Category Archives: environment

Powerful tool for coastal oil spill cleanup? Paper examines nanomaterial remediation studies

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A February 4, 2025 news item on ScienceDaily announces an analysis (meta analysis) of over 40 studies into using nanomaterials for cleaning up pollution,

Cleaning up after a major oil spill is a long, expensive process, and the damage to a coastal region’s ecosystem can be significant. This is especially true for the world’s Arctic region, where newly opened sea lanes will expose remote shorelines to increased risks due to an anticipated rise in sea traffic.

Current mitigation techniques even in heavily populated regions face serious limitations, including low oil absorption capacity, potential toxicity to marine life and a slow remediation process.

However, advances in nanotechnology may provide solutions that are more effective, safer and work much faster than current methods. That’s according to a new paper in Environmental Science: Nano by a Concordia-led team of researchers.

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A February 4, 2025 Concordia University news release (also on EurekAlert) by Patrick Lejtenyi, which originated the news item, delves further into the topic, Note: Links have been removed,

“Using nanomaterials as a response method has emerged as a promising sustainable approach,” says lead author Huifang Bi, a PhD candidate in the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science.

“This paper synthesizes, reviews and analyzes between 40 and 50 studies on the subject to give us a big-picture look of the status of nanotechnologies in coastal oil spill response. At the same time, we are also presenting our own suggestions and identifying research gaps between using nanomaterials in the lab and how they can be used in real-world applications.”

She adds that nanomaterials are being widely studied to combat marine oil spills, but she is focusing specifically on coastline remediation. She estimates that more than 90 per cent of the papers she reviewed were exclusively lab-based and not yet available for field use.

Encouraging results need field testing

The unique properties found in nanomaterials can help mitigation across different remediation efforts. These include surface washing agents, dispersants, sorbents and bioremediation. Each method has its own strengths and drawbacks that can be improved with the use of nanomaterials.

For instance, replacing synthetic surfactants and organic solvents with bio-based nanomaterials has shown to be both highly effective at removing oil and to produce less toxic substances that can harm coastal biotas.

Nanomaterials can also be used in dispersants. Clay-based nanomaterials can stabilize oil particles in an emulsion, resulting in a larger area for oil-eating bacteria to grow and accelerating oil disappearance. In sorbents like aerogels or foams, nanomaterials can improve the removal of oil from water by absorption, adsorption or a combination thanks to large surface areas and a high number of sorption sites.

Finally, they can also be used to accelerate bioremediation, a technique that uses microorganisms to break down harmful pollutants like oil into less harmful or harmless substances.

“While these lab-based results are encouraging, we need to exercise caution,” warns Bi, winner of a 2023 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. “We should prioritize the use of sustainable and eco-friendly nanomaterials to minimize environmental risks and ensure the responsible application of nanotechnology in coastal oil spill response. We also need to scale up testing to measure this efficacy in field tests.”

According to Bi’s thesis supervisor Chunjiang An, an associate professor in the same department, the emergence of nanomaterials as oil spill remediation tools is coming at a critical time.

“We are facing many new challenges, with threats of oil spills now affecting both traditional and new regions, including the Arctic,” he says. “We need to work with governments and the private sector to ensure that they are aware of these technologies and can further include them in their future remediation guidelines.”

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Nanotechnology for oil spill response and cleanup in coastal regions by Huifang Bi, Catherine N. Mulligan, Kenneth Lee, Baiyu Zhang, Zhi Chen and Chunjiang An. Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2025,12, 41-47 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EN00954A First published: 18 Nov 2024

This paper appears to be open access.

Create silver nanoparticles with goji berries

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Caption: An illustration of the preparation of goji berries for silver nanoparticle synthesis. Credit: Kamran Alam et al.

A January 7, 2025 news item on Nanowerk announces new research into making silver nanoparticles in a more sustainable fashion, Note: Links have been removed,

As the search for sustainability permeates all fields, researchers are turning to a unique organic source for creating antibacterial silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) – the humble goji berry.

Goji berries are a ubiquitous superfood known for a multitude of health benefits, including their antibiotic properties. In research published in AIP Advances (“Ecofriendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles using metallic solution-based goji berry extract for their antibacterial properties”), researcher Kamran Alam from Sapienza University of Rome [Italy] along with others from NED University of Engineering and Technology [Pakistan] and King Saud University [Saudi Arabia] found an effective way to harvest silver nanoparticles from these berries.

“Silver nanoparticles are responsible for disrupting the cell membrane structure, which can generate reactive oxygen species used for inhibiting bacterial growth,” explained Alam.

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A January 7, 2025 American Institute of Physics news release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, delves further into this sustainable technique,

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Silver nanoparticles can be generated using a number of chemical techniques, but green solutions that use biological sources like fruit or leaf extracts are preferred because they save on energy and are nontoxic, nonhazardous, and biologically compatible with humans.

In this interdisciplinary undertaking, Alam and researchers demonstrated a technique for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using store-bought goji berries.

“Goji berries are easily and locally available in the botanic garden and are rich in bioactive compounds that have natural reducing and stabilizing agents, eliminating the need for additional capping agents during processing,” Alam said.

Alam and the team created silver nanoparticles by drying, grinding, and then filtering the goji berries to create an extract. Then, they added chemical silver nitrate (AgNO3) and reduced the solution.

Using visualization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy, the team confirmed the presence of silver nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were also viewed under a microscope and tested for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, a gram-positive bacterium that causes staph infections among other diseases.

In the future, Alam plans to study the cellular toxicity and biocompatibility of the nanoparticles synthesized from these berries, which could positively contribute to biomedical research.

“This is a simple and straightforward synthesis method which does not need additional chemicals or complex equipment and can be scaled up for industrial applications,” he said.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Ecofriendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles using metallic solution-based goji berry extract for their antibacterial properties by Abdul Rauf Jamali, Waseem Khan, Salahuddin Khan, Ahmed Ahmed Ibrahim, Kamran Alam. AIP Advances 15, 015107 (2025), Volume 15, Issue 1, January 2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0237276

This paper is open access.

‘SWEET’ (smart, wearable, and eco-friendly electronic textiles)

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I always appreciate a good acronym and this one is pretty good. (From my perspective, a good acronym is memorable and doesn’t involve tortured terminology such as CRISPR-Cas9, which stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 9).

On to ‘SWEET’ and a January 2, 2025 news item on ScienceDaily announcing a new UK study on wearable e-textiles,

A research team led by the University of Southampton and UWE Bristol [University of the West of England Bristol] has shown wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) can be both sustainable and biodegradable.

A new study, which also involved the universities of Exeter, Cambridge, Leeds and Bath, describes and tests a new sustainable approach for fully inkjet-printed, eco-friendly e-textiles named ‘Smart, Wearable, and Eco-friendly Electronic Textiles’, or ‘SWEET’.

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A January 2, 2025 University of Southampton press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, describes e-textiles and how this latest work represents a step forward in making them environmentally friendly,

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E-textiles are those with embedded electrical components, such as sensors, batteries or lights. They might be used in fashion, for performance sportwear, or for medical purposes as garments that monitor people’s vital signs.

Such textiles need to be durable, safe to wear and comfortable, but also, in an industry which is increasingly concerned with clothing waste, they need to be kind to the environment when no longer required.

Professor Nazmul Karim at the University of Southampton’s Winchester School of Art, who led the study, explains: “Integrating electrical components into conventional textiles complicates the recycling of the material because it often contains metals, such as silver, that don’t easily biodegrade. Our potential ecofriendly approach for selecting sustainable materials and manufacturing overcomes this, enabling the fabric to decompose when it is disposed of.”

The team’s design has three layers, a sensing layer, a layer to interface with the sensors and a base fabric. It uses a textile called Tencel for the base, which is made from renewable wood and is biodegradable. The active electronics in the design are made from graphene, along with a polymer called PEDOT: PSS. These conductive materials are precision inkjet-printed onto the fabric.

The researchers tested samples of the material for continuous monitoring of human physiology using five volunteers. Swatches of the fabric, connected to monitoring equipment, were attached to gloves worn by the participants. Results confirmed the material can effectively and reliably measure both heart rate and temperature at the industry standard level.

Dr Shaila Afroj, an Associate Professor of Sustainable Materials from the University of Exeter and a co-author of the study, highlighted the importance of this performance: “Achieving reliable, industry-standard monitoring with eco-friendly materials is a significant milestone. It demonstrates that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the cost of functionality, especially in critical applications like healthcare.”

The project team then buried the e-textiles in soil to measure its biodegradable properties. After four months, the fabric had lost 48 percent of its weight and 98 percent of its strength, suggesting relatively rapid and also effective decomposition. Furthermore, a life cycle assessment revealed the graphene-based electrodes had up to 40 times less impact on the environment than standard electrodes.

Marzia Dulal from UWE Bristol, a Commonwealth PhD Scholar and the first author of the study, highlighted the environmental impact: “Our life cycle analysis shows that graphene-based e-textiles have a fraction of the environmental footprint compared to traditional electronics. This makes them a more responsible choice for industries looking to reduce their ecological impact.”

The ink-jet printing process is also a more sustainable approach for e-textile fabrications, depositing exact numbers of functional materials on textiles as needed, with almost no material waste and less use of water and energy than conventional screen printing.

Professor Karim concludes: “ Amid rising pollution from landfill sites, our study helps to address a lack of research in the area of biodegradation of e-textiles. These materials will become increasingly more important in our lives, particularly in the area of healthcare, so it’s really important we consider how to make them more eco-friendly, both in their manufacturing and disposal.”

The researchers hope they can now move forward with designing wearable garments made from SWEET for potential use in the healthcare sector, particularly in the area of early detection and prevention of heart-related diseases that 640 million people (source: BHF [British Heart Foundation]) suffer from worldwide.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Sustainable, Wearable, and Eco-Friendly Electronic Textiles by Marzia Dulal, Harsh Rajesh Mansukhlal Modha, Jingqi Liu, Md Rashedul Islam, Chris Carr, Tawfique Hasan, Robin Michael Statham Thorn, Shaila Afroj, Nazmul Karim. Energy & Enviornmental Materials DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/eem2.12854 First published: 18 December 2024

This paper is open access.

Unlocking vast lithium reserves in oilfields and seawater

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The search for critical minerals such as lithium is quire intense as noted in a couple of press releases from the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), which appears to have issued two press releases about this research. First, there’s this December 3, 2024 press release on EurekAlert, Note: Links have been removed,

A new study published in Science by scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) describes an innovative technology for direct lithium extraction from brine in oilfields and seawater, sources in which lithium is present but at very low concentrations. The technology was demonstrated on a pilot scale 100,000 times larger than that of a university laboratory, and its cost was competitive with standard techniques that have not been proven effective for low-grade brine. Accessing lithium in brine can expand the availability of lithium worldwide by several hundreds of billions of tons and may transition Saudi Arabia from a major importer to producer of this highly sought element.  

The technology, which achieves the extraction without introducing any pollutants or additives, can extract lithium from brine at concentrations as low as 20 ppm (parts per million), a remarkable sensitivity that makes lithium extraction economical for sources with low lithium concentrations like the oilfields of across Saudi Arabia.  

“We optimized a redox electrode bridge to harness the osmotic energy generated by the concentration difference between the highly saline brine and the recovery solution, reducing the energy consumption in the lithium extraction process,” said Zhiping Lai, a professor at KAUST, co-chair of the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies, and lead researcher in the project. 

He added that these types of innovations can create new value in oilfields, mining, and geothermal wells, all sites that produce water that is currently treated as waste.  

Global demand for lithium is accelerating 

In today’s world, it is almost impossible to find a person who does not rely on lithium. This element is essential for the batteries that power electric vehicles, laptops and smartphones. And with more nations digitizing, the demand will increase from less than 750 000 tons in 2020 to more than 5 million in 2030.  

It is no surprise then that nations are investing heavily in means to extract lithium or trade for it, as Saudi Arabia has publicly declared its intention to source lithium from overseas as part of its energy strategy.  

However, the Kingdom may already be rich in lithium due to its surrounding seas and oil fields. Why it has chosen to depend on foreign lithium is because current techniques are inadequate at extracting lithium in its reserves. A solution could completely change the Kingdom’s current plans. Indeed, brine and seawater are estimated to have over ten thousand times more lithium than current lithium reserves for which conventional systems are designed, increasing the world’s lithium resources from 22 million tons to more than 230 billion.  

“Local lithium extraction strengthens the resilience of the supply chain and enhances national energy security. This innovation could propel Saudi Arabia into a leadership role in the global clean energy market, boosting its international influence and trade,” said Li [?].  

Industry sees value 

A KAUST startup, Lihytech, founded by Lai and his colleague, KAUST Professor Kuo-Wei (Andy) Huang, who also contributed to the study, is aiming to bring this technology from laboratory to market. The startup has received an investment of $6 million from the Saudi mining company Ma’aden and the KAUST Innovation Fund (KIV). In September, Lihytech and Aramco announced a partnership in which the international conglomerate is providing brine from its oilfields to test the technology’s lithium extraction capabilities. 

“Our goal is to establish a full-scale production and operation and generate significant lithium output within Saudi Arabia by 2028,” said Huang.  

The January 14, 2025 press release on the KAUST website is almost identical but includes an embedded video.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Lithium extraction from brine through a decoupled and membrane-free electrochemical cell design by Zhen Li, I-Chun Chen, Li Cao, Xiaowei Liu, Kuo-Wei Huang, and Zhiping Lai. Science 26 Sep 2024 Vol 385, Issue 6716 pp. 1438-1444 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg8487

This paper is behind a paywall.

US Army researchers look at nanotechnology for climate solutions

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It’s been a few months since I first flagged this item for publication and things have changed somewhat in the US. It’s hard to be certain since webpages disappear sometimes but given the current frenzy to cut down on US government costs and the utter indifference (hostility?) the current president (Mr. Donald Trump) and his cohorts have shown towards environmental issues, it’s hard not to infer a message when a webpage hosting a commentary about US Army researchers working on nanotechnology solutions to climate change goes missing.

Luckily, articles about the commentary from the researchers were published elsewhere. From a December 25, 2024 article on statnano.com, Note: Links have been removed,

As part of the Nano4EARTH initiative, a national challenge launched by the White House and the National Nanotechnology Initiative, researchers are exploring how innovations at the nanoscale can lead to groundbreaking solutions for a more sustainable future.

Climate change poses a significant threat to national security, according to the Army’s published Climate Strategy. The Army has committed to aggressive goals to mitigate its own impact, including a 50% reduction in net greenhouse gas pollution by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Nanotechnology is seen as a critical tool in achieving these ambitious targets.

In a recent paper in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, co-author Dr. Mark Griep, a researcher with the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, said nano-enabled climate solutions are already transitioning to industrial scale-up, which will help reduce the “green premium” that can be limiting factor for widespread public adoption.

“The climate crisis demands bold, innovative solutions, and nanotechnology offers a unique opportunity to achieve the kind of step-changes needed to mitigate its effects,” Griep said. “By working collaboratively across sectors, we can harness the power of nanotechnology to create a more sustainable and resilient future for the Army and the nation.”

According to Griep, metal organic frameworks, known as MOFs [metal-organic frameworks], are being scaled up for greenhouse gases capture applications and should exceed the Department of Energy’s EarthShot carbon capture costs below $100 per ton and become a cost-effective technology.

Griep said he believes the Army can engineer MOFs with catalytic functions for CO2-to-fuel opportunities.

“This would allow for nano-enabled solutions that not only contribute to decarbonizing the Army fleet but simultaneously enabling operational advantage through new fuel sources,” he said.

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“The Army is in a unique position to be an innovation leader for climate change solutions as the advanced technologies for achieving climate goals go hand-in-hand with increasing combat effectiveness,” Griep said. “Nano-enabled advancements to energy storage, water purification, and advanced structural materials will be game changers in the civilian world but play an even more crucial role in ensuring the Army’s operational resilience and capabilities in future combat environments.”

Other US government agencies were involved in the work including the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Here’s an October 9, 2025 US NIST posting about the paper by Lawrence Goodman written in a Q&A (question and answer) format for the agency’s Taking Measure blog (also on EurekAlert but published as an October 15, 2024 article), Note: Links have been removed,

When we think about the climate crisis, we tend to think big — it’s a global problem that requires global solutions.

But NIST scientists James Warren and Craig Brown also want us to think small, very small. They’re thinking at the nano-level, which is anywhere between 1 and 100 nanometers. That’s about 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

In a just-published paper they co-authored with other federal government, industry and private foundation researchers, they call for a greater focus on nanotechnology’s potential role in combating climate change. 

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You talk about using nanotechnology on windows to make buildings more energy efficient.

Warren: People are probably familiar with some of the coatings available now that selectively filter different types of sunlight. They work by allowing visible light to pass through while blocking certain wavelengths of infrared light that generate heat inside a house or building.

These are called chromic nanocoatings, and they contain nano-sized particles that can absorb, reflect or transmit different wavelengths of light in much more complicated ways. They can change color or transparency in response to temperature or the amount of sunlight — perhaps darkening to keep the sun out of a house at peak midday heat to keep the people inside cool without having to crank up the air conditioning. A recent research paper said chromic windows controlled by electricity, known as electrochromic windows, have the potential to save up to 40% of energy demand for building heating and cooling.

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Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Nanotechnology solutions for the climate crisis by Maria Fernanda Campa, Craig M. Brown, Peter Byrley, Jason Delborne, Nicholas Glavin, Craig Green, Mark Griep, Tina Kaarsberg, Igor Linkov, Jeffrey B. Miller, Joshua E. Porterfield, Birgit Schwenzer, Quinn Spadola, Branden Brough & James A. Warren. Nature Nanotechnology volume 19, pages 1422–1426 (2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-024-01772-5 Published online: 09 October 2024 Issue Date: October 2024

This paper is open access.

It seems that Nano4EARTH is still a functioning part of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), which is itself still functioning, as of this writing on March 10, 2025.

Natural nanoparticles can form clouds and encourage precipitation over the Amazon rainforest

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I don’t usually stumble across stories about natural nanoparticles; almost all the stories here are about engineered nanoparticles. Nice to get a change of pace. Plus, I love rain. as I sit here composing this post, the rain is pelting against my windows.

This November 8, 2024 news item on ScienceDaily announces a natural nanoparticle story that is centered on the Amazon rainforest,

Atmospheric aerosol particles are essential for the formation of clouds and precipitation, thereby influencing the Earth’s energy budget, water cycle, and climate. However, the origin of aerosol particles in pristine air over the Amazon rainforest during the wet season is poorly understood. A new study, led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, reveals that rainfall regularly induces bursts of newly formed nanoparticles in the air above the forest canopy.

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Caption: A rain front approaches the ATTO research station in the Amazon rainforest. Credit: Sebastian Brill, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry

A November 8, 2024 Max Planck Institute for Chemistry press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, provides more details,

An international research team from Germany, Brazil, Sweden, and China now showed that rainfall regularly induces bursts of nanoparticles that can grow to form cloud condensation nuclei. The scientists analyzed comprehensive long-term measurements of aerosol particles, trace gases, and meteorological data from the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, ATTO, which is equipped with sophisticated instrumentation and measurement towers that are up to 325 m high. The observatory is located in the middle of the Amazon rainforest in northern Brazil, about 150 kilometers north-east of Manaus, and jointly operated by scientists from Germany and Brazil.

Luiz Machado, first author of the study now published in the journal Nature Geoscience, explains: “Rainfall removes aerosol particles and introduces ozone from the atmosphere into the forest canopy. Ozone can oxidize plant-emitted volatile organic compounds, especially terpenes, and the oxidation products can enhance the formation of new particles, leading to temporary bursts of nanoparticles.”

Nanoparticle concentrations are highest just above the forest canopy

The researchers discovered that nanoparticle concentrations are highest just above the forest canopy and decrease with increasing altitude. “This gradient persists throughout the wet season, indicating continuous particle formation in the canopy and an upward flux of newly formed particles that can grow by further uptake of low volatile molecules and serve as cloud condensation nuclei”, adds Christopher Pöhlker, co-author and research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. Among the low volatile molecules involved in the formation and growth of natural nanoparticles in the atmosphere are oxygen- and nitrogen-containing organic compounds that are formed upon oxidation of isoprene, terpenes, and other volatile organic compounds, which are naturally emitted by plants and oxidized by ozone and hydroxyl radicals in the air.

Earlier studies had detected new particle formation in the outflow of convective clouds in the upper troposphere and suggested a downward flux rather than an upward flux of newly formed nanoparticles.

“Our findings imply a paradigm shift in the scientific understanding of interactions between the rainforest, aerosols, clouds, and precipitation in the Amazon, which are important for regional and global climate”, concludes Ulrich Pöschl, co-author and director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry.

About ATTO:
The Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO) is an internationally collaborative research site in the central Amazon, dedicated to studying atmospheric processes and the exchange of energy, water, and gases between the biosphere and atmosphere. It is one of the world’s most critical observatories for understanding the impacts of climate change on tropical forests.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Frequent rainfall-induced new particle formation within the canopy in the Amazon rainforest by Luiz A. T. Machado, Gabriela R. Unfer, Sebastian Brill, Stefanie Hildmann, Christopher Pöhlker, Yafang Cheng, Jonathan Williams, Harder Hartwig, Meinrat O. Andreae, Paulo Artaxo, Joachim Curtius, Marco A. Franco, Micael A. Cecchini, Achim Edtbauer, Thorsten Hoffmann, Bruna Holanda, Théodore Khadir, Radovan Krejci, Leslie A. Kremper, Yunfan Liu, Bruno B. Meller, Mira L. Pöhlker, Carlos A. Quesada, Akima Ringsdorf, Ilona Riipinen, Susan Trumbore, Stefan Wolff, Jos Lelieveld & Ulrich Pöschl. Nature Geoscience volume 17, pages 1225–1232 (2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01585-0 Published online: 08 November 2024 Issue Date: December 2024

This paper is open access.

Toronto’s ArtSci Salon hosts opening receptions for two very different exhibition events on February 5, 2025

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A January 27, 2025 ArtSci Salon notice (received via email and visible here on a mailchimp webpage for a limited time) announces the events. Here’s the first exhibition and its associated events,

Speculative Meteorology: Weather Channeled
Feb 3-7, [2-25] 10-4pm [ET] 

opening reception : Feb 5, [2025] 5-7pm [ET]
Special Projects Gallery,
Goldfarb Centre for the Arts
York University [Toronto, Ontario, Canada]

Curated by Aftab Mirzaei (Science and Technology Studies) with Mark-David Hosale (Digital Media) and showcases the work of artists and researchers including, Chris Beaulieu, Kwame Kyei-Boateng, Nava Waxman, Mark-David Hosale, Hiro Kubayashi, Grace Grothaus, Leo Liu, Winnie Luo, Aftab Mirzaei, and Colin Tucker.

DESCRIPTION
Speculative Meteorology: Weather Channeled emerges from a series of interdisciplinary experiments conducted by members of the nd:studiolab between 2023 and 2024. This exhibit invites artists and researchers to explore imaginative and multidimensional accounts of atmospheres and climates across past, present, and future. Drawing on Donna Haraway’s concept of SF—speculative fabulation as a mode of attention, a theory of history, and a practice of worlding—the works collectively reimagine our relationship to the weather, engaging it as a site of both knowledge-making and creative practice.

Sponsored by the nD::StudioLab at York University   

Environmental Monitoring for Art
a workshop as part of the Speculative Meteorology: Weather Channeled interdisciplinary art exhibition,
with Grace Grothaus

Feb 7, 2025, 12 -3 PM [ET]
ACW 103, The Transmedia Lab
York University [Toronto, Ontario, Canada]

In this three-hour workshop, we will fabricate sensors that can detect environmental data using some readily available materials and electronics. We will fabricate sensors that can detect animal footsteps, record raindrops, or measure wind and then learn to read their values using Arduino. The data from these sensors can be used as input for actuators in physical computing projects, or they can be triggers for screen-based animation or music – the options are wide and varied.

Space is limited, click here to sign up

Here’s the second exhibition and its associated events, from the January 25, 2025 notice,

Afterglow Exhibition
Feb 4-7, [2-25] 10-3pm [ET]

opening reception : Feb 5, [2025] 5-7pm [ET] 
Gales Gallery,
York University [Toronto, Ontario, Canada]

Curated by : Nina Czegledy & Joel Ong, featuring international and local artists Raphael Arar, Nagy Molnar, Laszlo Zsolt Bordos, Jennifer Willet, Joel Ong (with Khaled Eilouti,  Zhino Yousefi, Shelby Murchie and Oliver Debski-Tran)

AFTERGLOW [ af-ter-gloh, ahf- ] is an exhibition envisioned around the graphic quality of light, as well as its traces and incandescence both real and metaphorical. The participating artists explore cross-cultural practices via a variety of analog and digital media, relating light to unfolding contemporary considerations in the global Light Art panorama. At the same time, Afterglow references a deep resonance with the past, paying tribute to historical ideas that have illuminated our current understandings of interconnected systems of values and beliefs that underly the complementary artistic practices today.

In the words of pioneering Hungarian artist György Kepes (1906-2001) : “Our human nature is profoundly phototropic”. The exhibition is a reminder of the integral nature of light to human and more-than-human life, but also to the notion of light as a sensory environment within which we remain rooted, transfixed and nourished.  The exhibiting artists take up these ideas in various formations, alluding to the physical, metaphorical and ecological implications of light. As an initial exhibition prototype, Afterglow is presented first at the Gales Gallery at York University in Toronto as it grows towards future touring exhibitions and symposia. The exhibition is integrated with a virtual Symposium that features exhibiting artists as well as International artists/theorists in conversation. Please proceed to our Eventbrite page for more details and registration [see below].  – Nina Czegledy, Joel Ong. 

Afterglow Symposium
Feb 6 [2025] 1-3pm [ET]
Symposium Presenters: Andrea Polli, Jennifer Willet, Joel Ong, Karolina Halatek, Marton Orostz, Nina Czegledy and Raphael Arar.

ONLINE, Register Here (Zoom link)

How to reach the three venues (Special Projects and Gales Galleries + Transmedia lab)?

click here

If you’re in Toronto, you’re spoiled for choices. As for the rest of us, the Afterglow Symposium, as a hybrid event, offers an opportunity to hear from the artists.

Cellulose nanofibers for sustainable hydrophobic paper

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A November 5, 2024 news item on phys.org announces research with cellulose nanofibers (CNFx)

A recent study has aimed to create hydrophobic paper by exploiting the mechanical properties and water resistance of cellulose nanofibers, and so produce a sustainable, high-performance material suitable for packaging and biomedical devices. This involved a supramolecular approach, i.e., combining short chains of proteins (peptide sequences) that do not chemically modify the cellulose nanofibers. Sustainable hydrophobic paper may one day replace petroleum-related products.

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An August 11, 2024 Politecnico di Milano (Polytechnic University of Milan) press release, also on EurekAlert but published November 5, 2024), which originated the news item, provides more information, Note: Links have been removed,

The aim was to create hydrophobic paper by exploiting the mechanical properties and water resistance of cellulose nanofibres, and so produce a sustainable, high-performance material suitable for packaging and biomedical devices. This involved a supramolecular approach, i.e. combining short chains of proteins (peptide sequences) that do not chemically modify the cellulose nanofibres. Sustainable hydrophobic paper may one day replace petroleum-related products.

The study is entitled: Nanocellulose-short peptide self-assembly for improved mechanical strength and barrier performance, and has just featured on the cover of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B. The work was carried out by researchers from the “Giulio Natta” Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with Aalto University, the VTT-Technical Research Centre in Finland and the SCITEC Institute of the CNR.

Cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) are natural fibres derived from cellulose – a renewable and biodegradable source – and are well known for their strength and versatility. In the study, the researchers from the SupraBioNanoLab (https://www.suprabionano.eu/) of the “Giulio Natta” Department of the Politecnico di Milano showed how it is possible to greatly improve the properties of cellulose nanofibres without chemically modifying them, instead adding small proteins known as peptides.

“Our supramolecular approach involved adding small sequences of peptides, which bind onto the nanofibres and so improve their mechanical performance and water-resistance. Elisa Marelli, co-author of the study, explained the methodology:“The results of the study showed that even minimal quantities of peptides (less than 0.1%) can significantly increase the mechanical properties of the hybrid materials produced, giving them greater resistance to stress.”

Finally, the researchers assessed the impact of adding fluorine atoms in the peptide sequences. This made it possible to create a structured hydrophobic film on the material, providing even greater water resistance while still preserving its biocompatible and sustainable characteristics.

As Pierangelo Metrangolo, co-author of the study, pointed out: “This advance opens up new opportunities for creating biomaterials that can compete with petroleum-derived materials in terms of performance, achieving the same quality and efficiency while reducing environmental impact. These hybrid materials are very suitable for sustainable packaging, where resistance to moisture is vital, and also for use in biomedical devices, thanks to their biocompatibility.“

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Nanocellulose-short peptide self-assembly for improved mechanical strength and barrier performance by Alessandro Marchetti, Elisa Marelli, Greta Bergamaschi, Panu Lahtinen, Arja Paananen, Markus Linder, Claudia Pigliacelli and Pierangelo Metrangolo.. J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024,12, 9229-9237 DOI: 10.1039/D4TB01359J First published online: 19 Aug 2024

This paper is open access.

‘Extreme’ citizen science

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This October 28, 2024 news item on phys.org takes a little while before explaining what ‘extreme’ means in the context of citizen science, Note: A link has been removed,

Besides helping to collect samples or spot butterflies for research projects—non-professionals can now conduct actual laboratory work alongside professional researchers. Together with Danish high schools, the University of Copenhagen has shown that “extreme citizen science” doesn’t just strengthen student motivation for science, but also provides a unique contribution to the monitoring of Denmark’s marine environment.

Registering butterflies and rare mushrooms, collecting water samples or reporting tick bites has become a widespread phenomenon for so-called citizen scientists who voluntarily contribute to various research projects. Citizen science typically involves everyday people helping to collect data or samples that are then analyzed by professional researchers.

Now, researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s Natural History Museum of Denmark, in collaboration with the Danish National Union of Upper Secondary School Teachers, have gone a step further by “promoting” students to become “real” researchers. The work is published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

In a project that monitors Denmark’s marine environment, high school students don’t just collect DNA samples from Danish fjords, but also conduct DNA analyses in the laboratory [emphasis mine].

Previoulsy, high school classes could visit a laboratory at the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen to conduct parts of analyses under the guidance of researchers. But now, the project has set up local laboratories at high schools in both Herning and Hjørring, Jutland where students can independently conduct lab work with their teachers. This is known as ‘extreme citizen science.’ [emphases mine]

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Student in the lab One of the participating high school students in the lab (credit: Frederik Wolff Nisbeth Teglhus)

An October 28, 2024 University of Copenhagen press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, expounds on the many benefits to be derived from extreme citizen science, Note: Links have been removed,

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“Extreme citizen science is the idea that the role of a researcher becomes ever smaller. The unique and ‘extreme’ aspect is that a larger part of the research process, both fieldwork and lab work, is now handed over to high school students. We were excited to see if it would work and have now seen that it does so exceptionally well,” says project leader Anders P. Tøttrup, Associate Professor of Citizen Science at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

An eye-opener to a new world

The participating high school classes, who come from other Danish high schools in addition to Herning and Hjørring, have collected water samples from Limfjord and other fjords, filtered them for DNA, and conducted PCR analyses of their samples in local laboratories. The goal was to find DNA from specific species such as eel, perch, round goby, warty comb jelly and the toxic algae, Alexandrium ostenfeldii.

According to Daniel Andersen Woo Shing Hai, a biology teacher at Hjørring High School, the project offers something extra for both students and teachers:

“For many students, it’s a big deal to be part of this and an eye-opener to a whole new world. Being out there collecting actual DNA samples and then coming into a real DNA lab and getting that lab feel like you see on TV shows is something that, in my experience, motivates them. I also think that it can inspire them to study biology or science after high school,” says Daniel Andersen Woo Shing Hai.

He adds that there’s something special to gain for teachers as well:

“It’s rewarding to work with cutting-edge developments in biology. Instead of always receiving five to ten-year-old information and then passing it on, one actually plays a part in the production of results that will be published by universities. Plus, as a teacher, it brings subject matter to life — as opposed to just running an experiment for the sake of it, it can be used in a real-world context.”

Even though high school students are the ones wearing the lab coats, there’s no compromise on research quality, emphasizes Frederik Leerhøi, one of research paper’s lead authors and an academic officer at the museum:

“We don’t cut corners on quality. On the contrary, all samples attain a standard that the scientific community accepts as valid results. This is achieved by ensuring that each student runs control tests and by subjecting our results to various algorithms to ensure for their reliability.”

Great potential to improve environmental monitoring

Among other things, the scientific results of the project demonstrate that the round goby, an invasive fish species, and toxic Alexandrium ostenfeldii algae have both spread widely in Denmark. Indeed, the round goby had not previously been registered in Limfjord.

“The method seems quite effective in detecting many species — these algae for example, which we know very little about in Denmark. Even though they can cause shellfish poisoning and are potentially dangerous to both animals and humans, we barely monitor them. So, we want to raise awareness that this DNA method can be used to monitor toxic algae and many other species in our marine environment — possibly in collaboration with high schools,” says Frederik Leerhøi.

The researchers are working to make use of the data and have entered an agreement with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, which will incorporate the project’s data into the national reporting to the EU on invasive species.

“We hope that this setup inspires our international colleagues to do something similar in their countries because it’s plug-and-play, in that DNA analyses can be applied to any species or group of species you’re interested in,” says Anders P. Tøttrup.

According to the researchers, extreme citizen science can make a real difference in the monitoring of marine biodiversity:

“This has great potential to improve our monitoring and thus the conservation of our marine environment, which is generally in poor shape. We don’t monitor nature very well in Denmark today as doing so is resource intense. However, projects like this can be an effective way to collect data from large parts of the country while also motivating young people to engage with and develop an interest in science,” concludes Tøttrup.

The researchers hope to expand the project in such a way that DNA laboratories are established in more Danish high schools.

FACTS: ABOUT THE PROJECT

  • The citizen science project DNA & Life has run since 2017. The ‘extreme’ version, Extreme DNA & Life, began in 2022.
     
  • A total of 3,300 high school students and 140 teachers have collected samples between 2017-2023. The samples cover most of the Danish coastline and fjord systems. 
     
  • Each biology teacher in the project has completed a course on using lab equipment and methods correctly. After the course, teachers can consult with researchers at the Natural History Museum of Denmark and participate in online webinars.
     
  • The project is supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
     
  • The research article about the project is published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
     
  • The authors of the research paper are: Frederik Leerhøi, Maria Rytter, Marie Rathcke Lillemark, Jørgen Olesen, Peter Rask Møller, Nina Lundholm, and Anders P. Tøttrup from the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen; Morten Tange Olsen from the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen; Steen Wilhelm Knudsen from NIVA Denmark; Brian Randeris from Silkeborg High School/The Danish Biology Teachers’ Association; and Christian Rix from Rødkilde High School/The Danish Biology Teachers’ Association.
     
  • Learn more about the project and find out how to get involved at www.DNApåFORKANT.dk

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Exploring the potential of extreme citizen science with Danish high school students using environmental DNA for marine monitoring by Frederik Leerhøi, Maria Rytter, Marie Rathcke Lillemark, Brian Randeris, Christian Rix, Jørgen Olesen, Morten Tange Olsen, Peter Rask Møller, Nina Lundholm, Steen Wilhelm Knudsen, Anders P. Tøttrup. Front. Mar. Sci., 04 March 2024 Sec. Marine Conservation and Sustainability Volume 11 – 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1347298

This paper appears to be open access.

A nanofibrous cellulose matrix made from recycled cellulose for applications ranging from textiles to medical devices

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Lithuanian scientists have devised a recycling method for cellulose, which could lead to less dependency on petroleum-based polymer products according to an October 30, 2024 news item on ScienceDaily,

The efficient use of cellulose — the primary plant scaffold and a major natural building block — could address many issues associated with petroleum-based polymers across various industries. In the search for more sustainable uses of cellulose, Lithuanian scientists have developed a production method for a nanofibrous cellulose matrix, which has the potential to replace non-renewable industrial even in biomedical applications.

Textile, clothing, toys, and sports equipment made from synthetic petroleum-based materials have a significant negative impact on the environment through their entire life cycle, from production to waste management.

Scientists argue that it is necessary to replace petroleum-based materials with environmentally friendly materials and to demonstrate to consumers that products that have been in use for many years can be replaced while retaining their effectiveness. According to Ingrida Pauliukaitytė, a PhD student at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) and one of the creators of the new environmentally friendly cellulose nanofibre, the invention is a step towards a more sustainable industry.

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An October 30,2024 Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, describes a unique production method, Note: Links have been removed,

Cellulose is the Earth’s most abundant and widespread natural polysaccharide, commonly found in plant cell walls, algae or synthesised by certain bacteria. “I chose cellulose as a research object because of its natural origin and favourable properties: its biocompatibility and degradability, variety of chemical strains, and wide range of applications,” says the inventor.

The invention was developed using the wet-type electrospinning method, whereby cellulose is dissolved in special solvents – ionic liquids – and the solution is then converted into fibres. “This is a method that allows the creation of cellulose matrices with a unique gel-like structure, similar to cellulose fibres naturally synthesised by bacteria,” says the PhD student at the KTU Faculty of Chemical Technology (CTF).

This method of creating cellulose has an advantage in the market due to its environmental friendliness. In particular, the dissolution method used is more environmentally friendly due to the use of “green solvents”.

Also, the raw material for this production process can be either raw cellulose or cellulose waste. Depending on the purity of the material, the resulting fibre can be used for different products. The recycled cellulose can be used to produce new polymer composite products such as toys, sports equipment, household items. If the raw material is pure plant cellulose, biomedical applications have great potential, where this type of nanofibrous structure has unique biocompatibility properties.

A significant boost for cancer research

“Our invention – a nanofibrous cellulose matrix – is like a scaffold, a structural support that helps cells to divide and grow,” explains Pauliukaitytė.

The biocompatibility mentioned by KTU scientist Pauliukaitytė is very important in tissue engineering to avoid the living organism’s immune response to a material used for cell reproduction other than the one naturally synthesised by the organism.

“In addition, cellulose has very favourable mechanical properties, so that the fibres developed are strong and can withstand the high stresses that arise when cells proliferate. Since cellulose absorbs water, the use of cellulose fibres in wound healing can control the amount of moisture that occurs during the healing process,” says Pauliukaitytė.

So far, the applicability of cellulose in tissue engineering has been tested for the reconstruction of cartilage, bone and vascular structures. However, given the biocompatibility, structural and moisture retention properties of cellulose, this polymer has great potential for use in regenerative medicine, which aims to stimulate the body’s natural recovery mechanisms and restore lost biological functions, and for organ growth.

In addition, the cellulose nanofibres developed are not only biocompatible and environmentally friendly, but also have the potential to form three-dimensional (3D) cell models that better reflect cell behaviour in the natural environment. “This is a significant advantage, especially in tissue engineering and cancer research, as 3D cultures allow for more precise experiments and a better understanding of cell growth and interactions,” says Pauliukaitytė.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Regenerated nanofibrous cellulose electrospun from ionic liquid: Tuning properties toward tissue engineering by Ingrida Pauliukaitytė, Darius Čiužas, Edvinas Krugly, Odeta Baniukaitienė, Mindaugas Bulota, Vilma Petrikaitė, Dainius Martuzevičius. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37798 First published: 19 September 2024

This paper is behind a paywall.