Decarbonising energy: The developing international activity in hydrogen technologies and fuel cells.

Hydrogen technologies and fuel cells offer an alternative and improved solution for a decarbonised energy future. Fuel cells are electrochemical converters; transforming hydrogen (or energy sources containing hydrogen) and oxygen directly into electricity. The hydrogen fuel cell, invented in 1839, permits the generation of electrical energy with high efficiency through a non-combustion, electrochemical process and, importantly, without the emission of CO at its point of use.

Development of an in-line magnetometer for flow chemistry and its demonstration for magnetic nanoparticle synthesis.

Despite the wide usage of magnetic nanoparticles, it remains challenging to synthesise particles with properties that exploit each application's full potential. Time consuming experimental procedures and particle analysis hinder process development, which is commonly constrained to a handful of experiments without considering particle formation kinetics, reproducibility and scalability. Flow reactors are known for their potential of large-scale production and high-throughput screening of process parameters.

Transforming carbon dioxide into jet fuel using an organic combustion-synthesized Fe-Mn-K catalyst.

With mounting concerns over climate change, the utilisation or conversion of carbon dioxide into sustainable, synthetic hydrocarbons fuels, most notably for transportation purposes, continues to attract worldwide interest. This is particularly true in the search for sustainable or renewable aviation fuels. These offer considerable potential since, instead of consuming fossil crude oil, the fuels are produced from carbon dioxide using sustainable renewable hydrogen and energy.

Spin-enhanced nanodiamond biosensing for ultrasensitive diagnostics.

The quantum spin properties of nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond enable diverse applications in quantum computing and communications. However, fluorescent nanodiamonds also have attractive properties for in vitro biosensing, including brightness, low cost and selective manipulation of their emission. Nanoparticle-based biosensors are essential for the early detection of disease, but they often lack the required sensitivity.

Probabilistic modelling of prospective environmental concentrations of gold nanoparticles from medical applications as a basis for risk assessment.

Background: The use of gold nanoparticles (Au-NP) based medical applications is rising due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Diagnostic devices based on Au-NP are already available in the market or are in clinical trials and Au-NP based therapeutics and theranostics (combined diagnostic and treatment modality) are in the research and development phase. Currently, no information on Au-NP consumption, material flows to and concentrations in the environment are available.

Comparison of ESC and NICE guidelines for patients with suspected coronary artery disease: evaluation of the pre-test probability risk scores in clinical practice.

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have recently published guidelines for investigating patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Both provide a risk score (RS) to assess the pre-test probability for CAD to guide clinicians to undertake the most effective investigation. The aim of the study was to establish whether there is a difference between the two RS models.

Potential environmental implications of nano-enabled medical applications: critical review.

The application of nanotechnology and nanoscience for medical purposes is anticipated to make significant contributions to enhance human health in the coming decades. However, the possible future mass production and use of these medical innovations exhibiting novel and multifunctional properties will very likely lead to discharges into the environment giving rise to potentially new environmental hazards and risks. To date, the sources, the release form and environmental fate and exposure of nano-enabled medical products have not been investigated and little or no data exists, although there are a small number of currently approved medical applications and a number in clinical trials.

Synthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles.

Here, we describe typical methods and provide detailed experimental protocols for synthesizing and processing various semiconductor nanoparticles which have potential application in biology and medicine. These include synthesis of binary semiconductor nanoparticles; core@shell nanoparticles and alloyed nanoparticles; size-selective precipitation to obtain monodisperse nanoparticles; and strategies for phase transfer of nanoparticles from organic solution to aqueous media.

In vivo demonstration of enhanced radiotherapy using rare earth doped titania nanoparticles.

Radiation therapy is often limited by damage to healthy tissue and associated side-effects; restricting radiation to ineffective doses. Preferential incorporation of materials into tumour tissue can enhance the effect of radiation. Titania has precedent for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT), generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon photoexcitation, but is limited by the penetration depth of UV light.

A novel hybrid nano zerovalent iron initiated oxidation--biological degradation approach for remediation of recalcitrant waste metalworking fluids.

Disposal of operationally exhausted metal working fluids (MWF) through a biological route is an attractive option, since it is effective with relatively low energy demands. However, it is enormously challenging since these fluids are chemically complex, including the addition of toxic biocides which are added specifically to retard bio-deterioration whilst the fluids are operational. Nano-sized elemental iron represents a new generation of environmental remediation technologies.

Bacterial tactic response to silver nanoparticles.

In this study, we investigated the tactic response of Pseudomonas putida G7, a representative soil bacterium, towards silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The study integrated the characterization of surface area and size distribution of AgNPs, toxicity determinations, based on ATP production, and assessment of the repellent reaction by means of an inverted capillary assay ('chemical-in-pond' method), and changes in the motility behaviour determined by computer-assisted motion analysis. Our data demonstrate, for the first time, that nanoparticles can elicit a negative tactic response in bacteria at low but environmentally relevant, sublethal concentrations.

Nanoparticle augmented radiation treatment decreases cancer cell proliferation.

Unlabelled: We report significant and controlled cell death using novel x-ray-activatable titania nanoparticles (NPs) doped with lanthanides. Preferential incorporation of such materials into tumor tissue can enhance the effect of radiation therapy. Herein, the incorporation of gadolinium into the NPs is designed to optimize localized energy absorption from a conventional medical x-ray.

Harmonisation of chemical and biological process in development of a hybrid technology for treatment of recalcitrant metalworking fluid.

Disposal of operationally exhausted metalworking fluids (MWFs) is enormously challenging. In this study the feasibility of employing a sequential Fenton-biological oxidation for the treatment of recalcitrant components of MWF wastewater was investigated. A statistical experimental design was employed to address Fenton reagent (H₂O₂, Fe²⁺) dose optimisation which ensured minimal concentrations of the reagents, thus making the treatment environmentally less toxic to subsequent biological steps and economically viable.

Sizing and phenotyping of cellular vesicles using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis.

Unlabelled: Cellular microvesicles and nanovesicles (exosomes) are involved in many disease processes and have major potential as biomarkers. However, developments in this area are constrained by limitations in the technology available for their measurement. Here we report on the use of fluorescence nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) to rapidly size and phenotype cellular vesicles.

The role of nanomaterials in redox-based supercapacitors for next generation energy storage devices.

The development of more efficient electrical storage is a pressing requirement to meet future societal and environmental needs. This demand for more sustainable, efficient energy storage has provoked a renewed scientific and commercial interest in advanced capacitor designs in which the suite of experimental techniques and ideas that comprise nanotechnology are playing a critical role. Capacitors can be charged and discharged quickly and are one of the primary building blocks of many types of electrical circuit, from microprocessors to large-sale power supplies, but usually have relatively low energy storage capability when compared with batteries.

Potential environmental influence of amino acids on the behavior of ZnO nanoparticles.

The fate of nanomaterials when they enter the environment is an issue of increasing concern and thus it is important to know how they interact with natural organic molecules since this may have a significant impact on the particles' behavior. Because of our poor knowledge in this regard, the interaction of ZnO nanoparticles with amino acids of contrasting surface charge, including Histidine (HIS), Glycine (GLY), Aspartic acid (ASP) and Glutamic acid (GLU) which occur commonly in natural habitats, such as the plant root zone, was investigated over a range of pH conditions and concentrations. The addition of the individual amino acid led to significant changes in nanoparticle colloidal zeta potential stability, particle size distribution and the extent of agglomeration.

Trafficking of a dual-modality magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging superparamagnetic iron oxide-based nanoprobe to lymph nodes.

Purpose: This study aims to develop and characterize the trafficking of a dual-modal agent that identifies primary draining or sentinel lymph node (LN).

Procedure: Herein, a dual-reporting silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticle (SCION) is developed. Nude mice were imaged by magnetic resonance (MR) and optical imaging and axillary LNs were harvested for histological analysis.

The impact of zero-valent iron nanoparticles on a river water bacterial community.

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles are of interest because of their many potential biomedical and environmental applications. However, these particles have recently been reported to be cytotoxic to bacterial cells. The overall objective of this study was to determine the impact of 100mg/L ZVI nanoparticles on the diversity and structure of an indigenous river water bacterial community.