Review
Environmental Sciences
Javier Gonzalez-Martin, Norbertus Johannes Richardus Kraakman, Cristina Perez, Raquel Lebrero, Raul Munoz
Summary: Indoor air pollution is a significant issue, leading to millions of premature deaths and considerable economic losses annually. Traditional physical-chemical technologies are limited by low concentrations and diversity of pollutants, thus biotechnologies are considered a cost-effective and sustainable solution for indoor air purification.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bowen Du, Jeffrey A. Siegel
Summary: Low-cost air quality monitors are widely used in indoor environments, and there is a growing interest in using data science and machine learning techniques to overcome their limitations. This study developed an unsupervised machine learning model to automatically recognize decay periods from concentration time series data and estimate pollutant loss rates. The model provides a novel solution for monitoring pollutant removal rates with potential applications in evaluating filtration, ventilation, and indoor emission sources.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Assia Arab, Nabil Himrane, Zouhira Hireche, Yacine Halouane, Rachid Bennacer, Djamel Eddine Ameziani
Summary: This study investigates the effect of reactive porous separation on ventilation and depollution capacity. The results show that adding reaction improves indoor air quality and reduces air renewal time, without affecting thermal efficiency.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THERMAL SCIENCES
(2024)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Salma Abubakar, Tina Skorjanc, Dinesh Shetty, Ali Trabolsi
Summary: Calixarene-based polymers have emerged as efficient adsorbents for a variety of compounds and ions, with potential applications in environmental remediation. The synthetic methods include Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling, and diazo and imine bond formation. These materials show promising applications in adsorbing dyes, micropollutants, heavy metals, and other pollutants from water.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
In-Keun Shim, Jeonghoon Kim, Jin Kyu Lee, Jae-Min Oh, Jin Kuen Park
Summary: Surfactant-extracted porous silica nano particles with wrinkled structures were modified with three different organosilanes, which significantly enhanced their adsorption performance for hazardous indoor air chemicals. The dispersion forces between the adsorbates and the adsorbents played a crucial role in determining the absorption capacity of the surface-modified silica nanoparticles.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jinlong Hu, Lingzhi Zhang
Summary: This study presents a method for synthesizing fluorine-doped porous hollow carbon nanospheres with ultrahigh pore volume, tunable hierarchical pore sizes, and high fluorine-doping content through a gas-solid interface reaction. The resulting FPHCs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance in high-sulfur-content Li-S batteries, opening up new possibilities for sustainable energy applications.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yicheng Zeng, Haoran Yu, Haoran Zhao, Brent Stephens, Vishal Verma
Summary: The study investigated the intrinsic toxicity of PM in an unoccupied apartment in Chicago, finding that indoor PM2.5 had higher intrinsic oxidative potential than outdoor PM2.5, influenced by differences in indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity. Further research is needed to confirm the hypotheses regarding the transformation processes and factors affecting the chemical composition.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Izdihar Zahirah Ibrahim, Wen Tong Chong, Sumiani Yusoff, Chin-Tsan Wang, Xianbo Xiang, Wan Khairul Muzammil
Summary: Research has shown that active botanical biofilter systems are efficient in filtering indoor air pollutants and providing a refreshing atmosphere. A prototype of a botanical indoor air biofilter (BIAB) was developed and evaluated for its performance in reducing indoor air pollutants, demonstrating high removal efficiencies for PM2.5, PM10, and VOCs.
INDOOR AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lorianne Ginot, Amal El Bakkouche, Fabrice Giusti, Sandrine Dourdain, Stephane Pellet-Rostaing
Summary: Developing greener hydrometallurgical processes by substituting conventional solvents with silica-based porous liquids for metal liquid-liquid extraction is proposed in this study. The properties of the liquid can be adjusted by varying the number of ethylene oxide units in the canopy formed by modifying sulfonated hollow silica particles with polyethoxylated fatty amines. The viscosity of the liquid is influenced by the density and size of the silica spheres. Hydrophobic porous liquids are successfully synthesized and are proven to be necessary for metal extraction in preliminary tests.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Van Minh Duong, Anh Le Hoang
Summary: This paper discusses the correlation between indoor and ambient air quality in commercial and recreational buildings in Hanoi, Vietnam. The study finds that CO levels are significantly higher in underground parking zones compared to commercial floors and ambient air, while SO2 levels remain below health exposure limits. Additionally, the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 are generally higher outdoors and in parking basements, reaching reference exposure values for public health concerns. The study also identifies emissions from gasoline-fueled vehicles in parking basements and their impact on air quality.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Xiguan Liang, Zhisheng Li, Huagang Zhang, Xinru Hong
Summary: By analyzing experimental data with fuzzy evaluation, this study found that the highest level of evaluation was given to the library, while the waiting hall received the lowest. Important findings also included data on pollutant concentrations and correlations.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shaoning Pang, Lei Song, Abdolhossein Sarrafzadeh, Guy Coulson, Ian Longley, Gustavo Olivares
Summary: This study uses correlation coefficients technique to detect emission sources in indoor environments, considering secondary pollution and calculating intra pollutants correlation coefficients. Experiments successfully identify seven major indoor emission sources and improve detection accuracy compared to traditional methods.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jiayue Xie, Xianghong Liu, Shuliang Jing, Chao Pang, Qingshan Liu, Jun Zhang
Summary: Designing a unique NiO-functionalized macroporous In2O3 thin film by atomic layer deposition (ALD) enables high sensitivity to NO2 at low temperatures. Manipulating the oxygen vacancy concentration and p-n heterojunctions in the In2O3/NiO hybrid films significantly impacts the surface chemical and electrical properties of the sensing films. The optimized In2O3/NiO film sensor exhibits a high response to 10 ppm NO2 at 145 degrees C with an ultralow detection limit due to the paramount surface active sites and high carrier concentration enabled by the oxygen vacancies.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Junbin Yang, Xianwang Fan, Huan Zhang, Wandong Zheng, Tianzhen Ye
Summary: Due to the rapidly increasing ridership and the relatively enclosed underground space, the indoor air quality (IAQ) in underground subway stations (USSs) has attracted more public attention. This study found that the concentrations of air pollutants in USSs, such as particulate matter, CO2, VOCs, bacteria, and fungi, are significantly higher than the permissible concentration limits specified by health organizations. The sources of these pollutants mainly come from internal and outdoor sources. Additionally, the study summarizes different methods for IAQ monitoring, fault detection, and prediction, and reviews the available control strategies for improving IAQ in USSs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Hakimeh Teiri, Yaghoub Hajizadeh, Abooalfazl Azhdarpoor
Summary: In recent years, indoor air pollution has increasingly become a major concern due to its adverse health effects. Plants have shown to be an effective and environmentally friendly solution for improving indoor air quality by absorbing pollutants such as particles and VOCs through biological and microbial processes. Factors such as plant types, root microorganisms, and environmental conditions play a crucial role in the efficiency of phytoremediation.
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abdunaser M. Ewlad-Ahmed, Michael Morris, Justin Holmes, David J. Belton, Siddharth V. Patwardhan, Lorraine T. Gibson
Summary: The study demonstrates that green nanosilicas show high efficiency in removing volatile organic compounds and can be customized in terms of physical properties and adsorption capacity. Their high efficiency is attributed to the broad pore size distribution, particularly the presence of meso- and micro-porosity.
Correction
Physics, Applied
Sreyan Raha, Divya Srivastava, Subhajit Biswas, Adria Garcia-Gil, Antti J. Karttunen, Justin D. Holmes, Achintya Singha
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nadezda Prochukhan, Stephen A. O'Brien, Arantxa Davo-Quinonero, Anna Trubetskaya, Eoin Cotter, Andrew Selkirk, Ramsankar Senthamaraikannan, Manuel Ruether, David McCloskey, Michael A. Morris
Summary: A method for manufacturing standalone lignin membranes without additives is reported, using different organosolv lignin materials in a humid environment. The membranes can be used as templates for producing nickel oxide membranes and further etching to form black silicon. This method can be applied to various processes and adapted for large-scale manufacturing.
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Mehael Fennelly, Catherine Gallagher, Mairead Harding, Stig Hellebust, John Wenger, Niall O'Sullivan, David O'Connor, Michael Prentice
Summary: The study found that using high-volume evacuation (HVE) or HVE plus local exhaust ventilation (LEV) can effectively prevent the spread and persistence of aerosols generated during dental procedures. Additionally, the use of enclosures can restrict the spread of aerosols outside of the operating area.
JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shane Garvey, Andrew Serino, Maria Barbara Maccioni, Justin D. Holmes, Michael Nolan, Nerissa Draeger, Emir Gurer, Brenda Long
Summary: This study reveals the key role of humidity in preventing germination oxidation and SAM degradation. The experimental results show that humidity can induce germination re-oxidation. In addition, atomic force microscopy data shows that humidity has little impact on the surface roughness of germination. By simulating experimental conditions and understanding atomic-level processes, the stability mechanism of thiol-SAM passivated germination in different configurations is revealed.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Adria Garcia-Gil, Subhajit Biswas, David McNulty, Ahin Roy, Kevin M. Ryan, Valeria Nicolosi, Justin D. Holmes
Summary: This study reports the fabrication of high aspect ratio super-thin Ge1-xSnx nanowires using a solvothermal-like growth method. The dimensions of the nanowires and the amount of Sn in the Ge lattice were found to be critical to achieving high electrochemical performance as an anode material for Li-ion batteries.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Karzan H. Zangana, Antonio Fernandez, Justin D. Holmes
Summary: This paper reports a simple and efficient chemical recycling method for PET, using the environmentally friendly and cheap catalyst CaO and microwave irradiation. This method can achieve high yield of highly crystalline BHET in a very short time, and can realize the recycling and reuse of materials, showing great potential applications.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Eadaoin Casey, Justin D. Holmes, Gillian Collins
Summary: This study reports a one-pot synthesis of surfactant templated PdAu nanosheets and investigates their catalytic performance in light-enhanced Suzuki cross coupling reactions. The PdAu bimetallic nanosheets demonstrate higher catalytic activity compared to monometallic Pd nanosheets and commercial Pd/C at room temperature.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rajasree Das, Liang Ye, Sumit Sukhbasi Lal, Hasan Ahmadian Baghbaderani, Ranajit Sai, Michael Hayes, Michael A. A. Morris, Paul McCloskey
Summary: FeSiB based soft magnetic flakes coated with optimally thick SiO2 were produced by mechanical ball milling and optimized sol-gel coating. The milling process reduced ribbon thickness to minimize eddy current loss, and a tiny fraction of the flakes were allowed to become nanocrystalline, enhancing saturation flux density and permeability without incurring additional losses. A stress-releasing post-annealing process further improved the magnetic properties without affecting the insulating SiO2 layer.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Aislan Esmeraldo Paiva, Jhimli Paul Guin, Jhonattan Frank Baez Vasquez, K. Ravindranathan Thampi, James A. Sullivan, Fernanda G. L. Medeiros Borsagli, Michael A. Morris
Summary: Porous iron oxide structures were produced on glass substrates using block copolymer templating. XRD and XPS studies revealed the coexistence of FeIII/FeII. Vertically aligned PS cylinders with pore sizes of 35, 45 and 400 nm were obtained by varying the annealing time. The iron oxide-covered glass substrates showed efficient degradation of levofloxacin solution through a photo-Fenton process.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Liang Ye, Rajasree Das, Guannan Wei, Sumit Sukhbasi Lal, Michael Morris, Hasan Ahmadian Baghbaderani, Ranajit Sai, Paul McCloskey
Summary: Melt-spun Fe-based ribbons are commonly used in transformers and inductors due to their high flux density and low coercivity. However, their high thickness results in significant eddy current losses at MHz frequencies. This study demonstrates an optimized ball milling process to produce high-yield flakes in the desired size range (2-4 μm) to suppress the eddy current losses. The findings provide an efficient approach to fabricate ultra-thin flakes for high-frequency applications.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sajan Singh, Tandra Ghoshal, Nadezda Prochukhan, Alberto Alvarez Fernandez, Jhonattan Frank Baez Vasquez, Pravind Yadav, Sibu C. Padmanabhan, Michael A. Morris
Summary: In this study, we demonstrated the formation of oxide porous and nanodot structures from the same block copolymer (BCP) through the phase inversion of a BCP template. The effect of solvent annealing time on the ordering of the BCP was investigated. Metal ions were infiltrated into the BCP templates and oxidized to their oxides. The resulting structures were analyzed through various methods, confirming the complete elimination of the BCP template and the presence of metal oxides.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosin Byrne, Kevin Ryan, Dean S. Venables, John C. Wenger, Stig Hellebust
Summary: When local emissions dominate, the levels of ambient particulate matter (PM) can vary significantly within a city. In Ireland, residential solid fuel burning is the main source of PM2.5 emissions, and the smoke from a small number of chimneys can have a major impact on the air quality in the surrounding area. The emergence of low-cost air quality sensors has allowed researchers to measure this variation with high spatial and temporal resolution.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sreyan Raha, Subhajit Biswas, Jessica Doherty, Prasanna Kumar Mondal, Justin D. Holmes, Achintya Singha
Summary: Alloying group IV semiconductors is an effective method for engineering their electronic properties and lattice dynamics. By studying the Raman spectra of Ge1-xSnx alloy nanowires, we have discovered new modes associated with the optical phonon mode of Ge, which are assigned to the stretching of Ge-Ge bonds due to Sn-induced lattice relaxation and compression.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Caitlin McFeely, Matthew Snelgrove, Kyle Shiel, Gregory Hughes, Pravind Yadav, Ross Lundy, Michael A. Morris, Enda McGlynn, Robert O'Connor
Summary: Research on the fabrication of polymer brushes for Area Selective Deposition is crucial for understanding 'bottom up' lithographic techniques. In this study, we demonstrate that thin polystyrene brushes can effectively block atomic layer deposition processes, providing a potential route to area deactivation. We also found that the thickness of the polystyrene brushes has a significant impact on the blocking efficacy.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
