Biomimetics – Synergy of Physiological Processes from Nature and Current Biomolecular Engineering in Development of Environmental Adsorbents

Abstract

Biomimetics (or bioinspiration) is one of the most revolutionary scientific fields of the 21st century. It is usually defined as a science which imitates nature and living systems, and helps to sustain life on Earth. Due to a better understanding of biological systems, the ability to observe nature, as well as the number of effective nature-inspired solutions to some current technological problems have increased dramatically. Thus, strategies involving molecular recognition, ligand capping, host-guest cluster chemistry and molecular templating are being explored in material chemistry for the construction of higher-order molecular architectures. The present article reports on several synthetic routes, by which naturally available minerals or even waste products have been combined with specific biogenic components (such as surfactants, alginates and waste polysaccharides) in order to prepare novel functional gradient adsorbents suitable for economically and ecologically viable water decontamination.