Search Results (2,383)

The enhanced performance of electrokinetics (EK) on the cadmium (Cd) dissociation, redistribution, and phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated agricultural soil has been investigated based on the application of an electric field in different dimensions (1D, 2D, 3D). In electrokinetic–assisted phytoremediation (EKPR), unlike the uniform pH change observed in 1D treatment, more soil points (P1–P9) under 2D/3D electric fields were exposed to the influence of the anode (or cathode during polarity switching). Sedum plumbizincicola mitigates EK-induced soil acidification and alkalization, particularly anode acidification under high voltage (10–20 V). Studies reveal that EK promotes Cd dissolution into soil pore water, with a 227.82% maximum increase in the anode region under EK2 treatment of 10 V voltage, facilitating Cd phytoextraction. Periodically reversed DC electric fields enhanced Sedum plumbizincicola height more significantly than biomass, with no conspicuous regional differences. Overall, EKPR (voltage of 5–10 V) can effectively promote soil Cd phytoremediation due to the synergistic effect of direct interface action and indirect influence of the electric field to improve the Cd speciation evolution, dissociation, and bioavailability at the soil–water interface. The appropriate electric field arrangement and voltage were 2D treatment (EKPR2) and 5 V for S. plumbizincicola, respectively. In this case, the average Cd removal rate was as high as 50.23%, and the biomass and Cd accumulation increased by 16.59% and 29.31%. This suggests that plant growth constitutes the pivotal stage driving Cd accumulation and ultimately achieving Cd removal from soil, which is the key to enhancing remediation efficiency. Meanwhile, the configuration and intensity regulation of electric fields, as core elements ensuring the enhanced efficacy of electrokinetic–assisted phytoremediation (EKPR), can indirectly affect plant growth and Cd accumulation processes by modulating intermediate variables such as soil pH, nutrient status, and heavy metal speciation evolution. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent and mobile contaminants of global concern, and, while granular activated carbon (GAC) is widely used for their removal, it is limited by the high regeneration and disposal costs. This study investigates surface-modified clinoptilolite zeolites as low-cost and thermally regenerable alternatives to GAC for PFAS removal from water. Natural clinoptilolite was modified through acid washing, ion exchange with Fe³⁺ or La³⁺, grafting with aminosilane (APTES) or hydrophobic silane (DTMS), dual APTES + DTMS grafting, and graphene oxide coating. The adsorption performance was evaluated for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, C8) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, C4) at 100 µg L⁻¹ in single- and mixed-solute systems, with an additional high-concentration PFOA test (1 mg L⁻¹). PFAS concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) using a SCIEX 7500 QTRAP system coupled to a Waters ACQUITY UPLC I-Class. Raw zeolite showed limited PFOA removal (4%), whereas dual-functionalized APTES + DTMS zeolites achieved up to 93% removal, comparable to GAC (97%) and superior to single-silane or metal-exchanged variants. At lower concentrations, modified zeolites effectively removed PFOA but showed limited PFBA removal (<25%), highlighting ongoing challenges for short-chain PFASs. Overall, the results demonstrate that dual-functionalized clinoptilolite zeolites represent a promising and scalable platform for PFAS remediation, particularly for mid- to long-chain compounds, provided that strategies for enhancing short-chain PFAS binding are further developed. Full article

The presence of emerging contaminants in water has led to a need for the development of new materials and treatments. Four low-cost adsorbents derived from lignocellulosic biomass waste (pine nut shells and olive stones) were prepared via chemical treatment (with H₃PO₄ or NaOH) followed by thermal activation (at 550 °C under N₂). Characterization of the bioadsorbents was carried out using N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, FTIR and Raman spectroscopic analyses, and pHpzc determination. The electrostatic interactions between the adsorbent surface and the dyes were determined, and it was found that the interactions in both adsorbents were attractive for the methylene blue and repulsive for methyl orange, at pH basic or neutral. The performance of the obtained activated carbons was evaluated at lab scale with two dyes (methylene blue and methyl orange), and a comparison was made between both adsorbents and with commercial charcoal. The H₃PO₄-activated adsorbents exhibited higher adsorption capacities (up to 300 mg/g for methylene blue and 285 mg/g for methyl orange), with adsorption efficiencies close to 100%. More than 10 adsorption–desorption cycles were performed, with efficiencies exceeding 85%. The good reusability shown by the H₃PO₄-activated adsorbents suggests significant potential for industrial application; namely, in the removal emerging contaminants from urban wastewater. It should be noted that the adsorption efficiency decreased after the fifth cycle, indicating a gradual reduction in performance over time (although it remained above 85% in the performed experiments). This study aims to achieve the goal of zero waste and contribute to the circular economy through the sustainable use of residual biomass. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a valuable biomarker for cancer diagnosis and therapy monitoring; however, its low abundance and fragmented nature present major challenges for reliable isolation, particularly from limited plasma volumes. Here, we report the development and evaluation of a novel magnetically assisted microfluidic chip with a three-inlet design for efficient cfDNA extraction from small-volume plasma samples. Methods: The platform enables controlled infusion of plasma, lysis buffer, and magnetic nanoparticle suspensions at defined flow rates. An external magnetic field selectively captures cfDNA-bound nanoparticles while efficiently removing background impurities. Results: Direct comparison with two in vitro diagnostic (IVD)-certified commercial cfDNA extraction kits showed that the microfluidic system achieved comparable cfDNA yields at standard plasma volumes and superior performance at reduced input volumes. High DNA purity and integrity were confirmed by quantitative PCR amplification of a housekeeping gene and clinically relevant targets. The complete workflow required approximately 9 min, used minimal equipment, reduced contamination risk, and enabled rapid processing with future potential for parallel multi-chip configurations. Conclusions: These findings establish the proposed microfluidic platform as a rapid, reproducible, and scalable alternative to conventional cfDNA extraction methods. By significantly improving recovery efficiency from small plasma volumes, the system enhances the clinical feasibility of liquid biopsy applications in cancer diagnostics and precision medicine. Full article

The continuous release of pharmaceutical compounds into aquatic environments poses significant challenges to environmental sustainability, as conventional wastewater treatment plants are often ineffective in removing recalcitrant and bioactive molecules. In this study, the adsorption performance of nanoclay was systematically evaluated for the removal of nystatin, a polyene antifungal of emerging environmental concern, from aqueous solutions. The effects of solution pH, adsorption kinetics, equilibrium isotherms, and adsorption mechanisms were investigated under environmentally relevant conditions. Nanoclay exhibited outstanding removal efficiency, exceeding 98% across a wide pH range (3–11), thereby demonstrating strong operational robustness and minimal sensitivity to pH variations. Structural and spectroscopic analyses (XRD and FTIR) confirmed that adsorption occurred predominantly on the external surface of the nanoclay, without significant disruption of its lamellar structure, and was governed mainly by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. Kinetic data were best described by the pseudo-second-order model, with rapid equilibrium achieved within approximately 20 min, indicating high affinity between nystatin and the adsorbent surface. Equilibrium data were best fitted by the Sips isotherm model, reflecting surface heterogeneity and a favorable adsorption process, with a high maximum adsorption capacity of approximately 911 mg/g. A preliminary cost analysis revealed low raw material costs, while energy consumption, particularly during drying, was identified as the main economic limitation. Overall, the results highlight Nanoclay as an efficient, robust, and promising adsorbent for the sustainable removal of hydrophobic pharmaceutical contaminants from water and wastewater. Full article

Almonds are a highly valued nut due to their rich protein and nutritional content. However, they are vulnerable to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in warm and humid environments. Consumption of AFB1-contaminated almonds can pose serious health risks, including kidney damage, and may lead to significant economic losses. Consequently, a rapid and non-destructive detection method is essential to ensure food safety by identifying and removing contaminated almonds from the supply chain. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and 3D deep learning provide a non-destructive, efficient alternative to current AFB1 detection methods. This study presents an attention-guided Inception ResNet 3D Network (AGIR-3DNet) for fast and precise detection of AFB1 contamination in almonds utilizing HSI. The proposed model integrates multi-scale feature extraction, residual learning, and attention mechanisms to enhance spatial-spectral feature representation, enabling more precise classification. The proposed 3D model was rigorously tested, and its performance was compared against 3D Inception and various conventional machine learning models. Compared to conventional machine learning models and deep learning architectures, AGIR-3DNet outperformed and achieved superior validation accuracy of 93.30%, an F1-score (harmonic mean of precision and recall) of 0.94, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value of 0.98. Furthermore, the model enhances processing efficiency, making it faster and more suitable for real-time industrial applications. Full article

Geosmin contamination in water is a worldwide concern, owing to its strong odor at trace levels and limited removal by typical water treatment methods. In this study, bentonite–alginate–magnetic (Bent-alg-mag) beads were prepared using the ionic gelation method for the removal of geosmin from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent’s physicochemical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The influence of factors such as contact time, solution pH, initial geosmin concentration, and adsorbent dosage on adsorption performance was systematically investigated. Under optimal conditions, over 96% of geosmin was removed within 480 min. The adsorption kinetics were best described by the pseudo-first-order model (R² = 0.9918), indicating that the process is primarily controlled by surface adsorption. Adsorption equilibrium data were well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.9705) and a maximum monolayer capacity of 16.064 ng/g. The adsorbent exhibited 70% removal efficiency after three adsorption–desorption cycles, showing good regeneration potential, though long-term stability may be limited. Overall, the Bent-alg-mag beads proved to be an effective and promising material for the removal of geosmin from water. Full article

Acacia dealbata, an invasive species in Portugal, produces large amounts of residual biomass during control operations, thereby presenting challenges and opportunities for sustainable valorization. Heavy metal contamination, including zinc (Zn), remains a critical environmental challenge due to its widespread industrial release and potential ecotoxicological impacts. This study explores the potential use of A. dealbata biomass as a biosorbent for zinc removal from aqueous solutions, comparing the performance of natural biomass and A. dealbata charcoal fines. Adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and surface characterizations were conducted to evaluate their physicochemical properties and sorption efficiency. The A. dealbata charcoal fines exhibited a significantly higher specific surface area (33 m² g⁻¹) and total pore volume (0.030 cm³ g⁻¹) compared with the untreated biomass (1.4 m² g⁻¹ and 0.004 cm³ g⁻¹, respectively). Despite these structural differences, both materials demonstrated similar maximum adsorption capacities (23.36 and 23.79 mg g⁻¹ for natural and charcoal fines, respectively). These results indicate that untreated A. dealbata biomass can perform as a biosorbent comparably to its carbonized form, representing a simple, low-cost, and sustainable alternative for heavy metal removal, offering a low-energy and sustainable alternative for Zn remediation. Full article

Synthetic RNA has become an essential modality in therapeutic development. Linear mRNA is already clinically validated, which demonstrated that in vitro-transcribed (IVT) RNA can achieve robust protein expression in humans and can be manufactured at a large scale. Circular RNA (circRNA) represents a more recent format characterized by a covalently closed backbone that confers enhanced resistance to exonucleases and supports sustained translation when paired with appropriate regulatory elements. Although both formats are produced through cell-free synthesis, their manufacturing pathways are distinct. Linear mRNA synthesis requires transcription, capping, polyadenylation, and stringent removal of double-stranded RNA contaminants. circRNA production generally proceeds through transcription of a linear precursor followed by enzymatic or ribozyme-mediated circularization, with emerging strategies such as permuted intron-exon designs improving efficiency and reducing extraneous sequence content. This review summarizes the principal methods used to generate linear and circRNA and identifies the technical barriers that must be overcome during the manufacturing process. Full article

Water represents the fundamental source of life for all human and animal populations; however, its consumption has become increasingly hazardous due to high levels of pollution. Modern agricultural practices rely heavily on pesticides, which significantly contribute to water contamination and imbalances in aquatic ecosystems. Moreover, another critical category of pollutants consists of pathogenic bacteria that proliferate in aquatic environments, mainly originating from hospital and urban wastewater because of human activity. Considering these major environmental and health challenges, the present study aims to develop an optimized method for water treatment by synthesizing magnetic silica-based aerogels using a microfluidic vortex chip and systematically varying synthesis parameters to enhance material performance. The physicochemical properties of the aerogels were characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, and BET. The pesticide adsorption capacity of the materials was evaluated using FT-ICR HR-MS analysis, which demonstrated the high efficiency of the aerogels in removing a complex mixture of pesticides. In parallel, antimicrobial efficacy was assessed against E. faecalis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa isolated from surface water, hospital wastewater, and the influent of a well-known wastewater treatment plant in Bucharest, as well as against ATCC reference strains. Additionally, the study investigated the biocompatibility and biological responses of magnetic aerogels using MTT assays, nitric oxide production, lactate dehydrogenase release, intracellular ROS levels, and quantification of total protein, malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione in HaCaT and HEK293 cell lines. The results confirm the efficiency and application potential of the developed materials and emphasize the importance of optimizing synthesis to achieve high-performance aerogels for effective decontamination of polluted waters. Full article

Ni removal from waste streams wherein it is present in organically complexed forms remains a major industrial challenge since organically bound Ni does not readily precipitate and is poorly removed by conventional adsorbents. In this work, two effective adsorbents, namely thin-layered porous carbon (TLPC) and MnO₂-decorated TLPC (i.e., MnO₂-TLPC), were developed for the removal of both inorganic and organically complexed Ni(II) from synthetic and real waste streams. Both adsorbents removed inorganic Ni(II) as well as Ni(II) present in organically complexed forms, achieving up to ~80% removal from both real and synthetic electroplating wastewater. Critically, Ni removal efficiencies were maintained over five adsorption–desorption cycles, demonstrating excellent regeneration and reuse potential. The Ni removal by TLPC was pH-dependent, whereas MnO₂-TLPC showed minimal pH sensitivity. TLPC relies on outer-sphere, charge-driven adsorption, whereas MnO₂-TLPC achieves stronger Ni binding through inner-sphere complexation promoted by oxygen- and nitrogen-based functional groups. The sorbents also reduced dissolved organic carbon, with TLPC displaying higher organic removal efficiency. Mechanistic analysis indicates that Ni uptake is primarily governed by sorption of both complexed and inorganic Ni(II) present in equilibrium with the complex, combined with sorption of the free ligand itself. The sorption of the free ligands and inorganic Ni(II) drive Ni–ligand decomplexation in the solution phase, enabling further Ni removal. Overall, TLPC provides a low-cost, high-performance option for treating alkaline wastewaters with elevated Ni and organic loadings, while MnO₂-TLPC offers robust, pH-resilient removal under circumneutral conditions. These findings position both materials as promising candidates for practical wastewater treatment applications targeting complexed metal contaminants. Full article

The removal of toxic trace metals such as cadmium (Cd²⁺) and lead (Pb²⁺) from wastewater is critical due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and adverse health effects. In this study, a novel composite adsorbent was synthesized by integrating activated carbon with nickel–iron-layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDH) and immobilizing the resulting nanocomposite within Polyether sulfone (PES) beads to improve stability, handling, and recyclability. The material was evaluated under varying pH, initial metal concentration, and contact time conditions. The adsorption behavior was investigated using four isotherm models and two kinetic models. The composite beads exhibited maximum adsorption capacities of 1.784 mg g⁻¹ for Cd²⁺ and 5.882 mg g⁻¹ for Pb²⁺. The Cd²⁺ adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.995), indicating a homogeneous monolayer adsorption, whereas Pb²⁺ adsorption was best described by the Freundlich model (R² = 0.955), suggesting heterogeneous surface interactions and multiple binding sites. The kinetic analysis showed that the adsorption of both metals followed a pseudo-second-order model, supporting chemisorption as the dominant rate-controlling mechanism. The AC@NiFe-LDH/PES beads demonstrated high efficiency, structural integrity, and ease of recovery over multiple cycles, highlighting their potential as a sustainable and environmentally friendly adsorbent for trace metal removal from contaminated water. Full article

Growing water scarcity, climate change, and increasingly stringent environmental regulations have intensified the need for advanced wastewater treatment technologies capable of removing emerging contaminants and enabling safe water reuse. This review provides an integrated assessment of recent trends in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including their role in hybrid treatment systems, with emphasis on contaminant removal efficiency, energy demand, operational complexity, and transformation product formation. In parallel, an exploratory statistical analysis of EUROSTAT indicators—population connected to wastewater treatment plants, Water Exploitation Index (WEI), freshwater availability, and sludge production—was conducted to examine relationships between treatment infrastructure and pressures on water resources across Europe. Correlation and principal component analyses reveal weak to moderate and predominantly indirect relationships between infrastructure expansion and water stress, highlighting that connectivity alone does not reduce resource pressure in the absence of water reuse and advanced treatment. The combined technological and statistical evidence demonstrates that reuse-oriented MBR–AOP systems are critical for improving effluent quality, mitigating emerging pollutant risks, and supporting circular, climate-resilient water management strategies under European policy frameworks. Full article

The degradation of mercapto organic contaminants is highly important for safety and environmental protection since the specific chemical properties and the strong nature of S-containing bonds can make them less susceptible to traditional degradation mechanisms compared to other types of organic bonds. Thus, degradation of mercapto organic contaminants often requires catalysts with specific bandgap properties to ensure efficient generation of reactive species and appropriate redox potential alignment. Hence, in this work, we prepared bandgap-engineered semiconductor photocatalysts based on nanoparticles of different silica-doped spinel cobalt ferrite [SiO₂/CoFe₂O₄] (abbreviated as SiMCoF) [SiMCoF-1, SiMCoF-2, and SiMCoF-3] and characterized them by different analytical techniques. Since the dopant composition in a heterogeneous semiconductor material has important effects on its photocatalytic efficiency because adjusting the dopant profile can modulate impurity bands and enhance optical properties, which is crucial for the oxidative degradation of organic pollutants. Results from TEM, SEM, and their EDS analysis revealed that increased SiO₂ content showed improved surface area in the matrix, facilitating the increased absorption of oxygen impurities. This is further observed by the higher R_max values presented in AFM of SiMCoF-3 (139 nm) compared to SiMCoF-2 (116 nm) and SiMCoF-1 (8.78 nm), depicting its larger effective surface area (100 µm²), which in turn increases the active binding sites in the matrix. The Raman spectrum and XRD pattern of SiMCoF-3 showed various crystal planes with different atomic arrangements and a smaller crystallite size, leading to varying affinities for oxygen impurities. As a result, the optical bandgap decreased from 3.42 eV to 2.89 eV for SiMCoF-3, which is attributed to the quantum confinement effects caused by the smaller particle size and the dispersion of silica particles in the cobalt ferrite matrix. Thus, SiMCoF-3 showed elevated degradation performance without using any potential oxidants over the degradation of mercapto organic contaminants such as 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, and thiophenol under sunlight irradiation compared to other ferrites, and showed better results than Fenton’s reagent. Full article

The discharge of dye-contaminated effluents from textile industries into water bodies poses a severe threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. To address this challenge, cellulose and interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels based on cellulose and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were developed via an in situ synthesis method. The cellulose solution was obtained by cold dissolving the polysaccharide in NaOH, then dissolving PVA. The IPN hydrogels were obtained by co-cross-linking the two polymers in an alkaline medium using ECH. To optimize the hydrogels, synthesis parameters like time (4–7 h), temperature (50–80 °C), and cross-linking ratio (ECH = 50–125% w/w) were varied. Different hydrogel compositions (Cel/PVA = 90/10 to 60/40 w/w) were tested for their absorption efficiency in removing Tubantin Blue (DB 78) dye under varying initial concentrations and temperatures. Hydrogels exhibit varying adsorption capacities for DB78, depending on their IPN composition, synthesis parameters, and dye concentration. Specifically, IPN adsorption capacity ranges from 8.8 to 38.1 mg DB78/g hydrogel (7.5–36.2% efficiency). At high effluent concentrations, IPN can reach a retention capacity of 217.7 mg/g, achieving a retention efficiency of 58.4%. Cellulose and cellulose/PVA IPN hydrogels show promise as sustainable adsorbents for treating dye-contaminated wastewater. Full article