
A new method for analysis of trace mercury in water samples was developed, based on the combination of preconcentration/separation using dithizone-modified nanometer titanium dioxide （TiO2） as a solid phase extracta...A new method for analysis of trace mercury in water samples was developed, based on the combination of preconcentration/separation using dithizone-modified nanometer titanium dioxide （TiO2） as a solid phase extractant and determination by cold vapor atomic adsorption spectrometry （CVAAS）. Dithizone was dissolved with alcohol and loaded on the surface of nano-sized TiO2 powders by stirring. The static adsorption behavior of Hg^2＋on the dithizone-modified nanoparficles was investigated in detail. It was found that excellent adsorption ratio for Hg^2＋ could be obtained in the pH range of 7-8 with an oscillation time of 15 rain, and a 5 mL of 3.5 mol·L^-1 HCI solution could quantitatively elute Hg^2＋ from nanometer TiO2 powder. Common coexisting ions caused no obvious influence on the determination of mercury. The mechanisms for the adsorption and desorption were discussed. The detection limit （30） for Hg^2＋ was calculated to be 5 ng·L^-1. The proposed method was applied to the determination of Hg^2＋ in a mineral water sample and a Zhujiang River water sample. By the standard addition method, the average recoveries were found to be 94.4%-108.3% with RSD （n = 5） of 2.9%-3.5%.展开更多
Developing methods for efficient product/catalyst separation and catalyst recycling is meaningful in multi-phase catalytic reactions. Here, we reported a p H-responsive emulsion system stabilized by interfacially acti...Developing methods for efficient product/catalyst separation and catalyst recycling is meaningful in multi-phase catalytic reactions. Here, we reported a p H-responsive emulsion system stabilized by interfacially active TiO2 nanoparticles for achieving in situ product/catalyst separation and catalyst recycling. In this system, emulsification and demulsification process could be easily engineered through tuning the p H values. The emulsion droplets were destroyed completely at a p H value of 3–4, and the solid catalyst distributed in the aqueous phase could be used to the next reaction cycle after removal of the organic product and adjusting the p H to 7–8. Such a p H triggered switchable Pickering emulsion catalytic system not only shows good recyclability of the solid catalyst but also high catalytic efficiency,and could be recycled more than 10 cycles.展开更多
The electrochemical behavior of vitamin C（ascorbic acid or AA） is investigated on the surface of a carbon-paste electrode modified with TiO2 nanoparticles and 2,2＇-（1,2 butanediylbis（nitriloethylidyne））-bis-hyd...The electrochemical behavior of vitamin C（ascorbic acid or AA） is investigated on the surface of a carbon-paste electrode modified with TiO2 nanoparticles and 2,2＇-（1,2 butanediylbis（nitriloethylidyne））-bis-hydroquinone（BBNBH）.The prepared modified electrode showed an efficient catalytic role in the electrochemical oxidation of AA,leading to remarkable decrease in oxidation overpotential and enhancement of the kinetics of the electrode reaction.This modified electrode exhibits well-separated oxidation peaks for AA and uric acid（UA）.The modified electrode is successfully applied for the accurate determination of AA in pharmaceutical preparations.展开更多
Ce-doped titanium oxide nanoparticles were investigated in the paper. The surface structures of undoped and Ce-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were observed by scanning tunneling microscopy （STM）. The experimental results ...Ce-doped titanium oxide nanoparticles were investigated in the paper. The surface structures of undoped and Ce-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were observed by scanning tunneling microscopy （STM）. The experimental results of scanning tunneling spectroscopy （STS） show that the surface electronic structures of TiO2 nanoparticles are modified by introducing new electronic states in the surface band gap through cerium ion doping. The results are discussed in terms of the influence of doping concentration on the surface band gap of TiO2.展开更多
Membrane fouling is one of the major obstacles for reaching a high flux over a prolonged period of ultrafiltration（UF）process.In this study,a sulfonated-polyethersulfone（SPES）/nano-TiO2 composite UF membrane with ...Membrane fouling is one of the major obstacles for reaching a high flux over a prolonged period of ultrafiltration（UF）process.In this study,a sulfonated-polyethersulfone（SPES）/nano-TiO2 composite UF membrane with good anti-fouling performance was fabricated by phase inversion and self-assembly methods.The TiO2 nanoparticle self-assembly on the SPES membrane surface was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）and FT-IR spectrometer.The morphology and hydrophilicity were characterized by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,atomic force microscopy（AFM）and contact angle goniometer,respectively.The anti-fouling mechanism of composite UF membrane was discussed through the analysis of the micro-structure and component of UF membrane surface.The results showed that the TiO2 content and the micro-structure of the composite UF membrane surface had great influence on the separation and anti-fouling performance.展开更多
A novel hydrophilic nanocomposite additive （TiO2-g-PNIPAAm） was synthesized by the surface modification of titanium dioxide （TiO2） with N-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAAm） via ＂graft-from＂ technique. And the nanoco...A novel hydrophilic nanocomposite additive （TiO2-g-PNIPAAm） was synthesized by the surface modification of titanium dioxide （TiO2） with N-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAAm） via ＂graft-from＂ technique. And the nanocomposite membrane of poly（vinylidene fluoride） （PVDF）/TiO2-g-PNIPAAm was fabricated by wet phase inversion. The graft degree was obtained by thermo-gravimetric analysis （TGA）. Fourier transform infrared attenuated reflection spectroscopy （FTIR-ATR） and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy （XPS） characterization results suggested that TiO2-g-PNIPAAm nanoparticles segregated on membrane surface during the phase separation process. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） was conducted to investigate the surface and cross-section of the modified membranes. The water contact angle measurements confirmed that TiO2-g-PNIPAAm nanoparticles endowed PVDF membranes better hydrophlilicity and thermo-responsive properties compared with those of the pristine PVDF membrane. The water contact angle decreased from 92.8~ of the PVDF membrane to 61.2~ of the nanocompostie membrane. Bovine serum albumin （BSA） static and dynamic adsorption experiments suggested that excellent antifouling properties of membranes was acquired after adding TiO2-g- PNIPAAm. The maximum BSA adsorption at 40℃ was about 3 times than that at 23 ℃. The permeation experiments indicated the water flux recover ratio and BSA rejection ratio were improved at different temperatures.展开更多
The one-pot three-component reaction of arylmethylidenepyruvic acids, 1,3-cyclohexandiones and ammonium acetate provides an economical and efficient synthetic route to 5-oxo-4-aryl-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2-quinolinecar...The one-pot three-component reaction of arylmethylidenepyruvic acids, 1,3-cyclohexandiones and ammonium acetate provides an economical and efficient synthetic route to 5-oxo-4-aryl-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2-quinolinecarboxylic acid 4 under solvent-free conditions using a catalytic amount of TiO2 nanoparticles （TiO2 NPs） as an effective heterogeneous catalyst.展开更多
WO2 and TiO2 colMds were synthesized by the hydrolysis technique and part of the TiO2 colloid was treated by means of the hydrothermal method. The photochromic performances of the resulting materials obtained via comb...WO2 and TiO2 colMds were synthesized by the hydrolysis technique and part of the TiO2 colloid was treated by means of the hydrothermal method. The photochromic performances of the resulting materials obtained via combining the WO3 colloid with the treated TiO2 colloid and the non-treated TiO2 colloid, respectively, are very different. The TiO2 colloid without hydrothermal treatment can effectively improve the photochromic performance of the WO3colloid. The TiO2 nanoparticles were investigated in detail by XRD, TEM, surface photovohage spectra（SPS） and field-induced surface photovoltage spectrometry（FISPS）. The photochromism mechanism of WO3 colloid is discussed.展开更多
Unique and various microstructures of titanium oxide(TiO_2 ) film including macroporous structure, chromatic veins and rings, have been easily fabricated by mist deposition method on silicon substrate with mild prepar...Unique and various microstructures of titanium oxide(TiO_2 ) film including macroporous structure, chromatic veins and rings, have been easily fabricated by mist deposition method on silicon substrate with mild preparation conditions. Rutile phase TiO_2 nanoparticles were directly used as starting material to prepare film and led to a simple preparation process. It was found that several different microstructures existed in the sample and changed with the varied positions from the center to the edge of the film when the concentration of the TiO_2 suspension is 0.06 mol/l, the deposition time is 30 min, the flow rate is 1 l/min and the temperature is150. The surface texturing shows apparent distinction as the concentration of the TiO_2 suspension decreased to 0.03 mol/l and 0.01 mol/l.展开更多
Abstract The gas phase nucleation process of anatase TiO2 in atmospheric non-thermal plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is studied. The particles synthesized in the plasma gas phase at different power density w...Abstract The gas phase nucleation process of anatase TiO2 in atmospheric non-thermal plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is studied. The particles synthesized in the plasma gas phase at different power density were collected outside of the reactor. The structure of the collected particles has been investigated by field scanning electron microscope （FESEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, high resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM） and selected area electron diffraction （SAED）. The analysis shows that uniform crystalline nuclei with average size of several nanometers have been formed in the scale of micro second through this reactive atmo- spheric plasma gas process. The crystallinity of the nanoparticles increases with power density. The high density of crystalline nanonuclei in the plasma gas phase and the low gas temperature are beneficial to the fast deposition of the 3D porous anatase TiO2 film.展开更多
Micro-porous TiO2 coatings co-doped with Zn^2＋ and Ag nanoparticles were fabricated on Ti by microarc oxidation （MAO） for 0.5, 1.5, 2 and 4 min, respectively. The evolutions of morphology and phase component of the...Micro-porous TiO2 coatings co-doped with Zn^2＋ and Ag nanoparticles were fabricated on Ti by microarc oxidation （MAO） for 0.5, 1.5, 2 and 4 min, respectively. The evolutions of morphology and phase component of the coating as a function of processing time were investigated. The microstructure of the 2 min treated coating was further observed by transmission electron microscopy to explore the coating formation mechanism. The amounts of Ag and Zn released from the 2 min treated coating were measured and the antibacterial properties of the coatings against Staphylococcus aureus （S. aureus） were also investigated. The obtained results showed that with prolonged MAO time, the contents of Ag and Zn on the coating surfaces increased. All the coatings were micro-porous with pore diameters of 1 -4μm; however, some pores were blocked by deposits on the 4 min treated coating. The 2 rain treated coating was composed of amorphous TiO2, anatase, futile, ZnO, Zn2TiO4 and homogenously distributed Ag nanoparticles. After immersion, Zn^2＋, Ag^＋, Ti^2＋ and Ca^2＋ were released from the coating and with the immersion time prolonged, the accumulated concentrations of these ions increased. After immersion for 36 weeks, the accumulated Zn2. and Ag^＋ concentrations were 6.88 and 0.684 ppm, respectively, which are higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration but much lower than the cytotoxic concentration. Compared with polished Ti control, the coatings co-doped with Zn^2＋ and Ag nanoparticles significantly inhibited the ad- hesions of S. uureus and reduced the amounts of planktonic bacteria in culture medium, indicating that the Zn and Ag co-doped TiO2 could be a bio-adaptable coating for long-lasting anti-microbial performance.展开更多
Green chemistry is playing an important role for synthesizing organic compounds, due to its eco-friendly nature and low cost. In green chemistry, metal nanoparticles exhibited some useful physical and chemical propert...Green chemistry is playing an important role for synthesizing organic compounds, due to its eco-friendly nature and low cost. In green chemistry, metal nanoparticles exhibited some useful physical and chemical properties （catalytic activity）. Due to its diverse properties, nanoparticles can be utilized as a catalyst in various organic reactions. Recent research has been directed towards the utilization of eco- friendly and bio-friendly plant materials in nanoparticles synthesis. In our present work, TiO2 nanoparticles （TiO2 NPs） were synthesized using Annona squamosa peel extract and their catalytic applications were studied on the 2,3-disubstituted dihydroquinazolin-4（l1H）-one synthesis. Synthesized compounds were confirmed using FT-IR.1H NMR, 13C NMR and GC-MS analyses.展开更多
Ultraviolet(UV)radiation can cause degradation or aging of many polymers and shorten the working-life of their products.Thus,UV protective covers are required in various occasions.Textiles with the UV-shielding functi...Ultraviolet(UV)radiation can cause degradation or aging of many polymers and shorten the working-life of their products.Thus,UV protective covers are required in various occasions.Textiles with the UV-shielding function possess unique properties compared with those covers in board or film shapes.TiO_2 nanoparticles(NPs),which were reported to have superior UV blocking function,can be used to produce UV protective covers in combination with fabric.However,efficient and environmentally friendly immobilization of TiO_2 Nps onto the fabrics is challenging.Polydopamine(PDA),a biomimetic synthetic polymer,has attracted great attentions recently due to its superior affinity to various materials and facile application procedure.Hence,in this research,the surface of nylon fabrics was modified by PDA to immobilizeTiO_2 NPs.Themodificationconditionswere systematically optimized.The immobilization of the NPs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer(FTIR)and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The functionalized nylon fabrics were proved to exhibit improved UV protection properties even after washing.This work provides a new and versatile surface modification technique for textiles.展开更多
Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into various types of fuels has attracted great interest,and serves as a potential solution to addressing current global warming and energy challenges.In this work,Ag-Cu nanoparticles a...Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into various types of fuels has attracted great interest,and serves as a potential solution to addressing current global warming and energy challenges.In this work,Ag-Cu nanoparticles are densely supported on N-doped TiO2 nanowire through a straightforward nanofabrication approach.The range of light absorption by N-doped TiO2 can be tuned to match the plasmonic band of Ag nanoparticles,which allows synergizing a resonant energy transfer process with the Schottky junction.Meanwhile,Cu nanoparticles can provide active sites for the reduction of CO2 molecules.Remarkably,the performance of photocatalytic CO2 reduction is improved to produce CH4 at a rate of 720μmol·g-1·h-1 under full-spectrum irradiation.展开更多
文摘Rationale: Endotoxin contamination in conventionally purified water poses serious risks to hemodialysis patients, leading to complications such as inflammation and sepsis. Addressing these risks is essential for enhancing patient safety and meeting global dialysis water quality standards. Advanced filtration technologies, such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂)-based nanoparticle filters, offer a promising approach to improve water purification processes in renal care. Objectives: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a TiO₂-based nanoparticle microporous filtration system for hemodialysis water purification. The objectives included analyzing the system’s performance in reducing chemical contaminants (calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and lead) and microbiological contaminants (total viable count [TVC] and endotoxin units [EU]) across multiple renal centers. Methods: Water samples from three renal centers (RC1, RC2, and RC3) were analyzed pre- and post-filtration. TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method and characterized via Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX). The microporous filter, fabricated with TiO₂ nanoparticles, silicon dioxide, and polyethylene glycol (PEG), was tested for its ability to remove contaminants. Analytical techniques included spectroscopy for chemical analysis and microbiological assays for contaminant quantification. Results: Post-treatment analysis revealed significant reductions in chemical contaminants, with removal efficiencies averaging 78% for calcium, 80% for magnesium, 81% for aluminum, and 76.6% for lead across all centers. Microbiological contamination was also substantially reduced, with 78–80% removal of TVC and 76–84.6% reduction in EU levels. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyl groups critical for adsorption, while SEM/EDX characterization revealed a crystalline structure with a particle size of 1.45 nm, pore size of 4.11 μm, filter height of 2.56 mm, and bulk density of 0.58 g/cm³. Conclusion: The TiO₂-based nanoparticle filtration system demonstrated high efficacy in removing chemical and microbiological contaminants, significantly improving water quality for hemodialysis. These results highlight its potential as a practical solution for renal centers, especially in resource-constrained settings. Further studies are needed to evaluate its long-term performance and feasibility for widespread adoption. Recommendation: Renal centers should consider adopting TiO2-based nanoparticle filters to address persistent water quality challenges. Pilot implementations across diverse settings can provide insights into operational feasibility. Additional research should explore scalability, maintenance requirements, and cost-effectiveness to optimize integration into healthcare systems. Significance Statement: This study introduces a practical and innovative solution to improve hemodialysis water purification. By effectively reducing both chemical and microbiological contaminants, the TiO2-based filtration system has the potential to enhance patient safety and outcomes, particularly in settings where maintaining high water quality standards remains challenging.
基金Project(50903023) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(HEUCF201210005) supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,ChinaProject(2010RFQXG037) supported by Harbin Special Fund for Innovation Talents of Science and Technology,China
文摘The preparation of TiO2/poly（L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone）（PLCL） nanocomposites and their properties were reported.TiO2nanoparticles were surface modified by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone（ε-CL）.The resulting poly（ε-caprolactone）-grafted TiO2（g-TiO2） was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）,thermogravimetric analysis（TGA） and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The g-TiO2can be uniformly dispersed in chloroform and the g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites were successfully fabricated through solvent-casting method.The effects of the content of g-TiO2nanoparticles on tensile properties and shape memory properties were investigated.A significant improvement in the tensile properties of the 5% g-TiO2/PLCL mass fraction nanocomposite is obtained：an increase of 113% in the tensile strength and an increase of 11% in the elongation at break over pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites with a certain amount of g-TiO2content have better shape memory properties than pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2nanoparticles play an additional physical crosslinks which are contributed to improvement of the shape memory properties.
基金supported in part by the NSF-REU program(National Science Foundation-Research Experiences for Undergraduates,No.#CHE-1156111)the NSF-CREST program(National Science Foundation-Centers of Research Excellencein Science and Technology,No.#HRD-0833178)
文摘In this study,the cytotoxicity of two different crystal phases of TiO2 nanoparticles,with surface modification by humic acid（HA）,to Escherichia coli,was assessed.The physicochemical properties of TiO2 nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized.Three different initial concentrations,namely 50,100,and 200 ppm,of HA were used for synthesis of HA coated TiO2 nanoparticles（denoted as A/RHA50,A/RHA100,and A/RHA200,respectively）.Results indicate that rutile（LC50（concentration that causes 50%mortality compared the control group）=6.5）was more toxic than anatase（LC50=278.8）under simulated sunlight（SSL）irradiation,possibly due to an extremely narrow band gap.It is noted that HA coating increased the toxicity of anatase,but decreased that of rutile.Additionally,AHA50 and RHA50had the biggest differences compared to uncoated anatase and rutile with LC50of 201.9 and21.6,respectively.We then investigated the formation of reactive oxygen species（ROS）by TiO2 nanoparticles in terms of hydroxyl radicals（OH）and superoxide anions（O2^-）.Data suggested that O2^- was the main ROS that accounted for the higher toxicity of rutile upon SSL irradiation.We also observed that HA coating decreased the generation of OH and O2^- on rutile,but increased O2^- formation on anatase.Results from TEM analysis also indicated that HA coated rutile tended to be attached to the surface of E.coli more than anatase.
文摘The function of protein in long-range biological electron transfer is a question of debate. We report some preliminary results in femtosecond spectroscopic study of photosynthetic bacterial light-harvesting antenna complex assembled onto TiO2 nanoparticle with an average size of 8 nm in diameter. Crystal structure shows that photosynthetic bacterial antenna complex LH2 has a ring-like structure composed by alpha- and beta-apoprotein helices. The alpha- and beta-transmembrance helices construct two concentric cylinders with pigments bacteriochlorophyll a (Bchl a) and carotenoid (Car) buried inside the protein. We attempt to insert TiO2 nanoparticle into the cavity of the inner cylindrical hollow of LH2 to investigate the nature of the electron transfer between the excited-state Bchl a and the TiO2 nanoparticle. A significant decrease in the ground state bleaching recovery time constant for Bchl a at 850 run (B850) in respect to that of the Bchl a in free LH2 has been observed. By using the relation of distance-dependent long-range electron transfer rate in protein, the distance between the donor B850 and the acceptor TiO2 nanoparticle has been estimated, which is about 0.6 nm. The proposed method of assembling proteins onto wide-gap semiconductor nanoparticle can be a promising way to determine the role of the protein playing in biological electron transfer processes.
基金supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (No 20080431217)the Cheung Kong Scholar Program of Education Ministry of China
文摘Increasing application of nanotechnology highlights the need to clarify and understand nanotoxicity. Mammalian and in vitro studies have raised concerns about the toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles （TiO2-NPs）, but there are limited data on ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms. In this work, the sub-acute toxicity of TiO2-NPs to carp （Cyprinus carpio） was assessed. Superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and peroxidase （POD） activities and lipid peroxidation （LPO） levels in liver, gill and brain tissues of carps varied with concentration of TiO2-NPs suspensions and exposure time （up to 8 d）. As a result, 100 and 200 mg/L TiO2-NPs caused statistically significant decrease in SOD, CAT and POD activities and significant increase in LPO levels in tissues （P 〈 0.05）, suggesting that the fish exposed to these two concentrations of TiO2-NPs suffered from the oxidative stress. The extent of depletion of antioxidant enzymes activities and the elevation of LPO in the liver was the greatest, indicating that the liver might be the most susceptible organ to TiO2-NPs exposure. In addition, carps had gill pathologies including edema and thickening of gill lamellae as well as gill filaments, and liver pathologies including necrotic and apoptosis hepatocytes after exposed to 100 and 200 mg/L TiO2-NPs for 20 d. These results indicated a potential risk from TiO2-NPs released into the aqueous environment.
文摘Plants are essential components of all ecosystems and play a critical role in environmental fate of nanoparticles. However, the toxicological impacts of nanoparticles on plants are not well documented. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles（TiO2-NPs） are produced worldwide in large quantities for a wide range of purposes. In the present study, the uptake of TiO2-NPs by the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrrhiza and the consequent effects on the plant were evaluated.Initially, structural and morphological characteristics of the used TiO2-NPs were determined using XRD, SEM, TEM and BET techniques. As a result, an anatase structure with the average crystalline size of 8 nm was confirmed for the synthesized TiO2-NPs. Subsequently, entrance of TiO2-NPSto plant roots was verified by fluorescence microscopic images. Activity of a number of antioxidant enzymes, as well as, changes in growth parameters and photosynthetic pigment contents as physiological indices were assessed to investigate the effects of TiO2-NPs on S. polyrrhiza. The increasing concentration of TiO2-NPs led to the significant decrease in all of the growth parameters and changes in antioxidant enzyme activities. The activity of superoxide dismutase enhanced significantly by the increasing concentration of TiO2-NPs. Enhancement of superoxide dismutase activity could be explained as promoting antioxidant system to scavenging the reactive oxygen species. In contrast, the activity of peroxidase was notably decreased in the treated plants. Reduced peroxidase activity could be attributed to either direct effect of these particles on the molecular structure of the enzyme or plant defense system damage due to reactive oxygen species.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of the Department of Education, Guangdong Province, China (No. 02025).
文摘A new method for analysis of trace mercury in water samples was developed, based on the combination of preconcentration/separation using dithizone-modified nanometer titanium dioxide （TiO2） as a solid phase extractant and determination by cold vapor atomic adsorption spectrometry （CVAAS）. Dithizone was dissolved with alcohol and loaded on the surface of nano-sized TiO2 powders by stirring. The static adsorption behavior of Hg^2＋on the dithizone-modified nanoparficles was investigated in detail. It was found that excellent adsorption ratio for Hg^2＋ could be obtained in the pH range of 7-8 with an oscillation time of 15 rain, and a 5 mL of 3.5 mol·L^-1 HCI solution could quantitatively elute Hg^2＋ from nanometer TiO2 powder. Common coexisting ions caused no obvious influence on the determination of mercury. The mechanisms for the adsorption and desorption were discussed. The detection limit （30） for Hg^2＋ was calculated to be 5 ng·L^-1. The proposed method was applied to the determination of Hg^2＋ in a mineral water sample and a Zhujiang River water sample. By the standard addition method, the average recoveries were found to be 94.4%-108.3% with RSD （n = 5） of 2.9%-3.5%.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21733009, 21573136, and U1510105)the Key Scientist and Technology Program of Shanxi Province (No. 20150313003-1)Shanxi Scholarship Council of China (No. 2015-003)
文摘Developing methods for efficient product/catalyst separation and catalyst recycling is meaningful in multi-phase catalytic reactions. Here, we reported a p H-responsive emulsion system stabilized by interfacially active TiO2 nanoparticles for achieving in situ product/catalyst separation and catalyst recycling. In this system, emulsification and demulsification process could be easily engineered through tuning the p H values. The emulsion droplets were destroyed completely at a p H value of 3–4, and the solid catalyst distributed in the aqueous phase could be used to the next reaction cycle after removal of the organic product and adjusting the p H to 7–8. Such a p H triggered switchable Pickering emulsion catalytic system not only shows good recyclability of the solid catalyst but also high catalytic efficiency,and could be recycled more than 10 cycles.
文摘The electrochemical behavior of vitamin C（ascorbic acid or AA） is investigated on the surface of a carbon-paste electrode modified with TiO2 nanoparticles and 2,2＇-（1,2 butanediylbis（nitriloethylidyne））-bis-hydroquinone（BBNBH）.The prepared modified electrode showed an efficient catalytic role in the electrochemical oxidation of AA,leading to remarkable decrease in oxidation overpotential and enhancement of the kinetics of the electrode reaction.This modified electrode exhibits well-separated oxidation peaks for AA and uric acid（UA）.The modified electrode is successfully applied for the accurate determination of AA in pharmaceutical preparations.
文摘Ce-doped titanium oxide nanoparticles were investigated in the paper. The surface structures of undoped and Ce-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were observed by scanning tunneling microscopy （STM）. The experimental results of scanning tunneling spectroscopy （STS） show that the surface electronic structures of TiO2 nanoparticles are modified by introducing new electronic states in the surface band gap through cerium ion doping. The results are discussed in terms of the influence of doping concentration on the surface band gap of TiO2.
基金Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province（Q2007B01）
文摘Membrane fouling is one of the major obstacles for reaching a high flux over a prolonged period of ultrafiltration（UF）process.In this study,a sulfonated-polyethersulfone（SPES）/nano-TiO2 composite UF membrane with good anti-fouling performance was fabricated by phase inversion and self-assembly methods.The TiO2 nanoparticle self-assembly on the SPES membrane surface was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）and FT-IR spectrometer.The morphology and hydrophilicity were characterized by scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,atomic force microscopy（AFM）and contact angle goniometer,respectively.The anti-fouling mechanism of composite UF membrane was discussed through the analysis of the micro-structure and component of UF membrane surface.The results showed that the TiO2 content and the micro-structure of the composite UF membrane surface had great influence on the separation and anti-fouling performance.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51303028)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(No.2011J01044)
文摘A novel hydrophilic nanocomposite additive （TiO2-g-PNIPAAm） was synthesized by the surface modification of titanium dioxide （TiO2） with N-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAAm） via ＂graft-from＂ technique. And the nanocomposite membrane of poly（vinylidene fluoride） （PVDF）/TiO2-g-PNIPAAm was fabricated by wet phase inversion. The graft degree was obtained by thermo-gravimetric analysis （TGA）. Fourier transform infrared attenuated reflection spectroscopy （FTIR-ATR） and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy （XPS） characterization results suggested that TiO2-g-PNIPAAm nanoparticles segregated on membrane surface during the phase separation process. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） was conducted to investigate the surface and cross-section of the modified membranes. The water contact angle measurements confirmed that TiO2-g-PNIPAAm nanoparticles endowed PVDF membranes better hydrophlilicity and thermo-responsive properties compared with those of the pristine PVDF membrane. The water contact angle decreased from 92.8~ of the PVDF membrane to 61.2~ of the nanocompostie membrane. Bovine serum albumin （BSA） static and dynamic adsorption experiments suggested that excellent antifouling properties of membranes was acquired after adding TiO2-g- PNIPAAm. The maximum BSA adsorption at 40℃ was about 3 times than that at 23 ℃. The permeation experiments indicated the water flux recover ratio and BSA rejection ratio were improved at different temperatures.
文摘The one-pot three-component reaction of arylmethylidenepyruvic acids, 1,3-cyclohexandiones and ammonium acetate provides an economical and efficient synthetic route to 5-oxo-4-aryl-1,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2-quinolinecarboxylic acid 4 under solvent-free conditions using a catalytic amount of TiO2 nanoparticles （TiO2 NPs） as an effective heterogeneous catalyst.
文摘WO2 and TiO2 colMds were synthesized by the hydrolysis technique and part of the TiO2 colloid was treated by means of the hydrothermal method. The photochromic performances of the resulting materials obtained via combining the WO3 colloid with the treated TiO2 colloid and the non-treated TiO2 colloid, respectively, are very different. The TiO2 colloid without hydrothermal treatment can effectively improve the photochromic performance of the WO3colloid. The TiO2 nanoparticles were investigated in detail by XRD, TEM, surface photovohage spectra（SPS） and field-induced surface photovoltage spectrometry（FISPS）. The photochromism mechanism of WO3 colloid is discussed.
基金supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas "New Polymeric Materials Based on Element-Blocks (No. 2401)" (24102004) of The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan
文摘Unique and various microstructures of titanium oxide(TiO_2 ) film including macroporous structure, chromatic veins and rings, have been easily fabricated by mist deposition method on silicon substrate with mild preparation conditions. Rutile phase TiO_2 nanoparticles were directly used as starting material to prepare film and led to a simple preparation process. It was found that several different microstructures existed in the sample and changed with the varied positions from the center to the edge of the film when the concentration of the TiO_2 suspension is 0.06 mol/l, the deposition time is 30 min, the flow rate is 1 l/min and the temperature is150. The surface texturing shows apparent distinction as the concentration of the TiO_2 suspension decreased to 0.03 mol/l and 0.01 mol/l.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.1083500410775031 and 11375042)+1 种基金Shanghai Municipal Committee of Science and Technology of China(10XD1400100)Outstanding Young Investigator Award(No.11005017)
文摘Abstract The gas phase nucleation process of anatase TiO2 in atmospheric non-thermal plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is studied. The particles synthesized in the plasma gas phase at different power density were collected outside of the reactor. The structure of the collected particles has been investigated by field scanning electron microscope （FESEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, high resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM） and selected area electron diffraction （SAED）. The analysis shows that uniform crystalline nuclei with average size of several nanometers have been formed in the scale of micro second through this reactive atmo- spheric plasma gas process. The crystallinity of the nanoparticles increases with power density. The high density of crystalline nanonuclei in the plasma gas phase and the low gas temperature are beneficial to the fast deposition of the 3D porous anatase TiO2 film.
基金the financial support of the National Program on Key Basic Research Project of China ("973 Program", Grant No. 2012CB619103)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51201129, 51371137, 51571158)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province (Grant No. 2015JQ5130)the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSoutheast University and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
文摘Micro-porous TiO2 coatings co-doped with Zn^2＋ and Ag nanoparticles were fabricated on Ti by microarc oxidation （MAO） for 0.5, 1.5, 2 and 4 min, respectively. The evolutions of morphology and phase component of the coating as a function of processing time were investigated. The microstructure of the 2 min treated coating was further observed by transmission electron microscopy to explore the coating formation mechanism. The amounts of Ag and Zn released from the 2 min treated coating were measured and the antibacterial properties of the coatings against Staphylococcus aureus （S. aureus） were also investigated. The obtained results showed that with prolonged MAO time, the contents of Ag and Zn on the coating surfaces increased. All the coatings were micro-porous with pore diameters of 1 -4μm; however, some pores were blocked by deposits on the 4 min treated coating. The 2 rain treated coating was composed of amorphous TiO2, anatase, futile, ZnO, Zn2TiO4 and homogenously distributed Ag nanoparticles. After immersion, Zn^2＋, Ag^＋, Ti^2＋ and Ca^2＋ were released from the coating and with the immersion time prolonged, the accumulated concentrations of these ions increased. After immersion for 36 weeks, the accumulated Zn2. and Ag^＋ concentrations were 6.88 and 0.684 ppm, respectively, which are higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration but much lower than the cytotoxic concentration. Compared with polished Ti control, the coatings co-doped with Zn^2＋ and Ag nanoparticles significantly inhibited the ad- hesions of S. uureus and reduced the amounts of planktonic bacteria in culture medium, indicating that the Zn and Ag co-doped TiO2 could be a bio-adaptable coating for long-lasting anti-microbial performance.
基金support extended by VIT-SIF for NMR and GC-MS analysisDBT-RGYI project(No. BT/PR6891/GBT/27/491/2012)fund
文摘Green chemistry is playing an important role for synthesizing organic compounds, due to its eco-friendly nature and low cost. In green chemistry, metal nanoparticles exhibited some useful physical and chemical properties （catalytic activity）. Due to its diverse properties, nanoparticles can be utilized as a catalyst in various organic reactions. Recent research has been directed towards the utilization of eco- friendly and bio-friendly plant materials in nanoparticles synthesis. In our present work, TiO2 nanoparticles （TiO2 NPs） were synthesized using Annona squamosa peel extract and their catalytic applications were studied on the 2,3-disubstituted dihydroquinazolin-4（l1H）-one synthesis. Synthesized compounds were confirmed using FT-IR.1H NMR, 13C NMR and GC-MS analyses.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51503031)Pujiang Project from Shanghai Science and Technology Committee,China(No.15PJ1400300)+1 种基金Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Scholars from the Ministry of Education,China(No.15B10127)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(No.2232015D3-02)
文摘Ultraviolet(UV)radiation can cause degradation or aging of many polymers and shorten the working-life of their products.Thus,UV protective covers are required in various occasions.Textiles with the UV-shielding function possess unique properties compared with those covers in board or film shapes.TiO_2 nanoparticles(NPs),which were reported to have superior UV blocking function,can be used to produce UV protective covers in combination with fabric.However,efficient and environmentally friendly immobilization of TiO_2 Nps onto the fabrics is challenging.Polydopamine(PDA),a biomimetic synthetic polymer,has attracted great attentions recently due to its superior affinity to various materials and facile application procedure.Hence,in this research,the surface of nylon fabrics was modified by PDA to immobilizeTiO_2 NPs.Themodificationconditionswere systematically optimized.The immobilization of the NPs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer(FTIR)and scanning electron microscope(SEM).The functionalized nylon fabrics were proved to exhibit improved UV protection properties even after washing.This work provides a new and versatile surface modification technique for textiles.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFA0207301)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.21725102, No.21471141,No.21601173)+3 种基金CAS Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences(QYZDB-SSWSLH018)CAS Interdisciplinary Innovation Team,Innovative Program of Development Foundation of Hefei Center for Physical Science and Technology (No.2016FXCX003)Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation (No.1608085QB24)Chinese Universities Scientific Fund (WK2310000067)
文摘Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into various types of fuels has attracted great interest,and serves as a potential solution to addressing current global warming and energy challenges.In this work,Ag-Cu nanoparticles are densely supported on N-doped TiO2 nanowire through a straightforward nanofabrication approach.The range of light absorption by N-doped TiO2 can be tuned to match the plasmonic band of Ag nanoparticles,which allows synergizing a resonant energy transfer process with the Schottky junction.Meanwhile,Cu nanoparticles can provide active sites for the reduction of CO2 molecules.Remarkably,the performance of photocatalytic CO2 reduction is improved to produce CH4 at a rate of 720μmol·g-1·h-1 under full-spectrum irradiation.
