LAUSR

We demonstrate a bioinspired assembly wherein the specific interaction of polyamines with multivalent anions allows the assembly of silica nanoparticles to generate hybrid microsphere structures while this very phenomenon further provides ways for the microspheres to adsorb oxyanions like arsenate and chromate. In a typical method based on the biomineralization of diatomaceous biosilica structure, thus produced nanoparticle-assembled microspheres with a porous structure and hybrid functionalities exhibit efficient adsorption and separation of these toxic anions from water. The adsorption follows Freundlich isotherm with an inference for stronger interaction between adsorbate and adsorbent with nonuniform distribution of adsorption affinities. The opportunities to tune the composition with respect to the multivalent anion and their interaction with the polyamine, charge ratio, and so forth, illustrate the design of bioinspired robust structures with efficient oxyanion-binding property and recyclability. Th...