The paper presents the investigation of the biological properties of Poly(Lactide)—Copper composite material obtained by sputter deposition of copper onto Poly(lactide) melt-blown nonwoven fabrics. The functionalized composite material was subjected to microbial activity tests against colonies of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria, Chaetomium globosum and Candida albicans fungal mold species and biochemical–hematological tests including the evaluation of the Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time, Prothrombin Time, Thrombin Time and electron microscopy fibrin network imaging. The substantial antimicrobial and antifungal activities of the Poly(Lactide)–Copper composite suggests potential applications as an antibacterial/antifungal material. The unmodified Poly(Lactide) fabric showed accelerated human blood plasma clotting in the intrinsic pathway, while copper plating abolished this effect. Unmodified PLA itself could be used for the preparation of wound dressing materials, accelerating coagulation in the case of hemorrhages, and its modifications with the use of various metals might be applied as new customized materials where blood coagulation process could be well controlled, yielding additional anti-pathogen effects.

Alginate-based materials have gained significant attention in the medical industry due to their biochemical properties. In this article, we aimed to synthesize Cotton–Alginate–Copper Composite Materials (COT-Alg⁽⁻⁾Cu⁽²⁺⁾). The main purpose of this study was to assess the biochemical properties of new composites in the area of blood plasma coagulation processes, including activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), and thrombin time (TT). This study also involved in vitro antimicrobial activity evaluation of materials against representative colonies of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and antifungal susceptibility tests. The materials were prepared by immersing cotton fibers in an aqueous solution of sodium alginate, followed by ionic cross-linking of alginate chains within the fibers with Cu(II) ions to yield antimicrobial activity. The results showed that the obtained cotton–alginate–copper composites were promising materials to be used in biomedical applications, e.g., wound dressing.

Climate change is steadily reshaping hydrological regimes, and one of its clearest consequences is the growing disruption of the biogeochemical pathways that govern water quality across river basins. More frequent high-intensity rainfall events, prolonged dry spells, and shifts in seasonal runoff patterns are altering the timing and magnitude of nutrient, organic matter, sediment, and contaminant fluxes. These pulses of material often originate from short-lived episodes of enhanced connectivity between soils, groundwater, and surface waters, making water-quality responses more variable and harder to anticipate than in previous decades. This review describes the ecohydrological mechanisms underlying these changes, focusing on threshold behaviors, the functioning of transitional zones such as riparian corridors and floodplains, and the cumulative effects of legacy pollution. We also discuss the capacity of nature-based solutions (NbS) to buffer climatic pressures. Although NbS can improve retention and moderate peak flows, their performance proves highly sensitive to hydrological variability and landscape context. In the final part, we describe tools that can strengthen adaptive water-quality management, including high-frequency monitoring, event-focused early-warning systems, and modeling approaches that integrate hydrology with biogeochemical processing. This article addresses ecohydrological pathways for water quality under climate change and presents nature-based solutions for regulating pollutant flows within a general framework. Data from North America and Europe, among other areas, are used as primary examples. However, it is important to remember that the issues and proposed solutions vary depending on landscape conditions and climatic zones, which vary across the globe. This article provides an overview of the most common solutions.

Alginate-based materials are widely studied for biomedical use, but their limited mechanical properties and variable biocompatibility pose challenges. In this work, hybrid composites composed of alginate, calcium, and graphene oxide were fabricated using a freeze-drying method and cross-linked with calcium ions via calcium chloride at different concentrations. Structural and morphological features were assessed using SEM, EDS, ICP-MS, and BET analysis. The resulting composites exhibited a porous architecture, with calcium incorporation confirmed by elemental analysis. Surface characteristics and pore parameters were influenced by the presence of graphene oxide and the cross-linking process. The effects of the materials on haemostasis were evaluated through activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT) assays, revealing modulation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway without significant changes in the extrinsic pathway. In this study, we analysed the effect of alginate–graphene oxide composites on the viability of peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells and human foreskin fibroblasts from the Hs68 cell line. We also assessed the genotoxic potential of alginate–graphene oxide composites on these cells. Our results showed no cyto- or genotoxic effects of the material on either cell type. These findings suggest the biocompatibility and safe character of alginate–graphene oxide composites for use with blood and skin cells.

The aim of this research was to synthesize and characterize alginate–calcium composites using a freeze-drying method, with a focus on their potential applications in biomedicine. This study specifically explored the biochemical properties of these composites, emphasizing their role in blood coagulation and their capacity to interact with DNA. Additionally, the research aimed to assess how the cross-linking process influences the structural and chemical characteristics of the composites. Detailed analyses, including microscopic examination, surface area assessment, and atomic absorption spectrometry, yielded significant results. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of calcium chloride concentration on the calcium content in alginate composites. Specifically, the study assessed how varying concentrations of the cross-linking solution (ranging from 0.5% to 2%) influence the calcium ion saturation within the composites. This investigation is essential for understanding the physicochemical properties of the materials, including calcium content, porosity, and specific surface area. The results are intended to identify the optimal cross-linking conditions that maximize calcium enrichment efficiency while preserving the material’s structural integrity. The study found that higher calcium chloride concentrations in alginate cross-linking improve the formation of a porous structure, enhanced by two-stage freeze-drying. Increased calcium levels led to a larger surface area and pore volume, and significantly higher calcium content. Furthermore, assays of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) showed a reduction in clotting time for alginate composites containing calcium ions, indicating their potential as hemostatic agents. The aPTT test showed shorter clotting times with higher calcium ion concentrations, without enhanced activation of the extrinsic clotting pathway. The developed alginate material with calcium effectively supports hemostasis and reduces the risk of infection. The study also explored the capacity of these composites to interact with and modify the structure of plasmid DNA, underscoring their potential for future biomedical applications.

Alginate-based materials have gained significant recognition in the medical industry due to their favorable biochemical properties. As a continuation of our previous studies, we have introduced a new composite consisting of cellulose nonwoven fabric charged with a metallic copper core (CNW-Cu⁰) covered with a calcium alginate (ALG⁻Ca²⁺) layer. The preparation process for these materials involved three main steps: coating the cellulose nonwoven fabric with copper via magnetron sputtering (CNW → CNW-Cu⁰), subsequent deposition with sodium alginate (CNW-Cu⁰ → CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Na⁺), followed by cross-linking the alginate chains with calcium ions (CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Na⁺ → CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Ca²⁺). The primary objective of the work was to supply these composites with such biological attributes as antibacterial and hemostatic activity. Namely, equipping the antibacterial materials (copper action on representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungal strains) with induction of blood plasma clotting processes (activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT)). We determined the effect of CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Ca²⁺ materials on the viability of Peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells. Moreover, we studied the interactions of CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Ca²⁺ materials with DNA using the relaxation plasmid assay. However, results showed CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Ca²⁺’s cytotoxic properties against PBM cells in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Ca²⁺ composite exhibited the potential to interact directly with DNA. The results demonstrated that the CNW-Cu⁰/ALG⁻Ca²⁺ composites synthesized show promising potential for wound dressing applications.