The unique physical properties such as high surface areas and ordered pore structure of mesoporous silica combined with the selectivity of amine and thiol functional groups make them useful for diverse applications. For example amine and thiol modified mesoporous silica finds applications in CO₂ sequestration, heavy metal (such as Pb, Fe, Au etc.) removal from waste water or industrial waste streams. Also, the ability of the amine and thiol modified mesoporous silica to bind the metallic nanoparticles such as Pt or Pd render them useful as novel catalytic support. The functionalization of mesoporous silica with amine and thiol also makes them useful for entrapping biological entities and for investigations involving the study of the effect of quantum confinements of molecules/solvent within the ordered mesopores.