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Low-temperature plasma technique boosts nanozyme innovation for tackling antibiotics

Recently, a research team successfully developed a series of CoNi-metal-organic framework (MOF) nanozymes with laccase-like activity using a gas-liquid interface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) low-temperature plasma (LTP) technique.

The findings have been in the Journal of Hazardous Materials. The team was led by Professor Huang Qing from the Hefei Institutes of Â鶹ÒùÔºical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Nanozymes have attracted increasing attention due to their high catalytic activity, stability, and adaptability. However, the design and large-scale preparation of efficient nanozymes, as well as their practical applications in environmental remediation, remain critical challenges for researchers.

The team has spent years conducting in-depth research into LTP technology, exploring its potential to synthesize novel nanozyme materials.

In this research, inspired by the active sites of natural laccase—a green biocatalyst—the researchers designed and fabricated a bimetallic MOF material, CoNi-MOF, using the LTP technique. This material exhibits outstanding laccase-mimicking activity, enabling efficient catalytic degradation of high-concentration tetracycline. Moreover, it demonstrates enhanced tolerance and stability under various environmental conditions while significantly reducing biotoxicity.

To further validate its practical application, the team combined these nanozymes with an aeration device, achieving efficient degradation of tetracycline antibiotics.

This study not only presents a novel low-temperature plasma-based approach for synthesizing high-performance nanozymes but also offers a promising and eco-friendly strategy for addressing antibiotic pollution in the environment.