TS-076055 — Microplastics and, increasingly, nanoplastics, are emerging contaminants of concern in water systems, consumer products, and environmental samples. However, most existing analytical workflows are optimized for larger particles and often fail to reliably isolate, quantify, and identify plastics in …

TS-075918 — Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential for advanced manufacturing, energy technologies, electronics, and defense applications, yet their separation remains one of the most challenging and costly steps in the supply chain. Conventional separation methods often require extensive processing, hazard…

TS-075572 — The transition to advanced electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and defense technologies is driving growing demand for rare-earth elements. However, many valuable rare-earth resources exist in dilute waste streams, recycling processes, low-grade leachates, and hydrometallurgic…

TS-073403 — The rapid growth of electric vehicles and energy storage systems is driving an unprecedented volume of end‑of‑life lithium‑ion batteries, creating both environmental and supply‑chain challenges. Conventional recycling routes focus on metal recovery through energy‑intensive processes and …

TS-072576 — The Need Drinking water utilities face mounting challenges in managing alum sludge, a byproduct of water treatment, as landfill options dwindle and disposal costs rise. Simultaneously, utilities must address increasingly stringent regulations for organic contaminants such as disinfection byproducts …

TS-071746 — The Need Oil spills continue to pose significant threats to aquatic environments, public health, and economies worldwide. Existing sorbent technologies struggle to efficiently capture thin oil sheens and often lack buoyancy, limiting their effectiveness in real-world conditions. There is a critica…

TS-070306 — The Need In many under-resourced or remote regions, access to safe drinking water is compromised by the lack of reliable electricity needed to power standard point-of-use (POU) treatment systems, such as UV disinfection units. Where clean water infrastructure is absent or unreliable, communities fac…

TS-070030 — The Need Current photocatalytic technologies often require UV light for activation, limiting their efficiency and applicability under natural sunlight. Additionally, the short lifespan of photogenerated electrons and holes in TiO₂ nanoparticles hinders effective utilization. There is a need for a…

TS-061849 — The Rare Earth Element Trap-Extract-Precipitate (REE-TEP) process is a cost-effective and environmentally benign approach to recover rare earth elements (REEs) from acidic waste streams. It involves beneficial reuse of readily available industrial by-products and a naturally occurring organic ligand resulting in REE concentrate that can be commercially processed to produce rare earth oxides (REOs).