Latest avenues on titanium oxide-based nanomaterials to mitigate the pollutants and antibacterial: Recent insights, challenges, and future perspectives

Advances in agar-based composites: A comprehensive review

This review article explores the developments and applications in agar-based composites (ABCs), emphasizing various constituents such as metals, clay/ceramic, graphene, and polymers across diversified fields like wastewater treatment, drug delivery, food packaging, the energy sector, biomedical engineering, bioplastics, agriculture, and cosmetics. The focus is on agar as a sustainable and versatile biodegradable polysaccharide, highlighting research that has advanced the technology of ABCs. A bibliometric analysis is conducted using the Web of Science database, covering publications from January 2020 to March 2024, processed through VOSviewer Software Version 1.6.2. This analysis assesses evolving trends and scopes in the literature, visualizing co-words and themes that underscore the growing importance and potential of ABCs in various applications. This review paper contributes by showcasing the existing state-of-the-art knowledge and motivating further development in this promising field.

Understanding the mechanisms behind the antibacterial activity of magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles against sulfate-reducing bacteria in sediments

Nanomaterials, with their small size, surface characteristics, and antibacterial properties, are extensively employed across environmental, energy, biomedical, agricultural, and other industries. This study examined the antibacterial efficacy of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) nanoparticles (NPs) against sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) within sediments. The inhibitory effects of two types of Mg(OH)2 NPs with distinct particle sizes (20.3 and 29.6 nm) and concentrations (0-10.0 mg/mL) were examined under optimal treatment conditions. The antibacterial mechanisms of Mg(OH)2 NPs through direct contact and dissolution effects were determined. The results revealed a correlation between the concentration, particle size, and inhibitory activity, with the smallest NPs (20.3 nm) at the highest concentration (10.0 mg/mL) substantially reducing SRB counts from 8.77 ± 0.18 to 6.48 ± 0.13 log10 colony forming units/mL after 6 h treatment. Treatment with high concentrations of Mg(OH)2 NPs induced cellular damage, reduced intracellular lactate dehydrogenase activity, and elevated intracellular catalase activity and H2O2 content, suggesting that the contact effect of NPs stimulated SRB. This leads to oxidative stress response and structural damage to the cell membrane, which has emerged as the primary driver of the antibacterial action of Mg(OH)2 NPs. This study presents a novel nanomaterial that can inhibit and control SRB in natural sedimentary environments.

Perspectives for Photocatalytic Decomposition of Environmental Pollutants on Photoactive Particles of Soil Minerals

The literature shows that both in laboratory and in industrial conditions, the photocatalytic oxidation method copes quite well with degradation of most environmental toxins and pathogenic microorganisms. However, the effective utilization of photocatalytic processes for environmental decontamination and disinfection requires significant technological advancement in both the area of semiconductor material synthesis and its application. Here, we focused on the presence and "photocatalytic capability" of photocatalysts among soil minerals and their potential contributions to the environmental decontamination in vitro and in vivo. Reactions caused by sunlight on the soil surface are involved in its normal redox activity, taking part also in the soil decontamination. However, their importance for decontamination in vivo cannot be overstated, due to the diversity of soils on the Earth, which is caused by the environmental conditions, such as climate, parent material, relief, vegetation, etc. The sunlight-induced reactions are just a part of complicated soil chemistry processes dependent on a plethora of environmental determinates. The multiplicity of affecting factors, which we tried to sketch from the perspective of chemists and environmental scientists, makes us rather skeptical about the effectiveness of the photocatalytic decontamination in vivo. On the other hand, there is a huge potential of the soils as the alternative and probably cheaper source of useful photocatalytic materials of unique properties. In our opinion, establishing collaboration between experts from different disciplines is the most crucial opportunity, as well as a challenge, for the advancement of photocatalysis.

Innovations in Food Packaging for a Sustainable and Circular Economy

Packaging is fundamental to maintaining the quality of food, but its contribution with a negative footprint to the environment must be completely changed worldwide to reduce pollution and climate change. Innovative and sustainable packaging and new strategies of reutilization are necessary to reduce plastic waste accumulation, maintain food quality and safety, and reduce food losses and waste. The purpose of this chapter is to present innovations in food packaging for a sustainable and circular economy. First, to present the eco-design packaging approach as well as new strategies for recycled or recyclable materials in food packaging. Second, to show current trends in new packaging materials developed from the use of agro-industrial wastes as well as new methods of production, including 3D/4D printing, electrostatic spinning, and the use of nanomaterials.

Removal of ethylene by synthesized Ag/TiO2 photocatalyst under visible light irradiation

Photocatalysts based on titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were widely applied to solve environmental problems such as water and air pollution treatment. Currently, the application of these compounds for food packaging is increasing. This study prepared silver (Ag) doped TiO₂ photocatalyst (Ag/TiO₂) for the decomposition of gas ethylene (Eth), which is the main factor that causes fruits to over-ripen and damage or decay. It found that the doping of Ag could improve the optical property and light adsorption ability of Ag/TiO₂ photocatalyst, which directly enhanced the photocatalytic decomposition of Eth performance. Under visible light, Ag/TiO₂ could depredate 91.2% of Eth, while the removal performance by using the original TiO₂ was 43.9%. The increased initial concentration of Eth from 5 to 30 ppm could inhibit the photocatalytic efficiency of Ag/TiO₂ from 98.6 to 69.2%. Besides, the relative humidity and gas flow rate are roles in the Eth decomposition process. The recycling experiment confirmed that Ag/TiO₂ had good reusability with a slight loss in photocatalytic performance (18.6%) after ten cycles tested. The future protective application of Ag/TiO₂ for food protection during storage and transportation is discussed. This work provides a potential method to remove gas ethylene, reduce the ripening process and extend the shelf life of fruits.