Eco-friendly approach for the removal and simultaneous detection of cyanide toxins from drinking and wastewater sources

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: El-Sewify I.M.; Shenashen M.A.; Gomaa H.; Selim M.S.; Akhtar N.; Azzam A.; Mekawy M.; Emran M.Y.; Khairy M.; Shahat A.; Hasan M.; Elmarakbi A.; El-Safty S.A.

Journal: Environmental Pollution

Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

Publication Date: November 2025

Volume / Issue: Volume 385

Article No.: 127094

ISSN: 2697491

DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127094

Scopus: View on Scopus

PubMed: 40945570

Document Type: Article

Authors and Affiliations

El-Sewify I.M., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Abbasia, 11566, Egypt; Shenashen M.A., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan; Gomaa H., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, 71524, Egypt; Selim M.S., Petroleum Application Department, Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute (EPRI), Cairo, Nasr City, 11727, Egypt; Akhtar N., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan, 60800, Pakistan; Azzam A., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan, Environmental Research Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI), Giza, Egypt; Mekawy M., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan; Emran M.Y., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan; Khairy M., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag, 82524, Egypt; Shahat A., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, B.O.Box: 43221, Egypt; Hasan M., School of Computer Science, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom; Elmarakbi A., Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, United Kingdom; El-Safty S.A., Research Center for Macromolecules and Biomaterials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1–2-1 Sengen, Ibaraki-ken, Tsukubashi, 305–0047, Japan

Abstract

The consumption of drinking water and wastewater with low concentrations of toxic cyanide ions (CN−) can result in bioaccumulation, posing a significant risk to human health and leading to sudden death. Thus, sensitive detection and selective removal approaches for ultra-trace concentrations of highly toxic CN− from water sources are of particular interest to a widening cohort of water purification researchers. In this study, we fabricated 3D hierarchy and face-centered cubic (fcc) surfaces of zirconium organic frameworks (ZOFs) that are decorated tightly with organic colorant dressers, enabling the fabrication of multi-functional captor/sensor microstructures (CSMs). The CSM structures can customize a wide range of functions of naked-eye detection, removal, and recovery of extremely toxic CN− in drinking and wastewater environments in a simultaneous, one-pot process. The visual CSM function was controlled via the modification of cubic fcc surfaces of ZOFs with hydrophobic colorant receptors, leading to the formulation of multi-functional capture centers, resembling branches, onto the entire surface scaffolds. Such CSM models provide sensitive and selective capture/trapping/removal and detection of CN− in diverse water sources and environments. The CSM models demonstrated significant capabilities in the selective and sensitive detection of CN− (48 ppt, parts per trillion) in water samples within seconds (40 s). Moreover, the CSM models demonstrate a high CN-adsorption capacity of 137.17 mg/g under optimal adsorption conditions. In terms of controlling CN-environmental waste, the chemical/physical features of CSM models (i.e., large surface area-to-volume ratios, heterogeneous active sites, uniform 3D geometries, and multifaced cubic surfaces) efficiently facilitate a stable CN-recovery process without structural degradation, despite rigorous chemical treatment across numerous cycles. The effective reusability of the CSM design in a wide range of drinking and wastewater sources fosters an eco-friendly approach for CN− waste management, minimizing its harmful release into the environment. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Captor; Cyanide; Detection; Naked eye; Recovery; Wastewater; Cyanides; Drinking Water; Metal-Organic Frameworks; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification; Biochemistry; Environmental protection; Eye protection; Health risks; Optimization; Reusability; Scaffolds; Toxic materials; Waste treatment; Zirconium compounds; coloring agent; paracetamol plus tramadol; toxin; zirconium; metal organic framework; Eco-friendly; Face-centred cubic; Face-centred-cubics; Microstructure model; Naked-eye; Sensitive detection; Wastewater sources; Water source; adsorption; detection method; ion exchange; toxicity; Article; bioaccumulation; colorimetry; data mining; degradation; ecofriendly; eye detection; geometry; human; hydrophobicity; pollution; three-dimensional imaging; waste management; water supply; chemistry; procedures; water management; water pollutant; Error detection

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 4

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