Oilfield produced water (OPW) has become a primary environmental concern due to the high concentration of dissolved organic pollutants that lead to bioaccumulation with high toxicity, resistance to biodegradation, carcinogenicity, and the inhibition of reproduction, endocrine, and non-endocrine systems in aquatic biota. Photodegradation using photocatalysts has been considered as a promising technology to sustainably resolve OPW pollutants due to its benefits, including not requiring additional chemicals and producing a harmless compound as the result of pollutant photodegradation. Currently, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) has gained great attention as a promising photocatalyst due to its beneficial properties among the other photocatalysts, such as excellent optical and electronic properties, high chemical stability, low cost, non-toxicity, and eco-friendliness. However, the photoactivity of TiO₂ is still inhibited because it has a wide band gap and a low quantum field. Hence, the modification approaches for TiO₂ can improve its properties in terms of the photocatalytic ability, which would likely boost the charge carrier transfer, prevent the recombination of electrons and holes, and enhance the visible light response. In this review, we provide an overview of several routes for modifying TiO₂. The as-improved photocatalytic performance of the modified TiO₂ with regard to OPW treatment is reviewed. The stability of modified TiO₂ was also studied. The future perspective and challenges in developing the modification of TiO₂-based photocatalysts are explained.

The occurrence of heavy metal ions in water is intractable, and it has currently become a serious environmental issue to deal with. The effects of calcining magnesium oxide at 650 °C and the impacts on the adsorption of pentavalent arsenic from water are reported in this paper. The pore nature of a material has a direct impact on its ability to function as an adsorbent for its respective pollutant. Calcining magnesium oxide is not only beneficial in enhancing its purity but has also been proven to increase the pore size distribution. Magnesium oxide, as an exceptionally important inorganic material, has been widely studied in view of its unique surface properties, but the correlation between its surface structure and physicochemical performance is still scarce. In this paper, magnesium oxide nanoparticles calcined at 650 °C are assessed to remove the negatively charged arsenate ions from an aqueous solution. The increased pore size distribution was able to give an experimental maximum adsorption capacity of 115.27 mg/g with an adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g/L. Non-linear kinetics and isotherm models were studied to identify the adsorption process of ions onto the calcined nanoparticles. From the adsorption kinetics study, the non-linear pseudo-first order showed an effective adsorption mechanism, and the most suitable adsorption isotherm was the non-linear Freundlich isotherm. The resulting R² values of other kinetic models, namely Webber-Morris and Elovich, were still below those of the non-linear pseudo-first-order model. The regeneration of magnesium oxide in the adsorption of negatively charged ions was determined by making comparisons between fresh and recycled adsorbent that has been treated with a 1 M NaOH solution.

The complexity of removing boron compounds from aqueous systems has received serious attention among researchers and inventors in the water treating industry. This is due to the higher level of boron in the aquatic ecosystem, which is caused by the geochemical background and anthropogenic factors. The gradual increase in the distribution of boron for years can become extremely toxic to humans, terrestrial organisms and aquatic organisms. Numerous methods of removing boron that have been executed so far can be classified under batch adsorption, membrane-based processes and hybrid techniques. Conventional water treatments such as coagulation, sedimentation and filtration do not significantly remove boron, and special methods would have to be installed in order to remove boron from water resources. The blockage of membrane pores by pollutants in the available membrane technologies not only decreases their performance but can make the membranes prone to fouling. Therefore, the surface-modifying flexibility in adsorptive membranes can serve as an advantage to remove boron from water resources efficiently. These membranes are attractive because of the dual advantage of adsorption/filtration mechanisms. Hence, this review is devoted to discussing the capabilities of an adsorptive membrane in removing boron. This study will mainly highlight the issues of commercially available adsorptive membranes and the drawbacks of adsorbents incorporated in single-layered adsorptive membranes. The idea of layering adsorbents to form a highly adsorptive dual-layered membrane for boron removal will be proposed. The future prospects of boron removal in terms of the progress and utilization of adsorptive membranes along with recommendations for improving the techniques will also be discussed further.

The forensic reliability of biological fluids in sexual assault investigations depends on substrate type, environmental exposure, time since deposition, and analytical methodology. This systematic review evaluates the forensic reliability of major biological fluids, semen, blood, saliva, and vaginal secretions by comparing detectability and persistence on porous and non-porous substrates, assessing environmental and temporal effects on DNA integrity, and examining the performance of identification methods. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (2001–2025) was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies investigated fluid persistence, degradation, or identification reliability under controlled or casework-relevant conditions. A weighted scoring framework categorised relative reliability. Twenty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Semen and blood demonstrated higher reliability across substrates, particularly when collected within recommended timeframes. Porous substrates reduced surface detectability but occasionally preserved DNA from rapid degradation. Elevated temperature, humidity, and prolonged intervals consistently reduced DNA quality and detection success. Molecular approaches, including mRNA profiling, showed enhanced specificity in degraded or mixed samples, though methodological variability limited direct comparability across studies. The forensic reliability of biological fluids is context-dependent, shaped by complex interactions between substrate characteristics, environmental exposure, and analytical technique. Semen and blood remain robust DNA sources, while emerging technologies offer improved specificity in challenging scenarios. Standardised evaluation frameworks and timely evidence collection remain essential to enhance evidential value and minimise misinterpretation in sexual assault investigations.

The escalating threat of antibiotic resistance, driven by the persistence of tetracycline in aquatic ecosystems, necessitates the development of advanced remediation platforms with high structural efficiency. In this study, a bimetallic Ag-Fe co-doped ZIF-8 framework was strategically engineered to optimize pore accessibility and surface chemical affinity. The resulting nanocomposite exhibited an ultra-high BET surface area of 1322.64 m²/g and a pore volume of 0.502 cm³/g, while maintaining the characteristic structural integrity of the parent ZIF-8. Adsorption benchmarks demonstrated a superior maximum capacity of 417.97 mg/g at pH 8 under ambient conditions. The sequestration process was found to be governed by pseudo-second-order kinetics, while the Freundlich and intraparticle diffusion models accurately described a multilayer adsorption mechanism occurring across heterogeneous active sites. Furthermore, the Ag-Fe-ZIF-8 maintained its structural stability and performance over three consecutive cycles. These findings highlight the potential of bimetallic ZIF-8 derivatives as robust, high-surface-area platforms for the sustainable removal of pharmaceutical pollutants from wastewater, with an adsorption capacity as high as 417.97 mg/g after 3 h.

The occurrence of acetaminophen in aquatic ecosystems has raised environmental concerns due to its toxicity, persistence, and adverse effects. Conventional wastewater treatment plants fail to remove pharmaceutical contaminants like acetaminophen. To address this challenge, Fe-ZIF-8 was successfully synthesized via a facile room-temperature method and evaluated for acetaminophen adsorption from aqueous solution.Fe-ZIF-8 exhibited a well-defined polyhedral morphology, providing a large surface area.The porous framework facilitated the efficient diffusion of acetaminophen molecules, while incorporating Fe ions introduced active catalytic sites, improving adsorption efficiency.Batch adsorption experiments revealed rapid acetaminophen uptake within the first 60 min, reaching equilibrium after 210 min under the optimum conditions of 0.012 g Fe-ZIF-8 in 300 mL of 100 mg L⁻¹ acetaminophen solution, with a maximum experimental adsorption capacity of 1165.82 mg g⁻¹. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that the adsorption process was best described by the non-linear pseudo-first-order model, while equilibrium data were better fitted by the Freundlich isotherm, indicating favourable adsorption on a heterogeneous surface. The Dubinin–Radushkevich model suggested that adsorption was predominantly governed by weak physical interactions. The outstanding adsorption performance of Fe-ZIF-8 is attributed to its high porosity, heterogeneous active sites, and synergistic π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and Lewis acid-base interactions between acetaminophen molecules and the Fe-modified framework. These findings demonstrate the considerable potential of Fe-ZIF-8 as an efficient and environmentally sustainable adsorbent for pharmaceutical wastewater remediation.