Hollow Carbon Nitride Photocatalyst Degrades Tetracycline and Inhibits Bacteria in Water

A mesoporous hollow g-C3N5 photocatalyst synthesised via a hard-template-dependent SiO2 strategy demonstrated enhanced light-harvesting capacity alongside dual photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity. The synthesis involved a sol–gel process followed by thermal polymerisation and subsequent etching of the SiO2 hard template. Researchers evaluated varying SiO2/g-C3N5 mass ratios alongside a template-free mesoporous g-C3N5 counterpart designated as HN5 to identify structural factors governing performance.

Structural and morphological characterisation using XRD, FTIR, UV-DRS, TEM, SEM, BET, and PL confirmed the formation of the nanostructure. The resulting HN5 material possesses a mesoporous architecture featuring an average pore diameter of 29.7 nm, which facilitates a higher pollutant adsorption rate than bulk g-C3N5 (CN5). Phase analysis showed increased crystallinity and a more compact morphology marked by a larger 2θ shift, while optical characterisation demonstrated improved absorption over bulk CN5 due to multiple internal reflections within the hollow nanostructure.

Photocatalytic performance was assessed through the breakdown of antibiotic tetracycline (TYC) contaminants in aqueous systems. An optimal dosage of 0.02 g of HN5 achieved approximately 93.3% photodegradation of tetracycline at an acidic pH of 3 within 120 minutes. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) confirmed the breakdown pathway yielded less harmful intermediate compounds.

Antimicrobial evaluations demonstrated activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis, confirmed through minimum inhibitory concentration assays, zone of inhibition tests, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated cellular leakage. Radical scavenging experiments verified that superoxide radicals (•O2−) serve as the primary reactive species driving both tetracycline degradation and microbial inhibition.

Subject of Research: Photocatalytic tetracycline degradation and microbial inhibition using mesoporous hollow g-C3N5

Article Title: Engineering mesoporous hollow nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N5) photocatalyst with ROS-driven photo-degradation of tetracycline and microbial inhibition

Article References: Champati, A., Pradhan, A., Naik, B., Sahu, P. K., & Rath, A. (2026). Engineering mesoporous hollow nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N5) photocatalyst with ROS-driven photo-degradation of tetracycline and microbial inhibition. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 28(11), Article 287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-026-06804-w

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s11051-026-06804-w

Keywords: photocatalysis, g-C3N5, tetracycline degradation, antimicrobial activity, reactive oxygen species, mesoporous nanomaterials, water treatment, Engineering, mesoporous, hollow, nitrogen-rich, graphitic