The Versatile Industrial Uses of Methylene Blue

The Versatile Industrial Uses of Methylene Blue

Tracing the Journey: Methylene Blue Research Over the Last 30 Years - Part 2: Industries beyond Biology

 

In our most recent article on Methylene Blue’s history since its discovery, we earnestly dove into the most prominent discoveries of Methylene Blue uses in biological and health research. As astounding as those discoveries may seem, they only make a fraction of the incredible utility that Methylene Blue brings to human innovation. In this supplementary but equally fascinating article, we share with you the most interesting highlights from the rest of Methylene Blue’s story: its diverse roles in manufacturing, research, art and technology. 

Industrial Dye: Historical and Contemporary Uses in Textiles and Manufacturing

Methylene Blue was first prepared in 1876 by Heinrich Caro for the textile industry and quickly became very widely used due to rich blue colour. Even to this day, Methylene Blue is still used extensively for dyeing silk, wool, cotton and paper. Beyond the beauty of its blue color, it showed other useful qualities like high solubility in water (43.6 g/L at 25 °C), color stability and ability to resist fading in different environmental conditions, so it also became used as a tracer dye to test fabric absorbency, dye penetration, and uniformity in large-scale textile production. These properties highlighted Methylene Blue as a very versatile dye, so it also quickly became a popular choice in other industries as well. In the paper industry, it can enhance the contrast and readability of printed materials by adjusting the paper’s optical properties, and it finds further usage as a sizing agent to enhance the quality and printability of paper. In the plastics industry,  Methylene Blue is employed as a colorant in polymers, especially in products that are intended to have a distinct blue color. And of course, Methylene Blue also became used in ink manufacturing blue printing inks, but also for security features in banknotes.

Analytical Chemistry: Methylene Blue as a Staining Agent

As chemists analyzed the properties of Methylene Blue that make it an excellent dye, they discovered a variety of ways in which it can be useful within analytical chemistry, especially in laboratory staining techniques. Its ability to stain acidic structures made it particularly useful for visualizing nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. In turn, visualizing DNA and RNA is very meaningful for many types of experiments, such as observing cells and their structures under microscopes, identifying live cells by staining live cells blue and leaving dead cells unstained. DNA and RNA can also be visualized on their own in an experiment called agarose gel electrophoresis, where DNA and RNA separate in an agarose gel based on their electric charge, and Methylene Blue allows them to be visualized under UV light. Interestingly, the way it stains RNA is reversible, so it allows staining of RNA without permanently modifying it, allowing stained cells or samples to remain undamaged. In addition, the ability of Methylene Blue to intercalate with DNA has enabled this compound to be used in the study of DNA topology and in the development of new DNA-based biosensors for the detection of analytes such as heavy metals and specific gene sequences. All these applications highlight how the chemical properties of Methylene Blue enable us to use it in chemical analysis, especially to increase the visibility and analysis of biological specimens in the laboratory. 

Environmental Applications: Methylene Blue in Water Treatment and Monitoring

In environmental sciences, water treatment and monitoring is where Methylene Blue shines with significant industrial applications. Research in this area consistently showed that Methylene Blue’s unique color and chemical properties can be useful in wastewater treatment, and it can be effectively and safely removed from water when needed. For instance, wastewater can be tracked can be tracked with the dyeing capabilities of Methylene Blue, and after water treatment, the movement of contaminations that might be left behind can be traced. Environmental research also incorporates Methylene Blue into broader applications, such as the degradation of persistent organic pollutants in wastewater through advanced oxidation processes, which use Methylene Blue as part of their system. Research today continues to investigate the combination of Methylene Blue with nanomaterials to develop highly efficient photocatalysts for water purification. Additionally, Methylene Blue has been used in the study of soil properties, especially in assessing the cation exchange capacity of soils, which is crucial for understanding nutrient retention and movement in agricultural systems. 

Art and Photography: The Use of Methylene Blue in Traditional Techniques

Over time, Methylene Blue acquired several special positions in art and photography. This was especially the case in the cyanotype printing process, which produces blue prints through the use of Methylene Blue’s iron-based light sensitive solutions. This technique was discovered all the way back in 1842 by Sir John Herschel, and since then, it has been used to produce striking blue and white images on both paper and textiles. In painting, Methylene Blue has served as a pigment which has given artists a stable and vivid blue colour. In the realm of art conservation, Methylene Blue also emerged as a valuable tool for detecting and studying historical artifacts. Methylene Blue has the ability to stain cellulose, the most essential building block of wood and paper, so it became used to examine ancient papyri and textiles, helping conservators identify areas of degradation and guide restoration efforts. In modern times, contemporary artists have also begun experimenting with Methylene Blue in innovative ways, creating dynamic artworks that change color in response to environmental conditions, which showcases how Methylene Blue can really blur the lines between science and art. Altogether, the use of Methylene Blue in these various artistic methods demonstrates its versatility in showcasing its role in creative expression in an impressive variety of ways. 


Electrochemical Sensors: Leveraging Methylene Blue for Detection and Measurement

The unique electrochemical properties of Methylene Blue have made it very useful for the advancement of sensor technologies, especially electrochemical sensors that can detect different substances with high sensitivity. For example, a new electrochemical sensor based on Methylene Blue has been designed for the detection of Methylene Blue in water with exceptional detection sensitivity, as well as the photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue, indicating its flexibility in analytical purposes. The redox behavior of Methylene Blue also make it a good indicator in electrochemical studies, emphasizing its application in analytical chemistry and sensor technology. In addition to detecting isolated chemicals, Methylene Blue has also been applied in sensor technology for the detection of biological entities and pathogens. Recent research has aimed to combine it with nanomaterials for the quick and accurate identification of SARS-CoV-2, which shows its increasing importance in meeting the present worldwide health issues. Methylene Blue-based electrochemical sensors also proved to be effective in food safety control, where they can help detect certain contaminants, such as acrylamide in processed foods, with high sensitivity and specificity.

Evidently, Methylene Blue has been and will continue to be a pillar of innovations in so many industries, beyond its illustrious capabilities to provide healing and utility benefits in health and biological research. And with our tour through Methylene Blue’s history complete, we can now look deeper into the many insights that we can learn from the technical finesse of Methylene Blue researchers as you’ll read in the next two articles in our series. With that richer context in mind, we’ll look beyond to its inspiringly promising future, covering what researchers believe might be the most exciting discoveries yet to be made with this phenomenal compound. 

 

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