Carbon nanofiber matrix with embedded LaCO3OH synchronously captures phosphate and organic carbon to starve bacteria

Microbial growth in water poses a growing threat to humans. Nutrient starvation is an effective and green manner to control microbial growth in water. The general coexisting phosphate and organic carbon in water can both serve as nutrients for microbial metabolism, and thus one can take a heavy toll on the performance of a nutrient-starvation antibacterial approach based on the other. Herein, carbon nanofibers with embedded LaCO3OH nanoparticles (LCNFs) were rationally synthesized by carbonizing electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers containing La-species. The LCNFs served as a capture agent for both phosphate and organic matter to realize more effective nutrient-starvation antibacterial activity for water security. The LCNFs rendered high phosphate removal efficiency through the strong chemical bond between LaCO3OH and phosphate, even for trace phosphate concentrations. At the same time, organic nutrients could be synchronously cut down by LCNFs, which resulted in more stringent nutrient-deficient conditions to control microbial growth in water effectively.