Nanoparticles with photoinduced precipitation for the extraction of pollutants from water and soil

Abstract

Nanotechnology may offer fast and effective solutions for environmental clean-up. Herein, amphiphilic diblock copolymers are used to develop a platform of photosensitive core-shell nanoparticles. Irradiation with ultraviolet light removes the protective layer responsible for colloidal stability; as a result, the nanoparticles are rapidly and irreversibly converted to macroscopic aggregates. The associated phase separation allows measuring the partitioning of small molecules between the aqueous phase and nanoparticles; data suggests that interactions are enhanced by decreasing the particle size. Adsorption onto nanoparticles can be exploited to efficiently remove hydrophobic pollutants from water and contaminated soil. Preliminary in vivo experiments suggest that treatment with photocleavable nanoparticles can significantly reduce the teratogenicity of bisphenol A, triclosan and 17α-ethinyl estradiol without generating obviously toxic byproducts. Small-scale pilot experiments on wastewater, thermal printing paper and contaminated soil demonstrate the applicability of the approach.Germany. Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science Research Award)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Grant U54-CA151884)National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology Award Contract HHSN268201000045C)Prostate Cancer Foundation (Award in Nanotherapeutics)Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Postdoctoral Fellowship