All Outputs (76)

Aging microplastics enhances the adsorption of pharmaceuticals in freshwater. (2023)
Journal Article
MOURA, D.S., PESTANA, C.J., MOFFAT, C.F., GKOULEMANI, N., HUI, J., IRVINE, J.T.S. and LAWTON, L.A. 2024. Aging microplastics enhances the adsorption of pharmaceuticals in freshwater. Science of the total environment [online], 912, article number 169467. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169467

Plastic pollution is an increasing environmental concern. Pollutants such as microplastics (< 5 mm) and pharmaceuticals often co-exist in the aquatic environment. The current study aimed to elucidate the interaction of pharmaceuticals with microplast... Read More about Aging microplastics enhances the adsorption of pharmaceuticals in freshwater..

Photocatalytic conversion of cellulose into C5 oligosaccharides. (2023)
Journal Article
SKILLEN, N., WELGAMAGE, A., ROBERTSON, P.K.J., IRVINE, J.T.S. and LAWTON, L.A. 2023. Photocatalytic conversion of cellulose into C5 oligosaccharides. Journal of physics: energy [online], 6(1), article number 015002. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/ad04f1

Cellulose is made up of linear polymers of glucose monomers that could be a crucial source for valuable chemicals and sustainable liquid fuels. Cellulose is however, very stable and its conversion to a useful fuel or platform chemical products remain... Read More about Photocatalytic conversion of cellulose into C5 oligosaccharides..

Nature-based solution to eliminate cyanotoxins in water using biologically enhanced biochar. (2023)
Journal Article
MOORE, J., JAYAKUMAR, A., SOLDATOU, S., MAŠEK, O., LAWTON, L.A. and EDWARDS, C. 2023. Nature-based solution to eliminate cyanotoxins in water using biologically enhanced biochar. Environmental science and technology [online], 57(43), pages 16372-16385. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c05298

Climate change and high eutrophication levels of freshwater sources are increasing the occurrence and intensity of toxic cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water supplies. Conventional water treatment struggles to eliminate cyanobacteria/cyanotoxins a... Read More about Nature-based solution to eliminate cyanotoxins in water using biologically enhanced biochar..

Bio-based sustainable polymers and materials: from processing to biodegradation. (2023)
Journal Article
OKOLIE, O., KUMAR, A., EDWARDS, C., LAWTON, L.A., OKE, A., MCDONALD, S., THAKUR, V.K. and NJUGUNA, J. 2023. Bio-based sustainable polymers and materials: from processing to biodegradation. Journal of composites science [online], 7(6), article 213. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs7060213

In the life cycle of a material, there will be either chemical or physical change due to varying environmental factors such as biological activity, light, heat, moisture, and chemical conditions. This process leads to polymer property change as perta... Read More about Bio-based sustainable polymers and materials: from processing to biodegradation..

In situ H2O2 treatment of blue-green algae contaminated reservoirs causes significant improvement in drinking water treatability. (2023)
Journal Article
MELO ROCHA, M.A., CLEMENTE, A., AMORIM SANTOS, A., DA SILVA MELO, J., PESTANA, C.J., LAWTON, L.A. and CAPELO-NETO, J. 2023. In situ H2O2 treatment of blue-green algae contaminated reservoirs causes significant improvement in drinking water treatability. Chemosphere [online], 333, article 138895. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138895

The evaluation of water quality improvement brought about by in situ treatment of eutrophic water bodies, especially those used for human supply, is a challenging task since each water system responds differently. To overcome this challenge, we appli... Read More about In situ H2O2 treatment of blue-green algae contaminated reservoirs causes significant improvement in drinking water treatability..

Characterisation of microplastics is key for reliable data interpretation. (2023)
Journal Article
MOURA, D.S., PESTANA, C.J., MOFFAT, C.F., HUI, J., IRVINE, J.T.S. and LAWTON, L.A. 2023. Characterisation of microplastics is key for reliable data interpretation. Chemosphere [online], 331, article number 138691. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138691

Microplastic research has gained attention due to the increased detection of microplastics (<5 mm size) in the aquatic environment. Most laboratory-based research of microplastics is performed using microparticles from specific suppliers with either...

Systematic evaluation of pyrolysis processes and biochar quality in the operation of low-cost flame curtain pyrolysis kiln for sustainable biochar production. (2023)
Journal Article
JAYAKUMAR, A., MORRISSET, D., KOUTSOMARKOS, V., WURZER, C., HADDEN, R.M., LAWTON, L., EDWARDS, C. and MAŠEK, O. 2023. Systematic evaluation of pyrolysis processes and biochar quality in the operation of low-cost flame curtain pyrolysis kiln for sustainable biochar production. Current research in environmental sustainability [online], 5, article 100213. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2023.100213

Low-cost pyrolysis units such as flame curtain pyrolysis kilns are gaining popularity for biochar production. However, the processes that govern the working of such units are not well understood. Here, emissions, temperatures and mass loss are monito... Read More about Systematic evaluation of pyrolysis processes and biochar quality in the operation of low-cost flame curtain pyrolysis kiln for sustainable biochar production..

Chiral pharmaceutical drug adsorption to natural and synthetic particulates in water and their desorption in simulated gastric fluid. (2023)
Journal Article
PETRIE, B., MOURA, D.S., LAWTON, L.A. and SANGANYADO, E. 2023. Chiral pharmaceutical drug adsorption to natural and synthetic particulates in water and their desorption in simulated gastric fluid. Journal of hazardous materials advances [online], 9, article 100241. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100241

Natural and synthetic particulates in aquatic environments can act as a vector for chiral pharmaceutical drugs. Understanding enantiomer enrichment in the particulate phase of water matrices is essential considering the enantiospecific effects that c... Read More about Chiral pharmaceutical drug adsorption to natural and synthetic particulates in water and their desorption in simulated gastric fluid..

A feasibility study into the production of a mussel matrix reference material for the cyanobacterial toxins microcystins and nodularins. (2022)
Journal Article
TURNER, A.D., BEACH, D.G., FOSS, A., SAMDAL, I.A., LØVBERG, K.L.E., WAACK, J., EDWARDS, C., LAWTON, L.A., DEAN, K.J., MASKREY, B.H. and LEWIS, A.M. 2023. A feasibility study into the production of a mussel matrix reference material for the cyanobacterial toxins microcystins and nodularins. Toxins [online], 15(1), article 27. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15010027

Microcystins and nodularins, produced naturally by certain species of cyanobacteria, have been found to accumulate in aquatic foodstuffs such as fish and shellfish, resulting in a risk to the health of the seafood consumer. Monitoring of toxins in su... Read More about A feasibility study into the production of a mussel matrix reference material for the cyanobacterial toxins microcystins and nodularins..

Suppressing cyanobacterial dominance by UV-LED TiO2-photocatalysis in a drinking water reservoir: a mesocosm study. (2022)
Journal Article
PESTANA, C.J., SANTOS, A.A., CAPELO-NETO, J. et al. 2022. Suppressing cyanobacterial dominance by UV-LED TiO2-photocatalysis in a drinking water reservoir: a mesocosm study. Water research [online], 226, article 119299. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.119299

Cyanobacteria and their toxic secondary metabolites present challenges for water treatment globally. In this study we have assessed TiO2 immobilized onto recycled foamed glass beads by a facile calcination method, combined in treatment units with 365... Read More about Suppressing cyanobacterial dominance by UV-LED TiO2-photocatalysis in a drinking water reservoir: a mesocosm study..

Solar-driven semi-conductor photocatalytic water treatment (TiO2, g-C3N4, and TiO2+g-C3N4) of cyanotoxins: proof-of-concept study with microcystin-LR. (2022)
Journal Article
PESTANA, C.J., HUI, J., CAMACHO-MUÑOZ, D., EDWARDS, C., ROBERTSON, P.K.J., IRVINE, J.T.S. and LAWTON, L.A. 2022. Solar-driven semi-conductor photocatalytic water treatment (TiO2, g-C3N4, and TiO2+g-C3N4) of cyanotoxins: proof-of-concept study with microcystin-LR. Chemosphere [online], 310, article 136828. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136828

Cyanobacteria and their toxins are a threat to drinking water safety as increasingly cyanobacterial blooms (mass occurrences) occur in lakes and reservoirs all over the world. Photocatalytic removal of cyanotoxins by solar light active catalysts is a... Read More about Solar-driven semi-conductor photocatalytic water treatment (TiO2, g-C3N4, and TiO2+g-C3N4) of cyanotoxins: proof-of-concept study with microcystin-LR..

Water taste and odor (T&O): challenges, gaps and solutions from a perspective of the WaterTOP network. (2022)
Journal Article
AKCAALAN, R., DEVESA-GARRIGA, R., DIETRICH, A., et al. 2022. Water taste and odor (T&O): challenges, gaps and solutions from a perspective of the WaterTOP network. Chemical engineering journal advances [online], 12, article 100409. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2022.100409

Aesthetic aspects of drinking water, such as Taste and Odor (T&O), have significant effects on consumer perceptions and acceptability. Solving unpleasant water T&O episodes in water supplies is challenging, since it requires experti... Read More about Water taste and odor (T&O): challenges, gaps and solutions from a perspective of the WaterTOP network..

Adsorption of cyanotoxins on polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate: microplastics as vector of eight microcystin analogues. (2022)
Journal Article
MOURA, D.S., PESTANA, C.J., MOFFAT, C.F., HUI, J., IRVINE, J.T.S., EDWARDS, C. and LAWTON, L.A. 2022. Adsorption of cyanotoxins on polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate: microplastics as vector of eight microcystin analogues. Environmental pollution [online], 303, article 119135. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119135

Plastics are utilised globally but are of environmental concern due to their persistence. The global presence of microplastics (particles <5 mm in all dimensions) in freshwater environments is increasingly reported, as has the presence of cyanobacter...

Recoverable resources from pot ale and spent wash from Scotch whisky production. (2021)
Journal Article
EDWARDS, C., MCNERNEY, C.C., LAWTON, L.A., PALMER, J., MACGREGOR, K., JACK, F., COCKBURN, P., PLUMMER, A., LOVEGROVE, A. and WOOD, A. 2022. Recoverable resources from pot ale and spent wash from Scotch whisky production. Resources, conservation and recycling [online], 179, article number 106114. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106114

Scotch Whisky is an important global commodity which generates extensive co-product known as pot ale or spent wash (> 10 L co-product per L whisky). Whilst this is often used as fertiliser or animal feed, a proportion requires disposal resulting in c... Read More about Recoverable resources from pot ale and spent wash from Scotch whisky production..

Adsorption of a diverse range of pharmaceuticals to polyethylene microplastics in wastewater and their desorption in environmental matrices. (2021)
Journal Article
MCDOUGALL, L., THOMSON, L., BRAND, S., WAGSTAFF, A., LAWTON, L.A. and PETRIE, B. 2021. Adsorption of a diverse range of pharmaceuticals to polyethylene microplastics in wastewater and their desorption in environmental matrices. Science of the total environment [online], 808, article 152071. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152071

It is proposed that microplastics discharged from wastewater treatment plants act as a vector of pharmaceuticals. In this study, adsorption of pharmaceuticals to polyethylene microplastics was investigated in municipal wastewater. Pharmaceuticals for... Read More about Adsorption of a diverse range of pharmaceuticals to polyethylene microplastics in wastewater and their desorption in environmental matrices..

Potentially poisonous plastic particles: microplastics as a vector for cyanobacterial toxins microcystin-LR and microcystin-LF. (2021)
Journal Article
PESTANA, C.J., MOURA, D.S., CAPELO-NETO, J., EDWARDS, C., DREISBACH, D., SPENGLER, B. and LAWTON, L.A. 2021. Potentially poisonous plastic particles: microplastics as a vector for cyanobacterial toxins microcystin-LR and microcystin-LF. Environmental science and technology [online], 55(23), pages 15940-15949. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c05796

The potential of microplastics to act as a vector for micropollutants of natural or anthropogenic origin is of rising concern. Cyanobacterial toxins, including microcystins, are harmful to humans and wildlife. In this study, we demonstrate for the fi... Read More about Potentially poisonous plastic particles: microplastics as a vector for cyanobacterial toxins microcystin-LR and microcystin-LF..

Radiolytic degradation of 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin in water: reactive radical species and transformation pathways. (2021)
Journal Article
CHRISTOPHORIDIS, C., PESTANA, C.J., KALOUDIS, T., LAWTON, L.A., TRIANTIS, T.M. and HISKIA, A. 2021. Radiolytic degradation of 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin in water: reactive radical species and transformation pathways. Chemical engineering journal advances [online], 15, article 100196. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2021.100196

Water radiolysis can serve as a useful tool to study the degradation of organic pollutants in water. Manipulation of the radiolytic system enables the selective production of reactive species (RS) with known yields. Our aim was to explore the effects... Read More about Radiolytic degradation of 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin in water: reactive radical species and transformation pathways..

Polyamide microplastics in wastewater as vectors of cationic pharmaceutical drugs. (2021)
Journal Article
WAGSTAFF, A., LAWTON, L.A. and PETRIE, B. 2022. Polyamide microplastics in wastewater as vectors of cationic pharmaceutical drugs. Chemosphere [online], 288(Part 2), article 132578. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132578

Reported here is the first study to investigate the adsorption of pharmaceutical drugs to microplastics in wastewater. Wastewater is an environmental source of microplastics and pharmaceuticals, which is discharged as treated effluent or combined sew... Read More about Polyamide microplastics in wastewater as vectors of cationic pharmaceutical drugs..

Comparison of UV-A photolytic and UV/TiO2 photocatalytic effects on Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7813 and four microcystin analogues: a pilot scale study. (2021)
Journal Article
MENEZES, I., CAPELO-NETO, J., PESTANA, C.J., CLEMENTE, A., HUI, J., IRVINE, J.T.S., GUNARATNE, H.Q.N., ROBERTSON, P.K.J., EDWARDS, C., GILLANDERS, R.N., TURNBULL, G.A. and LAWTON, L.A. 2021. Comparison of UV-A photolytic and UV/TiO2 photocatalytic effects on Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7813 and four microcystin analogues: a pilot scale study. Journal of environmental management [online], 298, article 113519. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113519

To date, the high cost of supplying UV irradiation has prevented the widespread application of UV photolysis and titanium dioxide based photocatalysis in removing undesirable organics in the water treatment sector. To overcome this problem, the use o... Read More about Comparison of UV-A photolytic and UV/TiO2 photocatalytic effects on Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7813 and four microcystin analogues: a pilot scale study..

Degradation of multiple peptides by microcystin-degrader Paucibacter toxinivorans (2C20). (2021)
Journal Article
SANTOS, A.A., SOLDATOU, S., FREITAS DE MAGALHÃES, V., AZEVEDO, S.M.F.O., CAMACHO-MUÑOZ, D., LAWTON, L. A. and EDWARDS, C. 2021. Degradation of multiple peptides by microcystin-degrader Paucibacter toxinivorans (2C20). Toxins [online], 13(4): cyanobacterial toxins: their occurrence, detection and removal, article 265. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040265

Since conventional drinking water treatments applied in different countries are inefficient at eliminating potentially toxic cyanobacterial peptides, a number of bacteria have been studied as an alternative to biological filters for the removal of mi... Read More about Degradation of multiple peptides by microcystin-degrader Paucibacter toxinivorans (2C20)..