Double Layer SiO-Coated Water-Stable Halide Perovskite as a Promising Antimicrobial Photocatalyst under Visible Light.

Halide perovskite nanocrystals (HPNCs) have emerged as promising materials for various light harvesting applications due to their exceptional optical and electronic properties. However, their inherent instability in water and biological fluids has limited their use as photocatalysts in the aqueous phase. In this study, we present highly water-stable SiO-coated HPNCs as efficient photocatalysts for antimicrobial applications.

Gender differences in the association between dietary protein intake and constipation: findings from NHANES.

Purpose: Dietary factors play a crucial role in the development and management of chronic constipation, yet the relationship between dietary protein intake and constipation remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the association between dietary protein intake and the prevalence of constipation among American adults, with a focus on potential gender differences, using large-scale national data.

Materials And Methods: Data from 14,048 participants aged 20 and above (7,072 men and 6,976 women) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2010 were analyzed.

Electrochemical oxidation of surfactants as an essential step to enable greywater reuse.

The practical application of electrochemical oxidation technology for the removal of surfactants from greywater was evaluated using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a model surfactant. Careful selection of electrocatalysts and optimization of operational parameters demonstrated effective SDS removal in treating a complex greywater matrix with energy consumption below 1 kWh g COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), paving the way for a more sustainable approach to achieving surfactant removal in greywater treatment when aiming for decentralized water reuse. Chromatographic techniques identified carboxylic acids as key byproducts prior to complete mineralization.

Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes for Controlling Airborne Viruses: Present Status, Standardization of Aerosol Filtration Tests, and Future Development.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has raised great public concern about the airborne transmission of viral pathogens. Virus-laden aerosols with small size could be suspended in the air for a long duration and remain infectious. Among a series of measures implemented to mitigate the airborne spread of infectious diseases, filtration by face masks, respirators, and air filters is a potent nonpharmacologic intervention.

Photosensitized Electrospun Nanofibrous Filters for Capturing and Killing Airborne Coronaviruses under Visible Light Irradiation.

To address the challenge of the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, photosensitized electrospun nanofibrous membranes were fabricated to effectively capture and inactivate coronavirus aerosols. With an ultrafine fiber diameter (∼200 nm) and a small pore size (∼1.5 μm), optimized membranes caught 99.

Radical-Driven Decomposition of Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets: Light Exposure Matters.

Understanding the transformation of graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) is essential to assess nanomaterial robustness and environmental risks. Using an integrated experimental and simulation approach, our work has demonstrated that the photoinduced hole (h) on g-CN nanosheets significantly enhances nanomaterial decomposition under OH attack. Two g-CN nanosheet samples D and M2 were synthesized, among which M2 had more pores, defects, and edges, and they were subjected to treatments with OH alone and both OH and h.

Development of Electrospun Nanofibrous Filters for Controlling Coronavirus Aerosols.

Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 plays a critical role in spreading COVID-19. To protect public health, we designed and fabricated electrospun nanofibrous air filters that hold promise for applications in personal protective equipment (PPE) and the indoor environment. Due to ultrafine nanofibers (∼300 nm), the electrospun air filters had a much smaller pore size in comparison to the surgical mask and cloth masks (a couple of micrometers versus tens to hundreds of micrometers).

Photocatalytic graphitic carbon nitride-chitosan composites for pathogenic biofilm control under visible light irradiation.

Photocatalysis holds promise for inactivating environmental pathogens. Visible-light-responsive composites of carbon-doped graphitic carbon nitride and chitosan with high reactivity and processability were fabricated, and they can control pathogenic biofilms for environmental, food, biomedical, and building applications. The broad-spectrum biofilm inhibition and eradication of the photocatalytic composites against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, and Escherichia coli O157: H7 under visible light irradiation were demonstrated.

3D printed photoreactor with immobilized graphitic carbon nitride: A sustainable platform for solar water purification.

Solar-energy-enabled photocatalysis is promising for sustainable water purification. However, photoreactor design, especially immobilizing nano-sized photocatalysts, remains a major barrier preventing industrial-scale application of photocatalysis. In this study, we immobilized photocatalytic graphitic carbon nitride on chitosan to produce g-CN/chitosan hydrogel beads (GCHBs), and evaluated GCHB photoreactivity for degrading phenol and emerging persistent micropollutants in a 3D printed compound parabolic collector (CPC) reactor.

Acquisition of time-frequency localized mechanical properties of biofilms and single cells with high spatial resolution.

Biofilms are a cluster of bacteria embedded in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that contain a complex composition of polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA (eDNA). Desirable mechanical properties of the biofilms are critical for their survival, propagation, and dispersal, and the response of mechanical properties to different treatment conditions also sheds light on biofilm control and eradication in vivo and on engineering surfaces. However, it is challenging yet important to investigate mechanical behaviors of biofilms with a high spatial resolution because biofilms are very heterogeneous.

Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalyst of Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Pathogenic Biofilm Control.

Pathogenic biofilms raise significant health and economic concerns, because these bacteria are persistent and can lead to long-term infections in vivo and surface contamination in healthcare and industrial facilities or devices. Compared with conventional antimicrobial strategies, photocatalysis holds promise for biofilm control because of its broad-spectrum effectiveness under ambient conditions, low cost, easy operation, and reduced maintenance. In this study, we investigated the performance and mechanism of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm control and eradication on the surface of an innovative photocatalyst, graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN), under visible-light irradiation, which overcame the need for ultraviolet light for many current photocatalysts (e.