The unique properties of graphene oxide (GO) have attracted the attention of the research community and cost-effective routes for its production are studied. The type and percentage of the oxygen groups that decorate a GO sheet are dependent on the synthesis path, and this path specifies the carbon content of the sheet. The chemical reduction of GO results in reduced graphene oxide (rGO) while the removal of the oxygen groups is also achievable with thermal processes (tpGO). This review article introduces the reader to the carbon allotropes, provides information about graphene which is the backbone of GO and focuses on GO synthesis and properties. The last part covers some characterization techniques of GO (XRD, FTIR, AFM, SEM-EDS, N₂ porosimetry and UV-Vis) with a view to the fundamental principles of each technique. Some critical aspects arise for GO synthesized and characterized from our group.

Global health is facing the most dangerous situation regarding the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome called coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is widely known as the abbreviated COVID-19 pandemic. This is due to the highly infectious nature of the disease and its possibility to cause pneumonia induced death in approximately 6.89% of infected individuals (data until 27 April 2020). The pathogen causing COVID-19 is called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is believed to be originated from the Wuhan Province in China. Unfortunately, an effective and approved vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 virus is still not available, making the situation more dangerous and currently available medical care futile. This unmet medical need thus requires significant and very urgent research attention to develop an effective vaccine to address the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this review, the state-of-the-art drug design strategies against the virus are critically summarized including exploitations of novel drugs and potentials of repurposed drugs. The applications of nanochemistry and general nanotechnology was also discussed to give the status of nanodiagnostic systems for COVID-19.

This review is an update about the addition of nanomaterials in cementitious composites in order to improve their performance. The most common used nanomaterials for cementitious materials are carbon nanotubes, nanocellulose, nanographene, graphene oxide, nanosilica and nanoTiO₂. All these nanomaterials can improve the physical, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of cementitious composites, for example increase their compressive and tensile strength, accelerate hydration, decrease porosity and enhance fire resistance. Cement based materials have a very complex nanostructure consisting of hydration products, crystals, unhydrated cement particles and nanoporosity where traditional reinforcement, which is at the macro and micro scale, is not effective. Nanomaterials can reinforce the nanoscale, which wasn’t possible heretofore, enhancing the performance of the cementitious matrix.

Industrial sites are typically located in close proximity to bodies of water, making industrial wastewater a prevalent source of pollution. Microplastics, which are plastic fragments generated from everyday activities or industrial operations and are smaller than 5 mm in size, can readily find their way into wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The objective of this research was to offer extensive insight into the fate of microplastics in industrial WWTPs worldwide, as well as to explore the effectiveness of diverse advanced treatment technologies in eliminating microplastics. The prevalence of microplastics and their negative impact on aquatic environments has been acknowledged in recent years. The progressive discharge of plastic waste, insufficient detection processes with specialized elimination methods and a sluggish disposal rate have led to the continuous presence of microplastics in various ecosystems worldwide, such as domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater. Research outcomes have revealed that they can adsorb a variety of pathogens, heavy metals and chemical substances that are commonly used in production processes. Microplastics can be consumed by aquatic life, which might lead them up the food chain to human bodies, resulting in potential digestion tract blockage, digestion disturbance and diminished reproductive growth. Microplastics have thus become a growing threat and cause for concern, demanding the containment of their dispersion. This work offers a critical evaluation of current and developing techniques for microplastic detection and separation from industrial wastewater, which are the most challenging endeavors when treating systems containing microplastics. A review of the effect of microplastics on aquatic environments and human health is also conducted. This analysis offers a comprehensive view of the full microplastic detection and removal strategies and their related concerns in order to establish a waste disposal standard that minimizes the potential hazardous effects of microplastics in aquatic systems.

Nanobubbles are classified into surface and bulk. The main difference between them is that the former is immobile, whereas the latter is mobile. The existence of sNBs has already been proven by atomic force microscopy, but the existence of bNBs is still open to discussion; there are strong indications, however, of its existence. The longevity of NBs is a long-standing problem. Theories as to the stability of sNBs reside on their immobile nature, whereas for bNBs, the landscape is not clear at the moment. In this preliminary communication, we explore the possibility of stabilizing a bNB by Brownian motion. It is shown that a fractal walk under specific conditions may leave the size of the bubble invariant.

Over the past three decades, environmental concerns about the water pollution have been raised on societal and industrial levels. The presence of pollutants stemming from cosmetic products has been documented in wastewater streams outflowing from industrial as well as wastewater treatment plants. To this end, a series of consistent measures should be taken to prevent emerging contaminants of water resources. This need has driven the development of technologies, in an attempt to mitigate their impact on the environment. This work offers a thorough review of existing knowledge on cosmetic wastewater treatment approaches, including, coagulation, dissolved air flotation, adsorption, activated sludge, biodegradation, constructed wetlands, and advanced oxidation processes. Various studies have already documented the appearance of cosmetics in samples retrieved from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which have definitely promoted our comprehension of the path of cosmetics within the treatment cycle; however, there are still multiple blanks to our knowledge. All treatments have, without exception, their own limitations, not only cost-wise, but also in terms of being feasible, effective, practical, reliable, and environmentally friendly. Graphical abstract