Magnetic nanocatalysts derived from carbon nanotubes functionalized with imidazole: towards pesticide degradation

The cleavage of highly toxic organophoshates (OP) can lead to products of a reduced toxicity, and due to this, materials and routes to promote efficiently this reaction has been of increasing interest. In the present study, we developed nanocatalysts derived from magnetic carbon nanotubes, chemically functionalized with imidazole groups, to be employed in the detoxification of OP, including the real-life pesticide Paraoxon. Two methods of varying degree of oxidation were adopted in order to obtain the oxygenated sites for the functionalization. The oxidized samples were functionalized with the imidazole derivative 1-(3-Aminopropyl)imidazole, which were applied as nanocatalysts in the cleavage of OP, evidencing rate enhancements nearly 107-fold. Moreover, the nanocatalysts could easily be separated due to its magnetic properties and recycled consecutively, without losing activity. Overall, we show novel magnetic imidazole-derived nanocatalysts, which has potential for sensors and neutralization processes of OP present in agrochemicals and chemical warfare.