Zahra Samavati

Membrane technology has become increasingly popular and important for separation processes in industries, as well as for desalination and wastewater treatment. Over the last decade, the merger of nanotechnology and membrane technology in the development of nanocomposite membranes has emerged as a rapidly expanding research area. The key motivation driving the development of nanocomposite membranes is the pursuit of high-performance liquid separation membranes that can address the bottlenecks of conventionally used polymeric membranes. Nanostructured materials in the form of zero to three-dimensions exhibit unique dimension-dependent morphology and topology that have triggered considerable attention in various fields. While the surface hydrophilicity, antibacterial, and photocatalytic properties of TiO₂ are particularly attractive for liquid separation membranes, the geometry-dependent properties of the nanocomposite membrane can be further fine-tuned by selecting the nanostructures with the right dimension. This review aims to provide an overview and comments on the state-of-the-art modifications of liquid separation membrane using TiO₂ as a classical example of multidimensional nanomaterials. The performances of TiO₂-incorporated nanocomposite membranes are discussed with attention placed on the special features rendered by their structures and dimensions. The innovations and breakthroughs made in the synthesis and modifications of structure-controlled TiO₂ and its composites have enabled fascinating and advantageous properties for the development of high-performance nanocomposite membranes for liquid separation.

Pesticides have been identified as major contaminants of various waterways. Being classified as potential endocrine disrupting compounds, pesticides in aqueous system are highly hazardous to aquatic organisms and the ecosystem. The treatment of pesticide-containing wastewater can be performed through several means, but a wastewater treatment strategy which emphasizes both treatment efficiency and sustainability is a necessity of current time. In this context, bioremediation has been increasingly promoted as an alternative technique for the remediation of diverse pollutants. Particularly, bioremediation which involves the utilization of microalgae for the removal or conversion of pesticides to the harmless or less harmful compounds is becoming a trend. Exploiting microalgae as a tool for wastewater treatment presents multiple advantages over conventional treatment technologies, which include an opportunity to simultaneously treat pesticide-containing wastewater and nutrient recovery for microalgae cultivation as well as less formation of toxic sludge. This review discusses the roles of microalgae in mitigating pesticide pollution issue, while offering an opportunity for nutrient recovery from various wastewater sources. Based on the current laboratory studies, the use of microalgae bioremediation as a promising strategy for pesticide treatment has been rationalized. The establishment of more pilot scale studies is highly encouraged to further facilitate the implementation of this treatment approach for practical application.

In this paper, a sensor combining Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) with fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is designed, fabricated, and experimentally demonstrated as an excellent alternative to traditional sensors to detect the magnetic field and refractive index (RI), simultaneously. The sensor comprises a magnetostrictive Ni-Fe alloy coated on partially-unclad FBG, connecting the two reflecting surfaces of the micro-FPI cavity. The magnetostrictive analysis shows that magnetostriction reaches the maximum value at 59.3% Ni concentration. The sensor performance test was conducted on the RI of magnetic fluid and external magnetic field changes. The probe sensitivity was found to be as high as 625.38 nm/RIU and 7.71 nm mT ⁻¹ , respectively. A matrix for simultaneous measurement of the magnetic field and RI was constructed using these sensitivity values. The stability of the sensor system over more than 300 h is at a satisfactory level. Considering the accurate FBG modulation and particular design of the experiment proposed by this method, the resolution of 1.69 × 10 ⁻⁴ RIU and 0.016 mT for magnetic fluid and magnetic field could be achieved, respectively, which can meet the sensing demand for a wide range of applications.