Over the past few decades, researchers have established artificial enzymes as highly stable and low-cost alternatives to natural enzymes in a wide range of applications. A variety of materials including cyclodextrins, metal complexes, porphyrins, polymers, dendrimers and biomolecules have been extensively explored to mimic the structures and functions of naturally occurring enzymes. Recently, some nanomaterials have been found to exhibit unexpected enzyme-like activities, and great advances have been made in this area due to the tremendous progress in nano-research and the unique characteristics of nanomaterials. To highlight the progress in the field of nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes (nanozymes), this review discusses various nanomaterials that have been explored to mimic different kinds of enzymes. We cover their kinetics, mechanisms and applications in numerous fields, from biosensing and immunoassays, to stem cell growth and pollutant removal. We also summarize several approaches to tune the activities of nanozymes. Finally, we make comparisons between nanozymes and other catalytic materials (other artificial enzymes, natural enzymes, organic catalysts and nanomaterial-based catalysts) and address the current challenges and future directions (302 references).

Nanomaterials with enzyme-like characteristics (nanozymes): next-generation artificial enzymes

Fenton-like processes have been studied widely in recent years and are considered promising for organic wastewater treatment. Due to the demand for high efficiency wastewater treatment, a summary of the study status of Fenton-like processes is necessary to develop a novel and high efficiency organic wastewater treatment method. In this review, some important effect parameters (pH, H2O2 dosage, catalyst dosage, temperature) in hetero-/homo-geneous Fenton-like processes are discussed, and then the physical field/phenomenon-assisted hetero-/homo-geneous Fenton-like processes are presented. After that, catalyst types and the evaluation of wastewater treatment costs for various Fenton-like processes are summarized and discussed. Finally, possible future research directions and some guidelines for Fenton-like processes are given.

A review on Fenton-like processes for organic wastewater treatment

Degradation of antibiotics by advanced oxidation processes: An overview.

Nanotechnology in agriculture: Current status, challenges and future opportunities

In this work, the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the removal of antibiotics from water has been reviewed. The present concern about water has been exposed, and the main problems derived from the presence of emerging pollutants have been analyzed. Photolysis processes, ozone-based AOPs including ozonation, O3/UV, O3/H2O2, and O3/H2O2/UV, hydrogen peroxide-based methods (i.e., H2O2/UV, Fenton, Fenton-like, hetero-Fenton, and photo-Fenton), heterogeneous photocatalysis (TiO2/UV and TiO2/H2O2/UV systems), and sonochemical and electrooxidative AOPs have been reviewed. The main challenges and prospects of AOPs, as well as some recommendations for the improvement of AOPs aimed at the removal of antibiotics from wastewaters, are pointed out.

Eric Pokeung Tsang

Papers

Magnetic biochar for environmental remediation: A review.

Immobilization and phytotoxicity of chromium in contaminated soil remediated by CMC-stabilized nZVI

Ceria accelerated nanoscale zerovalent iron assisted heterogenous Fenton oxidation of tetracycline

Remediation of hexavalent chromium contaminated soil by stabilized nanoscale zero-valent iron prepared from steel pickling waste liquor

Biosynthesized iron nanoparticles in aqueous extracts of Eichhornia crassipes and its mechanism in the hexavalent chromium removal