Mussel-inspired antibacterial sponge for highly efficient water purification and sterilization

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2024-01, Vol.461, p.132598-132598, Article 132598
• Main Authors: Yin, Junyi, Geng, Qikun, Xiao, Xiao, Wang, Shaolei, Meng, Liyang, Deng, Ningyue, Xu, Jing, Su, Baihai, Chen, Jun, Zhao, Weifeng, Jin, Lunqiang, Zhao, Changsheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibacterial sponge; Mussel-inspired; Synergistic mechanism; Wastewater purification
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132598

With the current expansion of urban areas and industrial development, the increasing discharge of wastewater containing bacteria poses a threat to human health. Although substantial advancements have been made in antibacterial materials, there is still a need for an efficient method that can thoroughly remove bacteria through sterilization and adsorption during wastewater treatment. Here, we report a mussel-inspired antibacterial sponge with outstanding antibacterial efficiency exceeding 95% and high removal ratio of the bacterial corpses for water purification after contacting for 30minutes. The high-efficient antibacterial performance is attributed to the stable releasing property of Ag+ and the charge interaction with quaternary amine salts. Combining the key features, including high-efficient, synergistic mechanism, and corpse capture, the antibacterial sponge shows excellent disinfection effects. This study provides a new method for water purification without bacterial residue. The pressing environmental issues are significantly exacerbated by the challenge of wastewater treatment, particularly in relation to medical wastewater containing bacteria. Current strategies fall short in effectively addressing this issue and often result in secondary pollution and the proliferation of antibiotic resistance. This study presents a novel antibacterial sponge that employs electrostatic interactions and AgNPs. The sponge not only effectively kills bacteria, but also absorbs their corpses to prevent further pollution. This significant advancement in wastewater treatment carries extensive implications for improving environmental health and lays the groundwork for the development of more effective, sustainable solutions. [Display omitted] •The modified sponge maintains its three-dimensional porous structure and exhibits good mechanical stability.•The modified sponge facilitates absorption of bacterial corpses and minimizes secondary pollution.•The modified sponge provides an effective method to deal with the bacterial challenges in wastewater purification.•The synergistic antibacterial mechanisms for removing bacteria via both chemical and physical effects were investigated.