List of Abstracts 2025: WORKSHOP NANOENVICZ
Date: October 16, 2025
Scanning Electron Microscopy with Focused Ion Beam (SEM-FIB) is an advanced analytical technique that combines the high-resolution imaging capabilities of a Scanning Electron Microscope with the precise milling and manipulation features of a Focused Ion Beam. This dual-beam approach provides detailed insights into morphology, topography, and composition at the nanoscale, while also enabling site-specific sample modification. The integration of these two powerful techniques makes SEM-FIB a crucial tool for correlative and multi-modal characterization. The Focused Ion Beam allows for precise cross-sectioning and preparation of electron-transparent lamellae for subsequent Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). This functionality, combined with comprehensive compositional studies via Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, enables simultaneous structural and chemical characterization of samples. These combined functionalities make SEM-FIB highly versatile and applicable across diverse fields, including nanomaterials science, microelectronics, catalysis, and life sciences. It is an indispensable technique for advanced research and material characterization.
The authors acknowledge the assistance provided by the Research Infrastructure NanoEnviCz, supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under Project No. LM2023066 and the Internal Student Grant Agency of the Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic (IGA_LF_2025_001).
Nanoparticles (NPs) have become an important part of everyday life during the last years. Aside from their undoubted benefits, questions regarding the risk of inhalation exposure to human health, and/or genome still need to be addressed. Despite these facts, human biomonitoring studies relevant to the consequences of the chronic and acute exposure to NPs on the molecular processes in cells as well as health effects are still rare.
The Czech biomonitoring research plays the dominant role in this field due to the systematic sampling of the chronically and acutely exposed groups during the nanocomposite materials processing in research phase and/or in their application.
During the last years, effects of NPs exposure on the molecular mechanisms by cytogenetic, epigenetic and transcriptomic markers have been studied in the group of nanoparticles research workers as well as volunteers with exposure simulated that in stomatology.
Overview of the most crucial results published during the years 2019-2025 in collaboration with partners from other institutions will be presented during the NanoEnviCz workshop 2025.
This complex research was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (grants #18-02079S and #22-08358S), by the Cooperation program (207041-3) of Charles University and by the research infrastructures EATRIS-CZ (MEYS #LM2023053) and NanoEnviCz: (MEYS #LM2023066).
The Research Infrastructure NanoEnvi-Cz provides unique access to advanced analytical tools for environmental and nanotechnology-related research.
Within this framework, the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry offers the HPLC-DAD UltiMate 3000 system as a robust platform for monitoring the degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous matrices. The developed chromatographic methods enable precise quantification of a wide range of contaminants, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine-disrupting compounds, as well as the detection of selected degradation products.
Our analytical approach is closely coupled with catalytic studies, allowing the investigation of both adsorption and catalytic transformations under dark conditions, and photocatalytic processes under UV or simulated solar irradiation.
Although the system does not include mass spectrometric detection, the optimized HPLC-DAD protocols are readily transferable to LC-MS platforms, facilitating in-depth structural elucidation of degradation products where required.
The combination of advanced separation methods with catalytic and photocatalytic testing highlights the versatility of this infrastructure for research on water decontamination. These capabilities are available to potential users of NanoEnvi-Cz, supporting studies on the fate of organic pollutants, the performance of novel catalytic materials, and the development of environmentally relevant degradation pathways.
The authors acknowledge the assistance provided by the Research Infrastructure NanoEnviCz, supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic under Project No. LM2023066.
The increasing occurrence of pharmaceutical residues and other persistent micropollutants in aquatic environments poses a major challenge for conventional wastewater treatment technologies. Cyclodextrin-based nanomaterials offer a promising strategy to address this issue, as their unique supramolecular cavities enable efficient host-guest interactions with a wide range of organic contaminants.
At the Technical University of Liberec, within the NanoEnviCz research infrastructure, we develop and characterize advanced cyclodextrin-functionalized nanomaterials designed for the adsorptive removal of environmentally relevant pollutants. Comprehensive characterization using NanoEnviCz instrumentation, including NMR spectroscopy, BET, FTIR, and HRMS, has revealed key insights into molecular inclusion, and structure-function relationships. These results highlight the potential of cyclodextrin-based nanomaterials as scalable, high-performance adsorbents for advanced water purification and environmental remediation.
The author acknowledge the assistance provided by the Research Infrastructure NanoEnviCz, supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic under Project No. LM2023066.
The large research infrastructure NanoEnviCZ offers XPS at two partner workplaces. Both instruments are regularly upgraded according to user requirements. The utilization of infrastructure support for XPS at the UJEP workplace will be shown.
The instrument has undergone significant evolution since its first start up in 2007, when the original configuration was equipped only with an achromatic dual Al/Mg X-ray tube SPECS XR 50, a hemispherical analyzer SPECS PHOIBOS 100, and a single-channel electron detector. But a second (experimental) chamber was already connected to the XPS. Gradually, the detector was replaced with a 5-channel one and an ion gun with MW ionization TECTRA was added to the experimental chamber. Then a second bigger sample loader with a magazine for 4 holders was added. Further improvements consisted in the installation of a SPECS FOSUS 500 monochromator with an X-ray tube and compensation source from ProNanoEnviCZII. The last improvement added programmable control of the sample manipulator and the possibility of using Ar clusters for surface engineering. Even this device is not enough to satisfy the growing demands of NanoEnviCZ users, and therefore a new Thermo Nexsa G2 device with significantly higher capacity will be installed in January 2026, while simultaneously improving the quality of measurements. It is supported by ProNanoEnviCZIII.
Results obtained on materials based on CeOx, CrCN, AlCrSiN, ZnO, PVDF, and similar will be shown. Here, surface XPS has proven to be key for the analysis of catalytic systems and for assessing the condition of surfaces. XPS measurements can be performed on virtually all materials that can be placed in a vacuum, including nano and micro fibers and powder catalysts. Results obtained on nanofibrous materials from polymers modified by the addition of active compounds, for example with Br or CeOx, and/or surface-treated with plasma will be shown.
Research was financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic under Project No. LM2023066.
This presentation will showcase research conducted within the NanoEnviCz infrastructure, focusing on environmental catalysis as a tool to address urgent global challenges. The work aims to support cleaner air, safer water, and sustainable energy production while reducing the environmental impact of industrial processes. Environmental catalysis plays a pivotal role in tackling both ecological and industrial issues related to pollution and sustainability. As a cornerstone of green chemistry, it enables the reduction of harmful emissions, enhances energy efficiency, and promotes cleaner production technologies. A particularly critical challenge is the reduction of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO₂), arising from energy production, transportation, and industrial activities. Catalytic systems are being developed to not only decrease CO₂ emissions but also to utilize it as a feedstock. Advanced catalysts enable the conversion of CO₂ into fuels such as methanol or hydrocarbons, as well as into value-added chemicals, thereby contributing to circular and sustainable carbon management. Catalysis is also indispensable in the field of sustainable energy, offering pathways to cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels. Particularly important is catalytic biomass conversion, which enables the production of biofuels and thus reduces dependence on non-renewable energy sources. Each of these research areas will be illustrated in the presentation through case studies of projects carried out within the NanoEnviCz infrastructure.
The author acknowledges financial support from the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic under Project No. LM2023066 (VVI NanoEnviCz).