Abstract Boron is a key element for some biological processes,but it becomes toxic for humans and plants in concentrations above a few ppm. We have design a new approach for boron scavenging, based in hybrid membranes of functional mesoporous silica nanoparticles immobilized in cellulose acetate. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles, with diameters around 150 nm, were functionalized with vicinal diol groups that complex boron very efficiently. The functional nanoparticles were covalently immobilized in a cellulose acetate membrane using a di-terminated alkoxisilane that react with the remaining silanol groups at the nanoparticles surfaces and with the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose. The functional nanoparticles and the hybrid membranes show boron removal efficiencies of phenyl boronic acid of up to 93%. The membranes can be used in multistage filtering systems, with sequential membranes modules in continuous operation, in a cheap, simple and efficient process for boron scavenging.

中文翻译：

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基于混合介孔二氧化硅纳米粒子的硼螯合膜用于水净化

摘要 硼是某些生物过程的关键元素，但浓度超过几 ppm 时就会对人类和植物产生毒性。我们设计了一种新的硼清除方法，基于固定在醋酸纤维素中的功能性介孔二氧化硅纳米粒子的混合膜。直径约 150 nm 的介孔二氧化硅纳米粒子被非常有效地络合硼的邻二醇基团官能化。使用与纳米颗粒表面剩余的硅烷醇基团和纤维素的羟基反应的双封端烷氧基硅烷将功能性纳米颗粒共价固定在醋酸纤维素膜中。功能性纳米颗粒和混合膜显示苯基硼酸的硼去除效率高达 93%。