Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids
Published on: April 22, 2016
Supramolecular Nanopumps with Chiral Recognition for Moving Organic Pollutants from Water
Sihan Bao1, Shanshan Wu1, Liping Huang1
1PCFM, LIFM and GD HPPC Lab, School of Chemistry , Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou 510275 , P. R. China.
Abstract:
Since organic pollutants in water resources have raised concerns on aquatic ecosystems and human health, mechanical machines such as a nanopump for rapid and efficient removal of pollutants from water with regeneration properties remains a challenge. Here, a pH-responsive artificial pump from left-handed porous tubules into right-handed solid fibers was presented by the self-assembly of bent-shaped aromatic amphiphiles. The bent-shaped amphiphile with a pH-sensitive segment was demonstrated in aromatic hexameric macrocycles, which could contract into dimeric disks. Such a switchable aromatic pore with superhydrophobicity was well-suited for an efficient removal and controlled release of organic pollutants from water through pulsating motion. The removal efficiency is found to be 78% for ethinyloestradiol and 82% for bisphenol. Additionally, the pumping accompanied by chiral inversion was endowed with a rapid removal and convenient regenerable ability. The inflation from right-handed solid fibers into left-handed tubules for efficient removal pollutants was remarkably promoted by (-)-acidic enantiomer of malic acid, whereas the contraction with full desorption of pollutants was incisively responsive to alkaline with (+)-conformation. The kinetically regulable porous device with a chiral recognition will provide a promising platform for the construction of rapid responsible machine for sewage treatment.
More Related Videos
07:26A Simple Method for Automated Solid Phase Extraction of Water Samples for Immunological Analysis of Small Pollutants
Published on: January 1, 2016
13:52Studying the Supramolecular Organization of Photosynthetic Membranes within Freeze-fractured Leaf Tissues by Cryo-scanning Electron Microscopy
Published on: June 23, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Chirality
Chiral objects exhibit a sense of handedness when they interact with another chiral object. For example, our left foot can only fit in the left shoe and not in the right shoe. Achiral objects — objects that have...
Chirality in Nature
Molecules with Multiple Chiral Centers
Chirality at Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur
A consequence of chirality is the need for enantiomeric resolution. While this is theoretically possible for all...
States of Water
Water freezes when the intermolecular forces are greater than the kinetic energy. Unlike most other substances, water is less dense in its solid state than in its liquid state. This is because each water molecule can form...
Accessory Organs