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LiDAR-based place recognition is crucial for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and autonomous driving. However, existing methods face challenges in achieving rotation invariance and are hindered by a large number of parameters and complex data preprocessing steps, such as ground point removal and extensive down-sampling. These limitations hinder their practical implementation in complex real-world scenarios. To address these challenges, we propose LR-Net, a lightweight and rotation-invariant place recognition network designed to handle large-scale raw point clouds. LR-Net tackles rotation invariance by efficiently capturing sparse local neighborhood information and generating rotation-invariant features through the analysis of spatial distribution and positional information within the local region. Furthermore, we enhance the network's feature perception by incorporating residual MLP structures to encode multi-level local region features, and integrating dual-attentional weighting blocks to emphasize important regions and features. Lastly, the Generalized-Mean pooling structure is utilized to aggregate the global descriptor, enabling efficient point cloud retrieval. Meanwhile, we introduce PRmate, an independent sub-network that effectively optimizes retrieval results by analyzing the descriptor similarity and location distribution of the top 25 matching candidates from the place recognition network. We extensively evaluated the proposed methods on four large-scale datasets, including both standardized point cloud scenes (Oxford RobotCar dataset and NUS In-house dataset) and raw point cloud scenes (MulRan dataset and Kitti odometry dataset). The experimental results demonstrate that LR-Net effectively attains rotation-invariance in place recognition and achieves state-of-the-art accuracy with a lightweight model size of 0.4 M parameters. Additionally, LR-Net eliminates the need for data preprocessing, as it can directly process raw point cloud data for stable place recognition and exhibits robustness against variations in point density and noise intensity, enhancing its suitability for challenging scenarios. Moreover, PRmate is compatible with all existing point cloud-based place recognition methods and improves their performance. These advantages make LR-Net and PRmate highly suitable for robotic applications that rely on LiDAR-based place recognition. Our code is publicly available on the project website (https://github.com/zhzhang023/LR-Net). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Modified low-temperature sulfated roasting is used to recycle spent graphite. • The purity of recycled graphite reached 99.55% and the recovery rate exceeds 94%. • Economical products Na 2 SO 4 and NaF can be obtained by treating wastewater and gas. • The valuable metal recovery rates are all over 99%. • The generated graphite shows excellent columbic efficiency and capacity retention. Recycling spent graphite in spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is crucial for lacking high-quality graphite and environmental protection. Here, an environmentally friendly and economical modified method based on sulfate roasting was proposed to recycle spent graphite via low temperature roasting at 250 °C with sodium fluoride as an assistant additive. Recycling leads to graphite with a high purity of 99.55 % and chemical structures for energy storage. Batteries manufactured in regenerated graphite deliver a high initial charge capacity of 333.9 mAh/g with an initial columbic efficiency of 85.71% and excellent capacity retention of 91.2% after 400 cycles. In addition, the waste produced in the method could be well treated, and by-products 177 g of sodium sulfate would be collected per 1 kg spent graphite and NaF, equivalent to 78.95% of the added amount obtained through wastewater and exhaust gas, respectively. The regenerated sodium fluoride will be re-applied to the recovery spent graphite. The loop-closed method shows great promise for the industrial-scale recycling of spent graphite for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point clouds scanned in the real-world environment, especially for cluttered indoor spaces, are often corrupted by extraneous points from sensor noise or missing points because of occlusion or partially overlapped situations. These problems reduce the performance of subsequent tasks, especially for point cloud registration. This paper proposes a learning-based network, Fore-Net, to efficiently filter out outlier points and retain only inlier points, which can promote the performance of subsequent algorithms by optimizing the quality of source data. We designed a dual space attention module in Fore-Net that can enrich the network's learning by aggregating information from both feature and cartesian spaces and realizing information exchange between point cloud pairs. In addition, the paper proposes two automatic labeling strategies that enable Fore-Net to be trained and tested to detect overlapping regions and denoise the point clouds using existing datasets without hand labeling. We comprehensively evaluated Fore-Net using two large-scale indoor datasets (the 3Dmatch and S3DIS datasets) and one synthetic dataset (the ModelNet40 dataset). The results showed that Fore-Net was more accurate and robust than the state-of-the-art approaches, and Fore-Net could generalize well in different types of indoor scenes. We further validated that by using Fore-Net as a pre-processing step, the performance of registration algorithms, whether classical methods or learning-based methods, could be promoted in the low-overlapping scenario; Fore-Net could also be used as an effective tool to denoise the point clouds of indoor scenes and objects. The results demonstrate Fore-Net's efficiency and compatibility, which will make it attractive for tasks relying on high-quality source data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient registration for large-scale scene point clouds is a basic capability that is essential for many real-world intelligence applications, such as autonomous driving or simultaneous localization and mapping. Because a large-scale scene point cloud has various characteristics such as large volumes of data, irregular local density, and limited overlapping, most existing approaches can only be trained and operated using small-scale point clouds. In this work, we propose a deep direct registration network, named DDRNet, to efficiently align the point clouds of large-scale scenes. The DDRNet consists of three parts: a local-spatially aware encoder that can efficiently aggregate posture information containing both local and spatial features; an attentional weighting module that allows our network to self-adaptively focus on overlapping areas; and a pyramid transformation decoder used to estimate transformation based on features having different resolutions. Also, we propose a partially-subsampled strategy, which is compatible with any learning-based registration method, to enable the network to be trained and tested in a self-supervised manner. We comprehensively validated our network's efficiency and robustness using four datasets: the ModelNet40, 3Dmatch, S3DIS, and the KITTI odometry datasets. The results demonstrate that our approach is more efficient and performs better than state-of-the-art methods, including both classical and learning-based methods, on large-scale scene data and object point cloud data, but with higher robustness to the variations in point density and overlapping. The efficiency and low registration error will make DDRNet attractive for substantial applications relying on a point cloud registration task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft magnetic materials play a key role in developing integrated and miniaturized power electronics. However, it is still challenging to accurately evaluate the high-frequency (MHz) power loss of soft magnetic materials, which determines the energy efficiency of power electronics. In this paper, we firstly trace the high-frequency error origination in traditional electrometric method and propose a two-step calibration method for the system to compensate the phase angle discrepancy between exciting current and induced voltage. The first-step calibration eliminates the phase angle discrepancies caused by propagation delay of current and voltage probes, while the second-step calibration compensates residual phase angle discrepancies. A calibration factor k is defined to determine whether the second-step calibration is needed. The experimental results demonstrate that the system's phase discrepancy is compensated within 0.13°, enabling power loss measurement frequency up to 20 MHz that much higher than present apparatus. Our results will facilitate the development of high-frequency soft magnetic materials and promote the miniaturization of power electronics. [Display omitted] • Power loss measurement with two-step calibration method at high frequency. • The phase angle discrepancy of the system is within 0.13°. • Testing the power loss up to 20 MHz. • Error of power loss is below 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • PDS activation process is enhanced by combination of UV and in-situ generated Fe2+. • SO 4 − and OH radicals are responsible for hypophosphite oxidation. • Ferric phosphate precipitates are the major phosphate recovery products. • Mechanism of hypophosphite oxidation and phosphorus recovery is proposed. • UV/Fe2+/PDS system has a promising future for hypophosphite recovery. Abstract Hypophosphite, a reducing agent, has been widely used in metallurgical industry, however, the effective treatment of hypophosphite wastewater with phosphorus recovery remains a challenge. In this work, various systems including control (anode oxidation), PDS, UV, Fe2+/PDS, UV/Fe2+/PDS systems were carried out and compared in terms of oxidation efficiency of hypophosphite and recovery efficiency of total phosphorus. The UV/Fe2+/PDS system demonstrated the optimal performance at the optimized conditions ([H 2 PO 2 −] = 10 mM; pH 0 = 3.0; Current intensity = 0.4 A; [K 2 S 2 O 8 ] = 20 mg/L) by analyzing the effects of the operating conditions of initial pH 0 , current intensity and K 2 S 2 O 8 concentration. The precipitates of the phosphate recovery products obtained at the optimized conditions were investigated by XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM, FTIR and XPS and the results confirmed that the precipitates were ferric phosphate with a high purity. Radical scavengers and ESR spectroscopy were applied to investigate the generated radicals in the UV/Fe2+/PDS system with the results showing that SO 4 − and OH radials were contributable to hypophosphite oxidation. The mechanism of hypophosphite oxidation and phosphorus recovery was proposed as three steps. Firstly, SO 4 − and OH radicals were generated by Fe2+/UV activation and anode, respectively. Secondly, the generated SO 4 − and OH radicals facilitated the oxidation of hypophosphite to phosphate. Thirdly, the oxidized phosphate was recovered by ferric ions with the formation of ferric phosphate precipitates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A novel ferrate (VI)-ozone integrated pretreatment process was proposed and applied herein for the first time in reclaimed water treatment. We demonstrated the synergistic effect of the ferrate (VI)-ozone integrated process in terms of •OH generation and its double-win effects on the improvement of water quality and fouling alleviation of ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. The concentration of •OH in the ferrate (VI) (0.15 mM)-ozone (10 mg/L) integrated case was almost 3-fold higher compared to the ferrate (VI) (0.15 mM) case, while no obvious •OH was detected in the pre-ozonation case (10 mg/L) in Milli-Q water. The reclaimed water quality was remarkably enhanced with the maximum removal efficiencies of 70.5% (DOC), 80.5% (UV 254), 25.6% (protein) and 65.5% (polysaccharide) in influent achieved by the integrated pretreatment of ozone (10 mg/L) and ferrate (0.15 mM). Biopolymers (molecular weight (MW) of 20–2000 kDa) were the main removed organics with the best removal efficiency of 92.6%. Additionally, membrane fouling was effectively mitigated and the normalized trans-membrane pressure (TMP) was maximally decreased by 89.5% obtained after the integrated pretreatment of ozone (10 mg/L) and ferrate (0.15 mM). The statistical analysis results demonstrated that the increased particle size and the effective reduction of organic matters with ferrate-ozone integrated pretreatment led to a porous fouling layer with high permeability and thus a remarkable reduction of TMP and resistances, which was also in agreement with the modeling results that cake blocking was significantly alleviated. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • The synergistic effect of ferrate-ozone with more •OH generated is confirmed. • Ferrate-ozone significantly improves the water quality of reclaimed water. • Ferrate-ozone pretreatment remarkably alleviates ceramic membrane fouling. • A more porous fouling layer is formed with ferrate-ozone pretreatment. • Cake-intermediate fouling is the main fouling mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane fouling is still a critical problem restricting membrane applications in wastewater treatment. Herein, for the first time, the single and synergistic effects of in-situ ozonation and ferric chloride addition on membrane filterability of mixed liquor and ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling in wastewater treatment were quantitatively investigated by statistical analysis including factor analysis, redundancy analysis and canonical correlation analysis. The filterability score of mixed liquor had very strong positive linear correlation with total membrane fouling resistance. Both the membrane filterability of mixed liquor and the ceramic membrane fouling mitigation performance followed the order: in-situ ozonation (10 mg/L)/ferric chloride addition (45 mg/L) > ferric chloride addition (45 mg/L) > in-situ ozonation (10 mg/L) > control. Specifically, ferric chloride addition (45 mg/L) contributed to 45.8% of membrane fouling mitigation as a result of 52.2% of improvement of membrane filtration environment. In-situ ozonation (10 mg/L) contributed to 26.6% of membrane fouling mitigation as a result of 28.6% of improvement of membrane filtration environment. The combination of in-situ ozonation (10 mg/L) and ferric chloride (45 mg/L) further contributed to 26.6% of the mitigation of iron-related membrane fouling. O 3 in the case coupling in-situ ozonation with ferric chloride addition reduced the accumulation of Fe and mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) on the membrane surface and mitigated membrane fouling in comparison to the case with only ferric chloride addition. Our results demonstrated that the combination of in-situ ozonation and Fe dosing with ceramic membrane filtration in wastewater treatment could achieve the synergistic effect in terms of the improvement of membrane filterability of mixed liquor and mitigation of membrane fouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrate (VI) is a unique and “green” chemical that can be utilized for oxidation, disinfection and coagulation simultaneously in a single unit without producing by-product. Herein, for the first time, we reported the integrated process of ferrate (VI) pretreatment coupled with ceramic membrane reactor for mitigating membrane fouling in natural reclaimed water treatment. Membrane fouling was effectively mitigated by ferrate pretreatment with the maximum trans-membrane pressure (TMP) reduction of 81.8% achieved at ferrate dosage of 0.15 mM. Moreover, the fouling mechanism changed from intermediate-standard blocking to cake-intermediate blocking with ferrate pretreatment and the contribution of cake layer fouling was significantly diminished with increase of ferrate dosage (≤ 0.15 mM). Statistical analysis including redundancy analysis and clustering correlation analysis showed that chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and polysaccharide were the most important positive factors to R t with their correlation coefficients above 0.92 while SS and turbidity were the most important negative factors to R t with their correlation coefficients below − 0.87. Long-term filtration experiments also confirmed the membrane fouling control performance by ferrate with the significant extension of the onset of membrane fouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrated process of ozonation coupled with ceramic membrane filtration has been actively utilized to alleviate membrane fouling in water/wastewater treatment, however, the effect of ozonation on protein-based ceramic membrane fouling is still contradictory. Herein, for the first time, we reported the severe protein-based ceramic membrane fouling at high ozone dosage in the integrated process of ozonation coupled with ceramic membrane filtration and the related fouling mechanism was systematically explored. Ozonation at low dosage slightly mitigated membrane fouling, whereas severe membrane fouling occurred at high ozone dosage (10 mg/L for pre-ozonation; 4 and 10 mg/L for in-situ ozonation). At high ozone dosage, the trans-membrane pressure (TMP) remarkably increased (> 40 kPa) within 90 min and both hydraulically reversible and irreversible fouling contributed to the total membrane fouling resistance. Electro kinetic potential and particle size of the bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution were not the key factors affecting the aggravated membrane fouling at high ozone dosage. The remarkably deteriorated membrane fouling at high ozone dosage can be accounted for the formation of BSA crosslinks ascribed to the oligomerization and agglomeration of BSA and the intermolecular disulfide bridge formation with the crosslinks progressively accumulating on the membrane surface and in the membrane pores during filtration. The modeling results confirmed that the BSA-based membrane fouling mechanism was changed from cake-intermediate to cake-standard with ozonation at high ozone dosage. Meanwhile, the cake layer and/or gel layer played a more important role for the aggravated membrane fouling at high ozone dosage even though the contribution of pore blocking was also significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four pathways for cleaning of iron oxide-fouled membranes, namely i) proton (acid)-assisted, ii) ligand-promoted (citric acid), iii) reductive (ascorbic acid), and iv) ligand-promoted reductive (ascorbic acid-citric acid-mediated) were examined and their effectiveness were compared in this study. The cleaning effectiveness under oxic conditions followed the order: proton-assisted < ligand-promoted < reductive < ligand-promoted reductive. Iron oxide dissolution rate initially increased with increase of citrate concentration in the ascorbic acid-citric acid solutions but declined at higher citrate concentrations indicating that an intermediate citrate concentration was required for optimal cleaning. The mechanism of ligand-promoted reductive dissolution mediated by ascorbate and citrate was investigated through studies of dissolution behaviour under both oxic and anoxic conditions with citrate shown to have a mitigating effect on the consumption of oxygen, apparently by reducing the iron catalyzed oxidation of ascorbate. Kinetic modelling showed that the dynamics of dissolution could be reasonably well simulated with the inclusion of a surface > Fe(III)-citrate-Fe(II) ternary complex which facilitates the detachment of surface Fe(II). Use of dual reagents (ascorbic acid and citric acid) under oxic conditions is recommended for the cleaning of iron-fouled membranes in view of the extreme cleaning effectiveness though it is critical that cleaning conditions be carefully optimised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • FuP was first used as an electrolyte additive to stabilize NCM811/Gr. • NCM811/Gr cell with FuP delivers 90% capacity retention after 600 cycles. • The stable SEI films induced by FuP decrease the polarization and impedance of cell. • FuP can induce the formation of stable LiF, Li x PO y F z , and additional OP species. • FuP protects both the cathode and anode by forming robust SEI films. Ni-rich LiNi x Co y Mn 1−x−y O 2 /graphite batteries with Ni ≥ 0.8 have aroused great interest in high-energy–density Li-ion batteries. However, their practical applications still face huge challenges owing to severe capacity fading on unstable cathodic solid electrolyte interfaces (SEI). Herein, we propose an advanced electrolyte additive, tri(2-furyl)phosphine (FuP), to induce the simultaneous formation of robust SEI films on cathode and anode surfaces. This interphase can significantly improve the cyclability of commercial LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 /graphite pouch cells at 45 °C and reduce cell impedance during cycling. The capacity retention rate of the cells with the FuP-based electrolyte can reach 90 % after 600 cycles, which is considerably better than that of baseline batteries (70 %). Mechanistic studies indicate that FuP suppresses the formation of fragile Li 2 CO 3 to generate more stable LiF, Li x PO y F z , and additional organic phosphorus species on the electrode surface, thereby preventing cation disorder and irreversible phase transitions. These results provide a facile and efficient strategy for enhancing the performance of Ni-rich Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-ozonation or in-situ ozonation coupled with membrane filtration has been actively utilized for membrane fouling control in water treatment, however, the comparative analysis of these two ozonation processes on membrane fouling control has not been reported so far. In this study, the comparative effect of pre-ozonation and in-situ ozonation on mitigation of ceramic UF (ultrafiltration) membrane fouling caused by alginate was systematically investigated through characterization of TMP, fouling resistance, MW distribution, dissolved ozone concentration, the formation of hydroxyl radical and modeling. Results showed that both pre-ozonation and in-situ ozonation were effective in alleviating the cake layer fouling. Ozonation efficiently broke down the high molecular weight (MW) fractions (>150 kDa and 80–150 kDa) of alginate into the low MW fractions (6–80 kDa; 0.4–6 kDa and 0.1–0.4 kDa), reducing the membrane interception of alginate. Pre-ozonation achieved better fouling mitigation performance compared with in-situ ozonation at low ozone dosages of 2 and 4 mg/L. However, in-situ ozonation had better fouling control performance at high ozone dosage of 10 mg/L with the normalized TMP (ΔTMP) maintaining below 0.2 kPa after 60 min filtration. Besides, in-situ ozonation was more effective in hydraulically irreversible fouling control than pre-ozonation regardless of ozone dosage. Integration of in-situ ozonation and ceramic membrane filtration catalyzed ozone decomposition with the increased generation of hydroxyl radical, which further strengthened the oxidation of the accumulated foulants on the membrane surface and within the membrane pores and thus effectively alleviated the reversible and irreversible fouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of in-situ ozonation on mixed liquor filterability and ceramic membrane fouling in wastewater treatment were systematically studied by evaluating the mixed liquor filterability with a factor analysis method, modeling the membrane fouling process with nine fouling models, and analyzing the mechanism of membrane fouling mitigation with a redundancy analysis method. In-situ ozonation had trade-off effects on the filterability of mixed liquor. On one hand, the filterability of mixed liquor was improved as a result of the remarkable reduction of mixed liquid suspended solids (MLSS), sludge volume after 30 min sedimentation (SV 30 ) and extractable extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS). On the other hand, the filterability of mixed liquor deteriorated as a result of the obvious increase of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soluble microbial products (SMP). The contribution of sludge properties (MLSS, SV 30 , EPS) to the filterability of mixed liquor was nearly doubled compared with that of the supernatant properties (DOC, SMP). The filterability of mixed liquor was effectively improved with increase of ozone dosage (≤5 mg/L). Meanwhile, membrane fouling was effectively mitigated by in-situ ozonation with the maximum normalized TMP (ΔTMP) reduction of 55.6% achieved at ozone dosage of 5 mg/L (1.3 mg-ozone/g-MLSS). The combined intermediate-standard model excellently fitted the experimental data at different ozone dosages and the alleviation of intermediate blocking mainly contributed to the fouling mitigation by in-situ ozonation (≤5 mg/L). The cake layer resistance was maximally reduced by 61.5% at ozone dosage of 5 mg/L mainly as a result of the significantly improved filterability of mixed liquor. The gel layer resistance was maximally reduced by 32.3% at ozone dosage of 5 mg/L mainly as a result of the direct oxidation of organic foulants deposited on membrane surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of mixed liquor properties changed by ozonation especially with high dosages on membrane fouling is very complex and remains unclear. In this study, the effect of mixed liquor properties changed by ozonation especially with high dosages on ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling in wastewater treatment and the corresponding mechanism were systematically studied by characterization of the mixed liquor properties, hydraulic performance, the fouling layers and modeling at different ozone dosages (0, 2, 5, 10 mg/L). The membrane filterability of the mixed liquor after pre-ozonation (⩽5 mg/L) was enhanced and the corresponding membrane fouling was mitigated. After pre-ozonation, activated sludge had the better settleability and larger floc size. Meanwhile, there was a remarkable reduction of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), soluble microbial products (SMP) and extractable extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS) after pre-ozonation and the removed organics were mainly belonged to the high molecular weight (MW) (1–10 kDa) and very high MW (10–200 kDa) substances. Intermediate blocking was the main membrane fouling during the mixed liquor filtration process and the best fouling mitigation performance was achieved for the sample with an intermediate ozone dosage of 5 mg/L (1.7 mg-ozone/g-mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS)). Meanwhile, the water quality of permeate was even better after pre-ozonation (⩽5 mg/L) with the lower DOC and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations. Severe cell lysis occurred with the significant increase of the released organics in the mixed liquor and the activated sludge had smaller floc size and worse settleability when the pre-ozonation dosage was above 10 mg/L, which in turn resulted in the deteriorated membrane fouling control performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ascorbic acid (Asc)-mediated cleaning of iron-fouled membranes from submerged membrane bioreactors (MBRs) dosed with iron salts for facilitation of phosphorus removal is investigated here with the cleaning process, involving the reductive dissolution of iron oxides on the membrane surface and within membrane pores, conducted under both oxic and anoxic conditions and in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline, a strong Fe(II)-binding ligand. A significant reduction in cleaning effectiveness was observed when oxygen was present with kinetic modelling of key processes operating in this system indicating that the reduced effectiveness could be attributed to the Fe(III)-catalysed oxidation of ascorbate with Fe(III) being replenished by the relatively rapid heterogeneous oxidation of Fe(II). While either removal of oxygen or addition of Fe(II)-binding agents such as phenanthroline are effective in preventing the Fe(III)-catalysed oxidation of ascorbate, cleaning of iron oxide-fouled membranes under oxic conditions with frequent replenishment of freshly prepared Asc is recommended as a reasonable balance between cleaning effectiveness and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of continuously dosing membrane bioreactors (MBRs) with ferric chloride (Fe(III)) and ferrous sulphate (Fe(II)) on phosphorus (P) removal and membrane fouling is investigated here. Influent phosphorus concentrations of 10 mg/L were consistently reduced to effluent concentrations of less than 0.02 mg/L and 0.03–0.04 mg/L when an Fe(III)/P molar ratio of 4.0 and Fe/P molar ratio (for both Fe(II) and Fe(III)) of 2.0 were used, respectively. In comparison, effluent concentrations did not decrease below 1.35 mg/L in a control reactor to which iron was not added. The concentrations of supernatant organic compounds, particularly polysaccharides, were reduced significantly by iron addition. The sub-critical fouling time ( t crit ) after which fouling becomes much more severe was substantially shorter with Fe(III) dosing (672 h) than with Fe(II) dosing (1200–1260 h) at Fe/P molar ratios of 2.0 while the control reactor (no iron dosing) exhibited a t crit of 960 h. Not surprisingly, membrane fouling was substantially more severe at Fe/P ratios of 4. Fe(II) doses yielding Fe/P molar ratios of 2 or less with dosing to the aerobic chamber were found to be optimal in terms of P removal and fouling mitigation performance. In long term operation, however, the use of iron for maintaining appropriately low effluent P concentrations results in more severe irreversible fouling necessitating the application of an effective membrane cleaning regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cleaning strategies for iron-fouled membranes from submerged membrane bioreactors (MBRs) dosed with iron salts are investigated here. Severe membrane fouling resulting from iron dosing was observed with amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide particles and gelatinous assemblages containing Fe(III) bound to polysaccharide materials responsible particularly for irreversible membrane fouling. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and citric acid, the most commonly used chemical cleaning agents, were not particularly effective in removing iron species from the membrane surface while the Fe(III) reducing agents ascorbic acid and sodium dithionite were very effective in removing iron-containing deposits under the conditions used in this study. In the presence of oxygen, the Fe(III)-catalysed oxidation of ascorbic acid and direct oxygen-mediated oxidation of dithionite control the dissolution rate constant. Use of NaOCl followed by ascorbic acid at concentrations of 10–20 mM is recommended as a reasonable balance between cleaning effectiveness and cost though further investigation of cleaning of fouled membranes from full scale MBRs is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes were prepared via the wet phase-inversion process with the same coagulation bath. Three different kinds of systems including polysulfone (PSF)/N, N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAC)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), PSF/DMAC/Ethanol ternary systems and PSF/DMAC/Ethanol/PVP quaternary system were used as casting solutions. The zero shear viscosity of the casting solutions was measured and the phase-inversion process was monitored by the light transmittance apparatus. The surface and cross-section morphology of the corresponding membranes were characterized by SEM. The water flux and the anti-pressure stability of the membranes were performed in the permeation experiment. The pore size and porosity of the fresh and pressurized membranes were calculated. These experimental results suggest that the PSF ultrafiltration membrane of a density gradient structure prepared from the quaternary system by using PVP and ethanol together in PSF/DMAC/Ethanol/PVP solution with the respective amounts of 3.05wt.%, 15.5wt.%, has a good anti-pressure stability and a relatively high water flux (only changed from 162L/m2 h to 155L/m2 h ) even by continuous operation (0.5MPa) for 200min, which is valuable as the sub-supporting membrane of composite membranes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The zero shear viscosity of two kinds of polysulfone (PSF) casting solutions and the morphology and permeability of their membranes prepared via the phase-inversion process were investigated. The zero shear viscosities, dominated by changing the concentration of PSF and the molecular weight of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) additive for the PSF/N, N-Dimethylacetamide (DMAC) binary system and PSF/DMAC/PVP ternary system respectively, were measured by a falling sphere viscometer. The cloud point of solutions was investigated in the cloud point experiment, and the phase-inversion process was monitored by the light transmittance apparatus. The surface and cross-section morphology of the corresponding membranes were characterized by SEM, and the water flux of the membranes was performed in the permeation experiment. Increasing the viscosity of the casting solution leads to the less porous surface and thick-skinned top-layer of the membrane. These experimental results are attributed to the mutable thermodynamic property of the system and the poor diffusion between components during the phase-inversion process, and finally results in the low water flux of PSF membranes. It suggests that the zero shear viscosity of the casting solution is one of the most important parameters for the morphology and permeability of membranes prepared via the phase-inversion process with the same coagulation bath. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel tri-functional cycloaliphatic epoxy resin was synthesized starting from dicyclopentadiene. The chemical structures of the resultant epoxy resin and its precursor were characterized with FTIR spectroscopy, EEW, 1H NMR and Mass spectrographic analyses. The thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting polymer were evaluated with differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermo-gravimetric and thermal mechanical analysis. Compared to that of the common cycloaliphatic epoxy resin ERL-4221, the cured polymer of the novel epoxy resin exhibited lower thermal degradation temperature with much higher char yield and similar thermal expansion coefficient. These excellent overall performances make it a promising packaging material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Ceramic membrane (CM) market is growing with many full-scale applications. • CM is superior to polymeric membrane–high stability & flux, long life, low fouling. • Physicochemical processes (e.g., ozonation) are effective for fouling control. • Catalytic (nano) CMs can enhance antifouling, and pollutant removal capability. • Cost analysis of CMs, fouling control & cleaning should be evaluated at full-scale. Application of ceramic membrane technology in water and wastewater is rapidly growing. Inherent advantages of ceramic membrane including chemical/thermal stability, low fouling propensity and long lifespan make ceramic membrane technology attractive, and the ceramic membrane market is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 12%. Ceramic membranes could be integrated with advanced oxidation processes such as in-situ ozonation that cannot be applied in the case of polymeric membrane due to their potential degradation during long-term exposure. In addition, the hybrid-ceramic membrane processes such as ceramic membrane bioreactor are superior to polymeric counterparts due to higher flux, higher pollutant removal, lower fouling rate and higher cleaning efficiency. Although ceramic membrane has high capital cost, life-cycle costs of ceramic and polymeric plants are comparable. Notably, full-scale ceramic membrane water/wastewater treatment plants have been installed in many countries such as Japan, USA, Singapore and United Kingdom. Given the attractiveness of this technology, performance of ceramic membrane is critically reviewed with a focus on their applications in water and wastewater treatment under mild conditions. In addition, fouling mechanisms and control strategies are elucidated and are compared with polymeric membranes. Importantly, for the first time, the status of full-scale applications and market prospects of ceramic membranes are critically analysed to show their future potential. Lastly, future research directions such as development of cost-effective ceramic membranes, understanding the biofouling evolution and economic evaluation of physicochemical processes for fouling control are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we developed a trimetallic CoFeCu-layered double hydroxide (LDH) assembled nanoconfined catalytic membrane, innovatively combining membrane filtration and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The CoFeCu-LDH nanoconfined catalytic membrane was shown to directly oxidize and mineralize micropollutants, rather than concentrating them within the brine, while also maintaining high water permeability with harmless membrane permeate. The first-order rate constant for 100% degradation of endocrine disrupting chemicals (bisphenol A), and pharmaceuticals (ranitidine, carbamazepine, oxytetracycline) (e.g., 2.40 ms−1 for ranitidine) by the CoFeCu-LDH catalytic membrane and its ultra-high water permeance of 2378.4 LMH/bar, were 1–3 orders of magnitude and 2−2000-fold higher than that of other state-of-the-art catalytic membranes, respectively. This study provides a reference for the development of sustainable and efficient catalytic membranes for water purification. [Display omitted] • CoFeCu-LDH membrane achieves 100 % removal of diverse organic pollutants. • The degradation rate is 101−3 times higher than the reported AOP systems. • CoFeCu-LDH membrane demonstrates ultra-high water permeance of 2378.4 LMH/bar. • The CoFeCu-LDH membrane/PMS system has a negative E ads value (-5.034 eV). • DFT calculations elucidate the mechanism of electron transfer and PMS activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Partial oxidation of MoS 2 photoanode markedly improves its PEC performance. • The enhanced PEC performance was due to forming heterojunction of MoS 2 /MoO x. • The heterojunction could enhance charge separation and photocorrsion of MoS 2. • Complete inactivation of 106 CFU/mL E. coli was achieved with 0.5 V bias in 2 h. • The present approach is facile to fabricate large-scale MoS 2 -based photoanode. Here we present photoelectrochemical (PEC) bacterial inactivation properties of large−scale fabricable Ti/MoS 2 /MoO x photoanode with a strong solar light absorbance capacity. Specifically, by thermal oxidation of the as−prepared MoS 2 /Ti film at 250 °C for 15 min in aerobic condition, the visible light performance of photocurrent generation and Escherichia coli (E. coli) inactivation are markedly enhanced. Complete inactivation of 106 CFU/mL E. coli in NaCl electrolyte is achieved with 0.5 V bias in 2 h under visible light irradiation, and H 2 O 2 and O 2 − have been found as key reactive oxidative species to destroy E. coli. The bacteria inactivation performance of present photoanode is comparable with reported visible light photoanodes such as Cu 2 O or N-doped TiO 2. The markedly improved PEC performance and inhibited photocorrosion could be attributed to the formation of heterojunction of MoS 2 /MoO x on the surface due to thermal oxidation. Furthermore, the PEC E. coli inactivation performance and stability of the large dimensional electrode are evaluated in a scale−up reactor. As an example of self−sustainable PEC water treatment system powered by only solar panels, wastewater containing inorganic, organic, macromolecule and microbial pollutants is attempted to be treated employing the developed electrodes under illumination of LED lamps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, imaged-based localization has become a hotspot in indoor localization research due to its high accuracy and no additional infrastructure requirements. However, computational complexity and memory consumption are critical issues for terminal devices in natural large-scale indoor scenes. In this paper, we propose a system that takes advantage of built-in sensors, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), and 3D model-based localization to overcome resource constraints. Furthermore, we propose a rough carrier six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) pose estimation and error analysis based on the pedestrian dead reckoning and attitude and heading reference systems (PDR/AHRS) with pedestrian motion constraints. We additionally recommend a geometric pose error propagation model to compute the 3D point pose uncertainty of corresponding 2D features on the query images and a matching pool to extract the activated points for determining the 2D-3D correspondence, which efficiently rejects the outlier through the geometric filter in the RANSAC loop of pose estimation. Moreover, based on the fusion of results from the MEMS-based and image-based localization, we can obtain an optimized carrier pose by using a dynamic reliability strategy to ensure the continuous robustness of the localization system and avoid failures when the matching lacks sufficient inliers. To evaluate the performance of the system, we conducted extensive experiments in large-scale indoor scenes. The results demonstrate that our image-based localization system generates excellent 2D-3D correspondence with the MEMS aid and that the proposed strategy obtains accurate 6-DoF poses in almost real time by using a smartphone. When compared to the conventional straightforward 2D-3D method (ACS) for localization accuracy and usability tests in various indoor scenes, the proposed method can save time by more than 80% and reduce translation and rotation errors by 27% and 10%, respectively. We also show that our new localization system has robust performance and stability for various indoor scenes and influences by different image resolutions and multiview gestures. Furthermore, our idea has a good application foreground, as 3D indoor data acquisition and pose estimation algorithms are compatible with the current state of data expansion for pedestrian navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a disease that transformed from psoriasis (PsO), and its underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Overactivation of the immune system is a key factor driving inflammatory diseases. Our goal is to define the unbalanced subsets of peripheral blood CD4 +T cells between PsO and PsA patients. Blood samples from 43 patients (23 PsA and 20 PsO) and 36 healthy donors (HD) were studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated from blood and underwent fluorescent staining to assess CD4+T cell subsets by flow cytometry. We found that frequencies of various CD4+T cells including Th1, Th2, Th17, and Tfh were higher in the patients with PsO or PsA than those of healthy donors, indicating the general expansion of CD4+T cells in inflammatory conditions. More importantly, we observed the significant imbalance of Th1/Th2 between patients with PsO and PsA. Pearson correlation analysis showed that Th1/Th2 ratio was positively correlated with disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (DAPSA), Tfh/Tfr ratio was positively correlated with DAPSA score and visual analogue scale (VAS) score in PsA patients. Together, our results highlight the CD4+T cell changes in the transition from PsO to PsA, may contribute to early assessment and intervention. • Significant immune imbalance exist between PsO and PsA patients. • Th1/Th2 ratio and Tfh/Tfr ratio are positively correlated with DAPSA. • CD4+T cell subsets exchange may be a predictor of the progression from PsO to PsA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The comparison of long-term ceramic membrane bioreactors (MBRs) without and with in-situ ozonation was investigated in this study in terms of membrane fouling, activated sludge, effluent quality and microbial community in wastewater treatment. The optimal dosage of in-situ ozonation for long-term MBR operation was firstly determined as 5 mg/L (0.66 mg-ozone/g-mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS)) with the optimal filterability of mixed liquor. During the long-term filtration experiment, MBR-ozone with in-situ ozonation demonstrated its significantly alleviated ceramic membrane fouling performance compared with MBR-control without in-situ ozonation as a result of the enhanced filterability of mixed liquor and organic foulants removal from membrane surface by in-situ ozonation oxidation. Furthermore, ozonation was beneficial to phosphorus removal and the total phosphorus (TP) concentration in effluent of MBR-control (0.82 ± 0.63 mg/L) was >2-fold higher than that of MBR-ozone (0.29 ± 0.41 mg/L). The improved phosphorus removal performance by ozonation was due to the increased abundance of phosphate accumulating bacteria of Candidatus Accumulibacter in activated sludge. However, ozonation was detrimental to nitrogen removal mainly as a result of the inhibition of denitrification with the decreased relative abundance of denitrification genus of Dechloromonas in activated sludge. Overall, ceramic MBR with in-situ ozonation had not only significantly alleviated membrane fouling but also remarkably improved phosphorus removal performance. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Long-term ceramic MBRs without and with in-situ ozonation were compared. • The optimal filterability of mixed liquor was achieved at ozone dosage of 5 mg/L. • In-situ ozonation significantly alleviated ceramic membrane fouling. • Ozonation was beneficial to phosphorus removal but detrimental to nitrogen removal. • Microbial community of activated sludge was significantly changed by ozonation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Electrochemically activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) pretreatment was applied. • PMS pretreatment effectively removed dissolved organic carbon. • Electrochemical activation of PMS generated •OH directly. • Membrane fouling of membrane distillation was greatly mitigated by PMS pretreatment. • The one-time dosing mode of PMS was better for membrane fouling control. Membrane distillation (MD) provides a potential method to supply large volumes of good quality potable water from surface water resources, avoiding the risk of long-term water shortages. However, the high abundance of dissolved natural organic matter (DOM) in surface water induces severe membrane fouling, which reduces productivity and increases energy consumption. Therefore, for the first time, electrochemically activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) treatment was applied prior to the direct contact (DC)-MD process with the aim of reducing the deposition of organics and inorganics on the membrane and reducing membrane fouling. Results showed that supplying PMS continuously at a rate of 0.10 mM/min, eliminated 30.4% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Furthermore, fluorescence parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis showed that >60% of two fluorescent substances were removed after 60 min of the electrochemically activated PMS pretreatment at a current density of 5 mA/cm2. Electrochemical activation of PMS generated •OH directly, facilitating the removal and degradation of DOM. In terms of the DCMD performance, almost no normalized flux decline was observed for the DCMS process after 0.01 mM/min pre-oxidation, while 44.8% flux decay occurred in the standalone DCMD treating raw surface water. Compared with continuous dosing, the use of a one-time dosing mode achieved a better outcome, as more small organic molecules generated in continuous dosing mode are not conducive to membrane fouling control. Therefore, electrochemically activated PMS could be an effective tool to mitigate membrane fouling in MD processes, although the characteristics of membrane and feed should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Assembling LMO into a catalytic membrane improved performance. • LMO membrane/PMS system achieved 85–96% degradation of several PPCPs. • The (001) surfaces and (100) edges of LMO membrane could spontaneously activate PMS. • LMO membrane performance was stable for 29 h via radical and nonradical pathways. • DFT calculations showed reaction mechanisms of different LMO active sites. Application of peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based Fenton-like heterogeneous catalysis in water treatment remains scarce due to mass transfer limitation and poor yield of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, assembling reactive CoAl-layered metal oxide (LMO) into the gravity-driven catalytic membrane was carried out to overcome the inherent limitations. Indeed, compared to the conventional batch reactor (less than 35% removal), the LMO membrane/PMS system achieved effective degradation (94.17%) of the probe chemical ranitidine along with several other selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP, >80%). This, as predicted by density functional theory calculations, could be attributed to remarkable activation of PMS by the exposed (001) surfaces and (100) edges of CoAl-LMO, spontaneously generating ROS for PPCP degradation. Electron charge density difference analysis estimated efficient charge accumulation and depletion between PMS and LMO, implying strong interaction and charge transfer in the LMO membrane/PMS system. Notably, ROS quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed the theoretical findings, which showed that PPCP degradation in the LMO membrane/PMS system is caused by both the radicals (SO 4 •− + •OH = 51.97%) and nonradicals (1O 2 = 20.58%) pathways. The LMO membrane achieved long-term stable performance (>90% removal), and the analysis of the used membrane suggested an increase in the relative distribution of oxygen vacancies or ≡Co–OH species, which is favourable for PMS activation. Overall, this study offers a simple strategy for efficient removal of several PPCPs, which could be applied sustainably in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Photothermally-activated PMS pre-treatment was applied for MD fouling alleviation. • NOM in the surface water can be effectively removed after PMS pre-treatment. • Stable permeance (PMS (2 mM)) vs 50 % reduction (control) of flux were obtained. • •OH and SO 4 •− radicals generated by PMS contributed to the NOM removal. • The MD membrane properties could be kept conserved by the PMS pre-treatment step. Membrane distillation (MD) has demonstrated its efficacy for seawater desalination, which prompted researchers to investigate its performance for the treatment of surface water containing natural organic matter (NOM). However, membrane fouling remains a significant technological constraint in the acceptability and implementation of MD modules. Herein, for the first time, a photothermally-activated PMS pre-treatment process is coupled to a direct contact (DC)-MD module for effective membrane fouling control. Photothermally-activated PMS (2 mM) pre-treatment achieved 69 % of UV 254 removal and 30.9 % of dissolved organic carbon removal and allowed stable operation of the DCMD without any reduction in water permeance vs 50 % reduction obtained without the pretreatment step. The analysis of NOM fractions after pre-treatment using Parallel Factor Analysis and molecular weight distribution indicated changes in NOM composition, which facilitated membrane fouling control. The photothermally-activated PMS pre-treatment seems to alleviate membrane fouling by limiting the foulant-membrane interaction, which was observed to result in the formation of the fouling layer containing aromatic proteins, microbial byproducts-like substances, and inorganic (e.g., calcium) foulants. Finally, characterization of the used MD membranes revealed that the MD membrane properties could be kept unchanged by the photothermally-activated PMS pre-treatment step, thereby making the integrated DCMD system sustainable and attractive for widespread applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A paired heterogeneous EF-AO flow-through system was developed. • The real-time diffusion process of H 2 O 2 was visualized. • The spatiotemporal distribution of H 2 O 2 in the paired system was investigated. • The EF-AO flow-through configuration enhanced OH utilization. • Operating costs including electrodes, chemicals and electricity were assessed. Improvement to the synergistic performance of cathodic electro-Fenton (EF) and anodic oxidation (AO) has been severely restricted by the tendency for ineffective decomposition of cathode-produced H 2 O 2 at the non-active anode and poor OH utilization. Herein, a paired heterogeneous EF-AO flow-through system, consisting of an FeOCl-deposited graphite felt (FeOCl/GF) cathode and a Ti 4 O 7 membrane anode, was constructed for rapid degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC). The real-time spatiotemporal distribution of H 2 O 2 was systematically investigated and results revealed that the necessity for H 2 O 2 diffusion was eliminating in the proposed system, thus contributing a 2.66-fold increase with respect to OTC degradation kinetics compared to the conventional homogeneous EF-AO system. Meanwhile, the flow-through configuration demonstrated significantly enhanced OH utilization with a 6.65-fold increase in the OTC degradation rate constant compared to the batch mode system. In addition, the EF-AO flow-through system demonstrated a high OTC degradation rate (>80 %) over a wide pH range from 3 to 7 and with different real water matrices. This work opens new avenues for advanced treatment of refractory wastewater using electrochemical advanced oxidation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble extracellular organic matters (EOM) resulting from algal blooms in water sources can cause severe membrane fouling in water treatment. The effect of pre-ozonation on mitigation of ceramic UF membrane fouling caused by EOM released from Microcystis aeruginosa and the associated fouling mitigation mechanism were investigated through the characterization of hydraulic performance, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (EEM) spectra, molecular weight (MW) distribution, hydrophilicity and model fit of five combined fouling models. Pre-ozonation achieved a remarkable effect of hydraulically reversible fouling mitigation as a result of the selective oxidation of the very high MW hydrophobic biopolymers (⩾20 kDa) to lower MW and more hydrophilic compounds. However, pre-ozonation had a very limited effect on mitigation of hydraulically irreversible fouling dominated by the high MW (1–10 kDa) hydrophilic organics. Modeling results indicated that the EOM-related membrane fouling mitigation by pre-ozonation was more likely ascribed to the alleviation of cake layer and standard pore blocking with standard pore blocking playing a more important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of seasonal algal blooms with harmful algae-derived organic matters threatens the performance of ultrafiltration in drinking water treatment. The hybrid process of in-situ ozonation with ceramic ultrafiltration membrane was proposed for the treatment of algal-rich water with effective removal of algal cells and mitigation of membrane fouling. The mechanism of membrane fouling mitigation with in-situ ozonation was systematically investigated from the perspective of cake layer, gel layer and membrane pore blocking. The results showed that in-situ ozonation treatment can effectively mitigate membrane fouling. For instance, transmembrane pressure was reduced by 75.8% with in-situ ozonation at 1 mg/L. In-situ ozonation resulted in the formation of a more porous and thinner cake layer due to the disintegration of extracellular organic matters that attached on the algal surface. Besides, the portion of very high molecular weight biopolymers (around 100 kDa) and the hydrophobic fraction of algae-derived organic matters, the main component intercepted by the ceramic membrane, were reduced with in-situ ozonation and thus leaded to less severe gel layer fouling. Furthermore, in-situ ozonation induced the accelerated organics degradation within the ceramic membrane pores, alleviating the membrane pore blocking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low mass transfer efficiency, sluggish redox cycles of metal ions, and poor recycling rate of S 2 O 8 2-→SO 4 2-→S 2 O 8 2- greatly limit the application of two-dimensional (2D) electrodes and persulfate (PS) techniques. In this study, an interface engineering strategy was developed to anchor Cu quantum dots (CuQDs) onto a novel Cu-CoO@NC (N-doped carbon) core-shell submicrosphere catalyst. The 3D electrochemical system (2D electrodes combined with Cu-CoO@NC particle electrodes) exhibited excellent catalytic behavior with 99.1 % removal of diclofenac sodium in 30 min. The Cu-CoO@NC catalyst presented effectiveness and strong environmental adaptability in a broad pH range, in actual water bodies, and for multiple PPCPs. Based on the results analyses of experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the excellent performances of Cu-CoO@NC/PS during electrochemical oxidation (EO) result from the effective mass transfer, efficient interfacial charge transport, rapid redox cycling of bimetallic ions promoted by cathode, repetitive cycle of S 2 O 8 2- → SO 4 2- → S 2 O 8 2- caused by anode and multiple active sites of PS. [Display omitted] • Core-shell structure Cu-CoO@NC catalysts were synthesized for the first time. • Cu-CoO@NC served as particle electrode in 3D electrochemical system and PS activator. • The cycles of S 2 O 8 2-→SO 4 2-→S 2 O 8 2- and Co2+ → Co3+ →Co2+ were facilitated. • The degradation ratio of DCF was up to 99.1 % in EO/Cu-CoO@NC/PS system. • DFT calculations revealed the dominant activation sites and reaction pathways of PS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time in this study, CoAl-layered double hydroxide nanosheet membrane (LDH m) with abundant active sites was fabricated for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation with the mindset to catalytically degrade micropollutants. Depending on the catalyst loading, the developed LDH m can be driven under gravity at a permeate flux of approximately 80 L/m2 h and 210 L/m2 h at LDH loading of 0.80 mg/cm2 and 0.08 mg/cm2, respectively. Notably, the LDH m (0.63 mg) exhibited excellent PMS activation efficiency as indicated by 87.8% removal of the probe chemical (ranitidine) at 0.2 mM PMS, which was higher than that (37–44%) achieved by conventional LDH (5–20 mg)/PMS (0.2 mM) system. In addition to efficient degradation of several micropollutants, LDH m /PMS performance was not inhibited by variation in solution pH (4−8) as well as during long-term (29 h) continuous-flow operation. SO 4 •− and 1O 2 were identified as the primary reactive species in the LDH m /PMS system, while both Co and Al participated in PMS activation. This study offers a simple strategy for efficient removal of several micropollutants with significantly reduced catalyst leaching, which could be applied sustainably in water treatment. [Display omitted] • LDH m showed exceptional PMS activation efficiency as compared to LDH nanosheets. • Several micropollutants were efficiently degraded (71–97%) by the LDH m /PMS system. • PMS was activated by Co directly and Al indirectly of LDH m. • pH change (4−8) did not inhibit LDH m performance for micropollutant degradation. • Ranitidine removal remained stable after continuous (29 h) operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Circulating miRNA signatures in good responders and non-responders after methotrexate treatment are substantially different. • MiR-199a-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-196a-5p, and miR-1246 may serve as the novel biomarkers for methotrexate efficacy prediction. • MiR-191-5p and miR-21-5p were correlated with psoriasis severity. Methotrexate (MTX) is an economic and effective medicine treatment for psoriasis. Extracellular vesicle (EV) miRNA biomarkers related to its efficiency have been identified in various diseases. Whether certain miRNA profiles are associated with psoriasis treatment is unknown. In order to determine specific miRNA biomarkers for MTX effectiveness prediction and the severity of psoriasis, our study looked at the variations in circulating EV miRNA profiles before and after MTX therapy. Plasma EV isolation and next-generation sequencing were performed to identify differentially expressed EV miRNAs between GRs (n = 14) and NRs (n = 6). Univariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation between PASI scores and miRNA expression levels. 15 miRNAs out of a total profile of 443 miRNAs were substantially different between GRs and NRs at baseline, 4 of them (miR-199a-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-196a-5p, and miR-1246) have the potential to distinguish between GRs and NRs [area under the curve (AUC) ≥ 0.70, all P < 0.05]. KEGG pathway analyses revealed differentially expressed miRNAs to potentially target immune-related pathways. SIRT1 was discovered to be a target of miR-199a-5p and involved in MAPK signaling pathway. MiR-191-5p and miR-21-5p expression levels have been discovered to positively correlate with PASI scores[P < 0.05]. This pilot investigation found that miR-199a-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-196a-5p, and miR-1246 might be prospective biomarkers to predict the efficacy of MTX, and that miR-191-5p and miR-21-5p were correlated with psoriasis severity. Five of them previously reported to be involved in MAPK signaling pathway, indicating a potential role of MTX in delaying the progression of psoriatic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A method for measuring the electrochemical Peltier heat (EPH) of a single electrode reaction has been developed and an absolute scale is suggested to obtain EPH of the standard hydrogen electrode. The scale is based on =0 and =0 for any electrode reaction at zero Kelvin, in accord with the third law of thermodynamics. The relationships between entropy, enthalpy and free energy changes on this scale and on the conventional scale are derived. Calorimetric experiments were made on the Fe(CN)6 3−/Fe(CN)6 4− system at five different concentrations at 298.15K, and EPH for the standard hydrogen electrode reaction is obtained. EPHs and the entropy change on the absolute scale for the studied redox are linearly related to concentration of electrolyte. The reversible electric work is almost concentration independent in the range of concentration studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study to identify of two genes associated with Generalized Pustular Psoriasis (GPP) approved by the Ethics Committee of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Topics discussed include identifying single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the linkage disequilibrium (LD) region using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization, analyzing mass spectrograms with MassARRAY TYPER software and detecting allelic by employing the Armitage trend test using Plink 1.07 software.

• Consortial biofouling control of QSI-modified SWRO membrane is firstly reported. • The regulation of QSIs on seawater microbial community assemblages was evaluated. • MA suppressed the propagation of Proteobacteria strains on membrane surface. • MA decreased the abundance of genes coding QS and EPS biosynthesis. • Anti-QS mechanism of MA_m might be the binding of MA with to periplasmic receptor. Membrane biofouling is a challenge to be solved for the stable operation of the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membrane. This study explored the regulation mechanism of quorum sensing (QS) inhibition on microbial community composition and population-level behaviors in seawater desalination membrane biofouling. A novel antibiofouling SWRO membrane (MA_m) by incorporating one of quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs), methyl anthranilate (MA) was prepared. It exhibited enhanced anti-biofouling performance than the exogenous addition of QSIs, showing long-term stability and alleviating 22 % decrease in membrane flux compared with the virgin membrane. The results observed that dominant bacteria Epsilon- and Gamma-proteobacteria (Shewanella, Olleya, Colwellia, and Arcobacter), which are significantly related to (P ≤ 0.01) the metabolic products (i.e., polysaccharides, proteins and eDNA), are reduced by over 80 % on the MA_m membrane. Additionally, the introduction of MA has a more significant impact on the QS signal-sensing pathway through binding to the active site of the transmembrane sensor receptor. It effectively reduces the abundance of genes encoding QS and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) (exopolysaccharides (i.e., galE and nagB) and amino acids (i.e., ilvE, metH, phhA , and serB)) by up to 50 % and 30 %, respectively, resulting in a reduction of EPS by more than 50 %, thereby limiting the biofilm formation on the QSI-modified membrane. This study provides novel insights into the potential of QSIs to control consortial biofilm formation in practical SWRO applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials (NMs) have received tremendous attention as emerging adsorbents for environmental applications. The ever-increasing release into aquatic systems and the potential use in water treatment processes heighten the likelihood of the interactions of NMs with aquatic dissolved organic matter (DOM). Once DOM is adsorbed on NMs, it substantially modifies the surface properties, thus altering the fate and transport of NMs, as well as their toxic effects on (micro)organisms in natural and engineered systems. The environmental consequences of DOM-NMs interaction have been widely studied in the literature. In contrast, a comprehensive understanding of DOM-NM complexes, particularly regarding the controlling factors, is still lacking, and its significance has been largely overlooked. This gap in the knowledge mainly arises from the complex and heterogeneous structures of the DOM, which prompts the urgent need to further characterize the DOM properties to deepen the understanding associated with the adsorption processes on NMs. This review aims to provide in-depth insights into the complex DOM adsorption behavior onto NMs, whether they are metal- or carbon-based materials. First, we summarize the up-to-date analytical methods to characterize the DOM to unravel the underlying adsorption mechanisms. Second, the key DOM characteristics governing the adsorption processes are discussed. Next, the environmental factors, such as the nature of adsorbents and solution chemistry, affecting the DOM-NM interactions, are identified and discussed. Finally, future studies are recommended to fully understand the chemical traits of DOM upon its adsorption onto NMs. Image 1 • Traditional and advanced analyses for DOM adsorption are fully reviewed. • Major factors to control DOM-NMs interactions are identified through literature review. • DOM properties governing DOM adsorption behaviors on NMs are highlighted. • Future studies are recommended of better understanding of DOM adsorption onto NMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectrum sensing in the presence of non-Gaussian noise is a challenging task for cognitive radio networks (CRNs). Among all spectrum sensing approach, energy detection (ED) is the dominantly used one and becomes the object of comparison of others. Motivated by these, in this paper, we provide a performance analysis of ED in generalized Gaussian noise (GGN). We make full use of the stochastic characteristics of generalized Gaussian distribution and the central limit theorem (CLT) to derive the probabilities of detection and false alarm. By using the Berry-Esseen theorem, the convergence of generalized Gaussian distribution to Gaussian distribution is further given. Based on the related Berry-Esseen bound, the number of samples required to ensure a given approximation error was derived. Besides, a performance analysis about the influence of noise uncertainty is proposed, which shows that the SNR Wall of ED in GGN is the same as that in Gaussian noise. For cooperative spectrum sensing with ED in GGN, we provide targeted approach for different cases. Simulation results validate our analysis, and show that the proposed fusion rule can improve ED in CRNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MoS 2 /NOMC electrode exhibited an electrosorption capacity of 28.82 mg/g. • Porous architecture of electrodes facilitated the desalination performance. • Increased conductivity and hydrophilicity were beneficial to the CDI process. • Capacitive and diffusion-controlled processes contributed to electrosorption. • A good regeneration property of MoS 2 /NOMC was demonstrated. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a promising technology for seawater and brackish water desalination but still suffers from several drawbacks, such as low electrosorption capacity and less efficient desalination performance. In this study, MoS 2 /NOMC (nitrogen-doped highly ordered mesoporous carbon) composite with enhanced hydrophilicity, conductivity and capacitance was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal process. The MoS 2 /NOMC electrodes showed efficient desalination performances with an electrosorption capacity of 28.82 mg/g at 1.6 V in 250 mg/L NaCl solution and a maximum electrosorption capacity of 30.49 mg/g based on Langmuir fitting. The mechanism of the enhanced desalination performance of MoS 2 /NOMC electrodes was explored through the characterization of the contributions of the capacitor-controlled (electrical double layer capacitor without charge transfer) and diffusion-controlled processes (charge transfer with N-doping of NOMC as well as the various oxidation states (from + 2 to + 6) of molybdenum atoms (Mo) in MoS 2). Capacitor-controlled process played a major role (with the contribution of 73.17%) for the improved desalination performances of MoS 2 /NOMC electrodes compared to the diffusion-controlled process (with the contribution of 26.83%). In addition, MoS 2 /NOMC electrodes showed an excellent regeneration performance, indicating the potential of MoS 2 /NOMC composite as a promising CDI electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of an electrochemical process with membrane bioreactor (MBR) has attracted considerable attention in the last decade for simultaneous improvement in pollutant removal and hydraulic performance of MBR. Electrochemical MBR (eMBR) with sacrificial anodes has been observed to achieve enhanced phosphorus (up to 40%) and micropollutant removal (5–60%). This is because direct anodic oxidation, indirect oxidation by reactive oxygen species and electrocoagulation can supplement the biological process. The application of an electric field can substantially reduce membrane fouling by 10% to 95% in the eMBR as compared to the conventional MBR. Sacrificial electrodes (e.g., iron or aluminium) have been reported to be more suitable for fouling mitigation than non-sacrificial electrodes (e.g., titanium). However, during prolonged operation, metal ions released from sacrificial electrodes can adversely affect microbial activity and could accumulate in activated sludge. Depending on the current density and electrode material (sacrificial or non- sacrificial), anodic oxidation, electrocoagulation, electrophoresis and/or electroosmosis mechanisms are responsible for suppressing membrane fouling propensity. This paper critically reviews the current status of the electrochemical MBR technology and presents a concise summary of eMBR configurations and electrode materials. Comparative removal of bulk organics, nutrients and micropollutants in the eMBR and conventional MBR is discussed, and performance governing factors are elucidated. Impacts of operating conditions such as current density on mixed liquor properties (e.g., floc size and zeta potential) and microbial activity are elucidated. The extent of membrane fouling mitigation along with associated mechanisms as well as energy consumption is explained and critically analysed. Future research directions are suggested to fast track the scalability of eMBR, which include but are not limited to electrode lifetime, development of self-cleaning conductive membranes, optimisation of operating parameters, removal of emerging micropollutants, accumulation of toxic metals in activated sludge, and degradation by-products and ecotoxicity. Unlabelled Image • Electrochemical membrane bioreactor (eMBR) is an emerging alternative of MBR • eMBR can achieve enhanced pollutant removal and membrane performance • Electric current affects sludge properties, microbial activity and diversity • Electrode lifetime and toxic metals accumulation in sludge are the major drawbacks [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of insufficient freshwater resources has become a worldwide problem, restricting social and economic development. As a promising technology, capacitive deionization (CDI) has been developed to address this problem. In this work, MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite with a high supercapacitor performance was successfully synthesized and assembled as the CDI electrode material with its electrochemical properties deeply evaluated. The results demonstrated that the MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 -based electrode demonstrated a large specific capacitance of 118.3 F/g (at 1 A/g) and a remarkable rate capacitance retention of 52.16% (61.7 F/g) (at 10 A/g). Moreover, the MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 -based electrode exhibited obvious improvement in desalination performance with the maximum electrosorption capacity of 24.5 mg/g. The hierarchical architecture, enhanced conductivity, large surface area, and negative zeta potential of MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite facilitated the fast diffusion of ions. The enhanced ions adsorption performance of the MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 -based electrode was evaluated based on a capacitive contribution of 85.26% and a diffusion-controlled contribution of 14.74%. Unlabelled Image • MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 composite with a high supercapacitor performance is synthesized. • MoS 2 /g-C 3 N 4 electrode exhibits an electrosorption capacity of 24.2 mg/g. • Capacitive and diffusion-controlled processes contribute to the salt storage. • Capacitive-controlled process dominates the contribution (85.26%). • A good regeneration performance is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developments on TiO 2 -based photocatalytic reduction of oxyanions are presented. • The TiO 2 -based photocatalysts for oxyanions reduction are summarized. • Operational parameters and reduction mechanisms are discussed in detail. • The perspectives of TiO 2 -based photocatalytic reduction of oxyanions are proposed. Nowadays, an increasing discharge of oxyanions to the natural environment has been attracting worldwide attention. TiO 2 -based photocatalysis is regarded as one of the most promising technologies for the conversion of toxic oxyanions (such as chromate, nitrate, nitrite, bromate, perchlorate and selenate) to harmless and/or less toxic substances in contaminated waters. Various types of TiO 2 -based catalysts have been developed, and each of them exhibits its own advantages in catalytic reduction of oxyanions. However, the application of these nanostructured TiO 2 in real water bodies remains a challenge, with limitations associated with sunlight harvesting abilities, production costs, reuse stability and exposure risks. Herein, we aim to present a critical review on reported TiO 2 -based photocatalytic reduction of aqueous oxyanions, provide a comprehensive understanding of the possible reaction pathways of formed active species, and evaluate the reduction performance of different types of TiO 2 -based catalysts. In addition, the impact of operating parameters (such as solution pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and coexisting substances) on catalytic reduction performance is discussed. Furthermore, the perspectives of TiO 2 -based photocatalytic reduction of oxyanions are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane fouling is an obstacle impeding the wide applications of ceramic membranes and organics are responsible for most of the membrane fouling issues in wastewater treatment. In this study, Fenton cleaning strategy was firstly proposed to clean ceramic membrane fouling in wastewater treatment. Fe2+ efficiently catalyzed fouling cleaning with H 2 O 2 (1.5%) to recover the filterability of ceramic membrane. The maximum ∆ TMP recovery (over 99%) was achieved at an optimal Fe2+ dosage of 124 mg/L after 6 hr of immersion cleaning. The total residual membrane fouling resistance decreased gradually from this optimum value as the Fe2+ dosage increased above 124 mg/L. The residual hydraulically reversible fouling resistance accounted for most of the membrane fouling and was basically removed (≤ 3.0 × 109 m−1) when Fe2+ dosages higher than 124 mg/L were used. The foulants responsible for the formation of a residual hydraulically reversible fouling layer (DOC (dissolved organic carbon), proteins, polysaccharides, EEM (fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra), SS (suspended solids), and VSS (volatile suspended solids)) were gradually removed as the Fe2+ dosage increased. These residual organic foulants were degraded from biopolymers (10–200 kDa) to low molecular weight substances (0.1–1 kDa), and the particle size of these residual foulants decreased significantly as a result. The strong oxidation power of hydrogen peroxide/hydroxy radicals towards organic foulants was enhanced by Fe2+. Fe2+ played a significant role in the removal of hydraulically reversible fouling and irreversible fouling from the ceramic membrane. However, Fe2+ (≥ 124 mg/L) increased the likelihood of forming secondary iron-organics aggregates. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mesoporous CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs (M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs) exhibited a long-lasting catalytic reactivity. • M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs with strong surface adsorption capacity avoid the risk of cobalt-metal leaching. • E H -pH diagram revealed the evolution mechanism of M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs at various pH conditions. • A new perspective for the oxidation behavior and eco-toxicity change of ranitidine (RAN) was proposed. • Theoretical calculations coupled with experiments demonstrated the mechanism of PMS activation. The sluggish redox cycle occurring during the oxidation processes and the biological toxicity caused by the leaching of dissociated cobalt ions dramatically hinder the practical application of cobalt-based catalysts. Herein, we synthesized the hydroxylated multi-walled CNTs coated with mesoporous CuCo 2 O 4 (M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs) to enhance peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The introduction of CNTs enabled M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs with a much better thermal stability. M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs with dual electron-rich active sites (≡Co and ≡Cu) exhibited a long-lasting reactivity for the rapid degradation of micropollutants under mild conditions. In the process of PMS activation, the Cu+/Cu2+ redox couple as an electron donor participated in the conversion of Co3+ to Co2+ through rapid charge transfer. More importantly, this functional material with a highly interconnected conductive network and a strong surface adsorption effect significantly limited the leaching of cobalt ions. Meanwhile, the acute toxicity (LC 50 and EC 50) and the chronic toxicity (ChV) of the intermediates of RAN were significantly reduced compared with RAN after the treatment of the M-CuCo 2 O 4 @CNTs/PMS reaction system. DFT calculations were coupled with experiments to prove that PMS molecules were more favorable to be activated at ≡Co sites compared with ≡Cu sites. Finally, this study offered a new perspective for the activation mechanism of PMS-induced heterogeneous oxidation and an attractive alternative for micropollutants elimination in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technologies capable of selective removal of target contaminants from water are highly desirable to achieve "fit-for-purpose" treatment. In this study, we developed a simple yet highly effective method to achieve calcium-selective removal in an electrosorption process by coating the cathode with a calcium-selective nanocomposite (CSN) layer using an aqueous phase process. The CSN coating consisted of nano-sized calcium chelating resins with aminophosphonic groups in a sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel matrix, which accomplished a Ca2+-over-Na+ selectivity of 3.5–5.4 at Na+:Ca2+ equivalent concentration ratio from 10:1 to 1:1, 94 – 184% greater than the uncoated electrode. The CSN coated electrode exhibited complete reversibility in repeated operation. Mechanistic studies suggested that the CSN coating did not contribute to the adsorption capacity, but rather allowed preferential permeation of Ca2+ and hence increased Ca2+ adsorption on the carbon cathode. The CSN-coated electrode was very stable, showing reproducible performance in 60 repeated cycles. Image 1 • A nanocomposite electrode selectively adsorbs Ca2+ in the presence of Na+. • Ca2+ ion preferentially transported through the ion-selective nanocomposite coating. • The electrode exhibits stable long-term performance in capacity and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Iron pretreatment significantly mitigates ceramic membrane fouling. • Ferrate pretreatment achieves the best membrane fouling control performance. • Ferrate greatly improves the water quality of reclaimed water. • Biopolymers with the MW of 20–2000 kDa are mainly removed. • Ferrate has dual functions of chemical oxidation and coagulation. Abstract Coagulation-membrane filtration hybrid process has been widely applied in water treatment to improve water quality and alleviate membrane fouling. Herein, we systematically investigated the comparable effect of ferrate, ferrous and ferric pretreatment on fouling alleviation of ceramic membrane in reclaimed water treatment. Our results showed that the pretreatment of ferric, ferrous and ferrate remarkably alleviated membrane fouling with the fouling alleviation performance following the order: ferrate > ferrous > ferric > control. The t crit (subcritical fouling time) after which the fouling rate (dTMP/dt) became much more severe was remarkably extended from 0 (control) to 432 (ferric), 576 (ferrous) and 888 h (ferrate), respectively. Meanwhile, hydraulically reversible fouling resistance had the greatest contribution (58.3%) to the overall fouling resistance in the control case, however, hydraulically irreversible membrane fouling caused by inorganics (R ir-citrate) became more severe in long-term operation with the contribution of R ir-citrate to the total fouling resistance of 40.7%, 46.3% and 50.3% in the cases with ferric, ferrous and ferrate pretreatment, respectively. Moreover, the redundancy analysis results showed that the alleviated membrane fouling was principally owing to the sharp reduction of organic matters and the significant increase of particle size and particle concentration in influent. Compared with ferric and ferrous, ferrate had the best fouling alleviation performance, which was mainly due to its dual functions of chemical oxidation (including OH, Fe(V) and Fe(IV)) and coagulation (ferric oxyhydroxides). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]