At present, the problem of environmental pollution is becoming increasingly serious and has become the focus of attention in all countries. In recent years, cyclodextrins (CDs) have been increasingly studied for their applications in water, soil, and air remediation. Compared with traditional treatment methods, CD and its derivatives provide a novel environmental remediation method that is flexible, efficient, and convenient. And the applications of CDs in environment are primarily based on the unique structure of CD which has the ability to form CD-guest inclusion complexes.
Applications in Environmental Remediation
Environmental remediation is the critical process of restoring the environment by removing, treating, and containing contaminants or pollutants from water, soil, sediments, and other environmental media. In recent years, heavy metal and organic pollution of water and soil has become more serious due to the development of the oil and gas industry. By forming inclusion complexes with heavy metal ions and organic pollutants in water and soil, CDs can reduce the presence of harmful substances in the environment. Additionally, CDs can be used to absorb a variety of contaminants present in the air and encapsulate them in electron-rich hydrophobic cavities. Here, the environmental applications of CD are mainly introduced from three aspects: water remediation, soil remediation, and air remediation, the first two of which can be viewed by clicking the links below.
- Reduction of pollutant toxicity
- Solubilization of weakly polar organic pollutants
- Absorption of pollutants
- Joint removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants
- Improvement of pollutants' bioavailability
- Enhancement of electrokinetic remediation of heavy metals
Air Remediation
The ability of CDs to form inclusion complexes extends to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are major contributors to air pollution. PAHs are organic pollutants that are widely distributed in the air and are highly carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic. The concentration of PAHs in the air is usually very low and cannot be easily removed. Solid CD has a channel structure in addition to the cavity, and the gaps between the channels can include gas organic molecules, so the solid CD has the ability to capture PAHs from the gas phase [1].
A research group [1] studied the use of solid CD to enrich organic pollutants in the atmosphere. The solid CD complexes with vapor phase PAHs and thereby reduces the volatility of PAHs. The mechanism of action also proved that the interaction between gas phase organic pollutants and CD is an inclusion effect rather than an adsorption or association effect. On this basis, the researchers proposed an improved air sample sampling system using solid CD.
Alfa Chemistry is dedicated to the manufacture of CDs. We offer high-quality native CDs, CD derivatives, and CD inclusion complexes. We have strong supply capabilities and can provide products at the kilogram level. Please feel free to contact us and we will serve you wholeheartedly.
Reference
- Butterfield, M. T.; et al. Extraction of volatile PAHs from air by use of solid cyclodextrin. Anal. Chem. 1996, 68(7): 1187–1190.
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