Frustrated Lewis pairs on carbon nitride enable rapid, low-toxicity breakdown of antibiotics in water
image: Schematic illustration of FLP-engineered carbon nitride. Carbon vacancies (Lewis acid) and surface hydroxyl groups (Lewis base) work together to polarize and break down tetracycline molecules under visible light, leading to fast and low-toxicity degradation.
Credit: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press
Antibiotic pollution in water bodies poses a serious threat to ecosystem and human health, with conventional treatments often failing to completely remove stable compounds like tetracycline. In a breakthrough study published in Nano Research, scientists have developed a novel photocatalytic system using “frustrated Lewis pairs” (FLPs) to dramatically enhance both the speed and safety of antibiotic degradation.
The team, led by researchers from Wuhan Textile University and international collaborators, engineered FLPs on graphitic carbon nitride (CN) through a simple alkalization process. This treatment created paired Lewis acid and base sites—carbon vacancies and surface hydroxyl groups—that work synergistically to activate and break down tetracycline molecules under visible light.
“Unlike traditional single-site catalysts, which often suffer from electron accumulation and limited reactivity, our FLP system establishes a bidirectional ‘push-pull’ electron effect,” explained Xiao Xu, corresponding author of the study. “This not only improves charge separation but also strongly polarizes the pollutant molecule, making it much easier to degrade.”
The optimized catalyst, labeled CN-OH-15, achieved a degradation rate constant of 0.045 min-1, nearly four times higher than pristine carbon nitride. More importantly, the reaction pathway was directed toward less toxic intermediates through selective demethylation and ring-opening steps, as confirmed by toxicity modeling and intermediate analysis.
“This is a key advantage,” added Junjiang Zhu, co-corresponding author. “Many advanced oxidation processes generate harmful byproducts. Our FLP system intentionally dismantles the toxic functional groups first, leading to safer end products and better compatibility with biological treatment systems.”
The catalyst also demonstrated strong performance in real water matrices—including tap, lake, and river water—and maintained high stability over multiple reaction cycles. Its ability to function efficiently in complex environments underscores its potential for real-world wastewater treatment applications.
The study, published on April 20, 2026, in Nano Research, provides a generalizable strategy for designing high-performance photocatalysts via FLP engineering. The approach could be extended to other persistent organic pollutants, offering a versatile and environmentally friendly tool for water purification.
“We see this as a step toward smarter photocatalysis,” said Xu. “By controlling not just how fast we degrade pollutants, but also how we degrade them, we can make wastewater treatment both more effective and more sustainable.”
Other contributors include researchers from the University of South Africa, Dali University, and Universidade NOVA de Lisboa.
The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22406144, 42277485, 22208251), the Department of Science and Technology of Hubei Province (2021CFA034), State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering (202301), FCT/MCTES (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) for UID/50006/2023.
DOI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2026.94908399
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.