Systematic literature review of solar-powered landfill leachate sanitation: Challenges and research directions over the past decade.

Researchers have documented the negative effects of refractory chemicals and emergent pollutants in landfill leachate (LL) that cannot be degraded using conventional methods. The propagation, invasion, and deleterious effects of several LL hazards affect aquatic species, the environment, and food outlets, causing significant safety issues. These include cancer risks, chronic exposure, and reproductive consequences.

Surface Modification of TiO Nanotubes Prepared by Porous Titanium Anodization via Hydrothermal Reaction: A Method for Synthesis High-Efficiency Adsorbents of Recovering Sr Ions.

The recycling of strontium ions (Sr) from sea water has been well known for its good cost-effectiveness and environment friendliness. Herein, we modified the surface of TiO nanotubes (TNTs) prepared by porous titanium anodization via hydrothermal (HT) reaction and synthesized a highly efficient adsorbent for the repeated recycling of Sr. TNTs with a high specific surface area were manufactured on porous titanium by internal anodic oxidation.

Methylene blue adsorption mechanism of activated carbon synthesised from cashew nut shells.

Activated carbon produced from agricultural products and wastes has been applied widely to remove pollutants in the field of waste water treatment. However, the cost of this adsorbent depends so much on the raw material sources. Therefore, the approach of producing activated carbon from agricultural waste is strongly recommended due to economic advantages and environmental protection.

A Capacitive Sweat Rate Sensor for Continuous and Real-Time Monitoring of Sweat Loss.

Individualized measurement of sweat loss under heat stress is important in assessing physical performance and preventing heat-related illness for athletes or individuals working in extreme environments. The objective of this work was to develop a low-cost and easy-to-fabricate wearable sensor that enables accurate real-time measurement of sweat rate. A capacitive-type sensor was fabricated from two conducting parallel plates, plastic insulating layers, and a central microfluidic channel formed by laser cutting a plastic film.

Functional reservoir microcapsules generated via microfluidic fabrication for long-term cardiovascular therapeutics.

Cardiovascular disease is a chronic disease that leads to impaired cardiac function and requires long-term management to control its progression. Despite the importance of hydrogels for therapeutic applications, a contradiction between the size of a hydrogel and the amount of loaded drug has been encountered when using conventional fabrication methods. In this study, biocompatible reservoir microcapsules (diameter ∼100 μm) with a large liquid core and polymeric shell were fabricated via a one-step phase separation of poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate (PEGDA) and dextran within pre-gel droplets through microfluidics.

Enhanced sample pre-concentration by ion concentration polarization on a paraffin coated converging microfluidic paper based analytical platform.

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) represent a modest and feasible alternative for conventional analytical methods. However, the inadequate sensitivity of these devices limits the possible applications of μPADs. In this scenario, inducing ion concentration polarization (ICP) on μPADs has shown promise to overcome this limitation by preconcentrating the analytes of interest.

Rapid pre-concentration of Escherichia coli in a microfluidic paper-based device using ion concentration polarization.

We report a microfluidic paper based analytical device implementing ion concentration polarization (ICP) for rapid pre-concentration of Escherichia coli in water. The fabricated device consists of a paper channel with a Nafion membrane and in-built micro wire electrodes to supply electric voltage to induce the ICP effect. E.

Nano-in-Micro Smart Hydrogel Composite for a Rapid Sensitive Immunoassay.

Immunoassays are an important tool in various bioanalytical settings, such as clinical diagnostics, biopharmaceutical analysis, environmental monitoring, and food testing. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is usually used to amplify immunoassay signals; however, it requires labor-intensive and time-consuming procedures, which hinders its application to rapid cytokine detection. In this study, a nano-in-micro composite system, where immunosensing polystyrene beads (≈320 nm) are incorporated within a stimuli-responsive microgel matrix (≈40 µm) via microfluidics, is investigated.

Smart Hydrogel Microfluidics for Single-Cell Multiplexed Secretomic Analysis with High Sensitivity.

Secreted proteins determine a range of cellular functionalities correlated with human health and disease progression. Because of cell heterogeneity, it is essential to measure low abundant protein secretions from individual cells to determine single-cell activities. In this study, an integrated platform consisting of smart hydrogel immunosensors for the sensitive detection of single-cell secretions is developed.

Nanostructured TiMo₃O₂ as Efficient Non-Carbon Support for PtRu Catalysts in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells.

This study was focused on a new strategy by investigating whether the novel Ti0.7Mo0.3O2 material can be used as a conductive support for PtRu to prevent carbon corrosion and improve catalyst activity as the novel Ti0.

Ultrahigh-throughput droplet microfluidic device for single-cell miRNA detection with isothermal amplification.

Analysis of microRNA (miRNA), a pivotal primary regulator of fundamental cellular processes, at the single-cell level is essential to elucidate regulated gene expression precisely. Most single-cell gene sequencing methods use the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to increase the concentration of the target gene for detection, thus requiring a barcoding process for cell identification and creating a challenge for real-time, large-scale screening of sequences in cells to rapidly profile physiological samples. In this study, a rapid, PCR-free, single-cell miRNA assay is developed from a continuous-flow microfluidic process employing a DNA hybridization chain reaction to amplify the target miRNA signal.

Buffer-free integrative nanofluidic device for real-time continuous flow bioassays by ion concentration polarization.

To perform precision medicine in real-time, a sensor capable of continuously monitoring target biomolecules secreted from a patient under dynamic situations is essential. In this study, a novel portable device combining an aptamer probe and a nanofluidic component was developed, enabling the buffer-free continuous monitoring of small molecules in biological fluids. This integration is synergistic: the aptamer sensor is used to bind target biomolecules, triggering a fluorescence signal change, while the nanofluidic component is applied to achieve ion concentration polarization and convert serum into a clean buffer for aptamer signal regeneration.

An Enclosed Paper Microfluidic Chip as a Sample Preconcentrator Based on Ion Concentration Polarization.

Sensitivity is an essential consideration for microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) when these devices are used for low concentration sample detection. Very recently, ion concentration polarization (ICP)-based μPADs are emerging as novel tools for bio-sample preconcentration. In this study, we develop an enclosed paper-based microfluidic platform as a preconcentrator based on the ICP effect.

A multi-module microfluidic platform for continuous pre-concentration of water-soluble ions and separation of oil droplets from oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions using a DC-biased AC electrokinetic technique.

A novel continuous flow microfluidic platform specifically designed for environmental monitoring of O/W emulsions during an aftermath of oil spills is reported herein. Ionized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which are toxic are readily released from crude oil to the surrounding water phase through the smaller oil droplets with enhanced surface area. Hence, a multi-module microfluidic device is fabricated to form ion enrichment zones in the water phase of O/W emulsions for the ease of detection and to separate micron-sized oil droplets from the O/W emulsions.

Design, fabrication and characterization of drug delivery systems based on lab-on-a-chip technology.

Lab-on-a-chip technology is an emerging field evolving from the recent advances of micro- and nanotechnologies. The technology allows the integration of various components into a single microdevice. Microfluidics, the science and engineering of fluid flow in microscale, is the enabling underlying concept for lab-on-a-chip technology.