Themed collection Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026: Women in RSC Sustainability

This perspective explores emerging methodological challenges in applying life cycle assessment to low-carbon technologies in a policy-driven decarbonization landscape.

Dihydrolevoglucosenone and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran: a case study in the bioeconomy.

Pollution from contaminants of emerging concern is a multifaceted issue that can only be effectively addressed with the equitable inclusion of all stakeholders and their diverse knowledge systems.

Safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) is a pre-market approach that integrates innovation with safety and sustainability along the entire life cycle.

Engineering microbial metabolism is tapped potential to convert industrial waste and by-products into high-value chemical products, providing a more sustainable alternative to traditionally oil-derived chemicals.

Retrofitting alternative fuels, clinker replacement, and carbon removal technologies to cement facilities can enable net-zero emissions while minimizing cost increases in the near-term.

Advances in DESs have transformed the sustainable valorization of agricultural and food by-products. These solvents enable efficient phytochemical extraction and support the development of DES-based functional materials, including eutectogels.

Strategies to inhibit cellulose degradation in the valorization of lignocelluloses for the fabrication of functional cellulosic materials are reviewed in this paper.

Carbon nano-onions for the remediation of organic pollutants from wastewater.

Nitrogen (N)-doped materials derived from biomass hold great promise for energy storage, gas adsorption, catalysis, and water treatment, offering an effective strategy for waste valorization.

A tutorial review of biomass-derived carbons and their modification techniques in electrochemical capacitive deionization desalination.

Treatment of wastewater has become a necessity to address the shortage of drinking water in this era due to population explosion as well as shortage of water resources.

Marine macroalgae enable green synthesis of metal and metallic oxide nanoparticles with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities, and targeted drug delivery applications offering a sustainable alternative to chemical methods.

This review represents a first investigation into the possible uses of isohexide-based compounds by analyzing the positive and negative aspects of their exploitation as ubiquitous alternatives to current oil-based intermediates.

This review offers insights into general design principles for advanced materials in deep eutectic solvents, fostering knowledge exchange across related disciplines and inspiring further advancements in green chemistry and materials science.

A detailed review on carbon fiber (CF)-based flexible electrodes for application in rechargeable batteries is reported. Various preparation methods for flexible electrodes based on CFs are reviewed, along with their performance evaluations.

Water eutrophication caused by excess nutrients can be addressed by applying layered double hydroxide (LDH) materials.

Sustainable seafood production will be possible when all by-products are utilized including overlooked inorganic components, hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate.

The transition from fossil-based to solar-based energy sources is essential to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

This review highlights sustainable microwave-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials, focusing on green chemistry, environmental benefits, and comparative insights for scalable, eco-friendly production aligned with sustainability goals.

PSCs still face challenges such as lead toxicity. SCAPS-1D stands out as a valuable tool for investigating alternative metals as replacements for lead. This article reviews 54 simulation studies using SCAPS-1D, focusing on lead-free PSCs.

Photocatalysis, waste valorization, hydrogen, and the circular economy.

A design of PET mechanical recycling at the industrial scale requires the inspection of the relevance of pre-treatment steps, degradation reactions and repair potential, accounting for the impact of contamination (e.g. NIAS) and regulations.

PBS and PBSA can be used to manufacture cost-effective and sustainable materials for applications in food packaging and agriculture.

Phosphorus recovery from animal manures by pyrolysis can effectively close the agricultural phosphorus cycle.

In the framework of e-waste management regulations, synergistic green chemistry & engineering are powerful in addressing a sustainable circular economy.

Thermochemical and bioprocessing are feasible for recovering valuable building block molecules from plastic residues. Chemo-enzymatic treatment of waste plastic-biomass mixtures is an open challenge due to the diverse composition of the residues.

Surfactant assisted biosorption is a powerful sustainable remediation technique for pollution abatement from water medium. The current review highlights the latest developments that took place in this field.

Recycling acetone in the teaching laboratory leads to a significant carbon and cost reduction, changing the culture around solvent use.

A novel bridged compound was designed and synthesized, showing fuel properties-including density and energy density-comparable to those of JP-10.

An unprecedented one-step process was developed to prepare catalytic active mixed-matrix membranes with porous metal–organic frameworks.

To realize the full potential of biomass waste-derived electrodes, their synthesis must be fully reproducible and their environmental life cycle impact must be assessed quantitatively.

Dual-function materials (DFMs) prepared by a sustainable dry milling procedure can efficiently capture CO₂ and produce syngas by reforming with CH₄. Yet, significant CH₄ cracking also occurs, leading to carbon buildup and a high H₂ : CO syngas ratio.

Herein, we report the biosynthesis of bioplastic precursors via the immobilization of aldehyde reductase (AHR) onto a metal organic framework (UIO-66-NH₂).

Low-methyl esterified pectin with a degree of methylation of 33% was shaped into continuous textile fibres via wet spinning with a calcium chloride coagulation bath.

Complex polysaccharide substrates can serve as direct feedstocks for PHA biosynthesis, potentially eliminating the need for extra processing steps and significantly lowering production costs for sustainable plastics.

Chemical recycling of bioplastics via Ru/CeO₂-catalyzed hydrolysis enables a circular value chain. Effects of molecular weight, additives, and copolymer composition on PLA and PHA recycling are analyzed to identify challenges for sustainable process design.

Current research on solar photovoltaic (PV) recycling mainly focuses on recovering valuable metals and glass, often neglecting the polymeric components, particularly the backsheets, which are typically landfilled or thermally decomposed.

This study compares cost-regeneration performance of major adosrbent groups and identifies the mnost promising options. It updates the literature with a comparative analysis of spent adsorbent reuse across key material classes.

Valorization of cosmetic dyes and wastes using white-rot fungi as a sustainable solution for a responsible production.

Carbon capture from sewage-derived biogas could offset greenhouse gas emissions from biogas production and other waste management practices in Canada.

Bipolar membrane electrodialysis for ocean alkalinity enhancement was coupled with mineral leaching of olivine to produce Ni-metal or Ni-alloy.

A robust analytical workflow enabling a full characterization of polyolefins solvent-based recycling applied to real-world plastic feedstocks

Microalgae-derived polyurethane (Bio-PU) and non-isocyanate polyurethane (Bio-NIPU) present reduced greenhouse gas emissions and fossil energy consumption compared to conventional polyurethane.

Hydroxyapatite was synthesized from eggshell, after dissolution in ascorbic acid, a green, non-toxic reagent. Avoiding thermal treatment permits enhancement of energy efficiency.

This study focuses on testing cost-effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction to facilitate hydrogen generation from seawater electrolysis.

Climate change is a critical global concern, driven in part by the continuous increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This study investigates the synthesis of LaMnO₃–CeO₂ composites with varying CeO₂ contents ((100 − x)% LaMnO₃–x% CeO₂; x = 0, 10, 30, 50, 100 wt%) via an autocombustion method to elucidate their synergistic electrochemical properties.

Synergistic effect between Anemone coronaria and Quercus robur leaf extracts on mild steel corrosion in HCl 1 M solution.

The common issue of water contamination by pharmaceuticals are increasingly recognised as emerging contaminants in water as they pose significant environmental and health risks, necessitating innovative and sustainable approaches to water treatment.

This study shows that solvent-based washing enables safe pipette tip reuse for trace chemical analysis, with EtOH : H₂O (50 : 50, v/v) providing the best balance of cleaning, and sustainability, reducing plastic waste without performance loss.

Benchtop NMR analyses of bio-oils are made safer and more sustainable by replacing DMF with bio-derived solvents.

We describe an efficient strategy for synthesizing chalcones via photocatalytic decarboxylative cross-acyl coupling of α-oxocarboxylic acid with styrene under visible light irradiation as a sustainable energy input.

Combined lignin-derived streams enable microbial synthesis of biodegradable polymers, advancing integrated chemo-biological routes toward scalable and cost-effective bioplastic production.

Graphene sponge enables both cathodic and anodic reactions in microbial fuel cells. This free-standing graphene sponge electrode demonstrates high coulombic efficiency and current density.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), with particle sizes less than 10 nm, have been introduced as a promising alternative for water antimicrobial applications.

This research represents a major milestone in the synthesis of novel biodegradable polycarboxylic acid utilizing monomers derived from agro-industrial waste.

Thermally treated silicon–graphite @graphite based anode with cross-linked carboxy methyl cellulose–polyacrylic acid as a binder enable effective mitigation of volume expansion during cycling and stable electrochemical performance.

Carbonate anions are formed following CO₂ absorption in real brines made alkaline via electrolysis. The addition of soda ash is thus fully replaced in the lithium carbonate crystallization process, resulting in a more sustainable mining process.

Electrochemical quantification of totarolone in Tetraclinis articulata extract.

A novel sensitive environmental strategy for rapid monitoring of 6PPD-Q in water was developed to reduce solvent consumption and waste generation.

The interdisciplinary nature of green chemistry requires innovative approaches for engaging broad audiences, making active learning and gamified learning of interest for exploring green chemistry in classrooms and conference settings.

Heavy metal contamination, particularly mercury (Hg²⁺), poses severe environmental and health risks even at trace levels.

Global warming caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, has garnered significant attention due to its detrimental environmental impacts.

Porous PVDF-HFP and silk-fibroin membranes with green-synthesised TiO₂/5-ASA/Ag nanocomposites degrade ciprofloxacin under sunlight and UV, with antimicrobial activity.

A general, mild, and environmentally friendly method for synthesizing sulfonamides in sustainable solvents was developed.

Microwave-assisted methanolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) was catalysed by a recyclable, inexpensive non-stoichiometric protic ionic liquid from sulfuric acid and triethylamine.

A unique quaternary diammonium salt and urea (1 : 2)-containing deep eutectic solvent (DES) is introduced as a simple and efficient catalytic medium for the atom-economic synthesis of oxazolidinone compounds from epoxides and isocyanates.

The presence of methoxy substituents on lignin-derivable (bis)phenols leads to enhanced toughness and thermal healing in thiol-acrylate vitrimers, highlighting the potential of renewable feedstocks to improve sustainability in polymer network design.

This study examines behavior of 3D-printed biodegradable polyester blends in artificial seawater, revealing that print orientation and polymer composition critically affect water uptake, mechanical strength, and crystallinity.