Marija Ječmenica Dučić

The presence of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin in the environment poses a significant threat to living organisms, including adverse effects on human health. Municipal wastewater originating from households, hospitals, and industrial sources is the primary pathway by which this pharmaceutical enters natural waterways. Ciprofloxacin is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antibiotic that continually accumulates in the environment and is difficult to degrade naturally. A clay-based filter under development removed over 80% of this compound from water at variousconcentrations. To further improve its removal, the filter surface was investigated using automated, MATLAB-based image analysis.

The contribution of the cathode to system-level efficiency in electrochemical oxidation (EO) is rarely isolated from anodic selectivity limitations, even though its influence on cell voltage, hydrogen evolution kinetics, and energy consumption is well recognized. This study presents a multicriteria methodology that deconvolutes cathode performance from these anodic constraints. A stable lead dioxide anode was paired with three cathodes, carbon felt (CF), stainless steel (SS), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂), for Rhodamine B degradation. The methodology combines conventional electrochemical diagnostics, a ten-parameter multicriteria assessment spanning activity, efficiency, and economics, and a sensitivity analysis prioritizing operational metrics. Application revealed that cathode material governs system-level performance through trade-offs between degradation rate and energy consumption: SS minimized cathodic voltage contribution, while CF maximized degradation rate, with sensitivity analysis confirming CF as the optimal practical choice. However, all systems were constrained by a universal limitation: Faradaic efficiencies remained below 0.3% at an applied current of 30 mA, with anode potential well above the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) threshold and more than 99.7% of charge diverted to unwanted water oxidation. Thus, cathode selection modulates cost and yield but cannot resolve the underlying anodic OER limitation. This methodology offers a transferable diagnostic protocol, indicating that future efforts should prioritize integrated system design over single-electrode optimization to overcome EO selectivity limitations.

This paper presents the Horizon Europe projects SPARKUP and GROUNDUP, which address CBRNE research, innovation, talent development and cross-sector cooperation in Southern Central and Eastern Europe. The paper outlines the project objectives, consortium structures, work package organisation and implementation methodology. SPARKUP focuses on training, talent mobility, knowledge transfer and institutional capacity building, while GROUNDUP supports ecosystem mapping, academy-industry collaboration, hackathons, mentoring and innovation development. The results achieved so far show that both projects contribute to strengthening regional CBRNE capacities and creating a more connected, sustainable and innovation-oriented ecosystem.

The synergistic interaction between Sb doping and rare-earth oxide modification of SnO₂ electrodes was investigated toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). Sb doping significantly improved electrode performance, increasing current density and reducing the onset potential to ~1.60 V vs SHE. The addition of rare-earth oxides further modulated the activity in a composition-dependent manner. Gd₂O₃ and Eu₂O₃ exhibited a positive synergistic effect, maintaining high conductivity while enhancing surface reactivity, whereas Sm₂O₃ showed a similar contribution. In contrast, Y₂O₃ disrupted the synergy, leading to electrode deactivation. The results demonstrate that optimal OER performance arises from the balance between bulk conductivity (Sb effect) and surface catalytic properties (rare-earth effect).

The rising concern over environmental pollution has catalyzed advances in wastewater treatment technologies, particularly advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). These processes are effective for degrading harmful organic pollutants such as bisphenol A (BPA) through electrochemical systems, leveraging the unique properties of nanostructured electrodes like SnO2-MWCNT@SS (tin dioxide-multiwall carbon nanotube at stainless steel substrate). However, the economic feasibility of producing such innovative materials is as crucial as their performance. This paper presents the cost analysis of producing SnO2-MWCNT@SS electrodes, evaluating its competitiveness against other commercial materials and the economic implications of transitioning to industrial-scale production.

The management and treatment of pharmaceutical waste has recently attracted increasing attention from the scientific and professional community. Residues derived from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) represent carbon-rich precursors suitable for thermal conversion into carbon materials with adaptable structural properties. Moreover, these materials show potential as functional materials due to their high surface area, porosity, and surface functional groups, enabling applications in adsorption and catalysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of calcination temperature on morphological and compositional transformations of NSAID-derived materials. Samples were thermally treated at 400, 600, and 800 °C in air and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). SEM analysis revealed pronounced temperature-dependent structural evolution from compact carbonaceous morphology at 400 °C to heterogeneous microstructures containing elongated and needle-like domains at 800 °C. EDX analysis confirmed progressive elemental redistribution with increasing temperature, indicating gradual decomposition of the organic matrix and enrichment of inorganic phases. The obtained results provide insight into the thermal transformation mechanisms of pharmaceutical-derived materials and demonstrate their potential as precursors for functional carbon-based materials.

This review presents a comprehensive overview of electrochemical-based technologies as emerging and sustainable methods for treating pesticide-contaminated wastewater. Core processes, including electro-Fenton, electrocoagulation, and electrochemical oxidation, as well as their hybrid combinations, have demonstrated high degradation efficiency, operational flexibility, and the ability to achieve complete mineralization of persistent pesticides. A bibliometric analysis covering 1997–2025 reveals growing global interest in these technologies, particularly in hybrid systems such as photoelectro-Fenton and solar-assisted electrochemical treatments, which offer improved degradation rates and reduced energy demand. Compared to conventional and biological approaches, electrochemical methods provide superior pollutant removal without generating excessive sludge or secondary contamination. Future advancements should focus not only on optimizing operational parameters but also on overcoming current methodological limitations through the development of durable and selective electrode materials and the integration of renewable energy sources, ultimately enhancing process efficiency and sustainability. Coupling electrochemical treatments with complementary physicochemical or biological methods may further improve mineralization and reduce costs. Overall, electrochemical technologies represent a promising pathway toward efficient, scalable, and environmentally friendly wastewater treatment systems capable of mitigating pesticide pollution and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

Apricot kernel shells were evaluated as a sustainable activated carbon precursor for wastewater treatment using experimental and theoretical methods. Two adsorbents were synthesized: physically activated with CO₂ (AKS-CO₂) and chemically activated with H₃PO₄ (AKS-H₃PO₄). Comprehensive materials characterization and adsorption tests using Pb²⁺ ions and Rhodamine B dye (RhB) as model pollutants revealed that AKS-H₃PO₄ significantly outperformed its physically activated counterpart. With an exceptionally high specific surface area (1159.4 m²/g) enriched with phosphorus-containing functional groups, the chemically activated carbon demonstrated outstanding removal efficiencies of 85.1% for Pb²⁺ and 80.3% for RhB. Kinetic studies showed Pb²⁺ adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating chemisorption, while RhB adsorption fitted pseudo-first-order kinetics, suggesting intra-particle diffusion control. The thermodynamic analysis confirmed the spontaneity of both processes: Pb²⁺ adsorption was exothermic under standard conditions with positive isosteric heat at higher concentrations, reinforcing its chemisorption nature, whereas RhB adsorption was endothermic, consistent with physisorption. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations further elucidated the mechanisms, revealing that Pb²⁺ preferentially binds to oxygen-containing functional groups, while RhB interacts through hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking. These findings establish chemically activated apricot kernel shell carbon as a high-performance adsorbent, exhibiting exceptional removal capacity for both ionic and molecular contaminants through distinct adsorption mechanisms.

The efficiency of electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) is fundamentally governed by hydroxyl-radical (•OH) generation. While direct experimental measurements of these transient species remain complex and impractical, robust computational methods for predicting their temporal profiles are notably scarce. This work presents a semi-empirical methodology based on H₂O₂ measuring experiments that enables indirect •OH quantification. We employed a recently developed carbon-based electrode and the priority pollutant bisphenol A (BPA) as the model system. The system achieved 92.3% BPA degradation with 84% mineralization efficiency during 5-h electrooxidation at 15 mA/cm². Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used for tracking BPA and detection of intermediates. On this basis, we developed a computational model that successfully predicts temporal concentration profiles of all reactive species interacting with •OH, along with degradation kinetics across current densities (10–20 mA/cm²). By incorporating predictions from the Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (T.E.S.T.), the developed model accurately simulates time-dependent evolution of relative toxicity throughout the treatment process. The presented approach has a general character and requires rather simple experimental input to predict and optimize degradation outcome in terms of input concentration, degradation time, current density, and final toxicity. Further modifications of the model would enable widening to other EAOPs systems.

Rhodamine B is a synthetic dye commonly used in the textile and printing industries, recognized as a significant water pollutant. It enters aquatic environments primarily through untreated wastewater, posing serious threats to both environmental ecosystems and human health due to its toxic, carcinogenic, and non-biodegradable properties. The dye's persistence in water can result in harmful effects on ecosystems and contamination of vital water sources, underscoring the urgent need for effective removal methods. Electrochemical degradation has emerged as an eco-friendly technology to tackle this issue, breaking down Rhodamine B into less harmful byproducts and providing a sustainable approach for mitigating its environmental impacts. This study investigates the electrochemical degradation of Rhodamine B using glassy carbon (GC), stainless steel (SS), and nickel (Ni) electrodes in an undivided two-electrode system operating under a galvanostatic regime at a current density of 15 mA cm⁻². The primary goal was to compare the efficiency and kinetics of degradation across different electrode types. Experimental results demonstrated that GC electrodes, followed by SS, exhibited the highest degradation efficiency, with the process adhering to first-order kinetics. These findings highlight the advantages of GC electrodes in terms of speed and efficiency, offering valuable insights for optimizing treatment processes.