IPC PAS Book Chapters

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 records

Sonication-induced catalytic approaches for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances-based plastics degradation in aqueous systems
(ELSEVIER, 2026-08-10) Djaballah, Ahmed Malek; Giannakoudakis, Dimitrios A.; Anastopoulos, Ioannis; de Falco, Giacomo; Colmenares, Juan Carlos; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences; Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin Poland; Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Arta, Greece; New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York, NY United States; CNRS -UPR3079, Université d’Orléans, Conditions Extrêmes Matériaux Haute Température et Irradiation (CEMHTI), Orléans, France
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic compounds that have raised global concern due to their extreme environmental persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicological risks. Their widespread use in industrial and consumer products, combined with the exceptional stability of the carbon–fluorine bond, makes them highly resistant to natural degradation and difficult to remove by conventional treatment technologies. Among emerging destructive strategies, ultrasonication (sonolysis) has attracted increasing attention for PFAS degradation. This technique exploits acoustic cavitation the nucleation, growth, and violent collapse of microbubbles in aqueous systems creating localized hotspots of extreme temperatures and pressures. These conditions drive both pyrolytic and radical-mediated reactions that can effectively disrupt PFAS molecules, particularly at the gas–liquid interface where they accumulate due to their amphiphilic nature. Beyond direct sonolysis, recent research underscores the synergistic role of catalysis in enhancing PFAS mineralization. Heterogeneous catalysts such as metal oxides, carbon-based composites, and perovskites can facilitate radical generation, improve energy efficiency, and promote surface-driven pathways for PFAS defluorination under ultrasonic fields. By contrast, homogeneous catalytic systems (e.g., transition metal ions and radical mediators) offer valuable mechanistic insights, though often with limited recyclability. Looking forward, the integration of sonophotocatalysis combining ultrasonic cavitation with photocatalytic activation emerges as a highly promising avenue. While still scarcely explored in the open literature for PFAS, this hybrid approach may leverage synergistic charge transfer, enhanced radical formation, and interfacial accumulation effects to achieve deeper mineralization. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of PFAS degradation via ultrasound-assisted processes, critically examining the fundamentals, mechanisms, and performance. Operational parameters such as ultrasonic frequency, power density, reactor geometry, and solution chemistry are systematically discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on catalytic and hybrid sono-assisted pathways, situating them within the broader landscape of PFAS remediation. By integrating both theoretical principles and applied findings, this chapter highlights ultrasonication alone and in catalytic conjunction as a scalable, reagent-free, and versatile technology with strong potential for overcoming one of today’s most persistent environmental challenges.
Bacteriophage-based biosensors: detection of bacteria and beyond
(Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd., 2022-04-14) Paczesny, Jan; Wdowiak, Mateusz; Ochirbat, Enkhlin; Rehman, Suriya; Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
Pathogenic infections cause tremendous health threats and socioeconomic burdens worldwide. Conventional methods for bacteria detection are laborious, time-consuming, expensive, require particular devices, and highly qualified specialists. Sensitive, selective, inexpensive, quick, and user-friendly biosensors are in urgent demand to prevent and detect bacterial infections in many fields, e.g., healthcare, food industry, or terrorism prevention. Among biorecognition elements utilized in biosensors, bacteriophages are highly promising due to their numerous advantages, such as host specificity, cheap and simple production, resistance to external factors, and ease of immobilization. Here we reviewed currently used methods for bacteria detection, pointing their advantages and disadvantages. We paid particular attention to bacteriophage-based methods, including phage-based sensors and phage display method.
Model of an Artificial Blastula for Assessing Development Toxicity
(IntechOpen, 2023-03-04) Muzika, František; Górecki, Jerzy; Institute of Physical Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences
We are concerned with computer simulations of a ring of 20 coupled CSTRs with glycolytic oscillatory reaction. Each CSTR represents an artificial cell, and the ring can be regarded as an artificial blastula. The cells are coupled to two adjacent CSTRs via the mass exchange of reagents. The glycolytic oscillatory reaction is simulated using the two-variable core model. Our work is focused on the classification of stationary discrete nonuniform concentration patterns (discrete Turing patterns). The control parameters in simulations are autocatalytic and inhibition rate coefficients, as well as the transport rate coefficients. We performed the analysis of stability and bifurcations of stationary states to identify the stationary states. The inflow of reagents into each CSTR was used to initiate a particular pattern. We propose a method to assess the morphogenetic toxicity of any chemical from a database by switching between patterns or between patterns and oscillations. Moreover, we investigated nonuniform patterns that create discrete concentration waves inside the ring of 20 coupled cells, which can trigger gastrulation.

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