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Abstract Secreted metabolites are an important class of bio‐process analytical technology (PAT) targets that can correlate to cell conditions. However, current strategies for measuring metabolites are limited to discrete measurements, resulting in limited understanding and ability for feedback control strategies. Herein, a continuous metabolite monitoring strategy is demonstrated using a single‐use metabolite absorbing resonant transducer (SMART) to correlate with cell growth. Polyacrylate is shown to absorb secreted metabolites from living cells containing hydroxyl and alkenyl groups such as terpenoids, that act as a plasticizer. Upon softening, the polyacrylate irreversibly conformed into engineered voids above a resonant sensor, changing the local permittivity which is interrogated, contact‐free, with a vector network analyzer. Compared to sensing using the intrinsic permittivity of cells, the SMART approach yields a 20‐fold improvement in sensitivity. Tracking growth of many cell types such as Chinese hamster ovary, HEK293, K562, HeLa, andE. colicells as well as perturbations in cell proliferation during drug screening assays are demonstrated. The sensor is benchmarked to show continuous measurement over six days, ability to track different growth conditions, selectivity to transducing active cell growth metabolites against other components found in the media, and feasibility to scale out for high throughput campaigns. 

Abstract Copper ions in wastewater present substantial environmental hazards, toxic to aquatic species and prone to bioaccumulation. Addressing this, we present a novel cross‐linked polythiourethane (C‐PTU) as a promising chelating adsorbent for the effective removal of copper ions from wastewater. A new monomer, 5‐(2,2,2‐trifluoroacetamide) benzene‐1,3‐bis(carbonyl) isothiocyanate (TFA‐ITC), was synthesized and further condensed with a 1,4‐butane diol to produce a trifluoroacetamide functionalized polythiourethane (TFA‐PTU) and subsequently generating amine functionalized polythiourethane (A‐PTU). The cross‐linking reaction was carried out through amino groups present on the polymer backbone with terephthaloyl chloride, resulting in the formation of C‐PTU. The monomer and polymers underwent characterization using Fourier transform infrared,¹H, and¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, with X‐ray diffraction analyzing the resin's chain alignment. Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry assessed C‐PTU's thermal properties. The adsorption process for Cu(II) ions was studied using atomic absorption spectroscopy, optimizing conditions for maximal uptake. Results revealed that C‐PTU exhibited a significant adsorption capacity for Cu(II) ions, reaching 67% after a 2 h contact time, with optimal adsorption occurring at pH 6. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm described the sorption mechanism, indicating favorable monolayer cation adsorption via coordination with donor sites on C‐PTU. This research presents a viable solution for copper ion contamination in wastewater, illustrating C‐PTU as an efficient, environmentally friendly adsorbent, marking progress toward cleaner water resources. 

Abstract Pairing the electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) reaction with different anodic reactions holds great promise for producing value‐added chemicals driven by renewable energy sources. Replacing the sluggish water oxidation with a bio‐based upgrading reaction can reduce the overall energy cost and allows for the simultaneous generation of high‐value products at both electrodes. Herein, we developed a membrane‐electrode assembly (MEA)‐based electrolysis system for the conversion of 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) to bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) and 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). With (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO)‐mediated electrochemical oxidation (ECO) of HMF at the anode, the unique zero‐gap configuration enabled a minimal cell voltage of 1.5 V at 10 mA, which was stable during a 24‐hour period of continuous electrolysis, resulting in a combined faradaic efficiency (FE) as high as 139 % to BHMF and FDCA. High FE was also obtained in a pH‐asymmetric mediator‐free configuration, in which the ECO was carried out in 0.1 M KOH with an electrodeposited NiFe oxide catalyst and a bipolar membrane. Taking advantage of the low cell resistance of the MEA‐based system, we also explored ECH of HMF at high current density (280 mA cm⁻²), in which a FE of 24 % towards BHMF was achieved. The co‐generated H₂was supplied into a batch reactor in tandem for the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural or benzaldehyde under ambient conditions, resulting in an additional 7.3 % of indirect FE in a single‐pass operation. The co‐electrolysis of bio‐derived molecules and the tandem electrocatalytic‐catalytic process provide sustainable avenues towards distributed, flexible, and energy‐efficient routes for the synthesis of valuable chemicals.