Catalytic Janus Nanoparticle-Based Recyclable Emulsifiers for Collaborative Treatment of Water-Soluble and Water-Insoluble Organic Pollutants

Abstract

Removal of multiple organic pollutants in one port is the target of wastewater treatment. In this study, paramagnetic Janus particles as recyclable and catalytic colloidal surfactants were employed to achieve this goal. In this method, water-insoluble organic pollutants can be stabilized with paramagnetic Janus particles and removed directly by an external magnetic field. Most importantly, water-soluble organic pollutants can be catalyzed into water-insoluble products, transferred to the original water-insoluble organic pollutants, and removed together. Consequently, both water-soluble and water-insoluble organic pollutants in wastewater can be removed in one step. Using water-soluble methyl orange (MO) and water-insoluble n-decane as models, MO was efficiently degraded and the water-insoluble degradation products were transferred into the n-decane phase. Subsequently, 98.6% of MO and 99.9% of n-decane were efficiently removed in one port. This approach represented a general and practical strategy for treating mixtures of multiple organic pollutants in actual organically polluted water.