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Topic Review Peer Reviewed
The Health Impact of Fast Fashion: Exploring Toxic Chemicals in Clothing and Textiles
The fashion industry is widely recognized for its environmental challenges, but the health impacts related to textile toxicity remain significantly underexplored. Beyond the well-known issues of pollution and resource depletion, modern clothing often harbors a hidden threat: hazardous chemicals embedded within fabrics. These include dyes containing heavy metals, antimicrobial agents that foster bacterial resistance, and synthetic fibers that release microplastics. Unlike environmental discussions, the dialogue around the direct and long-term health effects of these substances is still limited. This entry addresses critical yet often-overlooked concerns, such as how chemicals in textiles contribute to chronic skin conditions, hormonal disruptions, and even carcinogenic risks. It also examines the proliferation of bacteria in synthetic garments, leading to dermatological infections and rapid fabric degradation. Furthermore, the globalized nature of production masks the contamination risks transferred from producer to consumer countries. Through an interdisciplinary approach, this entry highlights the urgent need for integrating scientific innovation, stringent regulation, and consumer awareness to mitigate health hazards in fashion. It calls for the adoption of safer textile technologies, sustainable materials, and transparent production practices, paving the way for a fashion future that prioritizes human health as much as environmental sustainability.
  • 1.7K
  • 19 Jun 2025
Topic Review
SPE influence on GTEs coatings
Solid particles erosion (SPE) has and is still one of the main challenges that faces the gas turbine engines (GTE) industry, especially when such systems are utilized in harsh environments. This is because the impingement mechanism of the particles on the blades surface causes them to structurally deform, and hence the system performance gets degraded continuously with the operational lifetime. In order to reduce the impact caused by SPE on gas turbines, it is crucial to know before hands the surrounding environment in which the system will be operating, clearly understand how SPE mechanism behaves with different surface materials, select the appropriate blade material that can balance between the performance of the GTE and SPE resistance, and more advance cases use surface coatings.
  • 1.7K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Magnetic Materials for Electrical Machines
Additive manufacturing has many advantages over traditional manufacturing methods and has been increasingly used in medical, aerospace, and automotive applications. The flexibility of additive manufacturing technologies to fabricate complex geometries from copper, polymer, and ferrous materials presents unique opportunities for new design concepts and improved machine power density without significantly increasing production and prototyping cost. Topology optimization investigates the optimal distribution of single or multiple materials within a defined design space, and can lead to unique geometries not realizable with conventional optimization techniques. As an enabling technology, additive manufacturing provides an opportunity for machine designers to overcome the current manufacturing limitation that inhibit adoption of topology optimization. Successful integration of additive manufacturing and topology optimization for fabricating magnetic components for electrical machines can enable new tools for electrical machine designers. This article presents a comprehensive review of the latest achievements in the application of additive manufacturing, topology optimization, and their integration for electrical machines and their magnetic components.
  • 1.7K
  • 25 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Coconut-Based Beverages and Value-Added Products
The definition of value addition is based on the process or processes which are used to transform, physically, the initial raw material into the final food or non-food article. Diversification can enhance the possibility of increased gains. Processing degree is a consequence of consumers’ requests. Three different drivers for value addition have been considered: packaging, durability, and size options; sensorial features; and sustainability. There are different value-added coconut-based beverages with interesting perspectives.
  • 1.7K
  • 02 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Hyperchloremia
Hyperchloremia is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is an elevated level of chloride ions in the blood. The normal serum range for chloride is 96 to 106 mEq/L, therefore chloride levels at or above 110 mEq/L usually indicate kidney dysfunction as it is a regulator of chloride concentration. As of now there are no specific symptoms of hyperchloremia; however, it can be influenced by multiple abnormalities that cause a loss of electrolyte-free fluid, loss of hypotonic fluid, or increased administration of sodium chloride. These abnormalities are caused by diarrhea, vomiting, increased sodium chloride intake, renal dysfunction, diuretic use, and diabetes. Hyperchloremia should not be mistaken for hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis as hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis is characterized by two major changes: a decrease in blood pH and bicarbonate levels, as well as an increase in blood chloride levels. Instead those with hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis are usually predisposed to hyperchloremia. Hyperchloremia prevalence in hospital settings has been researched in the medical field since one of the major sources of treatment at hospitals is administering saline solution. Previously, animal models with elevated chloride have displayed more inflammation markers, changes in blood pressure, increased renal vasoconstriction, and less renal blood flow as well at glomerulus filtration, all of which are prompting researchers to investigate if these changes or others may exist in patients. Some studies have reported a possible relationship between increased chloride levels and death or acute kidney injury in severely ill patients that may frequent the hospital or have prolonged visits. There are other studies that have found no relationship. As studies continue, it is important to include a large patient sample size, a diverse patient population, and a diverse range of hospitals involved in these studies.
  • 1.6K
  • 11 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Fucoidan in Pharmaceutical Formulations
Fucoidan is a heterogeneous group of polysaccharides isolated from marine organisms, including brown algae and marine invertebrates. The physicochemical characteristics and potential bioactivities of fucoidan have attracted substantial interest in pharmaceutical industries. These polysaccharides are characterized by possessing sulfate ester groups that impart negatively charged surfaces, low/high molecular weight, and water solubility. In addition, various promising bioactivities have been reported, such as antitumor, immunomodulatory, and antiviral effects. Hence, the formulation of fucoidan has been investigated in diverse pharmaceutical dosage forms to be able to reach their site of action effectively. Moreover, they can act as carriers for various drugs in value-added drug delivery systems.
  • 1.6K
  • 20 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Vinyl Ether
Vinyl ether is the organic compound with the formula O(CH=CH2)2. Other names include divinyl ether, divinyl oxide, ethenoxyethene. It is a colorless, volatile liquid. Under the tradename vinethene, vinyl ether was once used as an inhalation anesthetic. The analytical techniques used to study its pharmacology laid the groundwork for the testing of new anesthetic agents. Many divinyl ether derivatives of fatty acids exist in nature.
  • 1.6K
  • 28 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Alloplastic Bone Substitutes
Various bone graft products are commercially available worldwide. However, there is no clear consensus regarding the appropriate bone graft products in different clinical situations. This study is intended to summarize bone graft products, especially alloplastic bone substitutes that are available in multiple countries. It also provides dental clinicians with detailed and accurate information concerning these products. Furthermore, it discusses the prospects of alloplastic bone substitutes based on an analysis of the current market status, as well as a comparison of trends among countries. 
  • 1.6K
  • 17 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Biological Carbon Fixation
Biological carbon fixation or сarbon assimilation is the process by which inorganic carbon (particularly in the form of carbon dioxide) is converted to organic compounds by living organisms. The compounds are then used to store energy and as structure for other biomolecules. Carbon is primarily fixed through photosynthesis, but some organisms use a process called chemosynthesis in the absence of sunlight. Organisms that grow by fixing carbon are called autotrophs, which include photoautotrophs (which use sunlight), and lithoautotrophs (which use inorganic oxidation). Heterotrophs are not themselves capable of carbon fixation but are able to grow by consuming the carbon fixed by autotrophs or other heterotrophs. "Fixed carbon", "reduced carbon", and "organic carbon" may all be used interchangeably to refer to various organic compounds. Chemosynthesis is carbon fixation driven by chemical energy, rather than from sunlight. Sulfur- and hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria often use the Calvin cycle or the reductive citric acid cycle.
  • 1.6K
  • 02 Dec 2022
Topic Review
BODIPY-Based Molecules for Organic PhotoVoltaics
The 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY)-based molecules have emerged as interesting material for optoelectronic applications. This type of structure is commonly described as an example of a “rigidified” monomethine cyanine dye or as a boradiazaindacene by analogy with the all-carbon tricyclic ring and the numbering of any substituents follows rule setup for the carbon polycycles (see COVER). This dye has also been  called “porphyrin’s little sister” and this happy definition has been so successful that in analogy with porphyrinic systems, the 8-position is often referred to as the meso site. The facile structural modification of BODIPY core provides an opportunity to fine-tune its photophysical and optoelectronic properties thanks to the presence of eight reactive sites which allows for the developing of a large number of functionalized derivatives for various applications. In particular, BODIPY dyes find increasing application in laser dyes, organic electronic (OLED and OPV), bioimmagining,  thanks to their properties  like high fluorescent quantum yield, sharp absorption and emission peak,  photostability and stability under physiological conditions. Because of this they can be used also  as probes for pH changes, detection of cations, anions and so on.
  • 1.6K
  • 01 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Advanced Mass Spectrometry in Service of Forensic Analysis
Mass spectrometry has been used to assist forensic investigation. Due to its unique capabilities, mainly high-resolution mass data and structural information, high sensitivity, and cooperation with separation techniques, this method provides access to many tools streamlining and accelerating sample analysis. Low analyte consumption, advanced derivatization procedures and availability of isotopically labeled standards offer opportunities to study materials previously not considered viable evidence, opening new avenues in forensic investigations.
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Additive Manufacturing of Intermetallic Alloys Based on Ti2AlNb
Titanium alloys based on orthorhombic titanium aluminide Ti2AlNb are promising refractory materials for aircraft engine parts in the operating temperature range from 600–700 °C. Parts made of Ti2AlNb-based alloys by traditional technologies, such as casting and metal forming, have not yet found wide application due to the sensitivity of processability and mechanical properties in chemical composition and microstructure compared with commercial solid-solution-based titanium alloys. Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) has attracted the attention of scientists and engineers for the production of intermetallic alloys based on Ti2AlNb. 
  • 1.6K
  • 23 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Expanding Monomers
Expanding Monomers are monomers which are increasing in volume (expanding) during polymerization. They can be added to monomer formulations to counteract the usual volume shrinking (during polymerization) to manufacture products with higher quality and durability. Volume Shrinkage is in first line for the unmeltable thermosets a problem, since those are of fixed shape after polymerization completed.:2
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Oct 2022
Topic Review
1D MPC and Thin-Film Analysis
The development of magnetic photonic crystals (MPC) has been a rapidly evolving research area since the late 1990s. Magneto-optic (MO) materials and the techniques for their characterization have also continually undergone functional and property-related improvements. MPC Optimization is a feature-rich Windows software application designed to enable researchers to analyse the optical and magneto-optical spectral properties of multilayers containing gyrotropic constituents. A set of computational approaches, and a custom software package have been described, designed to enable the design and optimization of 1D magnetic photonic crystals in terms of the achievable combinations of Faraday rotation, transmission, and reflection spectra. 
  • 1.6K
  • 25 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Synthesis
Iron oxides are chemical compounds which havedifferent polymorphic forms, including γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite), Fe3O4(magnetite), and FeO (wustite). Among them, the most studiedare γ-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4,as they possess extraordinary properties at the nanoscale (such as superparamagnetism, high specific surface area, biocompatible etc.),because at this size scale, the quantum effectsaffect matter behavior and optical, electrical and magnetic properties.Therefore, in the nanoscale, these materials become ideal for surface functionalization and modification in various applications such as separation techniques, magnetic sorting (cells and other biomolecules etc.), drug delivery, cancer hyperthermia, sensing etc., and also for increased surface area-to-volume ratio, which allows for excellent dispersibility in the solution form.The current methods used are partially and passively mixed reactants, and,thus, every reaction has a different proportion of all factors which causes further difficulties in reproducibility.Direct active and complete mixing and automated approaches could be solutions to thissize- and shape-controlled synthesis, playing a key role in its exploitation for scientific or technological purposes. An ideal synthesis method should be able to allow reliable adjustment of parameters andcontrol over the following: fluctuation in temperature;pH, stirring rate;particle distribution; size control;concentration; and control over nanoparticle shape andcomposition i.e., crystallinity, purity, and rapid screening. Iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP)-based available clinical applications are RNA/DNAextraction and detection of infectious bacteria andviruses. Such technologies are important at POC (point of care) diagnosis.IONPs can play a key role in these perspectives.Although there are various methods for synthesis of IONPs,one of the most crucial goals is to control size and properties with high reproducibility to accomplish successful applications.Using multiple characterization techniques to identify and confirm the oxide phase of iron can provide better characterization capability. It is very important to understand the in-depth IONP formation mechanism, enabling better control over parameters and overall reaction and, by extension, properties of IONPs.This workprovides an in-depth overview ofdifferent properties, synthesis methods, and mechanisms of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) formation, and the diverse range of theirapplications. Differentcharacterization factors and strategiesto confirm phase purity in the IONP synthesis field are reviewed.First, properties of IONPs and various synthesis routes with their merits and demerits are described. We also describe different synthesis strategies and formation mechanisms for IONPs such as for: wustite (FeO), hematite(α-Fe2O3), maghemite(ɤ-Fe2O3) and magnetite(Fe3O4). We also describe characterization of these nanoparticles and various applications in detail. In conclusion, we present a detailed overview on the properties, size-controlled synthesis, formation mechanisms and applications of IONPs.
  • 1.6K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Wood Antimicrobial Behavior Test Method
Some wood species have antimicrobial properties and a variety of methods are used to investigate them. For testing the effect of antimicrobial compounds, direct and indirect methods are used. Meanwhile, the survival of microbes is also tested on surfaces (or material in contact with microbes) to validate the safety of surfaces.
  • 1.6K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
ALK Inhibitor
ALK inhibitors are anti-cancer drugs that act on tumours with variations of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) such as an EML4-ALK translocation. They fall under the category of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which work by inhibiting proteins involved in the abnormal growth of tumour cells. All the current approved ALK inhibitors function by binding to the ATP pocket of the abnormal ALK protein, blocking its access to energy and deactivating it. A majority of ALK-rearranged NSCLC harbour the EML4-ALK fusion, although as of 2020, over 92 fusion partners have been discovered in ALK+ NSCLC. For each fusion partner, there can be several fusion variants depending on the position the two genes were fused at, and this may have implications on the response of the tumour and prognosis of the patient.
  • 1.6K
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Comprehensive Evaluation of Fermented Foods Based on Metabolomics
Fermentation is an important process that can provide new flavors and nutritional and functional foods, to deal with changing consumer preferences. Fermented foods have complex chemical components that can modulate unique qualitative properties. Consequently, monitoring the small molecular metabolites in fermented food is critical to clarify its qualitative properties and help deliver personalized nutrition. In recent years, the application of metabolomics to nutrition research of fermented foods has expanded. In this review, we examine the application of metabolomics technologies in food, with a primary focus on the different analytical approaches suitable for food metabolomics and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches. In addition, we summarize emerging studies applying metabolomics in the comprehensive analysis of the flavor, nutrition, function, and safety of fermented foods, as well as emphasize the applicability of metabolomics in characterizing the qualitative properties of fermented foods.
  • 1.6K
  • 29 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Recovery Copper Using CSP
On the one hand, copper slag is nowadays a waste in copper pyrometallurgy despite the significant quantities of iron (>40 wt. %) and copper (1 to 2 wt. %). On the other hand, solar energy, when properly concentrated, offers great potential in high-temperature processes. Therefore, concentrated solar power (CSP) could be used in the treatment of copper slag to transform fayalite into magnetite and copper sulfides and oxides into copper nodules. This is the objective of this paper. The results show that fayalite was partially decomposed into magnetite and silica. Moreover, copper nodules (65–85 wt. % Cu) were identified in the treated samples, while the initial slag, analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and SEM-EDX, did not show the presence of metallic copper. Finally, the treated copper slag was crushed and grinded down to 40 μm, and two fractions were obtained by magnetic separation. The magnetic fraction (85%) was mainly comprised of magnetite, while the non-magnetic fraction (15%) had 5–10 wt. % Cu. Considering the experimental results, 7.5–18 kg Cu/t slag might be recovered from the slag. A preliminary economic analysis, considering the current copper price, indicates that only the recovery of copper could represent a significant economic benefit (>30 €/t slag). Therefore, CSP might be a potential candidate for the treatment of copper slag to recover copper and iron.
  • 1.6K
  • 23 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Ground Deicing of Aircraft
Ground deicing of aircraft is commonly performed in both commercial and general aviation. The fluids used in this operation are called deicing or anti-icing fluids. The initials ADF (Aircraft Deicing Fluid), ADAF (Aircraft Deicer and Anti-icer Fluid) or AAF (Aircraft Anti-icing Fluid) are commonly used.
  • 1.6K
  • 23 Nov 2022
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