Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is inducing global warming, ocean acidification, polar ice melting, rise in sea level, droughts and hurricanes, thus threatening human health and the global economy. Therefore, there is a need to develop cost-effective technologies for CO2 capture. For instance, solution absorption is promising due to a large processing capacity, high

Many major cities that witnessed heavy air pollution by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) have experienced a high rate of infection and severity of the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19). This phenomenon could be explained by the overexpression of the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) on epithelial cell surfaces of the respiratory tract. Indeed, ACE-2 is a receptor for coronaviruses

Household wastewaters contain microplastics and nanoplastics that end up in ecosystems because these pollutants are not filtered by current wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, there is a need for advanced removal technologies. Here, we tested the degradation of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles by photocatalysis with TiO2–P25/β-SiC foams under UV-A radiation. We studied

The inert nature of most commercial polymers and nanomaterials results in limitations of applications in various industrial fields. This can be solved by surface modifications to improve physicochemical and biological properties, such as adhesion, printability, wetting and biocompatibility. Polymer functionalization allows to graft specific moieties and conjugate molecules that improve material performances

Ever increasing demand for food and agricultural resources have led to escalation of pesticide poisoning and environmental hazards. An efficient system for pesticide detection is a constant endeavour and several technologies are working hand in hand to generate effective biosensors for various classes of pesticides. Innovative technologies are being developed for pesticides detection which overcome

Many natural substances are efficient in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of various disorders. However, treatment is often limited by their low bioavailability, water solubility and permeation. As a consequence, drugs are administered frequently and in large doses. There is therefore a need for techniques to enhance the solubility, permeability and the stability. Here, we review methods to improve

Traditional dyeing usually consumes a large amount of water and chemicals, thus causing environmental problems. To alleviate these problems, non-aqueous dyeing technology appears as an alternative for improving dye fixation and reducing effluent discharge. Here we used silicone non-aqueous medium to dye a wool fabric. Continuous pad dyeing with reactive dyes was investigated. We optimized the type

Microalgae are feedstocks for production of carbon-neutral biofuels. Efforts have been performed to market microalgae biofuels, yet the production of microalgae biofuel remains a challenge due to the high production cost and low product yield. In particular, lipid extraction is a critical step to be optimized. Here, we review lipid extraction technologies and cell lysis strategies. Extraction techniques

Passive techniques are a constantly evolving method of monitoring water pollution, allowing the simultaneous sampling and concentration of selected chemical compounds. The most popular aqueous passive samplers are those in which sorbents are used as receiving phases, including: the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS). Originally, POCIS contained the copolymer poly(divinylbenzene)-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone

Environmental pollution is a major issue, yet actual remediation techniques are limited. Carbon-based materials are increasingly used to treat air and water. Here we review the applications of carbon nanomaterials made of biochar, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene for the adsorption of toxic gases, the removal of pollutants from ecosystems, and the improvement of anaerobic digestion.

Laccases are multi-copper oxidase enzymes produced by living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and plants. Laccases are widely used by the industry because laccases are abundant and highly efficient. Laccases isolated from microbial sources are less stable and less active. To improve their kinetic properties and reusability, laccases have been immobilized on various supports. Immobilized laccases have

Microorganisms develop in food during slaughtering, processing, packaging operations and transportation. Foodborne infections and decay are major concerns for farmers and the food industry. Gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is increasingly used for disinfection in packaging of fresh meat, meat products and other produce because ClO2 has strong antimicrobial effect with minimal impact on the environment

Nanoparticles are a potential source and carrier of nutrients and pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, yet the stability of nanoparticles in environmental conditions is poorly known. Here, we studied volcanic ash nanoparticles by simultaneous application of capillary zone electrophoresis and laser diffraction for determination of size, zeta-potential and long-term aggregation stability. Results show that

Biotransformation of organic wastes into value-added products is gaining interest owing to waste management issues, exhaustion of fossil fuels and the demand for biodegradable plastics. Lactic acid is widely used for polymers, foods, beverages, medicines, cosmetics and clothing. However, the major obstacle in large-scale fermentation of lactic acid is achieving enhanced yield, productivity and optical

Electrospun fibers are advanced supporting layers in water purification. Coating the fibers with polydopamine should increase the hydrophilicity and removal efficiency. Here, we report a simple method to fabricate an adsorbent based on polydopamine and electrospun fibers. Polyacrylonitrile and dopamine coelectrospun micro-/nanofibers were selected as supporting layer, and then self-polymerization of

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are found in the aquatic environment globally. Such drugs including naproxen, ibuprofen and ketoprofen are chiral molecules. Enantiomers of those drugs have identical physicochemical properties but can behave and interact differently in chiral environments due to differences in their three-dimensional shape. This results in enantiospecific differences

Recycling methods will be essential for the future circular economy in the context of declining natural resources. Nanomaterials are promising adsorbents to recover rare earth elements from wastewater, yet the practical application of nanomaterials is limited by spontaneous agglomeration, easy collapse of structures and the difficulty in collecting nanomaterials after adsorption. To solve these issues

Reactions in water as a safe and cheap solvent is a major goal of green chemistry. Actual synthesis of pyrido-dipyrimidine scaffold, named DNA-base hybrids, involves catalysis in hazardous solvents. Here we synthesised pyrido-dipyrimidines by one-pot heterocyclization of thiobarbituric acid, vanillic aldehydes and amines in water. Enamine and vanillidene are key intermediates of the Biginelli-like

Nonylphenol is a typical endocrine-disrupting chemical that has received considerable attention from government officials, scientists and the public due to its estrogenicity and ubiquitous occurrence in water environments. Here we review the current knowledge on nonylphenol occurrence, distribution, toxic effects and water quality criteria related to the protection of freshwater organisms. Nonylphenol

Food safety is a major concern in the context of rising population and decreasing earth resources. Food is often contaminated by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, which induce disease such as hemolytic uremic, irritable bowel and Guillain–Barre syndromes. Detection of pathogenic microbes is therefore essential for food safety. Detection methods include biological methods, biosensors and methods

The COVID-19 pandemic has induced dramatic effects on the population of the industrialized north of Italy, whereas it has not heavily affected inhabitants of the southern regions. This might be explained in part by human exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM) in the air of northern Italy, thus exacerbating the mortality. Since trees mitigate air pollution by intercepting PM onto plant

Green synthesis of nanoparticles has many potential applications in environmental and biomedical fields. Green synthesis aims in particular at decreasing the usage of toxic chemicals. For instance, the use of biological materials such as plants is usually safe. Plants also contain reducing and capping agents. Here we present the principles of green chemistry, and we review plant-mediated synthesis

Global energy demand and pollution are calling for advanced materials such as visible light semiconductor photocatalysts. In particular, cadmium sulfide (CdS) appears promising due to its tunable bandgap, high absorption of visible light and excellent optical properties. Here we review the photocatalytic mechanism, properties, synthesis and application to wastewater treatment of CdS photocatalysts

The overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in bacterial resistance and, in turn, to a decreasing efficiency of the rare available antibiotics. Alternatively, gold nanoparticles are promising antibacterials due to their high specific surface area, easy modification by functional groups and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Their antibacterial properties are closely related to particle size

Unlike in developed countries, most public toilets in China do not provide toilet paper onsite and users must bring their toilet paper. Moreover, an open waste bin is placed in each user’s cubicle to collect used toilet paper and tissues. Such practices, which are common in East Asia and central America, have induced a dilemma of toilet paper disposal because some municipalities have removed waste

Environmental policies are becoming more restrictive in preserving ecosystems, encouraging the use of renewable resources such as wood. Wood products need to be protected, notably in outdoor situations, because wood is aging under the effect of climate conditions such as light, water and biodegradation. Surface color modifications occur, accompanied by a decline in physico-mechanical properties. Classical

Pharmaceutical compounds such antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, psychotropics, human drugs, hormones, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, veterinary drugs and steroids occur widely in wastewater and drinking water. This pollution by active compounds and their metabolites is expected to increase with rising global population. Therefore, advanced monitoring and remediation techniques are needed. Here we

The therapeutic potential of plant-based natural products is well known, yet it is actually limited by poor water solubility, low bioavailability and rapid metabolism. These issues can be solved by formulation with silica, gold, iron and silver nanoparticles. This manuscript discusses the synthesis and toxicity of inorganic nanoparticles used for therapeutic applications. The use of silver nanoparticles

Rise in human population and gradual decline in fossil fuels are increasing the demand for fuels and causing an upsurge in fuel prices and global warming. Concomitantly, consumers have raised their health awareness by taking various supplements, e.g. omega-3 fatty acids, thus calling for advanced nutraceuticals. Both issues are addressed by recent research on microalgae, which can be easily cultivated

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 14 million people globally. Recently, airborne transmission has been postulated to be a major contributor to the spread of the novel coronavirus, especially in enclosed public spaces. While many studies have demonstrated positive correlations between atmospheric pollutants and SARS-CoV-2

Gas therapy is actually drawing attention in nanomedicine as a safe and therapeutically efficient technique. Indeed, the design of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers with controlled release is encouraging to heal without any risk of gas poisoning. Here, we review recent developments of gas nanogenerators and gas-releasing molecules for controlled and targeted gas therapy in cancer nanomedicine. We present

Many diseases such as cancer are cured by natural substances, yet practical applications are limited by low pharmacodynamics due to poor solubility and permeability, photosensitivity, chemical instability, and first-pass metabolism. These issues are partly solved by nanotechnology. Here, we review briefly lipid-based nanomaterials for drug delivery. Indeed, lipid nanoconstructs allow active and passive

Climate change is defined as the shift in climate patterns mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions from natural systems and human activities. So far, anthropogenic activities have caused about 1.0 °C of global warming above the pre-industrial level and this is likely to reach 1.5 °C between 2030 and 2052 if the current emission rates persist. In 2018, the world encountered 315 cases of natural disasters

Abatement of emissions of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide is crucial to reduce global warming. For that, dry reforming of methane allows to convert methane and carbon dioxide into useful synthesis gas, named ‘syngas’, a gas mixture rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide. However, this process requires high temperatures of about 900 °C to activate methane and carbon dioxide because

Cancer is one of the most lethal disease that affects humans. Many anticancer agents have been developed but have downsides such as toxicity, affordability and limits of the administered dose. Alternatively, natural anticancer products are promising due to their non-toxic nature. Indeed, natural anticancer products have doubled the human life span in twentieth century. Moreover, over 60% of approved

Chromium is a potentially toxic and carcinogenic metal originating from natural processes and anthropogenic activities such as the iron steel, electroplating and leather industries. Therefore, chromium should be removed from wastewater to avoid environmental pollution and to recycle chromium in the context of the future circular economy. Here we briefly review aqueous Cr species, their toxicity and

Global warming is a critical issue resulting partly from increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Technologies have been developed to capture carbon dioxide followed by storage or utilization, yet techniques are limited by the use of toxic solvents and the generation of harmful by-products. Research in green chemistry has designed green solvents which are non-toxic, efficient and environmentally friendly

Green chemistry aims at developing reactions that are cheap, clean and use less energy. For that, multicomponent reactions are drawing attention, yet, actual methods involve complicated work-ups, hazardous solvents, toxic catalysts, high catalyst loads, harsh reaction conditions and tedious catalyst preparation. Here, we demonstrate that the commercially available reagent, 9-mesityl-10 methylacridinium

Natural products have been widely explored since ancient times to heal human diseases. Due to their biological activities and relative safety, natural products have found applications in functional foods, medicine, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. However, applications are often limited by poor aqueous solubility, instability and poor bioavailability following oral administration. For instance,

Ammonia (NH3) is an atmospheric contaminant contributing to the formation of fine particles, e.g., particulate matter (PM2.5), which induces respiratory diseases. In the atmosphere, horizontal NH3 levels in the stratosphere, middle-upper troposphere, and planetary boundary layer have been studied using surface monitoring and satellite data, yet NH3 vertical distribution above the planetary boundary

Viticulture is a key sector of the agricultural economy of the main wine-producing countries, e.g. Italy, France, Spain and the USA, but is also one of the main users of phytosanitary products and mechanization. Over the last 15 years, numerous studies of the effect of viticultural practices on soil quality have evidenced strong impacts on soil physical, chemical and biological quality. However, to

Metal recycling is drawing high interest in the context declining natural resources and the future circular economy. Smelter dust from copper extraction plants contains copper (Cu), which is both an economic loss and a pollution issue. There is therefore a need for techniques to recover Cu from ultrafine dust. Here we tested sulfation roasting, water leaching and electrorefining to recover Cu. We studied

Biofilm carriers, named ‘biocarriers’, are solids that allow the good attachment of microbes during wastewater treatment. Biocarriers also act as redox mediators to speed up the biotransformation of contaminants in industrial effluents, yet it is challenging to choose a biocarrier material that achieves strong biofilm adhesion and high degradation rates. Here we review insoluble polymeric biocarriers

Textile wastewaters contain refractory dyes that cause pollution and socio-economic issues, thus calling for efficient remediation techniques such as photocatalysis. We review the fabrication, functionalization, performance and limitations of doped catalysts for degrading and mineralizing dyes. We present developments in photocatalyst immobilization and photocatalytic reactor design. Methods such as

Nanoscale piezoelectrics have recently found applications in radios, switches, tweezers, sensors, actuators, field effect transistors and piezoelectric-gated diodes. Piezoelectrics may also be used to adsorb and efficiently degrade pollutants, yet knowledge is actually scarce. Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides were recently found to be piezoelectric. Here, MoSe2 nanoflowers were synthesized

Removal of heavy metals from wastewaters using microalgae is gaining interest because microalgae also assimilate carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Here, we review algal metabolism and cultivation; algal biomass conversion to biodiesel, bioethanol, biohydrogen, methane, electricity and fertilizers; and removal of metals with microalgae. The mixotrophic approach enables the effective treatment of both

Water pollution by dyes is a major health and environmental issue. Photosensitive organic dyes produce hydrated electrons, eaq−, singlet oxygen, 1O2, and superoxide anion radicals, O2·−. O2·− catalyzes H2O2 transformation into hydroxyl radicals ·OH, which can be used to degrade wastewater under sunlight. Here, we measured eaq−, 1O2, O2·− and ·OH generated under visible light irradiation of photosensitive

The worldwide contamination of waters by microplastics is an emerging health and environmental issue. Despite being relatively inert, microplastics may adsorb and carry other aquatic pollutants such as heavy metals. Adsorption of heavy metals onto microplastics is a spontaneous process controlled by the microplastic surface. Marine microplastics have been well discussed, yet there are actually a few

Removal of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a major problem in drinking water treatment, because DOM modifies color, taste and odor, and carcinogenic by-products of DOM can be created during disinfection. Efficient water remediation is limited by our poor knowledge of DOM structure and properties, thus calling for advanced methods of characterisation. Here, we tested the influence of two coagulants

In the context of climate change, advanced methods for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture are needed. Organic biomass from living organisms, e.g., plants, is known to capture CO2 by photosynthetic assimilation, yet physical adsorption of CO2 onto biomass is poorly known. Here, we used molecular modeling of various biomass components to estimate the efficiency of CO2 capture by biomass. Results show that

Nanotechnology has recently found applications in many fields such as consumer products, medicine and environment. Nanoparticles display unique properties and vary widely according to their dimensions, morphology, composition, agglomeration and uniformity states. Nanomaterials include carbon-based nanoparticles, metal-based nanoparticles, organic-based nanoparticles and composite-based nanoparticles

Antibiotic pollution in waters is a major health issue that induces antimicrobial resistance and, in turn, the inefficacy of actual antibiotics to cure diseases. There is therefore a need for antibiotic removal from water and wastewater, yet actual remediation techniques are limited. Here, we studied the degradation of ciprofloxacin by the photo-Fenton reaction using a Nafion/Fe3+ membrane as catalyst

The number of priority and emerging contaminants nowadays exceeds several thousands. As a consequence, it is a daunting task to monitor thousands of compounds using classical gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Preliminary non-targeted screening is thus usually performed to identify the most relevant contaminants. Here we analyzed complex environmental samples of snow, rain water and cloud

Fate and risk of nanomaterials in the environment have attracted wide attention over the years. Copper hydroxide (Cu(OH)2) nanorods have been used as antibacterial nanomaterials in agricultural products, leading to their release into the environment. Yet, knowledge about the transformation of Cu(OH)2 nanorods is currently scarce, representing a potential for the environment. Here we investigated the

Global warming caused by increasing CO2 atmospheric levels is calling for sustainable fuels. For instance, biomethane produced by biogas upgrading is a promising source of green energy. Technologies to upgrade biogas include chemical absorption, water scrubbing, physical absorption, adsorption, cryogenic separation and membrane separation. Historically, water scrubbing was preferred because of the

The rise of consumption of traditional fossil fuels has caused emissions of greenhouse gas and deterioration of air quality. Biomass is a promising substitute for fossil fuels because biomass provides biofuels and chemicals by thermochemical conversion such as pyrolysis. In particular, fast pyrolysis of biomass cellulose into chemicals and biofuels has recently drawn attention. Issues of commercialization

The amide linkage is a backbone of many organic molecules such as peptides, natural products, pharmaceutical agents, ligands and catalysts. Green synthesis of amides is a major challenge in the context of sustainable development. Here we designed transamidation catalysed by graphene oxide under concentrated solar radiation of various aromatic, aliphatic amides with amines under solvent-free conditions

Carbonate minerals are a major reservoir in the global carbon cycle and a key player in the sequestration and emission of atmospheric CO2. In addition to the minerals’ frequent use in agriculture and construction, carbonate formation has been targeted for anthropogenic CO2 sequestration. Due to carbonate’s importance in geological and anthropogenic realms, research on carbonate characterization and

Technologies for conversion of microbial energy have recently attracted interest to transform waste into bioenergy, thus addressing simultaneously environmental and energy issues. Nonetheless, actual microbial systems for energy conversion have limitations such as low rate of mass transfer, uneven energy distribution and strong inhibition of products and by-products. These technical bottlenecks can

Electrochemical reduction of CO2 into value-added chemicals should reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and counteract global warming caused by CO2 generation. Nonetheless, CO2 is rather stable and chemically inert, calling for effective electrocatalysts to avoid problems such as sluggish kinetics, low reaction efficiency and poor product selectivity during CO2 conversion. Recently, single-atom catalysts