Search Results (133)

Termites host complex microbial communities in the digestive tract, while microbial communities in their nests remain less well characterized. Here, we reanalyzed previously generated V4 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon data from 19 colony-matched gut and internal nest wall pairs (38 samples) representing eight Neotropical Termitidae species. We asked whether the two compartments harbor consistently different bacterial and archaeal assemblages when colony identity is controlled. Alpha-diversity metrics showed no global compartment shift, whereas paired community-level analyses supported consistent compositional differentiation. Gut profiles were characterized by termite-associated lineages including Treponema, Tyzzerella and Candidatus Symbiothrix, whereas internal nest walls showed greater representation of Acidothermus, Conexibacter, Nocardioides, Candidatus Udaeobacter and Gryllotalpicola. Exploratory paired genus-level contrasts reinforced these patterns, and secondary analyses indicated additional host species-associated structure within each compartment. Because feeding guild and nest type are partially confounded with host identity, they were treated descriptively rather than as independent drivers. Together, these results show that gut and internal nest wall microbiomes are compositionally distinct within the same colonies, supporting spatial partitioning of termite-associated microbial communities while highlighting host-associated variation across Neotropical Termitidae. Full article

Implant-associated infections are often caused by biofilm-forming pathogens such as Staphylococcus (S.) aureus. While local antibiotic delivery systems aim to prevent adhesion and biofilm establishment, declining drug concentrations may result in sub-inhibitory exposure, which can modulate bacterial adaptation linked to antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and regulatory responses. We investigated the effects of sub-inhibitory antibiotic exposure on biofilm formation in S. aureus SA113 and associated transcriptional responses. The biofilm-producing strain S. aureus SA113 was exposed to sub-inhibitory concentrations of rifampicin, minocycline, and dalbavancin during early biofilm formation. Phenotypic effects were assessed by crystal violet staining, enumeration of colony-forming units, and scanning electron microscopy, while transcriptional responses were analyzed by qPCR. Despite stable counts of culturable adherent bacteria, sub-inhibitory antibiotic exposure differentially altered biofilm formation and transcriptional responses. Rifampicin was associated with increased biomass at higher sub-inhibitory concentrations and increased early expression of icaA, icaD (+4.2 log₂) and fnbA (+2.7 log₂) at 1/2× MIC. Minocycline reduced biomass at lower concentrations with partial recovery toward control levels at 1/2× MIC, while transcriptional analysis at 1/4× MIC after 6 h showed increased expression of icaA, icaD (+2.1 log₂) and fnbA (+4.3 log₂). Dalbavancin induced a distinct transcriptional response characterized by increased expression of vraS (+1.1 log₂) and lrgA (+1.8 log₂), without induction of matrix-associated genes, while adherent biofilm biomass was reduced to 42.9% at 1/2× MIC. Morphologically, this was associated with compact aggregates rather than diffuse biofilm structures. Sub-inhibitory antibiotic exposure differentially modulated early biofilm formation in SA113 in a drug-specific manner. Overall, the distinct dalbavancin-associated response may be relevant for the development of preventive local drug-delivery systems. Full article

Background/Objective: Mature oral biofilms resist conventional antiseptics via dense extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrices. Consequently, the prolonged use of broad-spectrum agents like chlorhexidine (CHX) raises profound ecological concerns. Using a mature oral microcosm biofilm model, we evaluated the multifaceted efficacy of 0.5% black cumin seed oil (BCSO) in disrupting structural biomass, suppressing aciduric bacterial viability, and attenuating porphyrin-associated anaerobic biofilm maturation. Methods: Saliva-derived microcosm biofilms were cultivated on hydroxyapatite discs in a mucin-containing medium (0.5% sucrose) for 6 days. Mature biofilms were treated daily for 1 min for 6 days (n = 19/group) with 0.5% BCSO, 0.12% CHX (positive control), or 0.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (negative control). EPS and bacterial biovolumes were quantified using confocal microscopy. Viability was strictly evaluated as aciduric bacterial colony-forming units. Pathogenic potential was specifically assessed as porphyrin-associated maturation by the red-to-green fluorescence intensity ratio (${\mathrm{Ratio}}_{\mathrm{R}/\mathrm{G}}$) using quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital technology. Results: Compared with the negative control, 0.5% BCSO significantly degraded the EPS matrix (p < 0.001) and bacterial biovolumes (p = 0.045), and reduced aciduric bacterial counts (p = 0.028). Importantly, 0.5% BCSO significantly reduced the ${\mathrm{Ratio}}_{\mathrm{R}/\mathrm{G}}$ (p = 0.015), compared with the negative control, indicating severely attenuated porphyrin-associated anaerobic maturation. In the CHX group, the reduction did not reach statistical significance compared with the negative control (p = 0.399). Conclusions: In vitro, 0.5% BCSO and 0.12% CHX effectively reduced structural biomass and aciduric bacterial viability. Furthermore, BCSO significantly reduced late-stage, porphyrin-associated anaerobic maturation compared with the negative control, whereas the reduction observed with CHX did not reach statistical significance. These findings highlight the potential of BCSO as a targeted natural antibiofilm adjunct, warranting rigorous in vivo and mechanistic validation before clinical translation. Full article

The sustainable valorization of marine shell waste as functional additives for geopolymer materials represents a promising strategy for developing multifunctional materials for environmental remediation. In this study, metakaolin-based geopolymers were modified with calcium-rich particles obtained by calcination of five marine shell species (Chamelea gallina, Mya arenaria, Mytilus edulis, Pecten maximus, and Rapana venosa) under identical synthesis conditions to evaluate the influence of shell mineralogy on the structural, textural, adsorption, and antibacterial properties of the resulting composites. The materials were comprehensively characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption (BET/BJH) analyses. Functional performance was assessed through methylene blue (MB) adsorption experiments, adsorption kinetic modeling, and antibacterial tests against Escherichia coli (E. coli). ATR-FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed the formation of a stable amorphous geopolymer network containing residual crystalline phases together with shell-derived calcium carbonate, predominantly as calcite or aragonite depending on shell origin. The incorporation of shell-derived particles modified the pore architecture of the geopolymers. GP-SJ exhibited the highest BET specific surface area (94.30 m² g⁻¹) and the most developed mesoporous structure. Among the investigated formulations, GP-RP showed the most favorable overall combination of functional properties under the investigated conditions, exhibiting the highest methylene blue removal efficiency (63.97%) and experimental adsorption capacity at 160 min (9.60 mg g⁻¹), together with a comparatively high reduction in recoverable E. coli colonies during preliminary antibacterial screening. The combined structural and functional analyses demonstrate that the environmental performance of shell-modified geopolymers cannot be predicted from a single parameter such as BET surface area or calcium content alone, but results from the synergistic interaction between mineralogical composition, particle dispersion, pore accessibility, and matrix compactness. Under the investigated conditions, these findings provide evidence for proposed structure–property correlations under the investigated conditions and suggests that shell-derived calcium particles act as microstructural regulators of geopolymer matrices, providing a basis for the further development of sustainable multifunctional materials for simultaneous dye removal and bacterial reduction in wastewater treatment. Full article

Coptotermes formosanus is an economically significant termite species with a highly organised caste system, in which division of labour underpins colony function. Although gut microbiota is widely recognised for its roles in host nutrition and adaptation, much less is known about how these microbial communities are structured across castes. To explore caste-related gut bacterial variation in C. formosanus, we analysed the community structure of both workers and soldiers using high-throughput amplicon sequencing targeting the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Although both castes were dominated by Bacteroidota and Spirochaetota, which together accounted for 78.87% to 85.78% in workers and 63.31% to 84.38% in soldiers, significant caste-associated differences were evident. Workers showed significantly higher bacterial richness, as indicated by observed ASVs, Chao1 indices, and Faith’s PD. Further clear caste-associated bacterial community was revealed by beta-diversity analysis. Differential taxonomic analysis revealed distinct caste-associated enrichment patterns. In addition, co-occurrence network analysis indicated a caste-associated interaction structure, with soldier-biased taxa forming a dense, highly connected module while worker-biased taxa contributed to local structure and bridging positions. Furthermore, chemoheterotrophy and fermentation were predicted to be enriched in workers, whereas nitrate reduction, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, aromatic compound degradation, and phenotypes related to biofilm formation, stress tolerance, and mobile elements were predicted to be relatively enriched in soldiers. Moreover, qPCR analysis further showed caste-associated differences in dominant gut protists, with Pseudotrichonympha in workers significantly higher than in soldiers and positively correlated with Azobacteroides. These results provide clear evidence of caste-associated differentiation in gut microbial composition and offer a foundation for identifying novel microbial targets for termite pest management. Full article

Background: Bacterial biofilms play a key role in causing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Current PJI management strategies commonly combine systemic antibiotic therapy with localized delivery such as antibiotic-loaded cement or beads to achieve effective tissue penetration and high antimicrobial concentrations at the implant site. We hypothesized that antibiotic-loaded calcium sulfate beads would effectively eradicate early Staphylococcus aureus biofilms but exhibit reduced efficacy against mature biofilms formed in synovial fluid (SF). This study evaluated the efficacy of vancomycin combined with gentamicin (V+G) or tobramycin (V+T) against GFP-expressing S. aureus biofilms grown in the presence of SF. Methods: Biofilms were established on clinically relevant orthopedic implant materials such as titanium (Ti), stainless steel (316L), and polyethylene (PE). Early (1-day) and mature (3-day) biofilms were treated with calcium sulfate beads loaded with V+G or V+T. Antimicrobial efficacy was quantified by colony-forming unit (CFU) enumeration. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing was performed on surviving populations to assess potential development of antibiotic resistance. Results: Both antibiotic combinations resulted in no detectable viable bacteria in the 1-day biofilm across all tested materials following treatment, demonstrating strong reduction in early biofilm burden below the detection limit. Treatment of mature biofilms resulted in a 4–5 log reduction. MIC analysis of representative bacteria surviving post-treatment indicated no substantial increase in resistance. Conclusions: These findings show that while locally delivered antibiotic combinations eliminate early biofilms, mature biofilms demonstrate significant tolerance. MIC analysis showed little or no change in vancomycin, gentamicin, and tobramycin susceptibility after treatment, indicating no evident increase in planktonic antibiotic resistance among the surviving isolates. Together, these results highlight the importance of early intervention and the need for strategies that disrupt biofilm structure or improve antibiotic penetration to enhance PJI treatment outcomes. Full article

Glycans attached to host glycoproteins play an important role in regulating oral microbial colonization and maintaining community balance. Our previous studies revealed that children exhibit lower levels of α2-3 sialylated glycan structures (SAα2-3Gal) than adults, raising the possibility that this age-associated glycan deficiency contributes to the heightened cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans. In this study, sialylated glycoproteins (Sia-GP) and corresponding desialylated controls (DeSia-GP and α2,3-DeSia-GP) were prepared from bovine milk-derived glycoproteins to investigate the functional contribution of SAα2-3Gal. Their effects on S. mutans were evaluated by assessing bacterial growth, acid production, biofilm formation and extracellular polysaccharide synthesis, while a human oral keratinocytes (HOK cells) infection model was used to examine epithelial cell viability, wound healing, and infection-associated inflammatory responses. The results showed that Sia-GP exerted only a transient inhibitory effect on early bacterial growth without affecting final biomass, but significantly attenuated acidogenic activity, biofilm formation, and extracellular polysaccharides production in a concentration-dependent manner. These inhibitory effects were markedly attenuated following removal of α2-3-linked sialic acids, demonstrating the essential role of SAα2-3Gal. In addition, Sia-GP alleviated S. mutans-induced cellular damage in HOK cells by improving cell viability, colony formation, and migration, while suppressing infection-associated inflammatory signaling. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that SAα2-3Gal effectively limits multiple virulence traits of S. mutans and attenuates S. mutans-induced damage in oral epithelial cells. This study provides mechanistic insights into glycan-mediated regulation of host–microbe interactions and suggests that the naturally low abundance of SAα2-3Gal in children may increase their susceptibility to S. mutans infection and caries development. Full article

Biogeographic barriers are well known to structure animal and plant diversity, but whether they are associated with variation in host-associated microbiomes, especially in tropical pollinators, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated gut bacterial community variation in the stingless bee Tetragonula laeviceps (Apidae: Meliponini) collected from Bali and Lombok, two Indonesian islands situated on opposite sides of the Wallace Line. Using 16S rRNA gene V3–V4 amplicon sequencing, we analyzed 12 colony-level samples collected from forest and agroforestry habitats on both islands. Alpha-diversity analysis revealed variation in bacterial richness and diversity among colonies and sampling groups, with the highest richness observed in the Lombok agroforestry group. The gut microbiota was dominated by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Bacteroidota, with several bee-associated genera, including Lactobacillus, Bombilactobacillus, Apilactobacillus, Bombella, Commensalibacter, Snodgrassella, Bifidobacterium and Bartonella, varying in relative abundance among island and habitat groups. Beta-diversity analyses showed significant group-associated differentiation in bacterial community composition (ANOSIM R = 0.444, p = 0.001), indicating that gut microbiome structure differed across the sampled island–habitat groups. Differential-abundance analyses identified candidate bacterial taxa associated with specific groups, suggesting that microbiome divergence was driven mainly by shifts in the relative abundance of shared bacterial lineages rather than complete replacement of dominant taxa. Predicted functional profiling further indicated that the taxonomic variation was accompanied by differences in putative functional potential. These findings suggest that the gut microbiota of T. laeviceps carries a detectable island and habitat-associated signal and highlight host-associated microbial communities as an underexplored dimension of tropical island biogeography. Because island identity and position relative to the Wallace Line are not independent in this design, these results should be interpreted as island associated microbiome variation within a Wallace Line context, not as direct evidence of a causal Wallace Line effect. Full article

Environmental contamination represents an important risk factor for the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens in both human and veterinary medicine. In equine hospitals, open stable environments and high patient turnover may further increase the risk of microbial spread. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hygiene status of an equine referral hospital and to assess the effect of implementing standardized cleaning and disinfection procedures combined with targeted staff training on environmental microbial burden. Surface samples were collected using agar contact plates from predefined environmental surfaces in surgical areas, examination rooms, and stable units of an equine clinic. Sampling was conducted during three investigation periods: prior to intervention, after implementation of revised cleaning protocols and staff training, and during a later follow-up assessment. Colony-forming units (CFU) were quantified and categorized into an ordinal contamination scale (0–4) to enable standardized statistical analysis. Furthermore, delta values were calculated for every sampling period, describing the reduction in the environmental microbial burden. Pre- and post-cleaning microbial burdens were compared using nonparametric statistical methods. A total of 76 locations were sampled before and after cleaning and disinfection in sampling period 1 and 2; in sampling period 3, sample collection focused on sensitive surfaces, and 21 locations were sampled. Bacterial contamination varied considerably between functional areas, with the highest baseline contamination consistently observed in stable environments. Examination and surgical areas showed heterogeneous contamination patterns, particularly on high-touch surfaces, such as keyboards, switches, and door handles. In sampling periods 1 and 2, cleaning and disinfection significantly reduced microbial burden. The delta values in sampling period 2 were significantly lower than the delta values in both sampling period 1 and sampling period 3. These findings demonstrate that environmental contamination in equine hospitals is highly variable and influenced by surface type, clinical workflow, and proximity to patients. Structured hygiene interventions, including standardized cleaning protocols and continuous staff education, can significantly improve environmental hygiene and should be integrated into infection prevention programs in veterinary clinical facilities. Full article

Cadmium contamination of soils poses a global threat to food security and ecosystem stability. Soil bacteria play a key role in mitigating Cd-induced stress, and their adaptive capabilities can be modulated by the application of organic amendments such as compost, fermented bark, or preparations containing humic acid. This article presents the results of studies on soil bacterial communities using culture-dependent and next-generation sequencing approaches. Based on the obtained data, colony development indices and ecophysiological diversity indices were determined for organotrophic bacteria and actinobacteria. Alpha and beta diversity of bacteria were also assessed, common and unique genera occurring in the studied soils were identified, and the predicted metabolic functions of microorganisms were determined. It was found that cadmium reduced the abundance of organotrophic bacteria and actinobacteria by 54.5% and 12.9%, respectively, compared to the control, resulting in a shift in the bacterial community structure from r-strategists toward K-strategists. Humic acid increased the abundance of organotrophic bacteria and actinobacteria by 42.8% and 57.3%. Compost most effectively mitigated cadmium effects by stabilizing the colony development index and bacterial ecophysiological diversity. Cadmium strongly altered the soil bacterial microbiome, reducing the abundance of Actinomycetota while increasing that of Pseudomonadota and Bacteroidota. The application of organic amendments influenced the bacterial response to Cd²⁺-induced stress. Fermented bark was associated with an increased abundance of Sphingomonas, whereas compost was associated with an increased abundance of Cellulosimicrobium. Although none of the organic amendments affected the overall diversity index under these conditions, compost improved the evenness and ecological stability of the bacterial community. The dominance of aerobic chemoheterotrophs involved in the carbon cycle and the degradation of organic compounds was demonstrated. Compost most effectively supported biogeochemical processes. Full article

Urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs), represent a significant clinical problem due to the predominance of Gram-negative uropathogens, their ability to form biofilms, and the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, which together reduce the effectiveness of conventional antibiotic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of selected natural plant-derived compounds against clinical Gram-negative uropathogens isolated from CAUTIs. The antibacterial effects of gallic acid, quercetin-3-D-glucuronide, and apigenin were assessed against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis, including both ciprofloxacin-susceptible and -resistant strains. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the broth microdilution method, followed by quantitative assessment of bacterial viability based on colony-forming unit (CFU) enumeration. Gallic acid exhibited the strongest concentration-dependent inhibitory activity, reducing bacterial viability by up to 2–3 log₁₀ CFU across all tested species. Quercetin-3-D-glucuronide demonstrated moderate antibacterial effects with a predominantly bacteriostatic profile, resulting in a partial but consistent reduction in CFU counts. In contrast, apigenin showed only weak effects on bacterial viability under the applied experimental conditions. None of the tested compounds achieved complete bacterial eradication. These findings indicate that gallic acid and quercetin-3-D-glucuronide possess inhibitory activity against Gram-negative uropathogens, including antibiotic-resistant strains, supporting their potential use as adjunctive agents targeting bacterial persistence in UTIs rather than as standalone antimicrobials. In the present study, the viability of planktonic bacterial cells was assessed; however, future studies should focus on evaluating the direct impact of the tested compounds on biofilm structure and biofilm formation dynamics. Full article

Achieving in situ and time-resolved monitoring of microbial metabolites without disrupting the microbial growth environment remains a key challenge in electrochemical biosensing. Herein, we propose a self-healing bilayer hydrogel-based solid-state electrochemical sensing platform for the in situ, time-resolved analysis of purine metabolites produced by Escherichia coli (E. coli). This platform integrates an upper Agar culture module and a lower borax-crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) detection module, forming a contiguous structure that allows metabolites (e.g., guanine, xanthine, hypoxanthine) to migrate across the solid–solid interface for sensitive electrochemical detection. The detection layer exhibits excellent ionic conductivity; when coupled with its robust structural self-healing capacity, the platform achieved a detection limit of 0.05 µM for guanine. For E. coli detection, a linear response range of 1.1 × 10⁶ to 9.5 × 10⁶ CFU·mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9974) was obtained, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 2.34% even after two weeks of storage. Leveraging this integrated design, the platform enables continuous, label-free tracking of bacterial metabolic dynamics throughout all growth phases. Notably, it detects metabolic transition points earlier than traditional plate counting methods and accurately evaluates antibiotic inhibition trends, with results consistent with colony-forming unit (CFU) analysis. This integrated culture–detection architecture thus provides a versatile strategy for functional microbial analysis and rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Full article

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a primary pathogen in periodontitis, yet its elimination is limited by complex anatomical structures. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising adjunct, but its antimicrobial efficacy is compromised in the acidic microenvironment induced by P. gingivalis. Given that 2′,4′,5′,7′-tetraiodofluorescein (TIF) exhibits robust and stable photodynamic activity under acidic conditions, this study investigated the antibacterial effect of TIF-mediated PDT (TIF-PDT) against P. gingivalis. P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 was treated with TIF (5, 10, 20, and 40 μM), light (525 nm), or both. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was assessed at pH 4.5 or 7.4. Bacterial viability and membrane integrity were evaluated by colony-forming unit (CFU) assay and LIVE/DEAD staining. CFU assays demonstrated that TIF-PDT groups achieved an approximately 4-log reduction in bacterial viability compared to the DEMI, Light, and TIF groups, with no dark cytotoxicity and light-alone effects. LIVE/DEAD staining revealed bright yellow fluorescence in the TIF-PDT (40 μM), indicating membrane damage and significantly lower survival rates than controls. TIF-PDT at 10, 20, and 40 μM produced ROS under both neutral and acidic conditions, exhibited low dark cytotoxicity, and demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against P. gingivalis in vitro, suggesting its potential as an acid-tolerant photosensitizer for periodontitis adjunctive therapy. Full article

Modern wound care is challenged by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, causing the need for advanced dressing materials that provide infection control while promoting healing. Although polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels are widely investigated due to their biocompatibility, their lack of intrinsic antibacterial activity and poor mechanical properties restrict their clinical use. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes a natural–synthetic hydrogel that combines PAAm with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCNF) functionalized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The synthesis is performed through the polymerization of the synthetic monomer in the presence of the TOCNF–AgNPs, the nanofibrillar cellulose simultaneously serving as a reducing and stabilizing agent for AgNPs, and as a plasticizer for the PAAm network. Morpho-structural analysis of the hybrid precursor (TOCNF–AgNPs) revealed two populations of AgNPs, offering a cumulative effect between rapid bacterial penetration and a prolonged ionic reservoir, while maintaining the stability of the system. The subsequent incorporation of the hybrid into PAAm matrix resulted in tunable swelling kinetics and mechanical properties. Wettability and surface stiffness improve with the increase in hybrid content. The antibacterial effect was confirmed by a colony-counting assay for formulations with higher AgNPs content, exhibiting inhibitory metabolic activity against several pathogenic strains. These results suggest that PAAm/TOCNF–AgNPs (PTA) nanocomposites represent a promising mechanically adaptive candidate for wound-care applications. Full article

Polysulfone (PSF) nanofiltration membranes incorporating oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (o–MWCNTs) and terbium oxide (Tb₂O₃) nanoparticles were fabricated via the non-solvent-induced phase inversion technique. The effect of Tb₂O₃ loading (0, 1, 3, and 5% w/w) on membrane morphology, hydrophilicity, water permeability, dye rejection, and antibiofouling performance was systematically investigated. Membrane structure was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, EDX, XRD, and water contact angle measurements. The results confirmed the successful incorporation of Tb₂O₃ within the membrane matrix, and morphological analysis revealed a relatively dense membrane structure without macrovoid formation. Filtration experiments conducted in a dead-end cell under pressures of 1–4 bar demonstrated a maximum water flux of 53 L m⁻² h⁻¹, with dye rejection exceeding 99.9% for both methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR) at 4 bar. Antibiofouling performance, evaluated by colony-forming unit analysis, revealed bacterial growth reductions of 59% against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and 89% against Gram-positive Candida albicans, attributed to the dark-active generation of reactive oxygen species by Tb₂O₃, eliminating the need for UV irradiation. These results demonstrate that the synergistic integration of o–MWCNTs and Tb₂O₃ effectively addresses the permeability-selectivity trade-off and mitigates biofouling limitations associated with pristine PSF membranes, thereby offering a promising multifunctional platform for sustainable industrial wastewater treatment. Full article