Themed collection Best Papers 2019 – Environmental Science: Nano

Engineered nanomaterials alone or in combination with other technologies may improve in situ subsurface remediation of legacy and emerging contaminants.

Design and engineering of metal–organic frameworks for the adsorption/degradation of inorganic toxic gases, organic vapors and particulate matter.

The impacts of engineered nanomaterials on the performance of the anaerobic ammonium oxidation process and their intoxication mechanisms are summarized.

Materials with different dimensions can exhibit markedly different responses to their environment, even for the same material composition.

The use of nanomaterials in agriculture as nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, or nano-enabled sensors to increase crop yield is gaining increasing interest.

The development of enrichment–separation–analysis technologies is the cornerstone of accurately detecting, effectively monitoring, and controlling ENPs in aquatic environments.

We review the uptake, translocation and transformation of metal based nanoparticles in higher plants, and present advanced analytical techniques and future perspectives in this field.

The combined experimental and computational study demonstrates an inverse relationship between phage-nanocomposite conjugate (PNC) size and biofilm eradication potential.

Atomic and bulk scale measurements demonstrate that goethite grown by oriented aggregation does not readily incorporate U(VI) into structural sites.

Cadmium sulfide quantum dots regulate nanomaterial-specific unique transmembrane transport system and metabolic processes in soybean plants.

NF membranes functionalized through bio-deposition of g-C₃N₄ nanosheets have enhanced water permeability, dye retention and salt transmission, showing great potential for sustainable treatment of highly saline textile wastewater.

This paper describes a comprehensive investigation of particle number concentrations including a multi-method comparison, theoretical modeling, and cellular dosimetry.

This article provides a bird's-eye-view of the status and scale of commercialized and nascent nanotechnologies in the context of global element cycles to prioritize and guide relevant environmental health research.

Fe^III–TCPPCl-incorporated UiO-66 MOF could reliably achieve both photocatalysis and a Fenton-like reaction under visible light, with effective degradation against organic pollutants.

We report, for the first time, the fabrication of an oxygen-containing ultrathin porous carbon quantum dots/polymeric carbon nitrogen metal-free composite with a highly enhanced photoresponse.

Our observations highlight the potential of nanoplastics in inducing damage on both development and functions of nervous system after long-term exposure.

We discovered a new mechanism explaining why iron in its oxidized form Fe(III) in clay minerals is reactive only in the presence of trace amounts of its reduced form—Fe(II).

Bimetallic Fe/Mn nanoparticles and N-doped carbon nanotubes in FeMn@NCNT synergistically activate peroxymonosulfate to form SO₄˙⁻, ˙OH, O₂˙⁻ and ¹O₂ for decomposing acetamiprid.

Repeated exposure to E171 or TiO₂-NPs, in vitro, induce moderate inflammation and mucus secretion in intestinal cells.

Over the last five decades, plastics production has increased as a consequence of their use in strategic sectors causing damage on aquatic ecosystems.

Classical methods for the detection of heavy metal ions in water are tedious and time consuming.

Our mesoporous carbon single crystals exhibit an extraordinary capacitive deionization performance.

The role of ˙OH and ˙O₂⁻ in the photocatalytic ozonation mechanism of gaseous n-hexane is disclosed based on experimental and theoretical methods.

Z-scheme photocatalyst BiVO₄/Ag/g-C₃N₄ was constructed and applied for rapid disinfection of E. coli cells in water and wastewater.

Enhanced pollutant removal by FeOOH/RGO hydrogels relying on π–π and π–Fe interactions.

CuO and ZnO NPs benefit ARG propagation by stimulating signal transduction in sludge bacteria.