Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dominika Bury, Michal Jakubczak, Rajiv Kumar, Dominika Sciezynska, Jan Bogacki, Piotr Marcinowski, Agnieszka Maria Jastrzebska
Summary: Rapid global industrialization has led to the discharge of pollutants, prompting research into various materials for environmental applications, such as two-dimensional MXenes. This article focuses on MXene-enabled technologies for removing inorganic and organic contaminants, especially organic dyes, pharmaceuticals, and solid pollutants, in gaseous and liquid forms. The study highlights the potential of MXenes in removing heavy ions, radionuclides, and recovering valuable elements. Additionally, MXenes are found to efficiently inactivate microorganisms without harming the environment. The article also discusses the opportunities and challenges related to MXenes' surface chemistry, semiconducting activity, interfacial effects, adsorption, and photocatalysis. Overall, it highlights the significant opportunities for MXenes in the rapidly growing field of environmental applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Moussa Nawell Ould, Tigran Mansuryan, Hage Charles-Henri, Marc Fabert, Katarzyna Krupa, Alessandro Tonello, Mario Ferraro, Luca Leggio, Mario Zitelli, Fabio Mangini, Alioune Niang, Guy Millot, Massimiliano Papi, Stefan Wabnitz, Vincent Couderc
Summary: Beam self-cleaning in graded-index multimode fibers has shown to improve nonlinear fluorescence imaging by enhancing beam brightness, enabling higher spatial resolution, and increasing the efficiency of nonlinear imaging. The associated spatiotemporal reshaping also allows for supercontinuum generation for large-band NF imaging. Experimental demonstrations have validated these findings in both microscopy and endoscopy configurations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Nuo Jin, Fenghua Zhang, Yan Cui, Le Sun, Haoxiang Gao, Ziang Pu, Weimin Yang
Summary: This article discusses the significant advantage of using a solution with micro to nano scale bubbles for surface cleaning, the cleaning mechanism, application areas, as well as the coupled cleaning method of ultrasound and bubbles. It also introduces the characterization methods for the cleaning effect, with the belief that MNBs technology will be applied in a broader range of surface cleaning applications.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jing Liu, Wenzhuang Ma, Haoyuan Cai
Summary: This study presents a new passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) structure that can achieve subambient cooling in hot and humid environments. The structure consists of a hydrophobic SiO2 nanosphere top layer, a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) middle layer, and a metallic Ag bottom layer, with high solar reflectivity and strong broadband infrared emittance. Outdoor experiments in a hot and humid city demonstrated promising subambient cooling effects, which could have significant implications for energy consumption habits in similar regions worldwide.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Michael L. Benjamin, Susan Arnold, Marepalli Rao, Kermit Davis, Andrew Maier, Jurate Virkutyte
Summary: This study compared and evaluated exposure to cleaning chemicals among domestic workers in residential settings, showing that exposures did not exceed occupational exposure limits but may require risk management decisions. Exposure levels were influenced by factors such as source distance and ventilation, suggesting the need for alternative exposure reduction methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Richard Shaughnessy, Mark Hernandez, Ulla Haverinen-Shaughnessy
Summary: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of enhanced classroom cleaning and disinfecting protocol on surface biocontamination and its associations with student absence due to illnesses. The results showed that enhanced cleaning resulted in a significantly lower level of biocontamination on desktops, and there was a significant association between ATP levels on classroom desks and the probability of absence due to gastrointestinal illness.
JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Arpit Joon, Wojciech Kowalczyk
Summary: This paper describes the design and development of a cleaning robot using adaptive manufacturing technology and a control algorithm with stability proof. The goal was to bridge the gap between theory and practical implementation using low-cost components, with practical verification achieved through experiments. The robot features a four-wheel-drive platform, a four-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm, and a vacuum system, with additional sensors and controllers for obstacle avoidance.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhijian Liu, Peiwen Zhang, Yabin Li, Wenhui Yang, Jianshu Guo, Jia Liu, Guangpeng Yao
Summary: The study investigated the migration and deposition of bioaerosols in dental clinics using Serratia marcescens and phi X174 phage as releasing sources. Results showed that the highest bioaerosol concentration was located near the mouth of the dentist, and high deposition rates were observed on equipment trays. It took 90 minutes to discharge 99.9% of bioaerosols from the dental clinic, providing insights for reducing exposure risk to dental staff and creating a safe environment.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Correction
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sajad Haghanifar, Ping Lu, Md Imrul Kayes, Susheng Tan, Ki-Joong Kim, Tongchuan Gao, Paul Ohodnicki, Paul W. Leu
Summary: The correction for the paper 'Self-cleaning, high transmission, near unity haze OTS/silica nanostructured glass' by Sajad Haghanifar et al. presents a modified approach for self-cleaning, highly transparent, and nearly haze-free OTS/silica nanostructured glass.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jan F. Gogarten, Malte Ruhlemann, Elizabeth Archie, Jenny Tung, Chantal Akoua-Koffi, Corinna Bang, Tobias Deschner, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfun, Martha M. Robbins, Grit Schubert, Martin Surbeck, Roman M. Wittig, Klaus Zuberbuehler, John F. Baines, Andre Franke, Fabian H. Leendertz, Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer
Summary: The bacterial and phage communities in humans are influenced by primates, with captive nonhuman primates showing intermediate compositions between wild counterparts and humans. In captivity, wild great ape-associated phages are replaced by human-associated ones, indicating a potentially labile primate-phage association across millions of years of evolution. The social behavior and evolutionary history of primates shape the relationships between phages and their hosts, resulting in distinct phageome compositions among primate taxa.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Sindy SanJuan-Reyes, Leobardo Manuel Gomez-Olivan, Hariz Islas-Flores
Summary: The emerging infectious disease COVID-19, caused by SARS-COV2, has become a public health threat with high infection rates and life-threatening consequences. Environmental factors also play a role in transmission and impact on human health.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
M. O. P. Alvarenga, J. M. M. Dias, B. J. L. A. Lima, A. S. L. Gomes, G. Q. M. Monteiro
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic revealed opportunities for improving prevention practices in healthcare settings. This scoping review examines the implementation of portable air cleaners in healthcare settings, identifies gaps, and proposes recommendations for future research.
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
(2022)
Review
Virology
Yansheng Geng, Youchun Wang
Summary: This study summarizes the current knowledge regarding potential mechanisms of environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including surface contamination and fomite transmission, as well as the environmental factors affecting virus viability. The importance of fomite transmission, including cold-chain food transmission, in epidemics is also discussed.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jinli Xu, Huifan Deng, Yiqun Wang, Pan Li, Jianqiang Zeng, Hongwei Pang, Xin Xu, Xue Li, Yan Yang, Sasho Gligorovski
Summary: Human daily activities such as cooking and cleaning can affect indoor air quality by emitting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and forming secondary compounds through reactions with ozone (O3) and hydroxyl radicals (OH). However, our understanding of the formation processes of secondary VOCs is still limited. In this study, we measured the primary VOCs emitted by a commercial floor-cleaning detergent and the secondary compounds formed by the reaction of O3 with the detergent using high-resolution mass spectrometry. We also developed reaction mechanisms to describe the formation of these secondary VOCs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kalisvar Marimuthu, Judith Chui Ching Wong, Poh Lian Lim, Sophie Octavia, Xiaowei Huan, Yi Kai Ng, Jun Jing Yang, Stephanie Sutjipto, Kyaw Zaw Linn, Yin Xiang Setoh, Chong Hui Clara Ong, Jane Griffiths, Sharifah Farhanah, Thai Shawn Cheok, Nur Ashikin Binti Sulaiman, Sipaco Barbara Congcong, Erica Sena Neves, Liang Hui Loo, Luqman Hakim, Shuzhen Sim, Merrill Lim, Mohammad Nazeem, Shawn Vasoo, Kwok Wai Tham, Oon Tek Ng, Lee Ching Ng
Summary: We conducted a study to investigate the contamination levels of air, surface, dust, and water in a room occupied by a patient infected with MPXV. Environmental sampling was done, and viable MPXV was isolated from surfaces and dust samples, but not from air and water samples.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
