Nanomaterials applied in industrial processes and environmental fields usually demand immobilization and recovery strategies that often result in functionality loss and added operational costs. Nanoconfinement, the spatial restriction of nano-sized particles within a larger porous substrate, not only can address critical challenges and sustainability concerns in environmental nanotechnology but also offers unique opportunities otherwise inaccessible by unconfined, bulk-phase nanomaterials. In this perspective, we propose mesoporous silica (mSiO