Search Results (553)

Oat-based beverages are increasingly popular milk alternatives. However, the heat treatment required to ensure shelf stability is limited by rapid fouling formation on heated surfaces, reducing processing efficiency. Oat proteins, considered an important quality attribute of oat drinks, are suspected to play a key role in fouling initiation, but their specific contribution remains poorly understood. This study investigates the role of oat proteins in fouling formation during heat treatment on technical scale. Membrane filtration was applied and validated as sample preparation method for increasing the protein content. Fouling experiments were conducted using a previously validated fouling system with feed solutions containing different protein concentrations. Protein content was increased by filtration using 0.1, 0.8 and 1.4 µm ceramic membranes, yielding retentates with 10–21 g·100 g⁻¹ on a dry matter basis, and further enriched to >40 g·100 g⁻¹ through diafiltration. Fouling experiments (140 °C, 60 min) revealed a dependence of fouling formation on protein content in the feed solution. Fouling deposits were negligible at low protein concentrations (<2.5 g·100 g⁻¹), increased markedly between 8 and 14 g·100 g⁻¹, and reached a plateau at higher protein levels. Using oat supernatant or retentates, the protein content in the fouling correlated linearly with the protein content in the feed solution (R² = 0.98) but did not exceed ~25 g·100 g⁻¹, resulting in predominantly carbohydrate-based deposits. In contrast, diafiltered protein-enriched feed solutions produced larger, protein-dominated deposits. A conceptual model describing feed-dependent fouling mechanisms is proposed. Full article

Aqueous precipitation and crystallization are central to impurity removal, product formation, and resource recovery in mineral and chemical processing, but robust inline monitoring remains challenging because supersaturation is not measured directly and conductivity signals are affected by temperature, composition drift, bubbles, solids, polarization, and fouling. Electrical conductivity (EC) is attractive as a low-cost, rugged process analytical tool, yet its usefulness depends on mechanistic interpretation: EC reflects charge-carrier concentration and mobility rather than supersaturation itself. This review organizes the literature into a layered framework covering (i) measurement integrity and deployment, (ii) bulk-signal extraction in multiphase media, (iii) estimation of latent variables such as dissolved concentration or supersaturation proxies, and (iv) control readiness based on conductivity-derived targets. Frequency-aware conductivity extraction, event-anchored verification, and observer-based estimation are treated as optional, complementary modules. A Ca-carbonate/CaCO₃ system is used as an illustrative case because its coupling among conductivity, pH/speciation, supersaturation, and precipitation is especially transparent, although the framework is intended for broader processing systems, including complex liquors and slurries. Opportunities are also highlighted for nanomaterials to improve both precipitation control and EC information content. Full article

Graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes are promising for filtration, desalination, and water treatment, yet their performance requires the joint interpretation of their architecture, nanoconfined transport, selectivity, fouling, swelling, defects, stability, and operating conditions. Here, GCMembrane-LLM was developed as an evidence-grounded domain-specific large language model. A curated 582-paper corpus generated 12,208 cleaned membrane-specific question–answer pairs for Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA)-based supervised fine-tuning of Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct, and retrieval-augmented generation provided article-title and page-level traceability. GCMembraneBench included 100 application-oriented questions on graphene oxide (GO) membranes, CNT membranes, GO/CNT hybrids, and cross-material reasoning. Under direct answering without retrieval context, the anonymized and shuffled automatic evaluation showed that GCMembrane-LLM achieved a mean weighted score of 4.237/5.0, exceeding Llama-3.1-8B-Instruct and Doubao-1.5-lite. A stratified 30-question blinded manual assessment showed the same ranking. The application cases further yielded membrane science conclusions: CNT-assisted GO/CNT transport should be evaluated with dispersion, interfacial compatibility, defects, and stability; GO desalination depends on swelling control, interlayer spacing, and defect suppression; and CNT high flux requires joint examination of pore diameter, entrance chemistry, hydration barriers, ion rejection, and operating conditions. GCMembrane-LLM supports source-traceable evidence organization and preliminary hypothesis formulation before experimental validation. Full article

This paper proposes a data-driven framework for simulating turbocharger (TC) failure scenarios and modelling specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC) degradation in two-stroke low-speed marine diesel engines. A GaussianCopula model was fitted to the joint distribution of fifteen variables, using approximately eleven months of operational sensor data (n = 480 clean records, 4 h interval, January–December 2014) taken from a container ship. Three physically motivated failure scenarios were produced: turbine blade fouling, bearing wear and compressor surge. Predictive models trained on the real dataset achieved R² = 0.9998 for TC RPM and R² = 0.984 for fuel flow when using Gradient Boosting with 5-fold cross-validation. Feature importance analysis showed that the dominant determinants of TC speed were scavenging air intake pressure (35.3%) and engine power (MCR, 31.3%). Shaft power (45.5%) and TC RPM (19.3%) together explained most of the fuel consumption variance. Simulated failure scenarios produced SFOC increases of +6.6% (fouling), +9.6% (surge), and +13.3% (bearing wear) when compared to a normal operating baseline of 202 g/kWh, which is in line with published empirical data from MAN B&W engine performance curves. An IsolationForest anomaly detector trained only on normal operating samples flagged failure scenario records at a rate of 17.5–23.7%, which demonstrates that moderate-sensitivity early warning detection is feasible from routine sensor streams. The results show that TC condition monitoring could serve as a leading indicator of fuel-efficiency degradation. This has significant implications for condition-based maintenance planning and CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) compliance. Full article

In the Arabian Gulf region, saltwater desalination is considered to be a significant process in producing clean water. This paper presents a sustainable, combined process for upgrading a Doha reverse osmosis (RO) plant in Kuwait. A pilot-scale microbial desalination cell (MDC) stack is proposed as a pre-treatment unit prior to the RO process in order to improve plant performance. A cost–benefit analysis is conducted for the combined system to emphasize the significance of the MDC–RO process. In RO, the expected energy consumption is 2.6–13 kWh per m³ of desalinated water, whereas using MDC can reduce this to about 0.52–5.3 kWh/m³. Moreover, this new technology using catalytic MDCs can help in improving electric current production and reducing the amount of rejected brine and membrane fouling in the RO process. The electric current is improved by reducing MDCs’ internal resistance using a reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline composite-coated stainless steel mesh cathode electrode. Layer-by-layer electro-deposition can be applied to achieve these coatings. An intermediate zeolite filter is proposed to mitigate RO membrane fouling. The combined system’s natural zeolite-membrane filter improves water purification. In this study, we assessed the combined MDC–RO process for upgrading the Doha plant’s performance in terms of quality, cost, and time. The suggested catalytic MDC, using efficient, low-cost materials as cathode electrodes with an equivalent daily cost of 0.01 USD/m³ and a desalination efficiency of about 40%, acts as an alternative to high-cost platinum metal electrodes. The results also indicate that the equivalent daily cost of energy consumption using the MDC process is about 0.03 USD/m³, whereas the investment cost is about 0.4 USD/m³ daily for one year of cell operation. Full article

To address the global water crisis, desalination technologies contribute about 1% of the global freshwater supply. Membrane-based desalination technologies offer high performance, operational ease, cost-effectiveness and high scalability compared to conventional thermal desalination modes. Among all membrane-based technologies, reverse osmosis is prevailing globally. However, the high energy demand of the reverse osmosis process and fouling in case of hypersaline feed streams motivate the exploration of alternative technologies, i.e., pervaporation. Pervaporation desalination involves dense hydrophilic polymer membranes to deal with high salt streams at low cost, along with less fouling than a few other membrane processes, i.e., reverse osmosis and membrane distillation. Mass transport through pervaporation desalination membranes is well-explained by solution-diffusion theory involving a tri-stage transfer, i.e., sorption, diffusion and evaporation. Since the last few decades, a green approach in all domains has offered chemical products and processes with the least hazards and minimal waste production. Application of biodegradable materials like poly(lactic acid) in combination with suitable green solvents, e.g., ethyl lactate, methyl lactate, cyrene, dimethyl isosorbide and gamma valerolactone for pervaporation desalination would be a good roadmap to meet the sustainability criterion. Some intrinsic features of poly(lactic acid) that make it a ‘material of choice’ for pervaporation desalination include hydrophilicity imparted by the presence of polar ester groups, high salt rejection, biodegradability with simple mineralization products, i.e., H₂O and CO₂, sustainable production, low toxicity, low carbon footprint, ease of processing and versatility. Poly(lactic acid) undergoes four interrelated degradation mechanisms: hydrolytic degradation, biodegradation, thermal degradation and photodegradation. The concern for poly(lactic acid) based pervaporation desalination is increased hydrolytic cleavage of poly(lactic acid) at high temperatures, which requires some modifications, e.g., nanoenhancement, additions of crosslinkers, surface modifications, addition of other polymers to prepare blends and post-treatments. These modifying strategies result in an increased stability and better performance of poly(lactic acid) films. However, optimization of various parameters relevant to such modifications leaves room for further research. This review offers a critical analysis of the need for biodegradable polymers with special focus on poly(lactic acid) rather than their fossil fuel-based alternatives, the environmental and health effects of all these polymers, cost estimation and possible performance-efficient, green and eco-friendly solutions. Full article

Sensors and biosensors designed for biomarker detection in biological samples often suffer from performance loss caused by surface fouling, interface blocking, and matrix interference. Although these effects are frequently discussed separately, in real sensing systems they are strongly interconnected and they determine analytical reliability, especially in body fluids like serum, plasma, whole blood, sweat, and other complex media. This review provides a practical and mechanism-oriented overview of how these processes originate, how they differ, and how they ultimately lead to signal drift, reduced sensitivity, false-positive responses, and shortened sensor lifetime. We first discuss the molecular origins of interface failure, including protein adsorption, conditioning film formation, nonspecific binding, ionic strength effects, pH fluctuations, viscosity-related diffusion changes, and electroactive interferents. The impact of these phenomena is then compared across major sensing platforms, including electrochemical, potentiometric, optical, capacitive sensors, field-effect transistors and wearable biosensors. A central part of this review focuses on practical prevention strategies already employed in real biomarker sensing platforms. These include hydration-driven antifouling coatings, zwitterionic and hydrogel interfaces, post-immobilization blocking with bovine serum albumin, mercaptohexanol and ethanolamine, ionophore and membrane engineering in ion-selective electrodes, hydrophobic solid-contact layers for water-layer suppression, regeneration workflows, membrane and microfluidic pre-treatment, and AI-assisted drift correction. By combining advances in materials engineering, surface chemistry, sample handling, and algorithmic correction, this review highlights strategies to improve sensor stability in complex biological fluids. Overall, it offers a practical guide for developing next-generation low-fouling, drift-resistant, and self-correcting sensing systems for reliable biomarker analysis at the point of care. Full article

High-performance polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membranes integrating antibacterial activity and antifouling performance were fabricated via the in situ construction of bimetallic polyphenol networks (BMPNs) throughout the membrane architecture. Tannic acid (TA) functioned as a multifunctional molecular bridge, functionalizing silver metal–organic frameworks (Ag-MOFs) to yield hydrophilic T-Ag-MOFs and chelating Fe³⁺ ions from the coagulation bath to form a polyphenol network during phase inversion. T-Ag-MOF incorporation generated asymmetric morphologies featuring highly porous surfaces and sponge-like cross-sections, improving pure water permeability, mechanical integrity, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection. TA-mediated functionalization increased hydrophilicity, imparted a negative surface charge, suppressed nonspecific protein adhesion, and enhanced flux recovery with low irreversible fouling. At an optimal loading of 0.4 wt%, the resultant T-Ag-MOF/Fe³⁺/PES composite membrane achieved a pure water permeability of 593.4 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹—1.77-fold higher than that of the pristine PES control—while sustaining a BSA rejection of 96.5%. Notably, interfacial compatibility between the T-Ag-MOFs and PES matrix was enhanced, facilitating strong, covalent-like filler–matrix adhesion. Moreover, the composite membrane delivered synergistic multifunctionality, including exceptional long-term aqueous stability, precisely tuned Ag⁺ release kinetics, and potent antibacterial activity, as evidenced by negligible uncontrolled ion leaching and a lack of structural degradation under prolonged hydration. Full article

This study quantified performance indicators associated with match outcomes among champion teams from the five major European football leagues during the 2023–2024 season. Ordinal logistic regression with robust standard errors clustered by team was employed, with analyses stratified by match location (home/away) and opponent quality (high/medium/low). Data from 182 matches were sourced from Wyscout^® and included offensive indicators (possession, passes, shots, shots on target, expected goals) and defensive indicators (interceptions, fouls, shots conceded, yellow and red cards). Spearman correlations showed that goals scored ($q=0.523$) and shots on target ($q=0.243$) were positively associated with match outcomes, whereas goals conceded ($q=-0.441$) and fouls ($q=-0.255$) were negatively associated. Ordinal regression revealed context-dependent effects. Offensively, shots on target increased the odds of a better outcome at home (OR = 3.76) and against high-quality opponents (OR = 5.24), while expected goals (xG) was the key predictor in away matches (OR = 2.09). Defensively, interceptions were crucial against high-quality opponents (OR = 1.76), while fouls (OR = 0.53) and yellow cards (OR = 0.61) were detrimental against medium-quality opponents. Against low-quality opponents, shots on target conceded (OR = 0.22) and red cards (OR = 66.58) were critical. Volume-based indicators did not retain significant independent effects. For elite champion teams, competitive success is predominantly determined by efficiency-based indicators, shot accuracy, expected goals, and defensive organisation, whose relevance varies systematically with context. These findings provide exploratory insights and a context-sensitive benchmark for performance analysis at the highest level of European football, warranting further validation in future studies. Full article

Biomarker detection demands low cost, rapid turnaround, interference resistance, and wide dynamic range. However, traditional immunoassays and nucleic acid amplification methods remain constrained by complex matrices, batch stability, and portability limitations. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) exhibit “artificial antibody”-like specific recognition and high stability, while nanomaterials (NMs), depending on their composition, structure, and interfacial organization, can provide conductive pathways, catalytic activity, high-density loading sites, or mass-transfer-favorable architectures. Electrochemical biosensors synergistically constructed from these two components achieve complementary functions in recognition, mass transfer, and signal transduction. This paper systematically reviews key strategies and mechanisms for NM–MIP synergistic construction, focusing on six synergistic strategies that target key bottlenecks in mass transfer, signal generation, and interfacial stability: dynamic response regulation, hierarchical structural engineering, anti-fouling interfaces, multi-signal cross-validation, catalytic–recognition integration, and interfacial binding regulation. Representative biomarker cases are analyzed to illustrate how functional modules can coordinate across sample processing, signal generation, and recognition confirmation to improve analytical reliability and overall sensing performance. Finally, the review discusses challenges in clinical translation, including consistent manufacturing, matrix interference, long-term stability, and standardized validation, while outlining future directions toward mechanism-guided imprint design, intelligent data-assisted optimization, and integration with microfluidic and wearable platforms for multiplexed biomarker detection. Full article

Textile wastewater is among the most challenging industrial effluents due to its complex composition, high pollutant load, and low biodegradability. Conventional treatment methods often fall short in achieving complete removal of dyes and emerging contaminants. Photocatalytic composite membranes have emerged as a promising solution by integrating membrane separation and advanced oxidation processes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the design, fabrication, and performance of photocatalytic composite membranes for textile wastewater treatment. Key aspects include the types of photocatalysts employed, methods of incorporation into membranes, and their synergistic role in pollutant removal and membrane fouling mitigation. Recent advancements in materials science, such as visible-light-responsive catalysts, carbon-based nanocomposites, and self-cleaning surfaces, are discussed, along with current limitations related to catalyst stability, operational scalability, and cost. This review underscores the potential of photocatalytic composite membranes as a next-generation platform for sustainable and effective textile wastewater treatment. Full article

Public health suffers from noxious gas emitted by massive beached Sargassum algae. Net-barrages deployed in near-shore seas can contain Sargassum, provided they efficiently resist the additional hydrodynamic pressure induced by the catch. Nowadays, the design and installation of net-barrages are empiric. Structural breaks and anchor and mooring chain drifts can arise. We provide a mechanical model to evaluate stresses and loads on a structure made of fishing nets and buoy moorings. Hydrodynamic uncertainties occur through catches, fouling and sea current amplitudes appearing in lagoons or sheltered bays. This study presents a non-linear four-node finite-element model for continuous elastic membranes undergoing large displacements and small strains. The model relies on the Lagrangian linearly elastic membrane theory, employing the non-linear Green strain tensor and a non-updated hydrodynamic loading. We study forcings fixed a priori on a netting section of barrage that is 50 m long and 1 m high with double layer, e.g., two net-faces. We consider low and moderate current velocities, 0.05 and 0.35 m∙s⁻¹, while assuming specific vertical and horizontal catch pressures. A barrage installed in the reef lagoon at Le François on Martinique Island that is observable by satellite imagery could benefit of the computed net and mooring tensions. Full article

N-nitrosamine compounds, a disinfection byproduct of chlorination and chloramination in water and wastewater treatment processes, are classified as a probable human carcinogen. The current review focuses on analysing the feasibility of membrane technology while examining the challenges and opportunities in the elimination of N-nitrosamine compounds, particularly NDMA, from wastewater. To systematically attain this goal, this paper uses a systematic literature review that screens and critically assesses peer-reviewed experimental and numerical published papers on N-nitrosamine removal, occasioning in 37 high-quality papers for synthesis. In this regard, a detailed analysis of experimental and numerical studies elaborates that conventional RO membranes often introduce a specific low removal of NDMA from wastewater due to their low molecular weight and neutral charge, which addresses a critical issue. The critical analysis of the experimental and numerical studies depicts that the membrane type, structural properties, and chemical interaction have a key role in the removal of NDMA. To systematically improve the NDMA removal, a wide set of investigations have explored innovative treatment methods, including Nano pore plugging and hydrophilic coatings. This demonstrates potential for improving NDMA removal, albeit at the penalty of reduced water permeability. Additionally, the heat treatment of membranes has attained a notable improvement, ensuing in NDMA rejection of up to 92%. A multi-stage RO configuration model has depicted a maximum NDMA rejection of 93.1%. The future research should focus on investigating possible improvement of NDMA removal from wastewater such as Nano pore plugging and hydrophilic coatings, besides optimising RO configurations and membrane designs with a deeper understanding of membrane fouling. Full article

Access to clean water remains a critical global challenge, particularly in arid and fog-rich regions where conventional resources are limited. Fog water harvesting has emerged as a low-energy alternative; however, the performance of traditional collectors (typically 3–10 L m⁻² day⁻¹) remains constrained by inefficient droplet capture and transport. This review provides a systematic and critical analysis of recent advances in membrane-based fog harvesting technologies, focusing on material design, surface engineering, and structural optimization. The analysis shows that nanostructured and electrospun membrane systems can enhance water collection rates to ~20–60 L m⁻² day⁻¹, representing up to a 5–6 times improvement over conventional meshes. Furthermore, biomimetic and Janus wettability designs significantly improve droplet nucleation and directional transport, while hierarchical micro/nanostructures accelerate coalescence and runoff dynamics. At the structural level, optimized collector geometries (vertical harp designs) demonstrate ~3–4 times higher collection efficiency compared to traditional Raschel mesh due to reduced clogging and enhanced drainage. Despite these advances, key challenges remain, including material durability, fouling resistance, lack of standardized testing protocols, and limited large-scale validation. This review identifies critical design–performance relationships and proposes a framework linking surface wettability, morphology, and environmental parameters to harvesting efficiency. Future directions emphasize the development of durable, scalable membrane systems and the integration of fog harvesting with hybrid water supply technologies. Full article

Direct ocean carbon capture (DOC) has emerged as a promising strategy for mitigating atmospheric CO₂ levels and addressing ocean acidification. Unlike direct air carbon capture methods, DOC leverages the ocean’s vast carbon storage capacity, offering a scalable and efficient route for carbon dioxide removal. This systematic comparative review categorizes existing DOC methods into three types: (1) biological carbon capture, which relies on photosynthesis by microalgae and marine microorganisms; (2) electrochemical carbon capture, which utilizes water electrolysis to generate H⁺ and OH⁻ ions for pH-driven CO₂ removal; and (3) physical carbon capture, which employs hollow fiber membranes to directly separate CO₂ from seawater. For each technology, we evaluate efficiency, energy consumption, cost, technology readiness level (TRL), scalability, and major challenges. By integrating recent pilot data and providing a critical assessment, this review offers a roadmap for future research in direct seawater CO₂ capture. The comparative analysis reveals that electrochemical methods achieve the highest efficiency (60–85%) but face membrane fouling and electrode degradation challenges, while biological methods offer low-energy operation but suffer from slow kinetics and high harvesting costs, and membrane-based methods provide high removal rates (up to 94%) but require improved fouling resistance. Full article