Hemp cellulose nanocrystals for functional chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol-based films for food packaging applications

Recent trends in the phytoremediation of radionuclide contamination of soil by cesium and strontium: Sources, mechanisms and methods: A comprehensive review

This comprehensive review examines recent trends in phytoremediation strategies to address soil radionuclide contamination by cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr). Radionuclide contamination, resulting from natural processes and nuclear-related activities such as accidents and the operation of nuclear facilities, poses significant risks to the environment and human health. Cs and Sr, prominent radionuclides involved in nuclear accidents, exhibit chemical properties that contribute to their toxicity, including easy uptake, high solubility, and long half-lives. Phytoremediation is emerging as a promising and environmentally friendly approach to mitigate radionuclide contamination by exploiting the ability of plants to extract toxic elements from soil and water. This review focuses specifically on the removal of 90Sr and 137Cs, addressing their health risks and environmental implications. Understanding the mechanisms governing plant uptake of radionuclides is critical and is influenced by factors such as plant species, soil texture, and physicochemical properties. Phytoremediation not only addresses immediate contamination challenges but also provides long-term benefits for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development. By improving soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, phytoremediation is in line with global sustainability goals and environmental protection initiatives. This review aims to provide insights into effective strategies for mitigating environmental hazards associated with radionuclide contamination and to highlight the importance of phytoremediation in environmental remediation efforts.

Valorization of sugarcane bagasse with in situ grown MoS2 for continuous pollutant remediation and microbial decontamination

In this study, sugarcane bagasse (SB) was strategically subjected to a delignification process followed by the in situ growth of multi-layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets with hexagonal phase (2H-phase) crystal structure via hydrothermal treatment. The MoS2 nanosheets underwent self-assembly to form nanoflower-like structures in the aligned cellulose inter-channels of delignified sugarcane bagasse (DSB), the mechanism of which was understood through FTIR and XPS spectroscopic studies. DSB, due to its porous morphology and abundant hydroxyl groups, shows remediation capabilities of methylene blue (MB) dye through physio-sorption but shows a low adsorption capacity of 80.21 mg/g. To improve the removal capacity, DSB after in situ growth of MoS2 (DSB-MoS2) shows enhanced dye degradation to 114.3 mg/g (in the dark) which further improved to 158.74 mg/g during photodegradation, due to catalytically active MoS2. Interestingly, DSB-MoS2 was capable of continuous dye degradation with recyclability for three cycles, reaching an efficiency of > 83%, along with a strong antibacterial response against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli). The present study introduces a unique strategy for the up-conversion of agricultural biomass into value-added bio-adsorbents, which can effectively and economically address the remediation of dyes with simultaneous microbial decontamination from polluted wastewater streams.

Cellulose beads supported CoFe2O4: A novel heterogeneous catalyst for efficient rhodamine B degradation via advanced oxidation processes

In this study, a novel mechanical process was used to produce cellulose beads (CB). These beads were then doped with cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4 NPs) to serve as catalysts for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) through peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The physical and chemical properties of CoFe2O4 and CoFe2O4@CB catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). To optimize RhB degradation efficiency, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed, utilizing the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Under the optimized conditions of a catalyst dosage of 0.40 g/L, PMS dosage of 0.98 mM, RhB concentration of 40 mg/L, pH of 5.27, and reaction time of 60 min, a remarkable degradation efficiency of 98.51 % was achieved at a temperature of 25 °C. In quenching experiments, 1O2, SO4•-, and HO• species are produced in the CoFe2O4@CB/PMS system, with 1O2, and SO4•- species dominating RhB degradation. Remarkably, the new CoFe2O4@CB catalyst has demonstrated exceptional stability and reusability, validated by recycling tests (up to 78 % of RhB degradation efficiency after a 5-cycle experiment) and subsequent characterizations (FTIR, SEM, and EDX) emphasizing unchanged bands, uniform distribution, and consistent composition after reuse cycles. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of mechanically produced CoFe2O4@CB catalysts for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), with promising applications in wastewater treatment.