Photocatalytic Degradation of 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol using Selenium Doped Boron Carbide Nanoparticles

Researchers at Quchan University of Technology in Quchan, Iran, have made a breakthrough in the field of photoremediation, developing selenium-doped boron carbide nanoparticles (Se@BC-NPs) that can effectively remove 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) from aqueous solutions. This contaminants is known to exert renal and reproductive toxicities, and the new nanoparticles show significant promise in mitigating its levels. The study's findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports, a flagship publication of Nature Portfolio.

Key Takeaways:

• The synthesized Se@BC-NPs exhibited high photocatalytic activity in removing 3-MCPD from aqueous solutions, with an efficiency of ~83% under optimum conditions.
• The nanoparticles showed a spherical morphology and crystalline structures, as confirmed by Field emission scanning electron microscopic (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.
• Treatment with Se@BC-NPs did not produce significant cytotoxicity to human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs), according to MTT assay results.
• The study's findings suggest that Se@BC-NPs can be a promising tool for mitigating 3-MCPD levels in aqueous solutions.
• The researchers suggest that the high photocatalytic activity of Se@BC-NPs is due to the synergistic effect of selenium and boron carbide in the nanoparticles.

Statistics:

• 3-MCPD reduction efficiency: ~83% under optimum conditions using Se@BC-NPs
• 3-MCPD reduction efficiency: ~51% using BC-NPs
• Time of treatment: 60 minutes
• pH: 7
• Concentration of NPs: Levels applied in the present work did not produce significant toxicity
• Time of cytotoxicity evaluation: 48 and 72 hours using MTT assay

Sources:

• "Photocatalytic degradation of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol in aqueous solutions by selenium doped boron carbide nanoparticles" (Scientific Reports, 2025;15(1):23561)
• "Quchan University of Technology Reports Findings in Photocatalytics (Photocatalytic degradation of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol in aqueous solutions by selenium doped boron carbide nanoparticles)" (Nanotechnology Weekly, July 14, 2025, p 2680)
• Quchan University of Technology
• Nature Portfolio
• Scientific Reports
• Tahereh Rohani Bastami, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Technologies, Quchan University of Technology, Quchan, 94771-77870, Iran
• Mahin Velayati, Reza Kazemi Oskuee, Simin Nazarnezhad, Seyedeh Faezeh Taghizadeh, Hamid Ahmadpourmir, Hossein Ahmadzadeh and Ramin Rezaee.