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Why do business leaders, senior politicians and civil servants move to leading positions in EU civil society? The article addresses this question through thirteen unique life-work history interviews with leaders of some of the most prominent EU civil society organisations (CSOs). Inspired by sociological approaches in EU civil society research, the article combines insights from the literature on

Beaches are important coastal features that provide vital ecosystem services; however, these systems are threatened by coastal erosion, sea-level rise, and coastal squeeze. Beach nourishments are a commonly applied coastal protection measure to mitigate erosion and flood risks while maintaining or enhancing recreational values. Nourishments vary in scale from mega-nourishments to small-scale nouri

Finite Element (FE) model updating is crucial for identifying key parameters in structural design and improving predictive accuracy. Despite extensive research on advanced FE procedures approved for user applications, persistent disparities remain in real-world scenarios, especially for complex materials like wood. Capturing accurate mechanical characteristics with traditional models poses challen

Water pollution from industrial or household waste, containing dyes from the textile industry, poses a significant environmental challenge requiring immediate attention. In this study, we have developed a crosslinked-smart-polymer film based on 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate copolymerized with other hydrophilic and hydrophobic commercial monomers, and its efficacy in removing 21 different tex

This study introduces reusable polyacrylic membranes, fabricated from commercially available monomers (1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and methylmethacrylate), as a promising approach for pesticide extraction. These membranes effectively remove the commonly used herbicides mecoprop (RE ≈ 99%) and bentazon (RE ≈ 95%) at low concentrations, which pose water contamination risks due to their water-soluble prope

Imidacloprid is one of the most widely used soluble neonicotinoid insecticide, which is non–volatile and persists in the soil, with hazardous effects on birds, honeybees, and mammals. It is used in both agricultural and veterinary applications, and is found in at least 7% of European topsoils. One of the commercially available formulations is Confidor O–TEQ® that exhibits higher retention, spreadi

Glucose oxidase (GOX) and catalase (CAT) regulate the amount of H2O2 in honey, by generating or consuming it, so they are related to the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of honey. However, their activities are hardly analysed, since the process requires a previous dialysis that is non-selective, very time-consuming (>24 h), eco-unfriendly (>6L of buffer) and expensive. This research shows th

Two cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (CD-NSs) were synthesized using diamines with 6 and 12 methylene groups, CDHD6 and CDHD12, respectively, and used as adsorbents to remove 2,4-D from aqueous solutions. The physico-chemical characterization of the CD‒NSs demonstrated that, when using the linker with the longest chain length, the nanosponges show a more compact structure and higher thermal stabilit

Nanosponges are solid cross-linked polymeric nano-sized porous structures. This broad concept involves, among others, metal organic frameworks and hydrogels. The focus of this manuscript is on cyclodextrin-based nanosponges. Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligomers of glucose derived from starch. The combined external hydrophilicity with the internal hydrophobic surface constitute a unique “microenviron

This paper describes the synthesis, characterization and sorption performance of cyclodextrin nanosponges (NSs). Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides with remarkable amphiphilic properties, allowing for a vast range of applications. The synthesis of nanosponges of β-cyclodextrins was carried out using two uncommon cross-linkers: hexane-1,6-diamine (am6) and dodecane-1,12-diamine (am12). It ha

Metal ions such as cobalt (II) and chromium (III) might be present in the oral cavity, as a consequence of the corrosion of Co-Cr dental alloys. The diffusion of such metal ions into the organism, carried by saliva, can cause health problems as a consequence of their toxicity, enhanced by a cumulative effect in the body. The effect of the chlorhexidine digluconate, which is commonly used in mouthw

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to increase and protect crop production. A substantial percentage of the active substances applied is retained in the soil or flows into water courses, constituting a very relevant environmental problem. There are several methods for the removal of pesticides from soils and water; however, their efficiency is still a challenge. An alternative to current me

Cancer pharmacology is often markedly toxic and must be precisely dosed in order to reach the therapeutic bioavailability under strict control. Transport properties are important tools in the process of interpretation and fine-tuning pharmaceutical applications, notably for drugs that have a long record of use and have met their limits of bioavailability. 5–Fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of the most u

We have measured the limiting diffusion coefficients of three different pesticides in aqueous solutions: glufosinate ammonium, cymoxanil and imidacloprid, highly used for tomato production. The experiments were carried in aqueous solutions, at 25 °C, at concentrations below 3 mmol dm−3 (depending on the solubility of pesticides). Mutual diffusion coefficients (D) obtained by using the Taylor dispe

It has been widely reported that isoprene emissions from the Arctic ecosystem have a strong temperature response. Here we identify sedges (Carex spp. and Eriophorum spp.) as key contributors to this high sensitivity using plant chamber experiments. We observe that sedges exhibit a markedly stronger temperature response compared to that of other isoprene emitters and predictions by the widely accep

In the manufacturing industry, a major concern persists—the historical entanglement of this sector with environmental issues. Climate change and resource depletion cast a shadow over traditional practices, demanding a paradigm shift. As our planet grapples with these challenges, the imperative for sustainable manufacturing practices becomes undeniable. Futuristic Technology for Sustainable Manufac

Although cyclodextrins have been discovered over 130 years ago, they have been in the spotlight of researchers in academia and industry in the last 5–6 decades. That arises as a consequence of their unique physicochemical properties. This chapter starts with a historical overview of cyclodextrins, landmarks, and their properties and applications. The latter rest on the ability of cyclodextrins to