Nowadays, integrated microfiltration (MF) membrane systems treatment is becoming widely popular due to its feasibility, process reliability, commercial availability, modularity, relative insensitivity in case of wastewater of various industrial sources as well as raw water treatment and lower operating costs. The well thought out, designed and implemented use of membranes can decrease capital cost, reduce chemical usage, and require little maintenance. Due to their resistance to extreme operating conditions and cleaning protocols, ceramic MF membranes are gradually becoming more employed in the drinking water and wastewater treatment industries when compared with organic and polymeric membranes. Regardless of their many advantages, during continuous operation these membranes are susceptible to a fouling process that can be detrimental for successful and continuous plant operations. Chemical and microbial agents including suspended particles, organic matter particulates, microorganisms and heavy metals mainly contribute to fouling, a complex multifactorial phenomenon. Several strategies, such as chemical cleaning protocols, turbulence promoters and backwashing with air or liquids are currently used in the industry, mainly focusing around early prevention and treatment, so that the separation efficiency of MF membranes will not decrease over time. Other strategies include combining coagulation with either inorganic or organic coagulants, with membrane treatment which can potentially enhance pollutants retention and reduce membrane fouling.

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Recently discovered SARS-CoV-2 caused a pandemic that triggered researchers worldwide to focus their research on all aspects of this new peril to humanity. However, in the absence of specific therapeutic intervention, some preventive strategies and supportive treatment minimize the viral transmission as studied by some factors such as basic reproduction number, case fatality rate, and incubation period in the epidemiology of viral diseases. This review briefly discusses coronaviruses' life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 in a human host cell and preventive strategies at some selected source of infection. The antiviral activities of synthetic and natural polymers such as chitosan, hydrophobically modified chitosan, galactosylated chitosan, amine-based dendrimers, cyclodextrin, carrageenans, polyethyleneimine, nanoparticles are highlighted in this article. Mechanism of virus inhibition, detection and diagnosis are also presented. It also suggests that polymeric materials and nanoparticles can be effective as potential inhibitors and immunization against coronaviruses which would further develop new technologies in the field of polymer and nanoscience.

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The selective incorporation of a functionalised inorganic component at the interface between the Nafion membrane and the catalyst is demonstrated to increase the power density of a direct methanol fuel cell by 57% with no other change in operating conditions. The simple addition of 0.5 wt% zeolite (mordenite) in the Nafion 'ink,' which is used as a glue to fix the precast Nafion membrane onto the catalyst/gas diffusion layer, provides an organophobic quality to the MEA which enhances performance and durability. The targeted addition of such small amounts of the 'organophobe' at the interface where the chemical effect is required is a novel approach to improving DMFC MEA's and means that the usual trade-off between methanol permeability and proton conductivity is not observed as proton conductivity is maintained while methanol crossover is reduced.