Search

Traditional biscuits are considered products with poor nutritional value because of their large share of rapidly digested starch, which results in an elevated glycaemic index. This paper explores the improvement of the nutritional value of biscuits by adding yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) powder. Four biscuit recipes containing 0%(R1), 10%(R2), 15%(R3), and 20%(R4) of yellow mealworm powder were prepared and subjected to sensorial analysis. The R3 biscuits were selected for further investigation, as they had the highest acceptability. Compared to the reference R1, the R3 biscuits showed an improved nutritional profile in terms of protein, fat, ash, minerals, fibres, essential amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids, and lower amounts of carbohydrates and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The in vitro protein digestibility in R3 improved 1.12-fold compared to R1. No significant difference was found between the digestibility of the lipids released from R1 and R3. A higher fraction of slowly digestible starch was present in R3 compared to R1. The starch digestibility and estimated glycaemic index were 72.96% and 79.56% in R3, which can be compared to 78.79% and 90.14%, respectively, in R1. Due to their enhanced nutritional profile, higher bioaccessible protein fraction, and lower glycaemic index, yellow mealworm powder biscuits can be considered a more nutritious alternative to traditional biscuits.

The study reports obtaining, characterization and evaluation of the preservation efficacy of nano-Ag-graphene-TiO 2 -polylactic acid (PLA) film during the storage of the curd cheese. The reusability of the active package was also evaluated. The mechanical resistance of the film was improved by 30% following the composite addition. Water vapour permeability decreased by 11-27% when the composite was incorporated into PLA in a mass percentage ranged between 0.5 and 3%. The highest fat permeability was obtained for PLA3% at 4 °C. The oxygen permeability of PLA3% is 24.6% lower than that of neat-PLA. PLA0.5% and PLA3% presented the highest antibacterial activity. PLA3% achieved the lowest solubility in food simulants at 4 °C compared to PLA and reference. The best active packages for curd storage were PLA0.5% and PLA3%. They showed also the lowest depreciation from the first to the second use. Their active role is kept 100% and 85% respectively, during the second use., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize nanostructured composites based of TiO₂, carbonaceus materials (GN or GO) and Ag and the test their capacity to remove the pollutants from domestic wastewater. The composites were characterized by IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. The photocatalytic activity was measured from the experiment of salicylic acid (SA) degradation. The capacity to remove the pollutants from domestic wastewater was performed by considering the absorbance of residual solution at 200 nm. The non-calcined composites have high specific surface area (˜300 m²/g), but nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms showed a porous structure with closed pores. The porosity of the thermal treated composites is about 10 times less, but the pores are open. The salicylic acid was 94% degraded over all composites, showing their efficient photoactivity. A percent of 70% of pollutants were removed over the calcined composites with GN and ˜67% on those with GO. It was no statistically significant difference between the photocatalytical efficiency of GN- and GO-based composites. Even if the calcined composites have the specific surface area about 10 times lower, their lower gap energy, higher degree of crystallinity and photocatalytic activity make them efficient candidates for removal of pollutants from domestic waste water. The photodegradation mechanism occurred mostly by π - π interactions between GN/GO and pollutant molecules.

This study explores the morpho-structure of gallstones (GSs) removed from 36 patients in NW Romania and correlate it with the laboratory results of the patients. GSs were analyzed by SEM-EDS, X-ray diffraction and IR, UV-Vis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The laboratory studies consisted in hematological, coagulation, biochemistry, immunological and tumor markers tests. The morphological and structural investigations allowed to classify the GS in five different types and to establish their mechanism of formation. Only macroscopic evaluation, SEM microscopy, FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy give different easily noticeable information for each GS type. EDS, XPS and XRD diffraction are recommended to distinguish pigment and carbonate stones from the other GS types and a carefully examination is needed to establish the differences between the pure cholesterol, the mixed cholesterol and the composite cholesterol stones, due to the high similarities. The variation of specific markers cannot differentiate the patients with pure cholesterol GS from those with mixed cholesterol and pigment GS and those with mixed cholesterol from those with composite cholesterol stones. Seven laboratory parameters (RDW-CV, MPV, PCT, GLUC-HK, WBC, PT, GPT) are the key indicators for the GS disease and trend to present generally higher values than normal., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Among two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene, a new family of 2D anisotropic carbides and nitrides of early transition metals (MXenes) is very interesting because of the potential applications in electronics, medicine, and photocatalysis. In this paper, preparation, morphostructural characterization, band gaps determination, and salicylic acid photodegradation ability of Ti 2 C MXene and six nanocomposites consisting of the MXene modified by TiO 2 , Ag 2 O, Ag, PdO, Pd, and Au are reported. It was confirmed using electron diffraction studies, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission microscopy that metals and metal oxides occur on the MXene flakes as nanoparticles in a shape of spots. The band gaps determined experimentally using Tauc's method are placed in the region of 0.90-1.31 eV. In recent years, the method of photocatalytic decomposition of pollutants using semiconductor photocatalysts and UV-vis energy has become increasingly important. The MXene based nanocomposites revealed high activity in the salicylic acid (SA) photodegradation reaction (86.1-97.1% of degraded SA after 3 h, concentration of SA initial solution 100 μM, the circulation rate of the SA solution 0.875 cm 3 /min). The interfacial charge transfer mechanism and the role of the metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles in the photocatalytic activity of the MXene based nanocomposites are presented and discussed.

Removal of lead ions from aqueous solutions, in the presence and in absence of commercial TiO 2 , under UV-light was studied. The influence of catalyst mass, concentration of Pb(II) ions and of citric acid in the starting solution as well as the impact of illumination conditions on the removal rate were also investigated. The results were fitted on the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and Elovich kinetic models, Weber-Morris intraparticle and liquid film diffusion models, in order to establish the photoreduction mechanism. The Pb removal rate increased in time by a combined linear-exponential mechanism. The catalyst had a positive influence on the removal rate at the start of the photoreduction. At a low concentration of Pb(II) ions (20 mg/L), the amount of photoreduced Pb(II) ions was proportional to the concentration of the citric acid solution, but at high concentrations (240 mg/L), the correlation was inversely proportional. The rate limiting steps in the removal of lead were both the photoreduction on the TiO 2 surface and the diffusion through the film surrounding the catalyst particle. The lead removal was significantly influenced by the mobility and by the concentration of the species in solution.

Microbiological and chemical characteristics of white bread during storage in paper-packages modified with Ag/TiO2-SiO2, Ag/N-TiO2 or Au/TiO2 were investigated. The whiteness and the water retention of the modified packages were slightly superior to those exhibited by the reference sample, as the color of the composite was lighter. The water retention was very good especially for the Ag/TiO2-SiO2-paper. These improvements can be associated with the high specific surface area and with the low agglomeration tendency of Ag nanoparticles in comparison with the Au ones. The preservation activity of the composites for the bread storage is positively influenced by photoactivity and presence of nano-Ag. Packages Ag/TiO2-SiO2-paper and Ag/N-TiO2-paper can find their applicability for extending the shelf life of bread by 2 days as compared with the unmodified paper-package. No influence of the Au/TiO2 on the extending the shelf life of bread was observed., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The role of natural zeolite and of two types of modified zeolite (with ammonium and with calcium ions) in reducing the accumulation of ions of heavy metals in roots and leaves of Hieracium piloselloides grown on tailing ponds was investigated. The variation of the content of zeolite (5% w/w and 10% w/w) is another parameter that significantly and positively affects the accumulation of the metal ions in Hieracium piloselloides. The results showed that zeolite used as an amendment in the soil in tailing ponds significantly reduces the accumulation of heavy metal ions in Hieracium piloselloides. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were accumulated in plants grown on soil without zeolite, being followed by the plants grown on the substrate with natural zeolite. Moreover, the translocation factors of heavy metal ions uptake in roots and leaves grown on substrates with modified zeolites are lower than those calculated for the organs grown on the substrate amended with natural zeolite. This behaviour has demonstrated the positive effect of those changes of zeolite amendments in the potential phytoremediation practice.

Indirect measures were considered to study the lead transfer along the soil-melliferous flora-bee family-apiary products food chain. The concentrations of total and bioavailable lead in the soil were first investigated. Next, the lead level in different organs of melliferous flora and subsequently in the bee family and apiary products was measured. The results indicate a decrease in contamination as follows: honeybees > drones > propolis > wax > bee larvae > honey > royal jelly. The statistical analysis highlights the "lead pollution bioindicator" role of honeybees, honey and propolis. The risk factor parameter allows the prediction of the most impacted month and the least impacted of the melliferous season.