RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D6RA01652A
Chenyu Zhao, Song Lu, Shuqi Cao, Zhenghao Wu, Linhua Wang, Xuan Tang, Bin Liu, Meihua Gao and Huifang Xu
{"title":"Effects of aromatic salts on the phase behavior and viscoelastic properties of a cationic gemini surfactant in aqueous solutions","authors":"Chenyu Zhao, Song Lu, Shuqi Cao, Zhenghao Wu, Linhua Wang, Xuan Tang, Bin Liu, Meihua Gao and Huifang Xu","doi":"10.1039/D6RA01652A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6RA01652A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Gemini surfactants, composed of two linked surfactant monomers, are capable of forming viscoelastic fluids in aqueous solution even at low concentrations. In this paper, two types of additives, benzoate and cinnamate derivatives, were introduced into aqueous solutions of the gemini surfactant 2-hydroxyltrimethylene-1,3-bis(tetradecyldimethylammonium chloride) (G<small><sub>14</sub></small>) at varying molar ratios. The phase behavior, viscoelastic properties, and morphological transitions of the resulting systems were systematically investigated using rheology, dynamic light scattering, and cryogenic/negative-staining transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrate that structural features of the aromatic hydrotropes, such as hydroxyl, methyl, or methoxy substitutions and positional isomerism, critically regulate micellar growth and network entanglement. With increasing the hydrotrope-to-G<small><sub>14</sub></small> molar ratio (<em>R</em>), the morphology transitions successively from spherical micelles to wormlike micelles and finally to vesicles. At an optimal <em>R</em> value of approximately 0.5, synergistic interactions between G<small><sub>14</sub></small> and the hydrotrope promote maximal micellar elongation, yielding a highly entangled network and a corresponding maximum increase in zero-shear viscosity. The viscosity enhancement arises from the combined effects of electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and steric hindrance. This work establishes substituent-dependent structure–activity relationships for aromatic hydrotropes in gemini surfactant systems and provides a rational design strategy for tailoring wormlike micellar networks with potential applications in oil recovery, drug delivery, and specialized formulations.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 27","pages":" 24418-24426"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d6ra01652a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147828408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D6RA01440B
Changwen Gao, Jiasheng Zhang, Guangsong Li and Hongjian Peng
{"title":"Photocatalysts for the decarboxylation conversion of C(sp3)-carboxylic acids: a review","authors":"Changwen Gao, Jiasheng Zhang, Guangsong Li and Hongjian Peng","doi":"10.1039/D6RA01440B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6RA01440B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >C(sp<small><sup>3</sup></small>)-carboxylic acids are derived from a broad spectrum of sources and possess excellent biosafety. Its decarboxylation conversion provides an important route for constructing C–H, C<img>C and C–X (X = C, O, and F) bonds. Photocatalysis provides a mild and efficient method for achieving this conversion. In this paper, the photocatalysts used in the decarboxylation of C(sp<small><sup>3</sup></small>)-carboxylic acids over the past 8 years are systematically reviewed. They are classified into four categories: organic transition metal complexes, simple transition metal salts, metal-free homogeneous photocatalysts and semiconductor material photocatalysts. The structural characteristics, catalytic principles and reaction mechanisms of various catalysts are described in detail, and the core reaction paths of different catalytic systems are analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of various catalysts in terms of catalytic efficiency, substrate applicability, cost and recovery were compared. Finally, the key challenges in this field are pointed out, and the future development directions, such as the design of near-infrared light-responsive catalysts and the improvement of quantum efficiency, are proposed.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 24095-24127"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d6ra01440b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D6RA00257A
Xin Wang, Qingyu Zhou, Junkai Shen, Lin Lin, Hailing Tu and Guohu Zhang
{"title":"High-performance 2D MoTe2-based photodetectors with superior Vis-NIR detection capability","authors":"Xin Wang, Qingyu Zhou, Junkai Shen, Lin Lin, Hailing Tu and Guohu Zhang","doi":"10.1039/D6RA00257A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6RA00257A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Photodetectors are crucial components for photoelectric conversion in intelligent sensing applications, and their performance can be significantly enhanced by using two-dimensional (2D) materials. In this study, we present a detailed investigation of 2H-MoTe<small><sub>2</sub></small>-based field-effect transistors (FETs) for photodetection. We demonstrate that air annealing at specific temperatures effectively improves charge transport properties by stabilizing the electrical polarity, enhancing transconductance by 230% and carrier mobility by 41%, primarily through defect healing in the MoTe<small><sub>2</sub></small> lattice. The optimized 2D MoTe<small><sub>2</sub></small> photodetector exhibits an impressive responsivity of 3.53 A W<small><sup>−1</sup></small> and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 652% at 808 nm under 0.08 mW mm<small><sup>−2</sup></small>. Furthermore, the constructed MoTe<small><sub>2</sub></small>/MoSe<small><sub>2</sub></small> van der Waals heterojunction exhibits excellent rectifying behavior and ultralow dark current (<10<small><sup>−13</sup></small> A at <em>V</em><small><sub>gs</sub></small> = −30 V). It delivers a peak responsivity of 3.32 A W<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at 671 nm, with an EQE of 614% and a photocurrent-to-dark-current ratio of 466 under 0.009 mW mm<small><sup>−2</sup></small>. These results highlight the potential of 2D materials, particularly MoTe<small><sub>2</sub></small> and its heterojunctions, for high-performance visible-to-near-infrared(Vis-NIR) photodetection, paving the way for advanced applications in optoelectronics.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 24272-24279"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d6ra00257a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D6RA01071G
Arooj Fatima, Faiqa Noreen, Halil Şenol, Parham Taslimi, Mostafa A. Ismail, Rima D. Alharthy, Asif Rasool, Magdi E. A. Zaki, Sobhi M. Gomha and Zahid Shafiq
{"title":"Synthesis, cholinesterase/MAO-A inhibition, antioxidant potential and detailed computational analysis of 3,5-difluorobenzenesulfonate-tagged ethoxyvanillin hydrazones","authors":"Arooj Fatima, Faiqa Noreen, Halil Şenol, Parham Taslimi, Mostafa A. Ismail, Rima D. Alharthy, Asif Rasool, Magdi E. A. Zaki, Sobhi M. Gomha and Zahid Shafiq","doi":"10.1039/D6RA01071G","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6RA01071G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >A new series of hydrazones were prepared and assessed for their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) along with their antioxidant activity. Among the tested compounds, <strong>5i</strong> displayed the maximum inhibitory activity with IC<small><sub>50</sub></small> = 11.29 ± 0.98 nM for AChE, IC<small><sub>50</sub></small> = 1.12 ± 0.41 nM for BChE, and IC<small><sub>50</sub></small> = 102.70 ± 5.26 nM for MAO-A. Notably, compound <strong>5i</strong> was found to be more potent than the standard. Additionally, the IC<small><sub>50</sub></small> values obtained from antioxidant assays ranged from 9.22 ± 0.91 nM to 19.48 ± 0.05 nM, indicating the strong free-radical scavenging property. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies proved that electron-withdrawing substituents play a pivotal role in increasing the inhibitory efficiency and antioxidant capacity. To validate these results, molecular docking and dynamics studies were conducted to investigate the binding contacts and possible inhibition mechanisms in the active sites of the enzyme. DFT, GCR descriptors, and ESP analyses elucidated the electronic features governing the activity. The compounds exhibited moderate cytotoxicity in HUVEC cells, with IC<small><sub>50</sub></small> values ranging from 35.94 to 64.27 µM, indicating a favorable safety profile within the tested concentration range. The outcomes highlighted the substantial multifunctional potential of the evaluated hydrazones as AChE, BChE, and MAO-A inhibitors with complementary antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity results indicated their potential for further advancement in the management of neurodegenerative conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 23987-24005"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d6ra01071g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D6RA02509A
Tingting Zhang, Qiyue Tao, Jiahe Chen, Jia-Hao Chen, Hong Zhou and Zhijie Zhang
{"title":"In2O3/AgBiS2 heterojunction – gated organic photoelectrochemical transistor with DNAzyme-mediated reaction for sensitive detection of bisphenol A","authors":"Tingting Zhang, Qiyue Tao, Jiahe Chen, Jia-Hao Chen, Hong Zhou and Zhijie Zhang","doi":"10.1039/D6RA02509A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6RA02509A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In recent years, organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) sensors have attracted growing attention in various fields. Nevertheless, their potential remains far from being fully exploited, and these systems still face substantial challenges. In this work, a novel OPECT aptamer biosensor is rationally designed and fabricated by integrating photoelectrochemical analysis with organic electrochemical transistor technology. In this sensor, In<small><sub>2</sub></small>O<small><sub>3</sub></small>/AgBiS<small><sub>2</sub></small> is employed as the photoactive material, and target-specific DNA strand displacement hybridization is utilized as the signal amplification strategy. Specifically, for bisphenol A (BPA) detection, DNAzyme (G-quadruplex/hemin) acts as a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) mimic to catalyze H<small><sub>2</sub></small>O<small><sub>2</sub></small>-mediated oxidation reactions, generating insoluble precipitation, which markedly decreases Δ<em>I</em><small><sub>DS</sub></small>. Experimental verification shows that the developed sensor exhibits excellent analytical performance. Its linear detection range can cover from 1 fg mL<small><sup>−1</sup></small> to 0.1 ng mL<small><sup>−1</sup></small>, and the limit of detection is as low as 0.29 fg mL<small><sup>−1</sup></small>. This innovative biosensing platform not only provides a highly potential solution for the accurate detection of BPA but also shows broad application prospects and great development potential in the future expansion of the analysis and detection of other pollutants.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 24248-24255"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d6ra02509a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D5RA09024E
Aya Fathy, Ashour M. Ahmed, M. A. Basyooni-M. Kabatas, Mamduh J. Aljaafreh, Mohamed Shaban, Hany Hamdy and Mohamed Rabia
{"title":"Hierarchical poly(2-aminothiophenol)/Co–Ni heterostructures with nanoflake–nanoneedle architecture for high-performance supercapacitors","authors":"Aya Fathy, Ashour M. Ahmed, M. A. Basyooni-M. Kabatas, Mamduh J. Aljaafreh, Mohamed Shaban, Hany Hamdy and Mohamed Rabia","doi":"10.1039/D5RA09024E","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA09024E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The present study reports a hierarchical supercapacitor electrode that integrates poly(2-aminothiophenol) (P2-ATH) with a cobalt–nickel heterostructure comprising cobalt carbonate hydroxide hydrate (CCHH) and cobalt-nickel oxide (CNO). The hybrid is synthesized by hydrothermal growth of CCHH/CNO nanoneedles, followed by <em>in situ</em> oxidative polymerization of P2-ATH to yield conformal nanoflakes. This interpenetrating architecture furnishes a porous, electrically percolated network that shortens ion-diffusion paths and accelerates electron transport, thereby coupling the redox activity of P2-ATH with the multiple Faradaic sites of the Co–Ni phase. Electrochemical tests in different electrolytes (NaOH, NaCl, and HCl) demonstrate a strong electrolyte dependence, with 0.5 M HCl yielding the best performance. At 0.4 A g<small><sup>−1</sup></small>, the specific capacitance reaches 113.87 F g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> in HCl, compared with 27.89 F g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> in NaOH and 7.73 F g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> in NaCl. In 0.5 M HCl, the electrode delivers an energy density of 5.69 Wh kg<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at a specific power of 479.7 W kg<small><sup>−1</sup></small>. The results highlight the synergistic interplay between the conductive P2-ATH and the Co–Ni nanoneedle, establishing P2-ATH/CNO-CCHH as a promising platform for high-rate, durable supercapacitors and broader electrochemical energy-storage applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 24256-24270"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d5ra09024e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D5RA10078J
Yijun Liu, Liangyong Zheng, Fanhui Kong, Yongyue Luo, Huangbing Liang, Shaokai Zhang, Xinghao Tu, Zhanwu Sheng and Gang Chen
{"title":"Active packaging film based on a green composite: fabrication and performance analysis of pineapple leaf fiber-reinforced PBAT","authors":"Yijun Liu, Liangyong Zheng, Fanhui Kong, Yongyue Luo, Huangbing Liang, Shaokai Zhang, Xinghao Tu, Zhanwu Sheng and Gang Chen","doi":"10.1039/D5RA10078J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA10078J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >To achieve the high-value utilization of pineapple leaf waste and to develop green preservative materials, pineapple leaf fiber ultrafine powder (PLFUP) was prepared through oscillatory ultrafine grinding, and PLFUP/PBAT composite films were subsequently fabricated <em>via</em> twin-screw extrusion blending followed by single-screw blow molding. The films were evaluated for surface microstructure, thermal properties, gas barrier performance, and degradability, and their effects on mango preservation were also investigated. The results indicated that the optimal grinding time for PLFUP was 10 minutes, yielding a particle size of 49 µm. As the PLFUP content increased, the surface roughness of the composite films increased, while the glass transition temperature, crystallinity, and melting enthalpy decreased. In contrast, the cold crystallization and melting temperatures rose. Furthermore, both water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability increased significantly, and the biodegradation rate was accelerated. When a composite film containing 3% PLFUP was used as a sealed preservation bag, the mangoes exhibited the fewest surface lesions, along with superior color and gloss, demonstrating the best preservation performance. This study successfully developed a functional packaging film with natural antibacterial activity, tunable permeability, and high biodegradability, offering a novel approach for the resource utilization of agricultural by-products and the advancement of eco-friendly fruit and vegetable preservation technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 27","pages":" 24296-24305"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d5ra10078j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147828455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Immobilization-driven enhancement of CNT-binding peptide affinity: substantial shift from the free-state","authors":"Narangerel Ganbaatar, Huan-Wen Han, Naofumi Okamoto, Ting-Chieh Chu, Kenji Iwahori, Aghnia Dinan Maulani Heriyanto, Masakazu Nakamura and Ichiro Yamashita","doi":"10.1039/D5RA09758D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA09758D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Three carbon-binding peptide aptamers, Y1 (FKQDAWEAVDIR), Y2 (SYTHLLHRSLPG), and Y3 (SLHNAEMANFRA) were identified <em>via</em> phage display. Their adsorption efficiency was analyzed in the free state and immobilized on the cage-shaped protein Dps. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) showed that Y1 and Y2 had high affinities, while Y3 had lower affinity in its free state. Dps mutant proteins presenting Y1, Y2, and Y3 on the outer surface (Y1Ct, Y2Ct, Y3Ct) were then analyzed. Unexpectedly, Y3Ct exhibited a strong affinity for carbon surfaces. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements, conducted in both batch and open-flow modes, quantified the adsorbed mass and dissociation constants (<em>K</em><small><sub>d</sub></small>). Y3Ct had a much lower <em>K</em><small><sub>d</sub></small> (48 nM) than Y1Ct (1.04 µM) and Y2Ct (2.18 µM). These findings confirmed that aptamer adsorption efficiency depended on whether the aptamer was free or immobilized. Although the mechanism is unclear, a plausible explanation is that hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions near the C-terminus might have contributed to Y3Ct's enhanced affinity for the carbon surface.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 24174-24182"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d5ra09758d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RSC AdvancesPub Date : 2026-05-08DOI: 10.1039/D6RA00965D
Shimaa Rashad, Ahmed A. Farghali, Marwa Waseem A. Halmy, Hala Elkady, Nadia Badr, Ahmed Hassan and Heba A. Younes
{"title":"High-performance activated rice straw biochar: a sustainable triple-bottom-line adsorbent for removal of water pharmaceutical pollution","authors":"Shimaa Rashad, Ahmed A. Farghali, Marwa Waseem A. Halmy, Hala Elkady, Nadia Badr, Ahmed Hassan and Heba A. Younes","doi":"10.1039/D6RA00965D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D6RA00965D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Remediation of pharmaceuticals in aquatic systems is crucial due to their substantial environmental and health impacts. In this study, a novel adsorbent from agricultural waste, activated rice straw residue biochar (activated RSR-BC), is developed to overcome the limits of existing water treatment technologies in eliminating sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and clindamycin (CLN) pollutants. Characterization of the synthesized activated RSR-BC adsorbent was done by XRD, SEM, BET, and FTIR to assess its physical and chemical properties. The BET-specific surface area increased after activation by 2.37 times, from 278.92 m<small><sup>2</sup></small> g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> to 662.51 m<small><sup>2</sup></small> g<small><sup>−1</sup></small>, and the total pore volume increased. The Activated rice straw residue biochar (activated RSR-BC) showed excellent performance in removing (SMX) and (CLN). The adsorbent demonstrated a theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of 297.4 mg g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at pH 3 and 184.7 mg g<small><sup>−1</sup></small> at pH 5 for SMX and CLN, respectively. Additionally, a prototype fixed-bed column system demonstrated high efficiency, removing 97.92% of SMX from continuous-flow wastewater effluent within 40 minutes. Beyond targeting specific contaminants, the activated RSR biochar also improved overall wastewater quality by significantly reducing total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and total organic carbon (TOC). The main adsorption mechanisms identified include pore-filling, electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π–π electron donor–acceptor (EDA) interactions, with chemisorption acting as the rate-limiting step. Moreover, activated RSR-BC material can be reused up to four times with 69.7% removal, highlighting its effectiveness in removing pharmaceuticals from water. Overall, this study demonstrates how agricultural waste, such as rice straw, can be valorized into a high-performance adsorbent for advanced water purification, supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs) and circular economy principles.</p>","PeriodicalId":102,"journal":{"name":"RSC Advances","volume":" 26","pages":" 24157-24173"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2026/ra/d6ra00965d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147829023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}