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The 2017 International Conference on Micro/Nanomachines (http://www.icmnm.org/) was held in Wuhan, China, 25–28 August, 2017. Micro/nanomotors (MNMs), which are defined as micro/nanodevices capable of converting energy into autonomous motion, can be used to pick up, transport, and release various cargoes within a liquid medium. They have important potential applications, for example, in drug delivery, biosensors, protein and cell separation, microsurgeries, and environment remediation. MNMs can be classified into two categories, according to their propulsion mechanism. In this respect, self-propelled MNMs are capable of moving autonomously without external intervention, but they either require toxic fuel or have a short lifespan. MNMs actuated by external fields, such as light, magnetic field, and acoustic waves, are not subject to these problems, do not require toxic fuels, nor give rise to by-products during the motion process. For both self-propelled and field-actuated MNMs, there is still a long way to go before we reach practical applications. The future development of MNMs should be focused on improving the energy conversion efficiency through structure optimization, exploring new propulsion mechanisms and endowing MNMs with environmental responses for self-navigation, detection, and specific operations. In this way, MNMs will approach their practical application in biomedicine, environment treatment, microengineering, etc.

Autonomous motion --- Microengineering --- Micro/Nanomachines --- Environmental remediation --- Self-navigation --- Drug delivery

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This Special Issue entitled “Environmental Restoration of Metal-Contaminated Soils” focuses on the issues linked to soils contaminated with heavy metals and metalloids, dealing with current research activities around the world at the laboratory and field scale. These activities are the pillars for the application of strategies on a real-world scale, to remediate industrial soils affected by the problem. When an industrial soil contains pollutants, the main problem is the removal of these compounds. However, other features are present, linked to the health of the population living in its proximity. This Special Issue reports experimental run findings with the aim of removing heavy metals and/or metalloids from soil, making use of challenging techniques, and also demonstrating approaches for the assessment of the risks to human health.

seedling biomass --- heavy metals --- soil amelioration --- urban gardens --- pollution --- contaminated soil --- amendment --- edible plants --- metal --- citric acid --- EDTA --- electrokinetic remediation --- bioaccessibility --- bioavailability --- metals --- contaminated sites --- risk assessment --- natural sorbents --- ameliorants --- disturbed lands --- adsorption --- recultivation --- environmental remediation --- revitalization --- renaturation --- restoration --- rehabilitation --- reclamation --- heavy metals and metalloids --- removal techniques --- hydrophobic --- copper --- microfluidics --- pH change --- remediation --- n/a

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The energy transition is one of the key approaches in the effort to halt climate changes, and it has become even more essential in the light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Fostering the energy efficiency and the energy independence of the building sector is a focal aim to move towards a decarbonized society. In this context, building physics and building energy systems are fundamental disciplines based on applied physics applications in civil, architectural, and environmental engineering, including technical themes related to the planning of energy and the environment, diagnostic methods, and mitigating techniques. This Special Issue contains information on experimental studies in the following research topics: renewable energy sources, building energy analysis, rational use of energy, heat transmission, heating and cooling systems, thermofluid dynamics, smart energy systems, and energy service management in buildings.

nanocomposite photocatalyst --- environmental remediation --- selective organic transformation --- hydrogen evolution --- disinfection --- Perovskite solar cell --- PMMA --- carbon quantum dots --- down-conversion --- light harvesting --- dye-guest encapsulation --- zeolite --- microporous aluminophosphates --- one-pot synthesis --- hybrid fluorescent system --- white light emitter --- FRET --- hydrogen generation rate --- porous silicon nanopowder --- nanosilicon oxidation --- engineering of silicon nanoparticles --- van der Waals epitaxy --- Bi2Se3 --- mica --- two-dimensional materials --- optoelectronics --- transparent conductive electrode --- electrospinning --- SrTiO3 --- fibers --- photocatalytic --- water splitting --- bandgap --- hydrogen --- titanium dioxide --- photocatalysis --- photodegradation --- phosphomolybdic acid (PMoA) --- polyaniline (PANI) --- protonation --- photochromism --- nanocomposite thin film --- WO3 --- nanocomposites --- heterostructures --- water-splitting --- oxygen evolution --- n/a

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The book entitled “Polymer Materials in Environmental Chemistry” focuses on functionalized natural/synthetic polymeric materials and their preparation, characterization, and multidimensional applications. This book extensively appraises the research papers on the latest developments of the functionalized natural/synthetic polymers, such as the effect of functionalized polymeric additives on the degradation of aliphatic polyesters, development of nanoparticle functionalized bio-based or composite polymeric structures, water or wastewater purification, natural fibers or clay-based hybrid polymers and their applications, environmental remediation of antibiotics and dyes using polymer-based nanofibers, bio-based polymeric conjugate for the synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles and their catalytic degradation of ecological pollutant, polymeric-grafted membranes based on ethyl cellulose for gas separation, and polyamide–laccase nanofiber membranes for the degradation of organic and antibiotics from water. Additionally, the book envisages the reviews on recent developments in the techniques and visualization of biopolymer structures and their derivatives and fabrication and characterization of polymeric nanofibers via multidimensional electrospinning techniques and their appliances in environmental pollutant removal.

laccase --- polyamide 6 --- nanofibers --- wastewater treatment --- endocrine disrupting chemicals --- ethyl cellulose --- liquid --- imidazole --- membrane --- gas permeation properties --- green synthesis --- biopolymers --- bimetallic nanoparticles --- catalytic reduction --- 4-nitrophenol --- ciprofloxacin --- adsorption --- protein --- moringa seeds --- nanosilica --- two-step model --- coaxial electrospinning --- core-sheath nanofibers --- environmental remediation --- unspinnable liquid --- nanocoating --- microstructures --- nanostructures --- surface morphology --- filler dispersion --- chemical composition --- optical microscopy --- scanning electron microscopy --- transmission electron microscopy --- atomic force microscopy --- chemical quality --- sensorial quality --- chicken feet --- collagen --- health care product --- gelatin --- biofilms --- sound absorption coefficient --- impact strength --- flexural strength --- coefficient of thermal expansion --- bio-composite --- PET fibers --- Cloisite --- flame retardancy --- LOI --- TGA --- FTIR --- SEM --- WAXS --- SAXS --- graphene --- nanocomposite --- Acid Blue 129 --- silk fibers --- ZnO --- nanoflakes --- photo-degradation --- dye removal --- antibacterial efficiency --- biosafety --- flocculation --- removal efficiency --- wastewater --- biodegradable polyesters --- plant substances --- composting