Themed collection Best Papers 2021 - Environmental Science: Nano

This review highlights recent and important advances related to the structure properties and application of graphdiyne (GDY)-based nanocomposites for environmental remediation.

Electrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics.

A critical review which delves into the advantages of the use of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) in nano-based cancer therapy, which includes its more positive environmental impact compared to previous systems.

Direct deposition of nano-dry-salt on nonwovens was developed as a process that can be incorporated into conventional nonwoven production for timely application of biosafe anticoronaviral surfaces and reliable aerosol filtration performance.

The formation of an alginate corona on the surface of Pd nanosheets can boost their peroxidase-like activity, giving rise to the fast generation of hydroxyl radicals and the enhancement of antibacterial activity.

We designed nanoparticles able to protect the elicitor on the leaves of grapevines over long periods of time. The foliar application of this nanoelicitor produced wines with high content of stilbenes at significantly reduced dosages.

In the present study, QSAR models were developed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of MeOx NPs towards RAW 264.7 cells and to propose a short mechanism to determine the cause of cellular toxicity by the MeOx NPs.

More environmentally relevant nanoplastic models are urgently needed.

To enhance the efficiency of hydrogen production, bimetallic oxides with spinel structures, M₂GeO₄ (M = Fe, Co), were synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method and were used as electrocatalysts for urea-assisted water electrolysis.

Nano-enabled agriculture is a vibrant research area; nonetheless, reports on effective nanofertilizers are rather scant.

Bimetallic magnetic FeMn catalysts have been successfully prepared by a facile impregnation method, and they exhibit efficient photocatalytic removal of a series of quinolones without oxidant under simulated light irradiation.

Lattice strain in ultrathin Ni(OH)₂ NS promotes CO₂ adsorption and activation, facilitates fast charge separation, which improves diluted CO₂ photoreduction in 0.05–1.00 atm CO₂.

Unconventional multifunctional nanocomposite fiber membranes were primed using Forcespinning® followed by the heat pressure method. The obtained membranes displayed simultaneously controlled drug release and removal of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ from wastewater.

NADH and GSH reduce Co in LiCoO₂ nanoparticles to enhance ion release and the nanoparticles oxidize NADH in model media. This poses two routes of toxicity for high-valent oxides: enhanced release of toxic metals and disruption of cell redox state.

Sub-micron aerosol filtration of non-woven materials and fabric treatments were investigated. Select low-cost, readily available and easily cut non-woven materials were identified as suitable filter inserts for cloth-based masks.

Exposure of Prochlorococcus cultures to research-grade and extracted nano-sized TiO₂ at environmentally-relevant and supra-environmental concentrations (1 μg L⁻¹ to 100 mg L⁻¹) results in initial cell decline, followed by full population recovery.

AgNP toxicity was attributed to dissolved Ag⁺, which was released, transported, and concentrated in the mitochondria, finally leading to exhaustion of the reserve respiratory capacity and cell death.

High-throughput single-particle ICP-TOFMS analyses are used to quantify and classify diverse metal nanoparticle types from wastewater treatment plant samples.

Schematic diagram showing how Mel-AuNPs alleviate Cd-induced toxicity in rice.

MoS₂ NFs have exhibited abundant active sites in odd-number layers to piezoelectrically activate PMS for producing ˙OH and SO₄˙⁻ in order to degrade organic pollutants.

3D printed fit-for-design graphene-biopolymer aerogel for adsorption and/or filtration of contaminants from water.

A chitosan and sodium alginate complex acts as a biodegradable shell to release nanoscaled nutrients, CuO nanoparticles, as an alternative smart delivery nanofertilizer.