Automation and Miniaturization of Golden Gate DNA Assembly Reactions Using Acoustic Dispensers.

Golden Gate cloning has become one of the most popular DNA assembly techniques. Its modular and hierarchical structure allows the construction of complex DNA fragments. Over time, Golden Gate cloning allows for the creation of a repository of reusable parts, reducing the cost of frequent sequence validation. However, as the number of reactions and fragments increases, so does the cost of consumables and the potential for human error. Typically, Golden Gate reactions are performed in volumes of 10-25 µL. Recent technological advances have led to the development of liquid handling robots that use sound to transfer liquids in the nL range from a source plate to a target plate. These acoustic dispensers have become particularly popular in the field of synthetic biology. The use of this technology allows miniaturization and parallelization of molecular reactions in a tip-free manner, making it sustainable by reducing plastic waste and reagent usage. Here, we provide a step-by-step protocol for performing and parallelizing Golden Gate cloning reactions in 1 µL total volume.

Emerging deep eutectic solvents for food waste valorization to achieve sustainable development goals: Bioactive extractions and food applications.

Food waste, accounting for about one-third of the total global food resources wasted each year, is a substantial challenge to global sustainability, contributing to adverse environmental impacts. The utilization of food waste as a valuable source for bioactive extraction can be facilitated through the application of DES (Deep Eutectic Solvents). Acknowledging the significant need to tackle this issue, the United Nations integrated food waste management into its Sustainable Development Goals, hence, the present review explores the role of DES in bioactive compounds extraction from food waste. Various extraction processes using the DES system are thoroughly studied and the application of bioactive components as antioxidants, antimicrobials, flavourings, nutraceuticals, functional ingredients, additives, and preservatives is investigated. Most importantly, regulatory considerations and safety aspects of DES in food applications are discussed in-depth along with consumer perception and acceptance of DES in the food sector. The key hypothesis of the review is to evaluate emerging DES systems for their efficiency in bioactive extraction technologies and various food applications. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of utilizing DES for synthesizing valuable food waste-derived bioactive components, offering a sustainable approach to waste management and the development of high-value products.

Enzymatic Degradation toward Herbicides: The Case of the Sulfonylureas.

Commercial herbicides, particularly sulfonylureas, are used worldwide and pose a significant challenge to environmental sustainability. The efficient degradation of sulfonylurea herbicides is critical. SulE, an esterase isolated from the bacterial strain Hansschlegelia zhihuaiae S113, shows degradation activity toward sulfonylurea herbicides. However, the detailed catalytic mechanism remains vague to a large extent. Herein, we decipher the SulEP44R-catalyzed degradation mechanism of sulfonylurea herbicides using hybrid quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics approaches. Our results show that the degradation of sulfonylureas catalyzed by SulEP44R involves four concerted elementary steps. The rate-determining step has an energy barrier range of 19.7-21.4 kcal·mol-1, consistent with the experimentally determined range of 16.0-18.0 kcal·mol-1. Distortion/interaction analysis demonstrates that active-site amino acids play a vital role in the enzymatic catalytic efficacy. The unique architecture of SulEP44R's active site can serve as an excellent template for designing artificial catalysts. Key structural and charge parameters affecting catalytic activity were systematically screened and identified. Based on the elucidated degradation mechanism, several new herbicides with both high herbicidal activity and biodegradability were developed with the aid of a high-throughput strategy. Our findings may advance the application of sulfonylurea herbicides within the framework of environmental sustainability.

Development of the Local Food Systems Policy Index (Local Food-EPI+) tool and assessment process to benchmark the implementation of local government policies for creating healthy, equitable and environmentally sustainable food systems.

OBJECTIVE: Local governments have an important role to play in creating healthy, equitable and environmentally sustainable food systems. This study aimed to develop and pilot a tool and process for local governments in Australia to benchmark their policies for creating healthy, equitable and environmentally sustainable food systems. DESIGN: The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), developed in 2013 for national governments, was tailored to develop the Local Food Systems Policy Index (Local Food-EPI+) tool for local governments. To incorporate environmental sustainability and the local government context, this process involved a literature review and collaboration with an international and domestic expert advisory committee (n 35) and local government officials. SETTING: Local governments. RESULTS: The tool consists of sixty-one indicators across ten food policy domains (weighted based on relative importance): leadership; governance; funding and resources; monitoring and intelligence; food production and supply chain; food promotion; food provision and retail in public facilities and spaces; supermarkets and food sources in the community; food waste reuse, redistribution and reduction; and support for communities. Pilot implementation of the tool in one local government demonstrated that the assessment process was feasible and likely to be helpful in guiding policy implementation. CONCLUSION: The Local Food-EPI+ tool and assessment process offer a comprehensive mechanism to assist local governments in benchmarking their actions to improve the healthiness, equity and environmental sustainability of food systems and prioritise action areas. Broad use of this tool will identify and promote leading practices, increase accountability for action and build capacity and collaborations.

Nanoenabled self-assembled metal-organic algaecides generated photosynthetic inhibition and oxidative stress for sustainable food security.

Achieving food sustainability is one of the biggest challenges in the new millennium. Plant factory cultivation systems provide an alternative for food sustainability, while they often suffer from algal blooms. The overuse of conventional algaecides has caused significant environmental pollution and concerns about food security. Here, we design a nanoenabled metal-organic algaecide that is self-assembled from natural polyphenols and two functional metal ions for providing shading effects and delivering active ingredients synergistically to suppress algal blooms. Black wattle tannin (BWT) and Fe3+ ions are utilized to develop self-assembled FeBWT nanoalgaecides with significant shading effects for decreasing light transmission (up to 97%) and effectively inhibiting algal photosynthesis. Further, the FeBWT is functionalized with Cu2+ ions (bimetallic Cu/FeBWT) to target the algal cells and release Cu2+ ions via phenolic-mediated cell surface interactions, thus enhancing the inhibition efficiency. Importantly, the biosafety of Cu/FeBWT is demonstrated through toxicity tests on zebrafish and NIH3T3 cells. In our real-world field test, the Cu/FeBWT demonstrates high algal inhibition performance (> 95%, over 30 days), and enhances the accumulation of food nutrients in model plant lettuces. Collectively, the supramolecular metal-organic nanoalgaecide provides a promise for nanoagrochemical application and promoting food sustainability and security.

The influence of storage conditions on hygiene condition and eicosapentaenoic acid oxidation in Nannochloropsis algae for sustainable food supply.

BACKGROUND: Nannochloropsis algae contain approximately 20% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and hold significant potential for high-quality eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) food industrialization. However, EPA in Nannochloropsis sp. is prone to oxidation, and microbial growth is a critical factor affecting the shelf life of fresh food. Storage composition and temperature are primary factors influencing microbial growth, yet these aspects are not fully understood. This study investigates the effects of temperature and encapsulation on EPA content in nano-products over time. Nano-powder and nanobeads derived from Nannochloropsis sp. served as raw materials. Additionally, changes in aerobic plate counts and coliform groups were monitored. RESULTS: The results indicated that nanobeads, due to their more complex processing and less mature packaging, were more susceptible to coliform contamination compared to nano-powder. In terms of EPA stability, nanobeads exhibited a longer storage life than nano-powder. The oxidation rate of both nano-powder and nanobeads was faster at 37 °C than at 25 °C. CONCLUSION: These findings can inform general shelf life estimation, rapid detection of total lipid content in nano-products and macro extraction of nano-oil. Moreover, they have significant implications for delaying EPA oxidation in nano-products and improving hygienic quality control for microbial detection. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Long-term effects of an assets-based, co-created physical activity intervention on health-related quality of life in older adults]. / Efectos a largo plazo de un programa de actividad física enriquecido en la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en adultos mayores.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the long-term effects of a programme called Ser Mayor, un RETO («Being Older, a Challenge¼) aimed at improving quality of life in older adults over 60 living in the community. METHODS: This programme used co-design principles to create sustainable opportunities to improve quality of life, connecting with the community, and empowering older adults to take responsibility for their own health. Ser Mayor, un RETO was based on Bronfenbrenner's bio-social-ecological perspective and the health assets model. Its design was complemented with leisure education and physical activity promotion-based guidelines, identified in the scientific literature. The study design was quasi-experimental, with control group, and was conducted over a period of 20-months (September 2017 to June 2019) in several municipalities near the city of Zaragoza (Spain), with the participation of 213 older adults (n=120 experimental group and n=93 control group). Data were analysed using generalised linear mixed models controlling for age and gender of participants and accounting for initial differences between groups in the study outcomes. RESULTS: The results indicate that the experimental group experienced an improvement in levels of quality of life relative to the control group, which was sustained over the study period, especially in several physical dimensions of quality of life: physical function (P=.014), physical role (P=.027), physical component summary (P=.022) and in emotional role (P=.033). CONCLUSION: The Ser Mayor, un RETO programme had a positive effect on the quality of life of older adults, showing potential for sustainability of its effects and for the service providers to develop a sense of ownership over the programme.

The degradation of polylactic acid face mask components in different environments.

The disposal of fossil fuel-based plastics poses a huge environmental challenge, leading to increased interest in biodegradable alternatives such as polylactic acid (PLA). This study focuses on the environmental impact and degradation of PLA face mask components under various conditions (UV (Ultraviolet) radiation, DI water, landfill leachate of various ages, seawater, and enzyme). Under UV exposure, notable changes in physicochemical properties were observed in the PLA masks, including increased oxidation over time. Degradation rates varied across environments, with old landfill leachate and enzyme degradation having a notable impact, especially on meltblown layers. Furthermore, it was found that seawater conditions hampered the degradation of PLA masks, likely due to the inhibitory effect of high salt concentrations. The pathways of chemical group changes during degradation were elucidated using 2D-COS (Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy) maps. The investigation into the release of microparticles and oligomers further revealed the degradation mechanism. Moreover, PLA masks were found to release fewer microparticles when degraded in studied environments when compared to traditional polypropylene masks. Furthermore, correlation analysis highlighted the influence of factors such as carbonyl index and contact angle on degradation rates, underscoring the complex interplay between environmental conditions and PLA degradation. This comprehensive investigation advances the understanding of PLA degradation pathways, which are crucial for mitigating plastic pollution and promoting the development of sustainable products.

Evaluating challenges of circular economy and Internet of Things in renewable energy supply chain through a hybrid decision-making framework.

Due to industrial development, expansion of communities, and attention to sustainable development, sustainable energy supply has become a big challenge for communities. In this regard, the development and use of Renewable Energy (RE) are considered due to reducing the harmful environmental effects of fossil fuels. Improving the efficiency of the Renewable Energy Supply Chain (RESC) is important for using RE. To improve the performance and efficiency of RESC, it is necessary to use emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and its integration with the principles of the Circular Economy (CE). Therefore, this study proposes integrating IoT and CE for sustainable development and resource management in RESC. Also, this research provides a hybrid decision framework to assess the challenges of IoT and CE in the RESC of Iran. The CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) technique is used to specify the importance of the criteria. The Fuzzy Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (FEDAS) technique ranks the challenges. The findings indicated that considering the cost of investment, the rate of return on investment, and the productivity rate were the most important sub-criteria with values of 0.149, 0.129, and 0.106 respectively. Then, the sensitivity of the results is examined and the validation of the findings is analyzed with decision-making methods. The results indicate the high priority of the challenge related to transparency in the implementation procedures of IoT and RE projects and information dissemination protocols, the development of guidelines for the integration of IoT in other systems in the information network, and the amount of investment and lack of access to financial resources. This study provided practical insights for RE development based on IoT and CE capabilities for energy planning.

A new carbon-negative hydrogen production cycle for better sustainability.

Carbon dioxide removal is considered by many as an essential piece to achieve global net zero targets which was also mentioned by the third working group of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. On top of this, green hydrogen is badly needed to achive carbon-free society long-term sustainability. This study proposes a new five-step sodium hydroxide thermochemical cycle for simultaneous hydrogen production and carbon dioxide removal, which is driven by the heat at least 400 °C. The proposed integrated cycle can be driven by clean energy sources that can be utilized to generate heat at required temperatures. The proposed system is designed and analyzed by using energy and exergy approaches of thermodynamics. A case study is also developed in order to understand the effects of changing parameters on system performance. A thermochemical hydrogen production cycle is designed with an unequilibrium reaction where the respective heat capacity calculation models are employed. According to the calculations, more than half of the energy content of process heat can be converted into hydrogen, where maximum energy and exergy efficiencies of the thermochemical cycle are found as 50.05% and 76.61% when the separation reaction is carried out at 400 °C. According to the case study results, a parabolic trough collector type concentrated solar energy system with 295 kW of heat sink capacity, can generate 5216.65 kg of hydrogen and capture 19,991.97 kg of carbon dioxide in a location where 1500.11 kWh of solar energy is reached per m2 of area in a typical year.

Pharmaceutical procurement profits and universal health coverage: Reform to a sustainable healthcare and financing system.

BACKGROUND: In this study, using Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) as an example of a single-payer system, we examined the extent of pharmaceutical procurement profits (PPP) and evaluated their impact on the financial performance of healthcare institutions. METHODS: We extracted data from financial statements and healthcare service declarations of NHI-contracted hospitals from 2015 to 2021. Financial data concerning PPP, health service profits (HSP), and total operating profits (TOP) from each hospital were analyzed. The impact of PPP on hospitals with positive and negative HSP was further investigated. RESULTS: The total PPP across all hospitals studied gradually increased from NT$30.6 billion in 2015 to NT$47.0 billion in 2021. In 2021, 28.1% of all hospitals reported a deficit in HSP. PPP appeared to have a significantly positive impact on the financial performance of these hospitals. It not only enhanced positive profits, but also helped mitigate or completely offset the negative profits from HSP. The effect of PPP seems to be more pronounced for hospitals with larger HSP values, suggesting that larger hospitals benefit more from PPP in absolute terms. DISCUSSION: Average PPP increased during the study period, increasingly affecting hospitals' financial stability across all strata. The gap between TOP and HSP in medical centers has gradually widened, suggesting an increase in non-health service profits. In this study, we propose a payment policy reform that fosters sustainability of the healthcare and financing system under universal health coverage and corrects the potential distortions caused by PPP.

Optimization and prediction of paver block properties with ceramic waste as fine aggregate using response surface methodology.

The ceramic industry produces a significant volume of ceramic waste (CW), representing around 20-30% of its the entire output. The waste mostly comes from challenges noticed in the manufacturing process, overproduction, and damage to products. Considering the substantial worldwide production of ceramics, it is crucial to efficiently handle and recycle this waste to promote sustainability efforts. This study explores the conversion of ceramic waste into fine aggregates suitable for the production of paver blocks. Currently, a variety of assessments are being conducted to determine the effectiveness of these enhanced paver blocks. The evaluations involve aspects like compressive strength, water absorption (WA), dry density, flow table measurements, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), and rebound hammer tests. The results indicate that replacing natural aggregates with up to 30% CW significantly improves compressive strength (CS) and Rebound results from tests. This study provides useful information into optimising the content of CW in paver blocks, contributing to the development of sustainable and economical construction materials. Furthermore, it focusses on minimising landfill waste and preserving natural resources.

Adsorption of Cr(VI) and phosphate anions by amino-functionalized palm oil fibers.

This work developed a novel sustainable adsorbent (PF-Aq) prepared by the amino-functionalization of palm oil fibers (PF). XPS, SEM/EDS, TGA/DSC, and FT-IR techniques proved the successful functionalization of the PF with the amino group. The PF-Aq adsorbent presents a high adsorption capacity for phosphate and Cr(VI) ions. Adsorption kinetics of the ions onto the PF-Aq followed the general-order models, with 240- and 300-min equilibrium times for phosphate and Cr(VI), respectively. The Freundlich equilibrium model can explain the adsorption of phosphate and Cr(VI) on the PF-Aq. Besides, the maximum adsorption capacities were 151.07 mg g-1 for phosphate and 206.08 mg g-1 for Cr(VI). The best pH for the adsorption of both ions on PF-Aq was 4.0. Interestingly, adsorption was exothermic for phosphate and endothermic for Cr(VI). The adsorption capacities were reduced by 16% for phosphate and 10% for Cr(VI) after 5 adsorption-desorption cycles, demonstrating the good recyclability of the PF-Aq. It can be concluded that PF-Aq is a relevant adsorbent to uptake phosphate and Cr(VI) from water due to its high adsorption capacity, low cost, recyclability, availability, and fast kinetics. Finally, the excellent adsorption potential results from inserting amino groups in the PF, allowing electrostatic interactions between adsorbent and adsorbate.

A dynamic management model for sustainable drug supply chain in hospital pharmacies in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Sustainable supply chain management encompasses the strategic coordination and control of material, information, and financial flows, as well as the collaborative efforts among the entities engaged in the medicinal supply chain. This research proposes a dynamic and sustainable supply chain management model tailored explicitly for the inpatient pharmacies of Medical Centers and Hospitals affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: This is a quantitative study in terms of research objective and a qualitative study based on the stages in the conceptual development of the model. Therefore, the current study can be considered a mixed-methods approach. After identifying the key factors influencing the sustainability of the medicine supply chain, we conducted a dynamic analysis of the problem using system dynamics methodology. In order to simulate the system's behavior over 24 months, we utilized a combination of existing documentary information and expert opinions. The developed model was implemented using Vensim PLE software, allowing us to simulate and analyze the impact of various policies on the system. RESULTS: Medicine disposal exhibited an upward trend, particularly during the second 12-month period. Conversely, the trend of medicine expirations remained relatively stable in the initial months but showed an upward trajectory after that. The cost associated with disposed medicine experienced a consistent increase, with a higher rate observed during the second 12-month period. In contrast, sales of low-consumable medicine experienced a significant initial surge followed by a slower growth rate. Finally, the pharmacy's profit demonstrated an overall increasing trend, although the rate of increase was higher during the first 12 months. CONCLUSION: Among the various scenarios considered, namely "increasing the adequacy of human resources," "increasing the speed of response," and "utilizing pharmacists in the drug prescribing team," it was found that these interventions had a substantial effect on both enhancing the pharmacy's profit and reducing medication waste. Therefore, these scenarios were identified as having the most significant impact. The proposed model can serve as a valuable tool for forecasting and informing policy-making, providing insights into addressing the challenges associated with the sustainable drug supply chain in hospital pharmacies.

Meditating role of career sustainability in the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and job satisfaction and subject well-being.

The main purpose of this study, explore the mediating role of career sustainability in the relationships between teacher self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and subjective well-being. Teachers should have an acceptable level of satisfaction regarding self-efficacy, career sustainability, and job satisfaction to secure well-being. In a sense, this claim mandates revealing the relationships between these variables. Accordingly, we collected data from 369 Turkish language teachers aged 24-55 years employed in public schools using the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale, Short Index of Job Satisfaction, Career Sustainability Scale, and Subjective Well-Being Scale and tested a mediation model to seek answers to our hypotheses. We collected the data using an online questionnaire battery web-based survey (Google Forms) which was created using data collection measures and demographic items. After creating the survey using Google Forms, we distributed it through various channels such as email lists, social media platforms, and professional networks (e.g., teacher WhatsApp groups, teacher Telegram groups, etc.). Respondents were invited to participate in the survey voluntarily. The findings showed that career sustainability mediated the relationships between teacher self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and subjective well-being. Accordingly, we may claim that teachers with desirable career sustainability are likely to have increased job satisfaction and well-being, contributing to their self-efficacy. This research emphasises the essential significance of career sustainability in the overall well-being and work satisfaction of teachers. Future study should investigate treatments aimed at improving career sustainability and examine these linkages in other cultural settings.

Aluminum saving and CO2 emission reduction from waste recycling of China's rooftop photovoltaics under carbon neutrality strategy.

Rooftop photovoltaics (RPVs) are crucial for decarbonizing the power sector and achieving carbon neutrality, with expected future capacity increases. The growth of RPVs necessitates substantial aluminum (Al) resources, contributing significantly to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Al production. Given China's bauxite shortage, recycling Al from waste RPV panels presents an effective solution to enhance resource security and mitigate CO2 emissions. We developed a framework to project waste RPV quantities and assess the recycling potential of Al and its impact on CO2 emissions from 2020 to 2060. Our findings indicate potential waste flows of 95-221 million tonnes (Mt) and recycled Al ranging from 5 to 28 Mt, with a primary Al supply gap of 25-43 Mt. Recycling could reduce CO2 emissions by 35-207 Mt over the period. This research underscores the importance of Al resource security and sustainable RPV industry development in China's pursuit of carbon neutrality.

A sustainable artificial-intelligence-augmented digital care pathway for epilepsy: Automating seizure tracking based on electroencephalogram data using artificial intelligence.

Objective: Scalp electroencephalograms (EEGs) are critical for neurological evaluations, particularly in epilepsy, yet they demand specialized expertise that is often lacking in many regions. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers potential solutions to this gap. While existing AI models address certain aspects of EEG analysis, a fully automated system for routine EEG interpretation is required for effective epilepsy management and healthcare professionals' decision-making. This study aims to develop an AI-augmented model for automating EEG seizure tracking, thereby supporting a sustainable digital care pathway for epilepsy (DCPE). The goal is to improve patient monitoring, facilitate collaborative decision-making, ensure timely medication adherence, and promote patient compliance. Method: The study proposes an AI-augmented framework using machine learning, focusing on quantitative analysis of EEG data to automate DCPE. A focus group discussion was conducted with healthcare professionals to find the problem of the current digital care pathway and assess the feasibility, usability, and sustainability of the AI-augmented system in the digital care pathway. Results: The study found that a combination of random forest with principal component analysis and support vector machines with KBest feature selection achieved high accuracy rates of 96.52% and 95.28%, respectively. Additionally, the convolutional neural networks model outperformed other deep learning algorithms with an accuracy of 97.65%. The focus group discussion revealed that automating the diagnostic process in digital care pathway could reduce the time needed to diagnose epilepsy. However, the sustainability of the AI-integrated framework depends on factors such as technological infrastructure, skilled personnel, training programs, patient digital literacy, financial resources, and regulatory compliance. Conclusion: The proposed AI-augmented system could enhance epilepsy management by optimizing seizure tracking accuracy, improving monitoring and timely interventions, facilitating collaborative decision-making, and promoting patient-centered care, thereby making the digital care pathway more sustainable.

Design of PtSn Nanocatalysts for Fuel Cell Applications.

The challenges in the fuel cell industry lie in the cost, performance, and durability of the electrode components, especially the platinum-based catalysts. Alloying has been identified as an effective strategy to reduce the cost of the catalyst and increase its efficiency and durability. So far, most studies focused on the design of PtM bimetallic nanocatalyst, where M is a transition metal. The resulting PtM materials show higher catalytic activity, but their stability remained challenging. In addition, most of the transition metals M are expensive or low abundant. Tin (Sn) has gained attention as alloying element due to its versatility in manufacturing both anode and cathode electrodes. If used as anode catalyst, it is able to overcome poisoning from CO and related intermediates. As cathode catalyst, it improves the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Additionally, Sn is an abundant and cheap element. The current contribution outlines the state of the art on the alloy and shape effect on PtSn activity and stability, demonstrating its high potential to develop cheaper, more efficient and durable catalysts for fuel-cell electrodes. Additionally, in situ analytical and spectroscopic studies can shed light on the elementary steps involved in the use of PtSn catalytic systems. Finally, this intriguing material can be used as a parent system for the synthesis of high-entropy-alloys and intermetallics materials.

One story as part of the Global Conversation on Sustainability: dye adsorption studies using a novel bio-derived calcite material.

Many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be addressed through chemistry. Researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, have been sharing their stories on September 25 for the past two years through the Global Conversation on Sustainability. This article describes the details of one of these stories. As the global population increases, food production including aquaculture is increasing to provide for this. At the same time, this means more waste is produced. Waste from aquaculture is often overlooked as a source of valuable chemicals. By-products from farming blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) is dominated by shells rich in calcite. A 'soft' calcite material prepared from waste mussels, via a combination of heat and acetic acid treatment, was investigated for its adsorptive properties and its possible use in wastewater remediation. The adsorption of two cationic dyes, methylene blue and safranin-O, on this material were evaluated through isothermal and kinetic modelling. The adsorption systems for both methylene blue and safranin-O can best be described using Langmuir isotherms and the respective adsorption capacities were 1.81 and 1.51 mg/g. The adsorption process was dominated by pseudo-second order rate kinetics. Comparisons are made with other mollusc-derived materials reported to date.