Enhanced photodegradation of Orange G dye by CuO-ZnO nanoccomposite heterostructure as advanced photocatalysts

Sustainable ex-situ remediation of contaminated sediment: A review

Ti3C2 MXene interfaced ZnO/CuO heterojunction for superior visible light PEC water splitting

Engineering Bi3O4Br/TiO2 nanobelt/glucose hydrochar heterostructures for enhanced visible-light degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants.

The escalating global water crisis necessitates the development of efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective remediation technologies. This review highlights bentonite–sawdust-derived carbon composites as a promising class of adsorbents for the removal of diverse water pollutants. The synthesis strategies, physicochemical properties, key interfacial adsorption mechanisms, and adsorption performance toward different pollutant categories are systematically discussed. These hybrid materials exhibit synergistically enhanced properties, including increased surface area, optimized porosity, abundant functional groups, tunable surface charge, and improved structural stability, often outperforming the individual components. Their effectiveness has been demonstrated for both heavy metals (e.g., Cd and Pb) and organic contaminants (e.g., dyes and pharmaceuticals), governed by a combination of ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, π–π interactions, and pore-filling mechanisms. Current challenges related to large-scale production, long-term stability, and regeneration are critically evaluated, and future research directions for the sustainable application of these composites in advanced water treatment systems are outlined.

ABSTRACTThe efficiency and influencing factors during PAH‐polluted soil remediation by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) low‐temperature plasma technology are investigated in this study. Gas chromatography, microbial community structure analysis, and response surface analysis were used to optimize suitable remediation processing factors. The degradation rates of phenanthrene and benzo[a]pyrene reached 94.37% and 86.53%, respectively, at an initial concentration of 100.00 mg/kg, whereas optimal parameters for the system were identified as 130 V for voltage, 160 Hz for frequency, 0.60 L/min for gas flow rate, and 40 min for discharge time. Comprehensively, DBD plasma is an efficient, low‐energy, and sustainable remediation technology according to the energy consumption calculation and comparison with the relevant literature.

Arsenic pollution cycle, toxicity and sustainable remediation technologies: A comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis

With the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization, environmental pollution has become one of the most important issues worldwide. Because of the amphiphilic molecular structure and strong interfacial activity, surfactants exhibit great potential in environmental remediation through promoting dispersion, solubilization and degradation of pollutants.This review summarizes the main mechanisms of surfactants for pollution control, including reducing the consumption of chemical reagents, promoting elution and degradation of contaminants, and enhancing the efficiency of microbial remediation. In addition, this review analyze the environmental and ecological risks caused by surfactants, such as secondary pollution, bioaccumulation, and persistence in water bodies. The discussion highlights the importance of balancing remediation performance and ecological safety. This review focuses that the development of degradable, low toxicity and functional tunable surfactants is the trend of future green and sustainable remediation technology. This review provides a scientific reference for the rational design and application of surfactants in future environmental governance.

An original photodetector system based on self-connected CuO–ZnO radial core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown on metallic interdigitated electrodes, operating as visible-light photodetector was developed by combining simple preparation approaches. Metallic interdigitated electrodes were fabricated on Si/SiO2 substrates using a conventional photolithography process. Subsequently, a Cu layer was electrodeposited on top of the metallic interdigitated electrodes. The CuO nanowire arrays (core) were obtained by thermal oxidation in air of the Cu layer. Afterwards, a ZnO thin film (shell) was deposited by RF magnetron sputtering covering the surface of the CuO nanowires. The morphological, structural, compositional, optical, electrical and photoelectrical properties of the CuO nanowire arrays and CuO–ZnO core–shell nanowire arrays grown on metallic interdigitated electrodes were investigated. The performances of the devices were evaluated by assessing the figures of merit of the photodetectors based on self-connected CuO–ZnO core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown on the metallic interdigitated electrodes. The radial p–n heterojunction formed between CuO and ZnO generates a type II band alignment that favors an efficient charge separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the CuO–ZnO interface, suppressing their recombination and consequently enhancing the photoresponse and the photoresponsivity of the photodetectors. The electrical connections in the fabricated photodetector devices are made without any additional complex and time-consuming lithographic step through a self-connecting approach for CuO–ZnO core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown directly onto the Ti/Pt metallic interdigitated electrodes. Therefore, the present study provides an accessible path for employing low dimensional complex structures in functional optoelectronic devices such as photodetectors.

Boron contamination in water poses significant potential risks to human health and the environment, necessitating the development of efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable remediation technologies. This study introduces a novel composite material combining a zirconium-based metal-organic framework (UiO-67) and a low-cost carbonaceous material (hardwood biochar, BC) with synergetic efficiency to address boron-polluted waters. The UiO-67-biochar (UBC) composite exhibits effective surface chemistry and a remarkably high specific surface area of approximately 881.9m²/g, substantially increasing from the 19.7m²/g of biochar. Our experimental results demonstrate that UBC removed up to 88.5% of boron from 20 ppm polluted water, achieving levels compliant with the WHO standards. The composite also showed excellent reusability, maintaining 95% efficiency over multiple cycles without loss of crystallinity. Life cycle assessment and cost analysis indicate that an optimal MOF to biochar ratio of approximately 60wt% minimises CO2 emissions and costs while maximising the boron removal efficiency. The UiO-67-biochar composites proposed here offers a promising scalable solution for boron contamination and potentially other environmental pollutants, combining the high functionality of UiO-67 with the practical and economic advantages of biochar.

Carbon-based materials, characterized by their high specific surface area and exceptional chemical stability, have become integral to adsorption-based remediation methods. Carbon materials demonstrate exceptional efficiency, selectivity, and environmental compatibility in radionuclide adsorption. However, the practical application of conventional carbon materials is limited by their insufficient adsorption capacity and selectivity. Plasma modification has emerged as a highly effective strategy for enhancing the surface chemistry of carbon materials, thereby significantly improving their adsorption performance. This process increases the specific surface area of carbon materials and introduces a variety of functional groups, which in turn boost their capacity to adsorb radionuclides. This review systematically explores the progress made in modifying carbon-based adsorbents for the remediation of radioactive nuclides, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms and effectiveness of plasma modification, covering studies on plasma-modified carbon materials for radionuclide adsorption published between 2009 and 2024. Furthermore, the review discusses the future prospects and practical applications of plasma-modified carbon materials in nuclear wastewater treatment, providing a scientific foundation for the development of efficient and sustainable remediation technologies.

Heavy metal contamination in water threatens human health and ecological security, necessitating efficient and sustainable remediation technologies. Adsorption is a widely used method due to its cost‐effectiveness, high selectivity, and ease of operation. Among various adsorbents, conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have shown great potential for heavy metal removal, benefiting from their π‐conjugated structures, high surface area, tunable pore sizes, and strong metal ion interactions. However, challenges remain in synthesis and material properties. Extensive postsynthetic modifications may introduce structural complexity and compromise adsorption performance, while excessive functionalization can lead to pore blockage, reducing available adsorption sites. Additionally, inadequate distribution or low grafting density of chelating groups may weaken metal ion binding. Further challenges include enhancing selectivity, developing eco‐friendly regeneration methods, improving stability in complex environments, and achieving large‐scale production. Addressing these issues requires optimizing synthetic strategies, precisely incorporating functional groups, and improving pore structure control. This review summarizes recent advances in CMP‐based heavy metal adsorption, discusses adsorption mechanisms and structural optimization, and identifies future research directions to advance their practical application in water purification.

Pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP)-contaminated wastewater, particularly with triclosan (TCS), poses a significant environmental concern due to TCS persistence, ecotoxicity, and endocrine-disrupting effects, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable remediation technologies. In this study, the degradation of TCS using hydrodynamic cavitation coupled with air injection (aerated HC process) is investigated as a green and chemical-free treatment method for wastewater treatment. Initially, the optimum operating conditions of the standalone HC process were determined by varying the inlet pressure and flow rate, which were found to be 2.34 bar and 0.45 L/s, respectively, corresponding to the highest turbulence frequency level of 1041 s−1 and the lowest turbulent pressure −0.58 bar at the venturi throat, based on the turbulence model. Subsequently, upon introducing an air flow rate of 1.6 m³/h at the venturi throat, the aerated HC process achieved a TCS degradation efficiency of 79.89 ± 3.99%, with a synergistic index of 1.29 (compared to 71.54 ± 2.29% without air injection), confirming the enhanced performance due to air injection. The highest rate constant (0.073 min−1) was observed at pH 3, confirming that acidic conditions favour TCS degradation. Mechanistically, TCS degradation in the aerated HC process proceeds through both radical pathways, primarily mediated by hydroxyl radicals, and non-radical pathways such as thermal pyrolysis.

Phenolic compounds are contaminants frequently found in water and soils. In the last years, some technologies such as phytoremediation have emerged to remediate contaminated sites. Plants alone are unable to completely degrade some pollutants; therefore, their association with rhizospheric bacteria has been proposed to increase phytoremediation potential, an approach called rhizoremediation. In this work, the ability of two rhizobacteria, Burkholderia kururiensis KP 23 and Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA 9402, to tolerate and degrade phenolic compounds was evaluated. Both microorganisms were capable of tolerating high concentrations of phenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), guaiacol, or pentachlorophenol (PCP), and degrading different concentrations of phenol and 2,4-DCP. Association of these bacterial strains with B. napus hairy roots, as model plant system, showed that the presence of both rhizospheric microorganisms, along with B. napus hairy roots, enhanced phenol degradation compared to B. napus hairy roots alone. These findings are interesting for future applications of these strains in phenol rhizoremediation processes, with whole plants, providing an efficient, economic, and sustainable remediation technology.

The presence of antibiotics in water bodies poses severe environmental and health risks, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable remediation technologies. In this context, photocatalysis emerged as a promising approach, leveraging light energy to degrade organic pollutants. This study introduced a novel Z-scheme SrTiO3/AgIO4 composite synthesized via a solvothermal-sonochemical route, which aimed to enhance the photocatalytic degradation of cefixime under simulated sunlight. Characterization techniques such as field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and transient photocurrent response (TPR) were employed to elucidate the physicochemical and optoelectronic properties of the as-synthesized composite. The SrTiO3/AgIO4 composite degraded 73.8% cefixime in 120 min, which was remarkably higher compared to its individual components. The enhanced photoactivity was credited to the synergistic interplay of both semiconductors within the Z-scheme heterojunction, which promoted effective charge separation and reduced electron-hole pair recombination.

Arsenic pollution is a global environmental challenge, necessitating efficient and sustainable remediation technologies. This study investigates the synergistic effect of the arsenic-resistant bacterium Burkholderia contaminans ZCC (ZCC) and corn stalk biochar (BC) on arsenic-contaminated soil, with Pteris vittata as the remediation plant. Through pot experiments, we evaluated the effects of various BC addition rates (0%, 1%, 5%) and ZCC inoculation on soil pH, plant growth, physiological responses, and arsenic accumulation. Biochar alone significantly increased soil pH (reaching 7.56 in the 5% BC treatment), while B. contaminans ZCC alone had a weaker effect. In combined treatments, pH changes were primarily driven by biochar. The combination of B. contaminans ZCC and BC enhanced P. vittata growth, with the 5% BC + ZCC treatment showing the greatest increase in total plant biomass (2.56 times that of the control) and total chlorophyll content (43.32% higher). This treatment also activated antioxidant systems (increased SOD, POD, and CAT activities), reduced oxidative damage (lower MDA content), and improved osmotic regulation (higher proline content). Notably, B. contaminans ZCC and BC synergistically enhanced arsenic accumulation in the P. vittata plant, with the arsenic content under the 5% BC + ZCC treatment being 2.81 times that of the control. This study demonstrates that the combination of B. contaminans ZCC and BC enhances arsenic remediation through soil improvement and plant growth promotion.