MoS2 nanoflowers decorated natural fiber-derived hollow carbon microtubes for boosting perfluorooctanoic acid degradation

Evaluation of the research trends on perfluorinated compounds using bibliometric analysis: knowledge gap and future perspectives

Detection of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the environment has been a global concern because of the risk they pose due to their endocrine-disruptive properties. This study analyzed the global trends and research productivity of PFCs from 1990 to 2021. A total number of 3256 articles on PFCs were retrieved from the Web of Science focusing on different environmental and biological matrices. An increase in the productivity of research on PFCs was observed during the survey period which indicates that more research and publications on this class of contaminants are expected in the future. Evaluating the most productive countries and the number of citations per country on PFCs research shows that China and the United States of America were ranked in first and second places. It was also observed that research on PFCs received the most attention from scientists in developed countries, with little research emerging from Africa. Hence, research on PFCs in developing countries, especially low-income countries should be promoted. Consequently, more research programs should be implemented to investigate PFCs in countries and regions where research on these contaminants is low. The study will help researchers, government agencies and policymakers to tailor future research, allocation of funds to PFCs research and countries' collaboration.

Remediation of environmentally persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by persulfates oxidation system (PS): A review

Over the past few years, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) exhibiting high ecotoxicity have been widely detected in the environment. Persulfate-oxidation hybrid system is one of the most widely used novel advanced oxidation techniques and is based on the persulfate generation of SO₄^-∙ and ∙OH from persulfate to degrade POPs. The overarching aim of this work is to provide a critical review of the variety of methods of peroxide activation (e.g., light activated persulfate, heat-activated persulfate, ultrasound-activated persulfate, electrochemically-activated persulfate, base-activated persulfate, transition metal activated persulfate, as well as Carbon based material activated persulfate). Specifically, through this article we make an attempt to provide the important characteristics and uses of main activated PS methods, as well as the prevailing mechanisms of activated PS to degrade organic pollutants in water. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of each activation method are analyzed. This work clearly illustrates the benefits of different persulfate activation technologies, and explores persulfate activation in terms of Sustainable Development Goals, technical feasibility, toxicity assessment, and economics to facilitate the large-scale application of persulfate technologies. It also discusses how to choose the most suitable activation method to degrade different types of POPs, filling the research gap in this area and providing better guidance for future research and engineering applications of persulfates.

Advanced Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes for Water and Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Review

Nanomaterials have been extensively used in polymer nanocomposite membranes due to the inclusion of unique features that enhance water and wastewater treatment performance. Compared to the pristine membranes, the incorporation of nanomodifiers not only improves membrane performance (water permeability, salt rejection, contaminant removal, selectivity), but also the intrinsic properties (hydrophilicity, porosity, antifouling properties, antimicrobial properties, mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability) of these membranes. This review focuses on applications of different types of nanomaterials: zero-dimensional (metal/metal oxide nanoparticles), one-dimensional (carbon nanotubes), two-dimensional (graphene and associated structures), and three-dimensional (zeolites and associated frameworks) nanomaterials combined with polymers towards novel polymeric nanocomposites for water and wastewater treatment applications. This review will show that combinations of nanomaterials and polymers impart enhanced features into the pristine membrane; however, the underlying issues associated with the modification processes and environmental impact of these membranes are less obvious. This review also highlights the utility of computational methods toward understanding the structural and functional properties of the membranes. Here, we highlight the fabrication methods, advantages, challenges, environmental impact, and future scope of these advanced polymeric nanocomposite membrane based systems for water and wastewater treatment applications.