Speakers: Zenebu Abera Derbew and Islam Muhammad Saiful
When: April 24th, 2026 at 11:00am
Where: KH A445 (Lincoln), PKI 160 (Omaha)
Zenebu Derbew: Redox-Active rGO-nZVI-AgNP Nanocatalyst for Enhanced Degradation of PFAS
Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent and toxic “forever chemicals” requiring urgent, scalable remediation. While nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) shows promise for PFAS degradation via Fenton-like reactions, its performance is limited by aggregation and surface passivation. This study supports nZVI on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and incorporates silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to enhance electron transfer via a nano-galvanic effect. Results show that optimal silver loading enhances redox-driven degradation, whereas excessive loading reduces performance by shielding reactive sites. This work provides a framework for optimizing bimetallic nanocatalysts for enhanced PFAS remediation.
Islam Muhammad Saiful: Nano- and microplastic release dynamics from polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate-based food contact plastic packaging in different use scenarios
Abstract: Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) based plastic food packaging release micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) into food and beverages, but their release kinetics remain poorly understood. This study evaluates MNP release from PP and PET under varying temperatures and contact times. Results show that higher temperatures and longer exposure significantly alter particle release dynamics. Nanoplastics dominate the released particles, highlighting human exposure and toxicity.