A Facile Way to Synthesize Hierarchical Porous Materials for Bacterial Removal

Pathogenic microbial contamination (e.g., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Legionella pneumophila) in water sources poses severe threats to public health, yet conventional antibacterial materials often lack selectivity and biocompatibility. To address this, we hypothesize that a hierarchical porous BH-MgO/SiO2 composite, synthesized via a biomass-derived facile method, can achieve pathogen-selective removal through tunable surface charge interactions while preserving environmental safety. We propose that charge-microstructure synergy overcomes single-mechanism limitations. Experimental results demonstrate 85% bacterial physical removal efficiency and 95% bacterial chemical removal efficiency against model strains (E. coli K-12), which is attributed to synergistic chemical adsorption and physical entrapment by the hierarchical microstructure. Crucially, we validate that dye adsorption kinetics can predict bacterial physical removal effects, providing a rapid screening tool for antibacterial material design. Although the current study uses nonpathogenic surrogates due to biosafety protocols, mechanistic analyses confirm the potential for targeting WHO-priority pathogens. This strategy enables scalable synthesis of multifunctional materials for wastewater treatment, particularly in settings requiring efficient and biocompatible microbial control.