An innovative material could reduce the presence of emerging contaminants in water by more than 70%, powered by solar energy. The breakthrough, led by researcher Ángel Leiva of the Solar Energy Research Center (SERC Chile), opens up the possibility of applying nanotechnology in wastewater treatment plants and industrial sectors to address the environmental problem of water pollution.

The presence of emerging contaminants in natural and wastewater has become one of the major environmental and public health challenges of the 21st century. These compounds—which range from antibiotics and medications to pesticides, industrial additives, and personal care products—silently accumulate in rivers, lakes, and water supply systems. Their effects are already being observed in aquatic ecosystems and human health, where they contribute to the rise in antimicrobial resistance.

In this context, a team of researchers from the Solar Energy Research Center (SERC) in Chile developed a nanoscale material capable of reducing water pollutants by more than 70%. The project, led by Professor Ángel Leiva, combines titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles—which trigger chemical reactions when exposed to sunlight—with polymer nanofibers that serve as a support.

Titanium dioxide is a common material found in paints, plastics, and sunscreens, but at the nanoscale it acts as a photocatalyst. This means that, by absorbing solar energy, it can break down complex molecules such as antibiotics, pesticides, or dyes, transforming them into simple, harmless compounds, such as water or carbon dioxide. In other words, it turns light into a tool for environmental cleanup.

How does it work?

According to Leiva, who is also a professor at UC, the material is manufactured using electrospinning, a technique that produces very thin fibers. “Basically, it involves generating a jet of a solution containing both components in a suitable solvent by injecting it with a syringe and needle. The system is subjected to a very high voltage, causing the solvent to evaporate, and finally the nanofibers containing nanoparticles are collected in a collector, forming a woven material made of extremely fine fibers,” he explained.

Simply put, this process makes it possible to create tiny fibers that offer a much larger surface area for trapping contaminants and breaking them down more quickly—something that conventional technologies cannot achieve.

The resulting filter uses light to break down harmful compounds. “When the material comes into contact with a solution containing an organic contaminant such as Rhodamine B—a type of synthetic dye—and is irradiated with light, the oxidation reaction of the contaminant is promoted, leading to its light-mediated degradation,” explained the SERC Chile researcher.

The key lies in the nanoscale size. “Because it is a nanoscale system, the surface area per unit mass is very high. This promotes contact between the contaminant and the material’s surface, resulting in high adsorption and, subsequently, high efficiency in the degradation of the contaminant through light irradiation,” Leiva explains.

The most promising aspect is that it can be applied to many invisible pollutants that are currently of concern to the scientific community. “In principle, it is applicable to organic molecules that can be degraded by oxidation. This means it can degrade a wide variety of molecules, including emerging contaminants such as dyes, pharmaceutical compounds—medicines, antibiotics, and drugs—pesticides, personal care products, industrial additives, and others,” Leiva explained.

The researcher also emphasizes that this development will not remain confined to the laboratory. “The process for producing electrospun materials is easily scalable, so its potential for application in wastewater treatment plants, industries, and manufacturing sectors is technologically feasible,” he said. He added: “We know it is possible to develop high-impact solutions to one of the most insidious and difficult-to-address environmental problems—emerging contaminants.”