This is an editorial article. It has no abstract.

We report a green route to Ag–TiO₂ nanocomposites using an Allium tuberosum extract, rich in organosulfur and polyphenolic constituents, as a dual-function biogenic reducer and stabilizer, enabling efficient Ag⁺→Ag⁰ conversion and capping of Ag–TiO₂ without the use of harsh reagents. The nanocomposites are formulated into chitosan-based inks for direct ink writing (DIW) of porous, mechanically robust, reusable membranes (optimal formulation T@5Ag–5ATE–CS) with a homogeneous Ag dispersion. Multiscale characterization (SEM/TEM, XRD, FTIR, UV–vis DRS, EDS mapping) confirms metallic Ag⁰ uniformly decorating TiO₂ and an extended visible-light response attributable to strong localized surface plasmon resonance. Under near-UV/visible irradiation, the membranes decolorize Remazol Midnight Black RGB dye with pseudo-first-order kinetics, yielding k_app up to 5.99·10^–3 min^–1 with R² ≈ 0.99 and outperforming pristine TiO₂. Response surface methodology identifies an optimum at pH 5.67, 28.87 mg·L^–1 dye, and 0.0257 g catalyst, delivering a predicted 96.41% versus experimental 95.07% removal (validation error 1.39%) with excellent model statistics (R² ≈ 0.995). The combined effects of Allium-tuberosum-assisted Ag plasmonics, TiO₂ photocatalysis, and chitosan-enhanced adsorption underpin the high photocatalytic activity and reusability, highlighting a scalable, eco-friendly pathway to printable photocatalytic/antimicrobial membranes for wastewater treatment.

This research presents an eco-friendly approach for extracting chitosan from shrimp shell waste through ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) to prepare biocompatible aerogel scaffolds for biomedical applications. The study investigates the influence of various ultrasonic treatment times (10, 20, 30, 40 min) on the yield and structural and physicochemical properties of the extracted chitosan via characterization using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Among the tested conditions, the 30 min UAE-treated chitosan aerogels showed optimal porosity and structural integrity. Biocompatibility of the aerogels was evaluated, and the results confirmed their non-cytotoxic nature. The bioactivity of the chitosan aerogels was evaluated in terms of their in vitro wound closure ability and antibacterial properties. The aerogels demonstrated a wound closure rate of around 51% after 72 h, significantly higher than the untreated control (37%). In addition, they exhibited clear antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This sustainable extraction and fabrication method not only adds value to marine waste but also produces functional biomaterials with potential applications in wound healing, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, supporting global efforts toward sustainability and circular bioeconomy.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most widely used biopolymers, and it has demonstrated a huge potential for replacing some of the conventional plastics in certain application fields. However, due to a lack of other attributes such as antimicrobial properties and slow degradation rates, it is often blended with other polymers to impart these properties. Chitosan has desirable features including antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, biodegradability and biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. Thus, it is widely blended with PLA to generate materials that can be applied in various fields. In recent years, PLA/chitosan blend composites and nanocomposites have been produced to develop sustainable and ecofriendly materials that can be suitable in active food packaging, water treatment, air filtration, and biomedical applications. This review provides an overview of the recent advancements in the development of PLA/chitosan blend composites and nanocomposites for various applications. The processing strategies, mechanical and thermal properties, together with utilization in biomedical, air filtration, water treatment, and packaging applications, are provided.

This is an editorial article. It has no abstract.