RSC sustainability最新文献

Synthetic fibers in the market are mainly derived from fossil resources. The depletion of these resources and the accompanied environmental issues have stimulated interest in the utilization of renewable materials. Cellulose, which is widely available in lignocelluloses, is a type of abundant and renewable biopolymer in nature. It has been ascending as a promising feedstock for the manufacture of functional materials to replace fossil-based synthetic fibers. Pretreatment of lignocelluloses is a requisite step for the production of cellulosic materials since this biopolymer is embedded in a matrix composed of lignin and hemicellulose in the plant cell wall. However, cellulose degradation usually occurs during the pretreatment and subsequent material preparation processes, affecting the properties of the fabricated materials. In this study, we provide a comprehensive review of the strategies to inhibit cellulose degradation in the valorization of lignocelluloses for the fabrication of functional materials. It is demonstrated that the interactions between the solvent (including organics, ionic liquids, and deep eutectic solvents) and cellulose are closely related to its degradation. Specifically, too strong interactions would lead to the degradation of this biopolymer, resulting in a decrease in the degree of polymerization of cellulose, which leads to inferior properties (including mechanical properties) of the corresponding materials. Introducing additives, co-solvents, and radical scavengers or the selection of appropriate solvents affect the interactions between the solvent and cellulose, thereby inhibiting degradation and facilitating the fabrication of functional materials with excellent properties. The challenges and future perspective (e.g., understanding the inhibition mechanism at the molecular level) in the development of more efficient technologies to prevent cellulose degradation are also highlighted. This study can provide guidance for the design of systems to obtain cellulosic materials with excellent properties, encouraging more researchers to engage in this field to promote relevant progress.

Biodegradation of commercial expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) and pure EPS foams was investigated by Tahroudi et al. (2025) with a single source of mealworms (larvae of Tenebrio molitor) from Australia. They claimed that EPS is not chemically degraded by yellow mealworms because degradation of the additive was solely responsible for the molecular weight reduction of commercial EPS, and pure EPS was essentially unaffected by passage through the digestive tract. They found that both pure and commercial EPS diets failed to sustain mealworm growth, and survival rates decreased, which has been documented by other researchers. Our comments are that the conclusions of Tahroudi et al. i.e. “expanded polystyrene is not chemically degraded by mealworms” were not fully supported by their data and key evidence was overlooked due to methodological limitations and other weaknesses, including an incomplete mass balance, misinterpretation of GPC and FTIR data, and underutilization of analytical tools established for assessment of plastic degradation. Published results, including our own, demonstrated polystyrene biodegradation of both commercial foams and high-purity PS products by mealworms from various sources. Degradation capabilities varied by mealworm strain, larval age, physical and chemical properties of PS products, nutrients, and environmental factors, making broad generalizations problematic. We also call for microbiome, transcriptome and metabolome analyses to better understand enzymatic contributions to plastic biodegradation. Given the growing body of evidence supporting mealworm-mediated plastic degradation, we highly recommend a more comprehensive approach to assessing plastic biodegradation, incorporating long-term studies, CO₂ release, advanced analytical techniques (¹H NMR, GC-MS, py-GC/MS, δ¹³C, XPS etc.) with mass balance calculations associated with gut microbiome, transcriptome and metabolome. Comparison of mealworms from different sources, nutrition history and feeding conditions, and instar stage would provide new insights into the mealworm-mediated plastic degradation.

The demand for bio-based epoxy thermoset alternatives within the adhesive industry has seen substantial growth in recent years. This increase is attributed to a heightened exploration of renewable materials, including biopolymers and monomers derived from renewable resources. However, despite these significant advancements, a considerable portion of the research primarily focuses on edible oils, which may inadvertently neglect critical implications for food security. So, this study explores the thermal, mechanical, and adhesive properties of epoxy thermosets derived from biobased epoxidized Thevetia peruviana oil (ETPO) cured with two diamines, 1,10-decane diamine (DDA) and m-xylene diamine (XDA), using imidazole (IM) as a catalytic initiator. The thermosets were evaluated for lap shear strength on stainless steel (SS) and aluminium (Al) substrates at varying imidazole concentrations (0–5%) and curing times (24–96 hours). The results show that DDA-cured thermosets demonstrate superior thermal stability and heat resistance, with T_5% increasing from 149 °C to 256 °C and T_HRI from 139 °C to 162 °C as IM concentration rises. XDA-cured thermosets exhibit higher adhesive strength, peaking at 1.47 MPa on SS at 5% IM and 72 hours, but lower thermal stability, with T_5% values decreasing from 157 °C to 68 °C. Imidazole's catalytic efficiency enhanced the crosslinking in both systems, with DDA providing better thermal stability and XDA delivering higher adhesive strength. These findings demonstrate the potential of ETPO-based thermosets as sustainable adhesives, offering excellent performance for industrial applications.

Renewable energy for green hydrogen production presents a promising avenue for sustainable energy storage. However, the increasing demand for green hydrogen may strain freshwater resources. The direct electrolysis of seawater is considered an alternative, but high anion concentration in seawater poses challenges. This study focuses on testing cost-effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to facilitate hydrogen generation from seawater electrolysis. The investigation of electrodeposited nickel-iron hydroxide (NiFe(OH)₂) on a microelectrode in alkaline seawater solutions shows promising results for achieving low overpotentials at high current densities. In alkaline simulated seawater (1 M KOH and 0.5 M NaCl), the electrode exhibited low overpotentials of 278 and 305 mV at 333 K, to reach current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm⁻², respectively. Furthermore, in alkaline natural seawater, the electrode exhibited low overpotentials of 347 and 382 mV at 333 K, to reach 500 and 1000 mA cm⁻², respectively. To deliver a current density of 2000 mA cm⁻², the catalyst requires overpotentials of only 341 mV in 1 M KOH and 0.5 M NaCl solution and 409 mV in alkaline Absolute Ocean, a standardised seawater solution. Overall, the findings from this study provide a benchmark to contribute to the understanding of an effective, low-cost, easy-to-synthesize OER catalyst for seawater electrolysis, offering a practical solution for hydrogen generation.

The limited photocatalytic performance of individual metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) restricts their practical use. To address this, the integration of distinct MOFs into MOF-on-MOF heterostructures can create well-defined charge-transfer interfaces, significantly enhancing photocatalytic efficiency. Motivated by this, we investigated the in situ assembly of ZIF-67 with NH₂-MIL-125(Ti), resulting in a binary ZIF-67/NH₂-MIL-125(Ti) all-solid-state Z-scheme heterostructure. Comprehensive characterisation through PXRD, BET, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, contact angle analysis and electrochemical studies confirmed enhanced structural and optoelectronic properties. Elemental profiling was carried out by ICP-OES, CHNO evaluation, and EDX spectroscopy. The hybrid catalyst exhibited an impressive H₂O₂ formation efficiency of 1345 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, accompanied by a quantum yield of 3.64% under 400 nm irradiation, and also delivered a H₂ evolution output of 215 µmol h⁻¹, each showing a fourfold improvement compared to the individual pristine MOFs. The synergistic interaction between the well-designed MOF-on-MOF heterostructure and the Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism effectively minimised charge recombination, as evidenced by XPS, PL spectra, TRPL, and EIS analyses. Furthermore, free radical trapping experiments and ESR studies confirmed the critical role of ˙O₂⁻ radicals in the photocatalytic formation of H₂O₂. This study provides valuable insights for developing advanced MOF-based heterojunction photocatalysts tailored for efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion.

Lactose as a primary carbon source for fermentation is not as thoroughly investigated as glucose, despite certain advantages such as potential sourcing from high volume dairy side-streams. We investigated whether lactose could be a feasible feed source for various lactic acid bacteria (LABs) to produce lactic acid (LA), which is a precursor for the synthesis of the bioplastic polylactic acid. In 1 Litre stirred tank bioreactors under microaerophilic batch growth conditions Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 had the highest LA titre (40 g L⁻¹) and productivity (0.83 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹) compared to other LABs tested. When air was supplied to the bioreactor at 10% dissolved oxygen, L. plantarum ATCC 8014 fully consumed the lactose supplied to produce 40 g L⁻¹ LA and increased the LA volumetric productivity to 1.51 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ in 28 hours. Fed-batch fermentations with L. plantarum ATCC 8014 achieved the highest LA titre (69.05 g L⁻¹) but productivity was reduced (1.28 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹) compared to the best batch cultures. Under continuous culture conditions (D = 0.1 h⁻¹) L. plantarum ATCC 8014 had the highest LA yield (0.88 g g⁻¹) from lactose but the titre was low (4 to 6 g L⁻¹) and productivity was not stable.

Global environmental challenges including environmental pollution, water scarcity, and climate change are negatively impact the standard of living for humans on the Earth. Research and development in the field of water treatment paved the way for the utilization of sustainable materials for water purification, and the currently available innovative technologies are capable to purify water as per the standards put forward by World Health Organization. However, the cost of such technologies is very high, making them unaffordable for the global population. Environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials are of high demand for water purification. In this context, biocarbon is a suitable material, which exhibits peculiar properties such as low cost, natural abundance, eco-friendliness, and easy processability. As per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, the SDG 6 deals with clean water and sanitation. Purifying the contaminated water resources using biocarbon has gained great interest in the recent past as a suitable solution to meet the global freshwater requirement. A review report in the field of biocarbon-based water purification is lacking in the literature, which has motivated us to write a review on biocarbon-based sustainable water purification. We discuss the synthesis, properties, and water remediation measures of eco-friendly biocarbon and biocarbon-based materials. This review opens up a new paradigm shift in water purification technologies, which are sustainable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective compared with the currently available technologies.

Biosensors represent a transformative class of analytical devices that convert the recognition of target analytes into quantifiable signals, offering enhanced accuracy, sustainability, and rapid response times through the selective detection of specific biomarkers. In response to growing demands for environmentally sustainable and high-performance technologies, the field is increasingly shifting toward renewable materials. Among these alternatives, bacterial cellulose (BC) has garnered significant attention as a promising sustainable platform for next-generation biosensors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of BC, encompassing its biosynthesis pathways, intrinsic physicochemical features, and versatile functionalization strategies for tailored biosensing performance. By focusing on the design and fabrication of BC-based biosensors, with an emphasis on coupling biorecognition elements to various transduction platforms, this review highlights their burgeoning applications across the domains of healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety. It then expands the discussion to their roles in early disease diagnosis, real-time wound monitoring, wearable health tracking, and point-of-care testing, as well as detection of pathogens, pesticides, and heavy metals. Further, the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing biosensor data analysis is explored, and finally concludes by discussing current challenges and future perspectives.

This paper introduces the Circular Index for Resource Conservation and Loop-based Economy (CIRCLE), a novel metric designed to assess circular economy performance. Grounded in the 10R hierarchy, CIRCLE employs a structured point-based system (0–3) to evaluate practices across all R-principles, with particular emphasis on the often-overlooked dimensions of Rethink, Repurpose, and Resell. Unlike prior models, it enables a more granular and comprehensive assessment of resource efficiency, innovation, and value recovery. Adaptable across industries, systems, and scales, CIRCLE establishes clear scoring criteria, integrates theoretical foundations, and validates its applicability through three real-world case studies. These applications demonstrate the tool's capacity to distinguish levels of circular performance, identify sustainability gaps, and guide targeted interventions. CIRCLE is available as a user-friendly free tool at bit.ly/CIRCLE2026. By offering a standardized yet flexible framework, CIRCLE advances circularity assessment and provides a practical decision-support tool for sustainability science, industrial ecology, and policy development.

Developing high-yield, non-combustion applications for low-rank coals is critical for their sustainable utilization. This study demonstrates a rapid ultrasonic process, using H₂O₂ in an alkaline medium, to efficiently convert four distinct low-rank coals (humalite, leonardite, peat, and subbituminous) into valuable humic and fulvic acids. The process achieved high conversions for all feedstocks, with the more oxidized coals, leonardite and humalite, showing the highest conversions (91% and 88%, respectively) and humic acid yields (81% for both). A double triangular lump kinetic model revealed that ultrasonication preferentially favors the reaction pathway toward humic acids over fulvic acids and CO₂, with lower apparent activation energies for humic acid formation across all feedstocks. This was most pronounced for humalite and leonardite (51 and 58 kJ mol⁻¹). Spectroscopic and titrimetric analyses confirmed the successful incorporation of oxygen-containing functional groups (COOH and OH) into the coal structure, driven by the attack of ˙OH radicals generated during sonication. Overall, this work establishes an efficient and selective pathway for producing humic acids from low-rank coals, presenting a scalable technology for converting these resources into high-value soil amendments.