Editorial Note: Strategic engineering and functional mechanism elucidation of advanced materials in adsorption and catalysis for detoxification of contaminated water matrices.

Uncontrolled anthropogenic activities have contaminated water resources with emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microplastics, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and heavy metals, making them unsuitable for living ecosystems. Emerging contaminants pose a severe threat to ecosystems. Hence water treatment methods through improved efficiencies are essential for removing these contaminants at ease of application and at low energy.

Selective recovery of Co(II), Mn(II), Cu(II), and Ni(II) by multiple step batch treatments with nanocellulose products.

The recovery of Co(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) from black mass e-waste solutions through cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and nanocrystals (CNCs) was investigated. These materials were synthetized by TEMPO-oxidation followed by high-pressure homogenization, and acid hydrolysis, respectively. The NC characterization included the measurement of consistency, cationic demand, carboxylic content, dissolved amorphous cellulose, and transmittance at λ = 600 nm.

Mobilization of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from heterogeneous soils: Desorption by ethanol/xanthan gum mixture.

Remediating soils contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a challenging task due to the unique properties of these compounds, such as variable solubility and resistance to degradation. In-situ soil flushing with solvents has been considered as a remediation technique for PFAS-contaminated soils. The use of non-Newtonian fluids, displaying variable viscosity depending on the applied shear rate, can offer certain advantages in improving the efficiency of the process, particularly in heterogeneous porous media.

Microbial extracellular polymeric substances in the environment, technology and medicine.

Microbial biofilms exhibit a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), including polysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA and lipids. EPS promote interactions of the biofilm with other cells and sorption of organics, metals and chemical pollutants, and they facilitate cell adhesion at interfaces and ensure matrix cohesion. EPS have roles in various natural environments, such as soils, sediments and marine habitats.

Assessing the fate and behaviour of plant nutrients in aquaponic systems by chemical equilibrium modelling: A meta-analytical approach.

Aquaponic systems differ from hydroponics by a higher pH and higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM). This study assessed whether plant nutrient deficiencies in aquaponics are caused by lacking input of the deficient nutrients or their chemical saturation. Nine scenarios with nutrient concentrations based on Hoagland's solution and different pH (5.

Determination of organic fluorinated compounds content in complex samples through combustion ion chromatography methods: a way to define a "Total Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)" parameter?

Emerging contaminants are a growing concern for scientists and public authorities. The group of per-polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as 'forever chemicals', in complex environmental liquid and solid matrices was analysed in this study. The development of global analytical methods based on combustion ion chromatography (CIC) is expected to provide accurate picture of the overall PFAS contamination level via the determination of extractable organic fluorine (EOF) and adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF).

Selective leaching of indium from spent LCD screens by siderophore desferrioxamine E.

Given the criticality of indium (In) in high-tech applications, spent LCD screens can represent a viable secondary In resource. In this work, an innovative and alternative technology to selectively leach In from spent LCD screens using a microbial chelating agent, desferrioxamine E (DFOE), was developed. Indium was concentrated from spent LCD screens by implementing an adapted pre-treatment procedure, allowing the isolation of an indium-rich glassy fraction.

Molecular interactions of paraben family of pollutants with embryonic neuronal proteins of Danio rerio: A step ahead in computational toxicity towards adverse outcome pathway.

The paraben family of endocrine disruptors exhibit persistent behaviours in aquatic matrices, having bio-accumulative effects and necessitating toxicity analysis and safe use, as well as prevention of food web penetration. In this study, the toxicity effects of 9 different parabens (Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Butyl, Heptyl, Isopropyl, Isobutyl, benzyl parabens and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) were studied against 17 neuronal proteins (Neurog1, Ascl1a, DLA, Syn2a, Ntn1a, Pitx2, and SoxB1, Her/Hes, Zic family) expressed during the early embryonic developmental stage of Danio rerio. The neuronal genes were selected as a biomarker to study the inhibitory effects on the cascade of genes expressed in the early developmental stage.

Recovery technologies for indium, gallium, and germanium from end-of-life products (electronic waste) - A review.

Advanced high-tech applications for communication, renewable energy, and display, heavily rely on technology critical elements (TCEs) such as indium, gallium, and germanium. Ensuring their sustainable supply is a pressing concern due to their high economic value and supply risks in the European Union. Recovering these elements from end-of-life (EoL) products (electronic waste: e-waste) offers a potential solution to address TCEs shortages.

Significance of MOF adsorbents in uranium remediation from water.

Uranium is considered as one of the most perilous radioactive contaminants in the aqueous environment. It has shown detrimental effects on both flora and fauna and because of its toxicities on human beings, therefore its exclusion from the aqueous environment is very essential. The utilization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as an adsorbent for the removal of uranium from the aqueous environment could be a good approach.

Current challenges and future perspectives for the full circular economy of water in European countries.

This paper reviews the current problems and prospects to overcome circular water economy management challenges in European countries. The geopolitical paradigm of water, the water economy, water innovation, water management and regulation in Europe, environmental and safety concerns at water reuse, and technological solutions for water recovery are all covered in this review, which has been prepared in the frame of the COST ACTION (CA, 20133) FULLRECO4US, Working Group (WG) 4. With a Circular Economy approach to water recycling and recovery based on this COST Action, this review paper aims to develop novel, futuristic solutions to overcome the difficulties that the European Union (EU) is currently facing.

Dynamic modelling the effects of ionic strength and ion complexation on trace metal speciation during anaerobic digestion.

Dosing trace metals into anaerobic digestors is proven to improve biogas production rate and yield by stimulating microorganisms involved in the metabolic pathways. Trace metal effects are governed by metal speciation and bioavailability. Though chemical equilibrium speciation models are well-established and widely used to understand metal speciation, the development of kinetic models considering biological and physicochemical processes has recently gained attention.

Systematic computational toxicity analysis of the ozonolytic degraded compounds of azo dyes: Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and adverse outcome pathway (AOP) based approach.

The present study identifies and analyses the degraded products of three azo dyes (Reactive Orange 16, Reactive Red 120, and Direct Red 80) and proffers their in silico toxicity predictions. In our previously published work, the synthetic dye effluents were degraded using an ozonolysis-based Advanced Oxidation Process. In the present study, the degraded products of the three dyes were analysed using GC-MS at endpoint strategy and further subjected to in silico toxicity analysis using Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST), Prediction Of TOXicity of chemicals (ProTox-II), and Estimation Programs Interface Suite (EPI Suite).

A Critical Review on the Recovery of Base and Critical Elements from Electronic Waste-Contaminated Streams Using Microbial Biotechnology.

Pollution by end-of-life electronics is a rapid ever-increasing threat and is a universal concern with production of million metric tons of these wastes per annum. Electronic wastes (E-waste) are rejected electric or electronic equipment which have no other applications. The aggrandized unproper land filling of E-waste may generate hazardous effects on living organisms and ecosystem.

Effects of foliar application of humic acid extracts and indole acetic acid on important growth indices of canola (Brassica napus L.).

Vermicompost (VC) is a rich source of HA that improves plant growth and yield indices such as fresh and dry weights, plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and chlorophyll index value. In this study, the effect of foliar application of HA extracted from different types of VC enriched with bacteria and/or fertilizers, commercial HA (CHA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) on the growth characteristics of canola (Brassica napus) in greenhouse conditions were compared. According to the results, the foliar application of HA extracted from VC had complete superiority over CHA and IAA in most traits except for the leaf number.

The biofilm matrix: multitasking in a shared space.

The biofilm matrix can be considered to be a shared space for the encased microbial cells, comprising a wide variety of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), such as polysaccharides, proteins, amyloids, lipids and extracellular DNA (eDNA), as well as membrane vesicles and humic-like microbially derived refractory substances. EPS are dynamic in space and time and their components interact in complex ways, fulfilling various functions: to stabilize the matrix, acquire nutrients, retain and protect eDNA or exoenzymes, or offer sorption sites for ions and hydrophobic substances. The retention of exoenzymes effectively renders the biofilm matrix an external digestion system influencing the global turnover of biopolymers, considering the ubiquitous relevance of biofilms.

A Review on Biotechnological Approaches Applied for Marine Hydrocarbon Spills Remediation.

The increasing demand for petroleum products generates needs for innovative and reliable methods for cleaning up crude oil spills. Annually, several oil spills occur around the world, which brings numerous ecological and environmental disasters on the surface of deep seawaters like oceans. Biological and physico-chemical remediation technologies can be efficient in terms of spill cleanup and microorganisms-mainly bacteria-are the main ones responsible for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) degradation such as crude oil.

Sorption vs adsorption: The words they are a-changin', not the phenomena.

In this discussion, we highlight that the terms sorption and adsorption are often confused and misused in many articles. Even if one thought their formal definition is well known, this does not appear to be the case. We recommend encouragement to adopt the word adsorption only when fully supported by appropriate data and using the sorption terminology when it is more speculative, typically in complex solid/fluid natural systems.

Nano-biochar: A novel solution for sustainable agriculture and environmental remediation.

Currently, the applications of biochar (BC) in agricultural practices and for environmental remediation purposes have demonstrated multifaceted advantages despite a few limitations. Nano-BC offers considerable opportunities especially for the remediation of hazardous contaminants as well as the improvement of crop productivity. Positive outcomes of nano-BC on soil physico-chemical and biological characteristics have indicated its suitability for agricultural applications.

Effect of Different Enriched Vermicomposts, Humic Acid Extract and Indole-3-Acetic Acid Amendments on the Growth of .

Humic acid (HA) is a specific and stable component of humus materials that behaves similarly to growth stimulants, esp. auxin hormones, contributing to improving growth indices and performance of plants. As a rich source of HA, vermicompost (VC) is also a plant growth stimulating bio-fertilizer that can enhance growth indices and performance in plants.

Potential Use of as a Biostimulant for Improving the Growth Performance of (Jacq.) Marechal.

The fertilizers that are derived from seaweed are known as Seaweed Liquid Fertilizers (SLF). SLF is a modern, cheap, non-toxic, and natural bioactive fertilizer. Among different studied seaweeds, is significant as having bioactive ingredients that potentially regulate the molecular, physiological, and biochemical processes of crop plants.