Nirupam Aich

• Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, M.S. in Environmental Engineering, B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering
• Professor (Associate) at University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Graphene-based 3D macroscopic aerogels with their hierarchical porous structures and mechanical strength have widely been explored for removing contaminants from water. However, their large-scale manufacturing and application in various water treatment processes are limited by their scalability. In this study, we report a proof-of-concept direct in...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are exceptionally stable chemicals due to their strong C-F bonds. Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles have the potential to remove and degrade PFASs through redox activity. In this study, we deposited nZVI onto two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets and tested these synthesized rG...

Engineered nanomaterials, like graphene with tunable adsorption sites and nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) with unique redox chemistry, offer great prospect for removing pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) through adsorption and catalytic advanced oxidation process (AOP) in comparison to bulk materials. Although PPCPs are found to be...

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as a substitute for ionic liquids with lower cost and enhanced biodegradability. The most common class of DES refers to a mixture of a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salt and a hydrogen bond donor (e.g., carboxylic acid) with a melting point lower than that of individual components. DESs have recently...

Iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) are used for treating water contaminated with metals or organic compounds. One-dimensional (1-D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and two-dimensional (2-D) graphenes act as useful nanocarbon (NC) supports for Fe NPs by resisting aggregation and enhancing adsorption and redox activity. However, no study showed how shape difference...

Traditional approaches for managing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) face significant limitations in cost, efficiency, and predictive capability, despite recent advances in monitoring and remediation technologies. While machine learning (ML) shows promise in environmental applications, its systematic implementation in PFAS management rema...

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria necessitates exploring alternative antimicrobial strategies, where nanomaterials offer a promising avenue due to their distinct mechanisms of action. Unlike antibiotics, which often induce resistance through various mechanisms, nanomaterials typically exert antibacterial effects via various non-specific...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging water contaminants with significant environmental and health impacts, posing challenges in water treatment due to their degradation resistance. This study reviews 10 papers on the sustainability of technologies for PFAS removal, revealing a critical literature gap as regulations emerge. Our re...

BACKGROUND Plastic pollution has reached alarming magnitude, defining the contemporary era as the ‘Plastic Age.’ Uncontrolled plastic production and inadequate recycling processes have led to widespread contamination of the environment with micro and nanoplastics. OBJECTIVE Understanding the extent of environmental exposure to plastic additives an...

Background Plastic pollution has reached an alarming magnitude, defining the contemporary era as the “Plastic Age.” Uncontrolled plastic production and inadequate recycling processes have led to widespread contamination of the environment with micro and nanoplastics. Objective The study aims to assess the environmental and human health consequence...

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present a unique challenge to remediation techniques because their strong carbon–fluorine bonds make them difficult to degrade. This review explores the use of in silico enzymatic design as a potential PFAS degradation technique. The scope of the enzymes included is based on currently known PFAS degradation...

Recently, new knowledge about the functionalization and synthesis of adsorbent materials for water treatment applications has been achieved using deep eutectic solvents (DESs). The improvements in functionalizing adsorbents employing DESs for water treatment, such as the removal of micropollutants, dyes, heavy metals, and other organic and inorgani...

Pressure-based membrane processes represent excellent water resource recovery prospects from industrial waste streams. In contrast with conventional pretreatment technologies, studies have shown that membrane pretreatment applications, such as microfiltration (MF), are more cost-effective and improve the results of the overall treatment processes....

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have recently gained much attention as an environmentally green solvent for different chemical reactions such as materials development. In this study, we used choline chloride/ethylene glycol DES to synthesize different graphene oxide (GO) based nanohybrids such as DES/GO-Fe2O3, DES/GO-Fe3O4, DES/GO-Ag, DES/GO-Au, and...

The research on the extent and effects of microplastics pollution in the Global South is only getting started. Bangladesh is a South Asian country with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, however, such exponential economic growth has also increased the pollution threats to its natural and urban environment. In this paper, we reviewed...

BACKGROUND Electronic waste (e-waste) is a rapidly growing waste stream worldwide, and Bangladesh is a hub of e-waste handling. Informal e-waste recycling operations involve crude methods for dismantling, repairing, sorting, and recycling electronic goods with bare hands and without personal health protections. Direct inhalation or dermal exposure...

Background: e-Waste is a rapidly growing waste stream worldwide, and Bangladesh is a hub of e-waste handling. Informal e-waste recycling operations involve crude methods for dismantling, repairing, sorting, and recycling electronic goods with bare hands and without personal health protections. Direct inhalation or dermal exposure to toxicants duri...

Water Treatment In article number 2100282, Nirupam Aich, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Chandra Sekhar Tiwary and co‐workers review the key findings, potential outcomes, and future prospects of relevant research works, as well as suggestions regarding the function of 3D printed materials in water treatment applications.

Water is one of the basic needs and vital concerns for human beings. As the world's population increases, our water resources become significantly stressed, not in terms of volume of water, but in terms of quality. Therefore, various water treatment processes such as filtration, adsorption, photocatalysis, and electrolysis are utilized based on the...

With the digital revolution across the world, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Bangladesh, the global burden of electronic waste (e-waste) is increasing. Consequently, the environmental and human health implications of informal e-waste recycling practices in LMICs are becoming a cause for concern. Here we report the indoor...

Graphene oxide (GO) lamellar membranes have been used for dye desalination; however, low water flux and quite high Na2SO4 salt rejection (> 95%) hinder their applicability. Here, we used a choline chloride and ethylene glycol based novel deep eutectic solvent (DES) for low-temperature functionalization of GO membranes to improve their dye desalinat...

Nano-enhanced dialytic fluid purification is an evolution of biomedical dialysis that has been proposed as a novel method for applying nanomaterials in water treatment. Using nanosized hexagonal birnessite (δ-MnO2) in a simplified dialytic system, we demonstrate herein an almost complete removal (98%) of Pb(II) within 3 h of treatment while monitor...

Dental composites are widely used by dentists as restorative material to restore tooth fractures and dental caries or decay. Dental composites often contain advanced nanomaterials. After restoring a tooth, the dentist may use a high-speed handpiece to contour the surface of the composite through the process of drilling, utilizing various dental bur...

The photocatalytic degradation of the azo dye tartrazine using zinc oxide (ZnO) as photocatalyst under ultraviolet light was investigated using a 2⁴ factorial design. The variables studied were the aspect ratio of ZnO nanorods, the ZnO dosage (400 or 700 mg/L), the initial pH (7 or 10) of the tartrazine solution, and the H2O2 volume (0 or 30 µL). T...

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as a substitute for ionic liquids with lower cost and enhanced biodegradability. The most common class of DES refers to a mixture of a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salt and a hydrogen bond donor (e.g., carboxylic acid) with a melting point lower than that of individual components. DESs have recently...

The photocatalytic degradation of the azo dye tartrazine using zinc oxide (ZnO) as photocatalyst under ultraviolet light was investigated using a 2⁴ factorial design. The variables studied were the aspect ratio of ZnO nanorods, the ZnO load, the initial pH of tartrazine solution, and the H₂O₂ volume. These variables...

Urban runoff conveys contaminants including titanium dioxide (TiO2), widely used as engineered nanoparticles (e.g., 1–100 nm) and pigments (e.g., 100–300 nm) in the urban environment, to receiving surface waters. Yet, the concentrations of TiO2 engineered particles (e.g., engineered nanoparticles and pigments) in urban runoff has not been determine...

Stormwater conveys natural and engineered (nano)-particles, like any other pollutants, from urban areas to water resources. Thus, the use of stormwater green infrastructures (SGI), which infiltrate and treat stormwater, can potentially limit the spread of engineered (nano)-particles in the environment. However, the concentration of engineered (nano...

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the heterogeneity in chemical composition of bovine enamel using atom probe tomography, and thereby evaluate the suitability of bovine enamel as a substitute for human enamel in in vitro dental research. Design: Enamel samples from extracted bovine incisor teeth were first sectioned using a diamo...

Silicone (polydimethylsiloxane or PDMS) wristbands and cotton T-shirts were used to assess the exposure of e-waste recyclers in Dhaka, Bangladesh to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), dechlorane plus (DPs), and organophosphate esters (OPEs). The median surface-normalized uptake rates of PBDEs, NBFRs,...

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a rising global environmental and health inequity issue. Rapid and excessive manufacture and use of electronics is causing global e-waste buildup. While there is an opportunity to recover important and/or expensive resources (e.g., recovery of plastic, copper, gold, and platinum) via recycling, these discarded electron...

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur frequently in the United States, discharging an estimated 3.2 billion cubic meters of untreated sewage into receiving waters every year. These discharges contain a variety of contaminants including engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), yet ENMs discharged through CSOs have not been taken into account in ENM fate and...

Nanotechnology has unprecedentedly revolutionized human societies over the past decades and will continue to advance our broad societal goals in the coming decades. The research, development, and particularly application of engineered nanomaterials have shifted the focus from “less efficient” single-component nanomaterials toward “superior-performa...

There is an emerging scientific interest in the use of nanoparticle fertilizers for enhanced agricultural and bioenergy crop production to meet the growing food and energy demands of the world. The objective of designing the nanoparticle fertilizers is to effectively deliver the required nutrients for the plants without adding large quantities of f...

Lake Erie experiences annual harmful algal blooms (HAB), but generated HAB biomass may provide a waste-based precursor for environmental remediation materials. Three classes of materials (i.e., algal powder biosorbent, porous carbon, and iron/carbon (Fe/C) composite) are prepared from HAB biomass. Algal powder is nonporous with diverse functional g...

We report the comparative aggregation behavior of three emerging inorganic 2D nanomaterials (NMs): MoS2, WS2, and h-BN in aquatic media. Their aqueous dispersions were subjected to aggregation under varying concentrations of monovalent (NaCl) and divalent (CaCl2) electrolytes. Moreover, Suwanee River Natural Organic Matter (SRNOM) has been used to...

Methylene blue (MB) is a dye used in the textile industry and a potential wastewater pollutant. Adsorption of MB onto the chitosan is a promising method for MB removal. Upon contact with chitosan, MB molecules can aggregate leading to the appearance of additional bands in the MB absorption spectrum. This phenomenon is called metachromasy. In this p...

In the last thirty years, the affordability of electric and electronic gadgets combined with high demand for new technology and the rapid growth of electronic industries has created enormous amounts of electronic waste (e-waste). The uncontrolled accumulation of e-waste is a manmade problem which has not yet been recognized as a severe threat. The...

A potential manmade disaster in recent years is the rise of electronic waste (e-waste), however this has not yet been fully recognized as a severe threat. In the last X years, the rapid growth of electronic industries and limited life time of the electronic accessories and gadgets has led to accumulation of electronic waste (e-waste). The problem i...

GO and nZVI have been used for removing different contaminants from aqueous solution; however, difficulty in the separation of GO, and the aggregation propensity of nZVI particles prevent them from having efficient practical applications. In this study, a green synthesis method was performed to prepare nanohybrids of GO and nZVI to provide an adsor...

p>Methylene Blue (MB) is a dye frequently used in the textile industry and a potential wastewater pollutant. MB adsorption onto the surface of solid materials is a promising method for wastewater remediation. The biopolymer chitosan is one of the promising candidates as an adsorbent for MB removal from wastewater. However, the contact between MB an...

Conjugation of individual nanomaterials to form ‘nanohybrids’ has been the recent focus of advanced material synthesis with the aim to achieve enhanced properties and synergistic functionalities. However, nanohybrids may induce uncertain and unknown biological interactions and toxicological responses that are likely to be unique and altered from th...

Little is known about the fate and transport of the ‘new-horizon’ multifunctional nanohybrids in the environment. Saturated sand-packed column experiments (n=66) were therefore performed to investigate the transport and retention of reduced graphene oxide (RGO)—metal oxide (Fe3O4, TiO2, and ZnO) nanohybrids under environmentally-relevant conditions...

Carbon—metal oxide nanohybrids (NHs) are increasingly recognized as the next-generation, promising group of nanomaterials for solving emerging environmental issues and challenges. This research, for the first time, systematically explored the transport and retention of carbon nanotubes—magnetite (CNT-Fe3O4) NH aggregates in water-saturated porous m...

Hybridization of nano-scale entities prepare higher dimensional ensemble materials with multifunctionality. Such hierarchical complex materials though are engineered with output properties in mind, these evolved nanostructures possess unique shapes and physicochemical attributes. Nanotoxicological considerations hinge on physical size and shape fac...

Dental erosion is a growing health problem linked to the exceptional increase in the consumption of soft drinks, fruit juices and sport drinks in many countries including Bangladesh. Dental erosion is the chemical dissolution of the dental hard tissues by acids without the involvement of microorganisms. Hydrogen ions (H⁺) from acidic solutions can...

This chapter begins with a discussion on fundamental aggregation theories and presents a detailed review of the state-of-the-art engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) aggregation literature. It also identifies advances in the field to address complexities arising from variations in ENM attributes and their exposure environment. The chapter identifies key...

Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) are considered to have the potency to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), one of the key mechanisms underlying nanotoxicity. However, the nanotoxicology literature demonstrates a lack of consensus on the dominant toxicity mechanism(s) for a particular MONP. Moreover, recent literature has studied the correlatio...

Aggregation kinetics of nC60s and higher order fullerenes (HOFs), i.e., nC70, nC76, and nC84 was systematically studied under a wide range of mono- (NaCl) and di-valent (CaCl2) electrolytes, and using time-resolved dynamic light scattering. Suwanee River Humic Acid (SRHA) was also used to determine the effect of natural macromolecule on nHOF aggreg...

With the proliferation of electronic devices, the world will need to double its energy supply by 2050. This book addresses this challenge and discusses synthesis and characterization of carbon nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage. * Addresses one of the leading challenges facing society today as we steer away from dwindling supplies of...

This chapter discusses synthesis, characterization, and application of fullerenes, higher fullerenes, and their nanoscale hybrids (NHs). It identifies potential environmental risk of these carbon allotropes when used in energy applications and discusses possible strategies for pursuing green synthesis of these materials. The chapter presents a brie...

Nanohybrids (NHs) have offered a wide range of application (e.g electrocatalysis, photovoltaics, and controlled antimicrobial properties) and hence, led to large-scale synthesis of these novel materials. Carbon nanotube (CNT) - metal and CNT- metal oxide NHs are getting much attention in the environmental sector due to their potential application i...

Metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are used in numerous applications and have high likelihood of entering engineered and natural environmental systems. Careful assessment of the interaction of these NPs with bacteria, particularly biofilm bacteria, is necessary. This perspective discusses mechanisms of NP interaction with bacteria and identi...

Environmental context Chirally enriched semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are some of the most utilised nanomaterials. Although chirality of SWNTs is known to influence their electronic properties and interfacial interaction, the interplay between chirality and surfactant structure in SWNT stability is not well understood. This...

This paper reports on research aimed at investigating the reinforcing effects of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in cement composites. Nanoreinforced cement mortar cubes were prepared using surfactant-coated GNPs. The dispersion and embedment of GNPs in the cement matrix were verified based on evidence from compression strength tests and scanning ele...

Environmental context Recent developments in nanotechnology have focussed towards innovation and usage of multifunctional and superior hybrid nanomaterials. Possible exposure of these novel nanohybrids can lead to unpredicted environmental fate, transport, transformation and toxicity scenarios. Environmentally relevant emerging properties and poten...

Methods are generally provided for forming a polymer-cement composite. In one embodiment of the method, a plurality of dopamine monomers is dispersed in a buffer solution. Polymerization of the dopamine monomers can then be initiated, and a cement-sand mixture can be added to the buffer solution to form a composite mixture. Finally, the composite m...

Dental erosion, caused by prolonged direct contact between tooth surfaces and acidic substances, is a predominant condition that occurs worldwide. Dental erosion is the dissolution of minerals from the tooth surface as a result of exposure to nonbacterial acids. Hydrogen ions (H+) from acidic solutions can replace the calcium ions (Ca2+) of the ena...

The production and use of increasingly complex hierarchical multifunctional ensembles of nanomaterials introduces emergent properties that will likely lead to uncertainty in the environmental health and safety (EHS) evaluation of nanohybrids (NHs). This perspective proposes principles to identify NHs with novel properties relevant to nano EHS resea...

Conjugation of multiple nanomaterials has become the focus of recent materials development. This new material class is commonly known as nanohybrids or “horizon nanomaterials”. Conjugation of metal/metal oxides with carbonaceous nanomaterials and overcoating or doping of one metal with another have been pursued to enhance material performance and/o...

This article demonstrates the ability of surface-coated triboluminescent materials to detect damage in carbon fiber–reinforced polymer specimens. An experimental protocol was developed to test the efficiency of the triboluminescent-based diagnostic method using carbon fiber–reinforced polymer coupons under combined bending–compression conditions. L...

This article demonstrates the ability of surface coated triboluminescent (TL) materials to detect damage in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) specimens. An experimental protocol was developed to test the efficiency of the TL-based diagnostic method using CFRP coupons under combined bending-compression conditions. Luminescence, emitted from the...

Abstract Understanding aggregation behavior of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is key to predict their fate in aquatic environment and evaluate their interaction with biological entities. Although Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeak (DLVO) colloidal theory provides the basic framework of nanoparticle aggregation process, unique surface properties of E...

In this study, we comprehensively evaluate chloride- and ionic-strength-mediated changes in the physical morphology, dissolution, and bacterial toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which are one of the most-used nanomaterials. The findings isolate the impact of ionic strength from that of chloride concentration. As ionic strength increases, Ag...

Size-tunable stable aqueous fullerenes were prepared with different concentrations of biocompatible block-copolymer pluronic (PA) F-127, ranging from 0.001% to 1% (w/v). Size uniformity increased with the increase in PA concentration, yielding optimum 58.8 ± 5.6 and 61.8 ± 5.6 nm nC60s and nC70s, respectively (0.10%w/v PA), as observed using a dyna...

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are mostly synthesized with modified surfaces using various surfactants, polymeric, or biomolecule coatings to achieve desired functionality. When exposed to the environment, coatings on the ENMs will undergo the first set of interactions with natural geo-and bio-macromolecules pre-existing in aqueous and/or soil mat...

Triboluminescent materials are promising in the field of structural health monitoring for real-time crack detection and related damage assessment. This study presents a simple, but novel, image processing protocol to detect and quantify luminescence from crack formation in cement-based matrices. Mortar cubes of 2″× 2″ (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm) were loaded...

Aggregate structure of covalently functionalized chiral specific semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was systematically studied employing static light scattering (SLS). Fractal dimensions (Df) of two specific chirality SWNTs-SG65 and SG76 with (6, 5) and (7, 6) chiral enrichments-were measured under four biological exposure media...

Aggregate structure of covalently functionalized chiral specific semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was systematically studied employing static light scattering (SLS). Fractal dimensions (Df) of two specific chirality SWNTs- SG65 and SG76 SWNTs with (6, 5) and (7, 6) chiral enrichments - were measured under four biological exposu...

A novel colloidal technique for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of graphitic nano-reinforced cementitious (GNRC) composites was developed. Single-walled and multiwalled nanotubes (SWNTs and MWNTs) were functionalized using an acid etching technique to obtain stable aqueous suspensions that were incorporated in the mix design of a cement past...

Stable aqueous suspensions of nC₆₀ and individual higher fullerenes, i.e. C₇₀, C₇₆ and C₈₄, are prepared by a calorimetric modification of a commonly used liquid-liquid extraction technique. The energy requirement for synthesis of higher fullerenes has been guided by molecular-scale interaction energy calculations. Solubilized fullerenes show cryst...