The complex composition of natural organic matter (NOM) can affect drinking water treatment processes, leading to perceptible and undesired taste, color and odor, and bacterial growth. Further, current treatments tackling NOM can generate carcinogenic by-products. In contrast, promising substitutes such as electrochemical methods including electrooxidation (EO) have shown safer humic acid and algae degradation, but a formal comparison between EO methods has been lacking. In this study, we compared the Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode electrolysis performance for Suwannee River NOM degradation using mixed-metal oxide (MMO) anodes under different pH (6.5 and 8.5) representative of the high and low ranges for acidity and alkalinity in wastewater and applied two different current densities (10 and 20 mA cm⁻²). BDD anodes were combined with either BDD cathodes or stainless steel (SS) cathodes. To characterize NOM, we used (a) total organic compound (TOC), (b) chemical oxygen demand (COD), (c) specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), and (d) specific energy consumption. We observed that NOM degradation differed upon operative parameters on these two electrodes. BDD electrodes performed better than MMO under stronger current density and higher pH and proved to be more cost-effective. BDD-SS electrodes showed the lowest energy consumption at 4.4 × 10³ kWh kg COD⁻¹. while obtaining a TOC removal of 40.2%, COD of 75.4% and SUVA of 3.4 at higher pH and current. On the contrary, MMO produced lower TOC, COD and SUVA at the lower pH. BDD electrodes can be used in surface water as a pre-treatment in combination with some other purification technologies to remove organic contaminants.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have remarkable mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties, making them highly attractive as foundational elements for advanced materials. However, translating their nanoscale potential into macroscale reliability and longevity requires a holistic design approach that integrates precise architectural control with robust damage mitigation strategies. This review presents a synergistic perspective on enhancing the durability of CNT-based systems by critically examining the interplay between molecular assembly, self-repair mechanisms, and the advanced characterization techniques required for their validation. We first establish how foundational architectural control—achieved through strategies like chemical functionalization, field-directed alignment, and dispersion—governs the ultimate performance of CNT materials. A significant focus is placed on advanced functionalization, such as fluorination, and its verification using high-powered spectroscopic tools, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Subsequently, this manuscript delves into the mechanisms of self-repair, systematically analyzing both the intrinsic capacity of the carbon lattice to heal atomic-level defects and the extrinsic strategies that incorporate engineered healing agents into composites. This discussion is uniquely supplemented by an exploration of the experimental techniques, such as electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), that provide crucial evidence for irradiation-induced healing dynamics. Finally, we argue that a “characterization gap” has limited the field’s progress and highlight the critical role of techniques like in situ Raman spectroscopy for quantitatively monitoring healing efficiency at the molecular level. By identifying current challenges and future research frontiers, this review underscores that the creation of truly durable materials depends on an integrated understanding of how to build, repair, and precisely measure CNT-based systems.

We investigated the effectiveness of TiO₂ cenospheres in reducing the concentrations of three common harmful compounds, ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite, in fish aquariums. These cenospheres can contribute to more sustainable and eco-friendly aquarium filtration systems while also improving the health of fish. We designed a 30-day experiment with three treatment groups based on the filter type: (1) a control group with a conventional aquarium filter, (2) a group with a TiO₂ cenosphere filter, and (3) a group with a dark TiO₂ cenosphere filter. The water quality was the same baseline in all groups, and each tank was monitored daily for changes in temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite concentrations. We found that the TiO₂ cenosphere filter was effective in reducing the concentrations of all three pollutants. By the end of the experimental period, the average concentration of nitrite in the control group was 10.7 µM, while the average concentration in the TiO₂ cenosphere filter group dropped 55% to 4.7 µM from the baseline. The average concentration of nitrate was reduced by 17% and ammonia by 28% in the cenosphere-treated group. Hence, the cenospheres were effective in reducing the concentrations of all three pollutants, with the greatest reduction seen for nitrite. These findings support further investigation for incorporating TiO₂ cenospheres into aquarium filtration to help reduce the environmental burden of the aquarium industry.