Magnetic mesoporous material for the sequestration of algae

1. A magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle, comprising:

a mesoporous silicate nanoparticle;

iron oxide; and

one or more amino(C 1 -C 20 )alkyl groups with alkyl units covalently bound to the mesoporous silicate nanoparticle, wherein the C 1 -C 20 alkyl groups are independently optionally interrupted by one or two —NH— groups;

wherein the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle is magnetic and comprises a mesoporous structure.

2. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 1 , further comprising at least one microorganism, wherein the microorganism is adsorbed to the pores or surface of the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle.

3. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 2 , wherein the microorganism is an algae.

4. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 3 , wherein the algae comprises Botryococcus, Chlamydomas, Chlorella, Crypthecodinium, Cyclotella, Cylindrotheca, Dunaliella, Haematococcus, Isochrysis, Monallanthus, Monoraphidium, Nannochloris, Nannochloropsis, Neochloris, Nitzschia, Phaeodactylum, Schizochytrium, Spirulina, Stichococcus, Synechocystis, Tagetes , or Tetraselmis.

5. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle has a particle size of approximately 150 nm to approximately 1200 nm.

6. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle has a surface area of approximately 100 m 2 /g to approximately 1000 m 2 /g.

7. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle has a pore size of approximately 5 nm to approximately 15 nm.

8. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the iron oxide is Fe 3 O 4 .

9. The magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the iron oxide is Fe 2 O 3 .

10. A method of using magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles to sequester a microorganism from a media, comprising:

contacting a mixture comprising one or more microorganisms and a media with one or more magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles each comprising a mesoporous silicate nanoparticle, Fe 3 O 4 , and one or more amino(C 1 -C 20 )alkyl groups with alkyl units covalently bound to the mesoporous silicate nanoparticle, wherein the C 1 -C 20 alkyl groups are independently optionally interrupted by one or two —NH— groups, thereby adsorbing the microorganisms to the pores or surface of the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles; and

exposing the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles to a magnetic field, sufficient to concentrate the adsorbed microorganisms.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the contacting causes flocculation of the microorganisms, the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 , where one type of microorganism is selectively adsorbed over another type of microorganism.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticle has a particle size of approximately 300 nm to about 600 nm.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising separating the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles with the adsorbed microorganisms from the media.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least approximately 50% of the microorganisms adsorbed and separated survive.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising desorbing the adsorbed microorganisms from the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles with the adsorbed microorganisms.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising separating the desorbed microorganisms from the magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising reusing the separated magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles to adsorb microorganisms to the pores or surface of the nanoparticles.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microorganism is an algae.