In nature, the water-splitting reaction via photosynthesis driven by sunlight in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria stores the vast solar energy and provides vital oxygen to life on earth. The recent advances in elucidating the structures and functions of natural photosynthesis has provided firm framework and solid foundation in applying the knowledge to transform the carbon-based energy to renew...

Microbial manganese oxidation was demonstrated at high Mn concentrations (5 g/liter) in bacterial cultures in the presence of a microalga. The structure of the oxide produced varied depending on the bacterial strain and mode of culture. A nonaxenic, acid-tolerant microalga, a Chlamydomonas sp., was found to mediate formation of manganite (gamma-MnOOH). Bacteria isolated from associations with c...

Manganese (Mn) oxides are among the most reactive sorbents and oxidants within the environment, where they play a central role in the cycling of nutrients, metals, and carbon. Recent discoveries have identified superoxide ([Formula: see text]) both of biogenic and abiogenic origin as an effective oxidant of Mn(II) leading to the formation of Mn oxides. Here we examined the conditions under whic...

Manganese (Mn) oxides are among the most reactive minerals within the environment, where they control the bioavailability of carbon, nutrients, and numerous metals. Although the ability of microorganisms to oxidize Mn(II) to Mn(III/IV) oxides is scattered throughout the bacterial and fungal domains of life, the mechanism and physiological basis for Mn(II) oxidation remains an enigma. Here, we u...

The photoreductive dissolution of Mn(IV) oxide minerals in sunlit aquatic environments couples the Mn cycle to the oxidation of organic matter and fate of trace elements associated with Mn oxides, but the intrinsic rate and mechanism of mineral dissolution in the absence of organic electron donors is unknown. We investigated the photoreduction of δ-MnO2 nanosheets at pH 6.5 with Na or Ca as the...

Significant concerns have been raised over the presence of antibiotics including tetracyclines in aquatic environments. A series of Fe-Mn binary oxide with different Fe:Mn molar ratios was synthesized by a simultaneous oxidation and coprecipitation process for TC removal. Results showed that Fe-Mn binary oxide had higher removal efficiency than that of hydrous iron oxide and hydrous manganese o...

Due to their physicochemical characteristics, metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) interact differently with cells compared to larger particles or soluble metals. Oxidative stress and cellular metal uptake were quantified in rat type II alveolar epithelial cells in culture exposed to three different NPs: manganese(II,III) oxide nanoparticles (Mn(3)O(4)-NPs), the soluble manganese sulfate (Mn-salt) a...

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a promising metal oxide semiconductor with various applications, especially in the photocatalytic destruction of environmental pollutants. However, this nanoparticle has some limitations, such as poor dispersion, aggregation, and a wide energy gap. As such, the doping of metal oxide semiconductor has been strongly recommended. Addition of manganese (Mn) has proven effective ...

Zn1 - x Mn x O nanoparticles have been synthesized by hydrothermal technique. The doping concentration of Mn can reach up to 9 at% without precipitation or secondary phase, confirmed by electron spin resonance (ESR) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). Room-temperature ferromagnetism is observed in the as-prepared nanoparticles. However, the room-temperature ferromagnetism disappears after ...