Recently, a large variety of engineered nanostructures possessing enzyme-like activities have been proposed, whose unique physical–chemical characteristics have enabled remarkable technological advances. In this review, we survey the recent advances in nanozymes for environmental applications. First, we give an updated overview of different types of nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes, including carbon, metal and metal oxide nanomaterials, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and hybrid nanostructures, and compare their properties (namely, the Michaelis–Menten constant (K_m) and the maximal reaction velocity (V_max)) with standard natural enzymes. Furthermore, the progress in nanozymes for detecting and removing various environmental contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, and hormones) is also discussed. Then, we provide a comprehensive overview of the enlightening strategies employed (based on the modification of size, shape/morphology, surface coating, doping and use of hybrid structures, for instance) to modulate the properties of nanozymes in order to achieve the desired properties for environmental sensing and remediation. Finally, challenges and current opportunities are discussed to stimulate the interest of researchers in the development of novel multifunctional nanozymes for environmental applications.

Electrospun nanofibrous membranes have garnered significant attention in antimicrobial applications, owing to their intricate three-dimensional network that confers an interconnected porous structure, high specific surface area, and tunable physicochemical properties, as well as their notable capacity for loading and sustained release of antimicrobial agents. Tailoring polymer or hybrid-based nanofibrous membranes with stimuli-responsive characteristics further enhances their versatility, enabling them to exhibit broad-spectrum or specific activity against diverse microorganisms. In this review, we elucidate the pivotal advancements achieved in the realm of stimuli-responsive antimicrobial electrospun nanofibers operating by light, temperature, pH, humidity, and electric field, among others. We provide a concise introduction to the strategies employed to design smart electrospun nanofibers with antimicrobial properties. The core section of our review spotlights recent progress in electrospun nanofiber-based systems triggered by single- and multi-stimuli. Within each stimulus category, we explore recent examples of nanofibers based on different polymers and antimicrobial agents. Finally, we delve into the constraints and future directions of stimuli-responsive nanofibrous materials, paving the way for their wider application spectrum and catalyzing progress toward industrial utilization.

En esta investigación, se evaluaron ensayos sobre la preservación de árboles de estudiantes de cuarto grado (escuela primaria de Colombia) con Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). El objetivo fue extraer los temas fundamentales, para comprender el comportamiento y la conciencia de los estudiantes hacia el medio ambiente a partir de la escritura creativa. Los resultados computacionales sugieren que las reflexiones del estudiante sobre la preservación del medio ambiente se centran en cinco temas principales en: Enseñar-Aprender a cuidar el medio ambiente, Explorar-descubrir el medio ambiente, Bienestar del medio ambiente, Preocupación por el medio ambiente y Restauración y conservación del entorno. Este análisis de texto por LDA puede complementar el análisis manual de los docentes, evitando el sesgo de veracidad y permitiendo potenciar las estrategias de enseñanza.

This study describes the analysis of the explanations given by students of a teacher training program on the effect of Mpemba. The experience was presented in three moments (before, during and after), with the participation of 37 students of the 8th semester of the Natural Sciences Degree program of a Colombian university. It was observed that students answers to why and not to how the phenomenon occurs and associate their answers with concepts such as heat flow, molecular kinetics and change of state of the material. The above highlights the need to practice of reasoning on causal mechanisms in chemistry, an aspect that can help students understand molecular interactions.