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The present study involves the chemical and bacteriological analysis of water from different sources i.e., bore, wells, bottle, and tap, from Peshawar, Mardan, Swat and Kohat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Pakistan. From each district, 50 water samples (10 samples from each source), regardless of urban and rural status, were collected from these sources and analysed for sulphates, nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, total soluble solids and coliforms (E. coli). Results indicated that majority of the water sources had unacceptable E. coli count i.e.> 34 CFU/100mL. E. coli positive samples were high in Mardan District, followed by Kohat, Swat and Peshawar district. Besides this, the some water sources were also chemically contaminated by different inorganic fertilizers (nitrates/nitrites of sodium, potassium) but under safe levels whereas agricultural and industrial wastes (chloride and sulphate compounds) were in unsafe range. Among all districts, the water quality was found comparatively more deteriorated in Kohat and Mardan districts than Peshawar and Swat districts. Such chemically and bacteriologically unfit water sources for drinking and can cause human health problems. Resumo O presente estudo envolve a análise química e bacteriológica de água de diferentes fontes, ou seja, furo, poços, garrafa e torneira, dos distritos de Peshawar, Mardan, Swat e Kohat da província de Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Paquistão. De cada distrito, 50 amostras de água (10 amostras de cada fonte), independentemente do status urbano e rural, foram coletadas dessas fontes e analisadas para sulfatos, nitratos, nitritos, cloretos, sólidos solúveis totais e coliformes (E. coli). Os resultados indicaram que a maioria das fontes de água tinha uma contagem inaceitável de E. coli, ou seja, > 34 UFC / 100 mL. As amostras positivas para E. coli foram elevadas no distrito de Mardan, seguido por Kohat, Swat e distrito de Peshawar. Além disso, algumas fontes de água também foram contaminadas quimicamente por diferentes fertilizantes inorgânicos (nitratos/nitritos de sódio, potássio), mas em níveis seguros, enquanto os resíduos agrícolas e industriais (compostos de cloreto e sulfato) estavam em níveis inseguros. Entre todos os distritos, a qualidade da água foi considerada comparativamente mais deteriorada nos distritos de Kohat e Mardan do que nos distritos de Peshawar e Swat. Essas fontes de água química e bacteriologicamente impróprias para beber podem causar problemas à saúde humana.

У статті наведено дослідження щодо забруднення нітратами зерна та насіння польових культур вирощених в умовах Лісостепу правобережного. Метою досліджень є встановлення вмісту нітратів у зерні та насінні польових культур в умовах інтенсивної хімізації землеробства, коефіцієнт накопичення та небезпечності. Дослідження проводились впродовж 2016‒2019 рр. із зерном та насінням польових культур, вирощених в умовах інтенсивної хімізації землеробства Лісостепу правобережного за допомоги лабораторних аналізів у сертифікованій лабораторії випробувального центру Вінницької філії державної установи «Інститут охорони ґрунтів України». За результатами проведених досліджень встановлено, що вміст гумусу на угіддях, де вирощували сільськогосподарські культури складав 2,3‒4,4 %, азоту, що легко гідролізується – 63,0‒98,0 мг/кг ґрунту, рухомого фосфору – 159‒319 мг/кг ґрунту, обмінного калію – 100‒239 мг/кг ґрунту, при цьому гідролітична кислотність становила – 0,28‒1,60 мг.екв./100 г ґрунту і рН (сольове) – 5,8‒6,8. Встановлено, що фактичний вміст нітратів у зерні пшениці озимої на період збирання, вирощеного в умовах інтенсивної хімізації землеробства, становив 51,30 мг/кг, що у 5,8 разів менше ГДК, у насінні ріпаку озимого – 88,30 мг/кг, що у 3,4 рази менше ГДК, у зерні ячменю ярого – 91,20 мг/кг, що у 3,3 рази менше ГДК, у вологому зерні кукурудзи – 10,23 мг/кг, що у 29,3 рази менше ГДК, у висушеному зерні кукурудзи – 9,12 мг/кг, що у 32,9 рази менше ГДК, у насінні соняшнику – 131,80 мг/кг, що у 2,3 рази менше ГДК.

Red spinach extract is high in inorganic nitrate/nitrite (NO3/NO2) which has been shown to enhance vascular function, cognition, and physical performance. To date, there have been no investigations as to whether red spinach extract serves as an effective strategy to improve repeated exercise performance, which is applicable to many sports and activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of acute red spinach extract ingestion on repeated sprint ability in female athletes. Eleven Division I NCAA female athletes (ages 18–24) were recruited. In a double-blinded, randomized, counterbalanced design, participants completed two separate visits each with a different treatment: placebo (placebo; tomato juice) or red spinach extract (~400 mg nitrate). For each trial, participants consumed their respective treatment two hours before exercise. Following a warm-up, participants completed 3 × 15 s Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnTs) separated by 2 min of recovery. A capillary blood sample was obtained pre-exercise to measure NO2 concentrations. Performance outcomes, heart rate (heart rate), and rate of perceived exertion were measured following each WAnT. Blood lactate (La-) was obtained prior to exercise (PRE) and after the completion of the repeated sprints (POST). Each visit was separated by a minimal recovery period of 72 h. Mean power (p = 0.204), peak power (p = 0.067), heart rate (p = 0.151), and rate of perceived exertion (p = 0.379) were not significantly different between treatments. POST La- concentration was significantly higher with red spinach extract when compared to the placebo (p = 0.030). Furthermore, the fatigue index (p = 0.018) was significantly lower with red spinach extract. The results do not support the use of red spinach extract for the enhancement of power output during repeated anaerobic exercise. However, it may result in improved La-/H+ removal from the muscle, thereby combating physical fatigue.

Mebendazole, (5-benzoil-1H-benzimidazol-2-il) -karbamik asit metil ester) (MBZ) 'nin çeşitli çoklu bileşenleri, WHO tarafından sentetik bir antelmintik ilaç olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu çok bileşenli moleküller, özelliklerinde, özellikle çözünürlüklerinde ve solucan enfeksiyonlarını kontrol etmedeki etkinliklerinde farklılıklar gösterir. Bu farklılıklar, bu çoklu bileşenlerin farklı yapılarına atanabilir. Teorik araştırmalar kullanılarak yapı özelliği ilişkisinin anlaşılması, bize MBZ'nin yeni çoklu bileşenini sentezlemek ve özelliklerini tahmin etmek için bir yol sağlayabilir. Bu nedenle, burada, Yoğunluk fonksiyonel teorisi (DFT) yaklaşımını kullanarak yeni bir MBZ çok bileşenli Aktif Farmasötik Bileşen (API) Mebendazol nitrat tuzu (MBZ-N) üzerine elektronik ve spektroskopik araştırmaları rapor ediyoruz. Becke'nin üç parametreli hibrit işlevsel (B3LYP) yöntemi, doğruluk ve hesaplama maliyeti arasında en iyi uzlaşmayı sağlayan 6-311 ++ G (d, p) temel setine sahip tüm hesaplamalar için kullanılmıştır. doğal bağ analizi (NBO), HOMO-LUMO ve Moleküler Elektrostatik Potansiyel (MEP) gibi titreşim spektrumları ve moleküler reaktivite özellikleri analizi. Protein inhibe etme gibi bilojik aktivitesini anlamak için, MBZ-N molekülünün Tirozin-protein kinaz ABL ile moleküler kenetlenme çalışması da rapor edilmiştir., Various multicomponent of Mebendazole , (5-benzoyl-1H-benzimidazole- 2-yl)-carbamic acid methyl ester) (MBZ), are recognised by WHO as a synthetic anthelmintic drug. These multicomponent molecules show differences in their properties, mainly in their solubility and efficacy in controlling worm infections. These differences may be assigned to different structure of these multicomponents. Understanding of structure property relationship using theoretical investigations may provide us a way to synthesise new multicomponent of MBZ and estimating their properties. Therefore, here we report electronic and spectroscopic investigations on a new MBZ multicomponent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Mebendazole nitrate salt (MBZ-N) using Density functional theory (DFT) approach. Becke’s three- parameter hybrid functional (B3LYP) method has been used for all computations with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set, which gives the best compromise between accuracy and computational cost.Optimized geometry was further used for the calculation of vibrational spectra and molecular reactivity properties analysis such as natural bond analysis (NBO), HOMO-LUMO, and Molecular Electrostatic Potential (MEP). To understand its bilogical activity such as protein inhibiting, the molecular docking study of the MBZ-N molecule with Tyrosine-protein kinase ABL is also reported.

Application of Pistacia atlantica Leaves Powder as Natural Material To Remove Nitrate and Phosphate Ions From Domestic Wastewater by Characterization, Bio-removal, and Phytotoxicity StudiesObaida Alhajali1* , Adnan Ali-Nizam1 , Rasha Almostafa2 1Damascus University, Department of Plant Biology, Damascus, Syria.2International University for Science and Technology, Department of General and Analytical Chemistry, Syria. Abstract: Description of Pistacia leaves powder using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), specific surface area according to nitrogen adsorption (SBET) and methylene Blue (MB), and point of zero charge determination (pHpzc). A series of batch adsorption tests were conducted to study effect of various factors (plant powders dose, contact time, temperature, pH) on the percentage of nitrate and phosphate removal from domestic wastewater. The adsorption kinetics, regeneration ability test of plant powder, and phytotoxicity tests for treated water and spent powder on germination were studied. Results of SBET analysis showed that Pistacia leaves powders have a low surface area and microscopic pores, SEM images revealed rough surfaces with uneven cavities, EDX analysis showed that there are high percentages of carbon and oxygen, good percentages for nitrogen, and few percentages of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, sulfur and chlorine, and FTIR analysis showed that there are more than five distinct absorption peaks. The maximum value of nitrate and phosphate removal was 76.47% and 52.20%, respectively, at powder dose of 2 g/L, temperature 25 °C, and pH 5, and the percentage of nitrate and phosphate removal increased with increasing contact time until equilibrium was reached after 120 min for nitrate and 180 min for phosphate, and It was found that adsorption of ions follows kinetics of reaction from pseudo-second-order model, and powders can be Regeneration and used for two successive cycles with a slight decrease in removal efficiency. Germination tests on Lepidium sativum indicate no phytotoxicity. That is, Pistacia leaves powder is one of the natural products that are effective in removing nitrate and phosphate from domestic wastewater.

The need to develop a low-power, low-cost nitrate, phosphate, and pH sensor and sensing system is essential for monitoring water quality in real-time. A novel interdigital sensor has been fabricated and characterized for temperature, nitrate, phosphate, and pH detection in water. The sensor is fabricated using the 3D printing technique where electrodes are formed using Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs), and the substrate is developed using Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The sensor is characterized by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to determine various temperatures, pH levels, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations. Experimental outcomes prove that the developed sensor can distinguish nitrate and phosphate concentrations ranging from 0.1 ppm 30 ppm, pH values from 1.71 12.59, temperature from 0 45circ C. The sensitivity for temperature, nitrate, phosphate, and pH level of the sensor are 1.1974Ω/circ C, 1.9396Ω/ppm, 0.8839Ω/ppm and 1.0295Ω, respectively. A location-independent portable smart sensing system with LoRa connectivity is also developed to surveil water quality and get feedback from the experts. A machine learning algorithm trains the Arduino-based system and determines temperature, nitrate and phosphate concentrations, and pH level in real water samples. All the outcomes are compared with the standard method for validation. The sensor and the sensing system’s performances are highly stable, reliable, and repeatable to be a part of a smart sensing network for continuous water quality monitoring.

This manuscript reports the electrosynthesis of ammonia from nitrate catalysed Cu derived from Cu2O materials. Cu2O (111) and (100) preferential grain orientations were prepared through electrodeposition. Cu derived from Cu2O (111) is more active and selective for ammonia formation than Cu2O (100) derived Cu. The highest faradaic efficiency (FE) was achieved for both catalysts at −0.3 V vs RHE, with Cu derived from Cu2O (111) reaching up to 80 %. Additional measurements with quasi-in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroscopy revealed that Cu0 is the active phase during the reaction. The stability of the catalysts was examined by ex situ methods such as SEM, XRD and ICP elemental analysis. The catalysts underwent severe morphological changes as a function of the applied potential and the reaction time, most likely due to the dissolution and redeposition of Cu. After 3 hours of reaction, the entire surface of the catalysts was reconstructed into nanoneedles. The FE after 3 hours remained higher for the Cu derived from Cu2O (111), suggesting that the activity is dependent on the initial structure and the different rates of dissolution and re-deposition.

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a key signaling molecule involved in various physiological processes, including vasodilation, mitochondrial function, muscle contraction, glucose and calcium homeostasis, and fatigue resistance during exercise. It is now widely recognized that reduced NO bioavailability is associated with the development and presence of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and is a contributing factor in exercise intolerance. Inorganic dietary nitrate (NO3-) has become a broadly used supplement to increase or restore NO bioavailability in health and disease, respectively. The supplementation response during exercise varies between individuals of different health statuses and fitness statuses, and it is also dependent on the dose and supplementation regime. However, the role of sex on the effect of NO3- supplementation in exercise outcomes has not been determined. Thus, the focus of the first two manuscripts was to determine the role of sex in the effects of NO3- supplementation on different exercise outcomes. The focus of Manuscript 1 (Chapter 2) was to explore the role of sex and NO3- supplementation on exercise economy and exercise capacity during moderate-intensity exercise and severe-intensity exercise, respectively. Despite seeing elevations in plasma NO3- and NO2- concentrations after the ingestion of NO3- supplementation in both sexes, only males seem to benefit from supplementation. While females showed no improvement in exercise economy during a submaximal cycle ergometer test, males showed a ~6% reduction in oxygen consumption at the same power output. Males also showed improvements in exercise capacity during a time-to-exhaustion trial within the severe exercise domain. Taken all together, NO3- supplementation seems to benefit males but not females during exercise modalities that rely on the cardiovascular system. The objective of Manuscript 2 (Chapter 3) was to determine the role of sex in NO3- supplementation on skeletal muscle function and fatigue resistance. During skeletal muscle contractile function, NO3- supplementation seems to have differentiated effects in males and females. Males seem to benefit from NO3- supplementation during maximal isokinetic knee extension as the contraction velocity tested increases. Females, on the other hand, showed a detrimental effect on contractile function measured during isokinetic knee extension and when maximal knee extension power (Pmax) and velocity (Vmax) are estimated. Both sexes showed no improvement on a fatigue resistance protocol. Based on our results, using NO3- supplementation as an ergogenic in females should be viewed with caution, and warrants further investigation. Manuscript 3 (Chapter 4) focuses on NO3- supplementation as an exercise therapeutic rather than an exercise enhancer in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Specifically, individuals with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which is a disease characterized by diminished vascular NO production, has shown to increase exercise capacity and improve symptoms during walking (i.e. longer pain-free walking). However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Thus, the objective of Manuscript 3 (Chapter 4) was to explore the effect of NO3- supplementation on skeletal muscle bioenergetics and tissue perfusion of the calf muscles after peak plantar flexion exercise in patients with PAD. After following NO3- supplementation, patients with PAD showed a significant increase in circulating plasma NO2-. This was accompanied by an increase in claudication-free walking but not peak walk time. Advanced MRI techniques allowed us to assess the effect of NO3- supplementation on tissue perfusion and metabolism of skeletal muscle during peak plantar flexion exercise. We found that after supplementation, tissue perfusion increases, and oxidative metabolism is improved. All together suggests that NO3- supplementation may be acting as a therapeutic in this clinical population, restoring tissue perfusion and metabolism during exercise, as such, improving patients’ symptoms during walking.

Groundwater contamination with nitrates is a worldwide problem that needs a solution, because these compounds are harmful to health. There are several technologies to reduce the nitrate content in water to values accepted by the W.H.O. (10 mg L−1). Among them, one of the most advantageous is the catalytic reduction. This paper proposes the use of a combined process, using Pd-Sn catalysts supported on an anion exchange resin. First, nitrates are retained at the resin exchange sites, and then reduced over the metal sites in a regeneration stage. Different formulations were studied; the most active and selective catalyst was Pd 2%-Sn 0.5%, reaching conversions of 97%, with 66% selectivity to N2, when the regeneration was performed in H2 flow at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This catalyst was also remarkably stable, maintaining conversions close to 90% in 28 successive cycles. The variables involved in the regeneration process were investigated. The addition of CO2 to the H2 stream did not improve either the conversion or the selectivity. The increase in temperature accelerated the process, but favored the catalyst deactivation. The regeneration time was optimized being possible to regenerate the catalyst in 12 h.

Modifying the chemical composition of a diet can be a good strategy for reducing methane emission in the rumen. However, this strategy can have adverse effects on the ruminal microbial flora. The aim of our study was to reduce methane without disturbing ruminal function by stimulating the growth and propagation of methanotrophs. In this study, we randomly divided twenty multiparous Holstein dairy cows into 4 groups in a 2×2 factorial design with two forage levels (40% and 60%) and two nitrate supplementation levels (3.5% and zero). We examined the effect of experimental diets on cow performance, ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites and changes of ruminal microbial flora throughout the experimental period (45-day). Additionally, in vitro methane emission was evaluated. Animals fed diet with 60% forage had greater dry matter intake (DMI) and milk fat content, but lower lactose and milk urea content compared with those fed 40% forage diet. Moreover, nitrate supplementation had no significant effect on DMI and milk yield. Furthermore, the interactions showed that nitrate reduces DMI and milk fat independently of forage levels. Our findings showed that nitrate can increase ammonia concentration, pH, nitrite, and acetate while reducing the total volatile fatty acids concentration, propionate, and butyrate in the rumen. With increasing nitrate, methane emission was considerably decreased possibly due to the stimulated growth of Fibrobacteria, Proteobacteria, type II Methanotrophs, and Methanoperedense nitroreducens, especially with high forage level. Overall, nitrate supplementation could potentially increase methane oxidizing microorganisms without adversely affecting cattle performance.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR) is an ideal route to produce ammonia (NH3) under ambient conditions. Although a markedly improved NH3 production rate has been achieved on the NO...

The Water Quality Index is one of the most effective tools to communicate information on the quality of water to the people. An attempt was made to assess the annual and seasonal status of Surajkund and Rani Pond, Aurangabad, Bihar, India using the overall Index of Pollution and Water Quality Index from November 2017 to October 2019. The values of eleven parameters namely water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total alkalinity, hardness, total dissolved solids, chloride, nitrate and fluoride were calculated following standard methodology. A statistically significant difference was found among these parameters. The values were compared with the standard to determine the overall Index of Pollution and Water Quality Index. Results indicated that electrical conductivity, total alkalinity and total dissolved solid were higher than prescribed limits. The values 1.5–3.50 of the overall Index of Pollution estimated that the average status of water of Surajkund was acceptable (C2) but Rani Pond and Surajkund during the summer season were slightly polluted (C3). The values 74.18–233.89 of the Water Quality Index inferred that the average status of water of Surajkund and Rani Pond was slightly polluted (C3). However, on a seasonal basis, the water quality of Surajkund was acceptable (C2) but Rani Pond was slightly polluted (C3) to polluted (C4). The results revealed anthropogenic activity and entry of untreated sewage in these water bodies. The water quality felt the necessity to adopt proper management policy and conservation efforts to these water bodies.

15 Pags.- 11 Figs. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License., The ornithine–urea cycle (urea cycle) makes a significant contribution to the metabolic responses of lower photosynthetic eukaryotes to episodes of high nitrogen availability. In this study, we compared the role of the plant urea cycle and its relationships to polyamine metabolism in ammonium-fed and nitrate-fed Medicago truncatula plants. High ammonium resulted in the accumulation of ammonium and pathway intermediates, particularly glutamine, arginine, ornithine, and putrescine. Arginine decarboxylase activity was decreased in roots, suggesting that the ornithine decarboxylase-dependent production of putrescine was important in situations of ammonium stress. The activity of copper amine oxidase, which releases ammonium from putrescine, was significantly decreased in both shoots and roots. In addition, physiological concentrations of ammonium inhibited copper amine oxidase activity in in vitro assays, supporting the conclusion that high ammonium accumulation favors putrescine synthesis. Moreover, early supplementation of plants with putrescine avoided ammonium toxicity. The levels of transcripts encoding urea-cycle-related proteins were increased and transcripts involved in polyamine catabolism were decreased under high ammonium concentrations. We conclude that the urea cycle and associated polyamine metabolism function as important protective mechanisms limiting ammonium toxicity in M. truncatula. These findings demonstrate the relevance of the urea cycle to polyamine metabolism in higher plants., This work was supported by the grants from the Spanish Government AGL2014-52396-P (MICINN) and AGL2017-86293-P (MINECO/FEDER) to JFM, and the Basque Government, Spain, IT-1018-16 (UPV/EHU-GV) to RE. MU is a recipient of a pre-doctoral fellowship from the Government of Navarre, Spain. JB and PLG have received pre-doctoral fellowships from the Public University of Navarre, Spain. PT has received funding from the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (Grant to Department of Science, University ‘Roma Tre’-‘Dipartimenti di Eccellenza’, ARTICOLO 1, COMMI 314–337. LEGGE 423 232/2016; PRIN 2017—CUP F84I19000730005). Partial support was obtained from the Spanish State Research Agency AGL2017-83358-R (AEI/FEDER) and the Government of Aragón, Spain, Group A09-20R to YG. Open Access funding was provided by the Public University of Navarra.

Climate-driven permafrost thaw alters the strongly coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles within the Arctic tundra, influencing the availability of limiting nutrients including nitrate (NO3−). Researchers have identified two primary mechanisms that increase nitrogen and NO3− availability within permafrost soils: (1) the ‘frozen feast’, where previously frozen organic material becomes available as it thaws, and (2) ‘shrubification’, where expansion of nitrogen-fixing shrubs promotes increased soil nitrogen. Through the synthesis of original and previously published observational data, and the application of multiple geospatial approaches, this study investigates and highlights a third mechanism that increases NO3− availability: the hydrogeomorphic evolution of polygonal permafrost landscapes. Permafrost thaw drives changes in microtopography, increasing the drainage of topographic highs, thus increasing oxic conditions that promote NO3− production and accumulation. We extrapolate relationships between NO3− and soil moisture in elevated topographic features within our study area and the broader Alaskan Coastal Plain and investigate potential changes in NO3− availability in response to possible hydrogeomorphic evolution scenarios of permafrost landscapes. These approximations indicate that such changes could increase Arctic tundra NO3− availability by ~250–1000%. Thus, hydrogeomorphic changes that accompany continued permafrost degradation in polygonal permafrost landscapes will substantially increase soil pore water NO3− availability and boost future fertilization and productivity in the Arctic.

Luoyang is a typical heavy industrial city in China, with a coal-dominated energy structure and serious air pollution. Following the implementation of the clean air actions, the physicochemical characteristics and sources of PM2.5 have changed. A comprehensive study of PM2.5 was conducted from October 16, 2019 to January 23, 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of previous control measures and further to provide theory basis for more effective policies in the future. Results showed that the aerosol pollution in Luoyang in autumn and winter is still serious with the average concentration of 91.1 μg/m3, although a large reduction (46.9%) since 2014. With the contribution of nitrate increased from 12.5% to 25.1% and sulfate decreased from 16.7% to 11.2%, aerosol pollution has changed from sulfate-dominate to nitrate-dominate. High NO3−/SO42− ratio and the increasing of NO3−/SO42− ratio with the aggravation of pollution indicating vehicle exhaust playing an increasingly important role in PM2.5 pollution in Luoyang, especially in the haze processes. Secondary inorganic ions contributed significantly to the enhancement of PM2.5 during the pollution period. The high value of Cl−/Na+ and EC concentration indicate coal combustion in Luoyang is still serious. The top three contributor sources were secondary inorganic aerosols (33.3%), coal combustion (13.6%), and industrial emissions (13.4%). Close-range transport from the western and northeastern directions were more important factors in air pollution in Luoyang during the sampling period. It is necessary to strengthen the control of coal combustion and reduce vehicle emissions in future policies.

Aquaponics is a fish-plant recirculating system where nutrients received from the fish culture are absorbed by the plants for growth. The technology is relatively new for fish culture in Kenya, and the principles and operations remain largely untested for many fish species. This study determined how stocking density affects the growth performance and water quality in a Nile tilapia-lettuce (Lactuca sativa) aquaponics system. The experimental design included five replicates for each of the aquaponic systems stocked at densities of 150, 300, and 450 fish/m3 for a rearing period of 56 days. Each treatment had a planting density of 16 lettuce/m2. The water quality parameters ranges during the rearing period were 3.83–5.35 mg/L for dissolved oxygen, 7.44 to 7.6 for pH, 0.014 mg/L to 0.032 mg/L for total ammonium nitrate (TAN), 1.11–1.34 mg/L for nitrate, and 0.01–0.08 mg/L for nitrite, and all decreased with increasing stocking density. The final weight of fingerlings was 25.2 ± 4.2 g, 32.0 ± 3.8 g and 42.6 ± 3.1 g for 450, 300, and 150 fish/m3 respectively. Specific growth rate (SGR) was reduced with increasing stocking density whereas food conversion ratio (FCR) increased with stocking density. Aquaponic systems with the lowest stocking densities performed better than 300 and 450 fish/m3 respectively.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different N applications with different planting dates on yield, leaf nutrients and some quality parameters of head lettuce (Lactuva saliva L. var. capitata cv. Bombola) grown in substrate-culture. The experiment was conducted in an unheated plastic polyethylene (PE) covered greenhouses of the Ege University Bayindir Vocational Training School in Turkey during the winter-early spring of 2016-2017. The trial was established in a randomized block design (RBD) with four replications. In this study, the development and yields of iceberg seedlings, grown at four different planting dates (8th and 23th of February; 9th and 23th of March), were determined under three different nitrogen applications (75, 150, and 250 mg N L-1). The results showed that the studied traits were affected by the treatments, so that the highest yield (334g head(-1)), number of leaves (39), DW (436%), and Vit.C (13.45%) was obtained on 23th of Feb. (second planting date). According of Nitrogen applications, highest yield (399g/head), number of leaves (40), DW (5.13%) was found in 150 mg L-1 N application. Overall results indicated that the most suitable cultivation period for iceberg was February, which was the first (8th Feb.) planting date in this current study. Second planting date of experiment (23rd Feb.) was also acceptable for the suitable cultivation. It was also concluded that 75-150 mg N L(-1 )applications could be recommended for the nutrition of iceberg in soilless culture., Ege University Science and Technology Centre EBILTEM [BAMYO 2015-002], This study was supported by the Ege University Science and Technology Centre EBILTEM (Project no: BAMYO 2015-002).

Estuaries are nutrient filters and change riverine nutrient loads before they reach coastal oceans. They have been extensively changed by anthropogenic activities like draining, deepening, and dredging to meet economic and social demand, causing significant regime changes like tidal amplifications and in some cases to hyper-turbid conditions. Furthermore, increased nutrient loads, especially nitrogen, mainly by agriculture cause coastal eutrophication. Estuaries can either act as a sink or as a source of nitrate, depending on environmental and geomorphological conditions. These factors vary along an estuary, and change nitrogen turnover in the system. Here, we investigate the factors controlling nitrogen turnover in the hyper-turbid Ems estuary (Northern Germany) that has been strongly impacted by human activities. During two research cruises in August 2014 and June 2020, we measured water column properties, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dual stable isotopes of nitrate and dissolved nitrous oxide concentration along the estuary. Overall, the Ems estuary acts as a nitrate sink in both years. However, three distinct biogeochemical zones exist along the estuary. A strong fractionation (~ 26 ‰) of nitrate stable isotopes points towards nitrate removal via water column denitrification in the hyper-turbid Tidal River, driven by anoxic conditions in deeper water layers. In the Middle Reaches of the estuary nitrification gains in importance turning this section into a net nitrate source. The Outer Reaches are dominated by mixing with nitrate uptake in 2020. We find that the overarching control on biogeochemical nitrogen cycling, zonation and nitrous oxide production in the Ems estuary is exerted by suspended particulate matter concentrations and the linked oxygen deficits.

Ambient nitrate has been of increasing concern in PM2.5, while there are still large uncertainties in quantifying the formation of nitrate aerosol. The formation pathways of nitrate aerosol at an urban site and a suburban site in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) are investigated using an observation-constrained box model. Throughout the campaigns, aerosol pollution episodes were constantly accompanied with the increase in nitrate concentrations and fractions at both urban and suburban sites. The simulations demonstrate that chemical reactions in the daytime and at night both contributed significantly to formation of nitrate in the boundary layer at the two sites. However, nighttime reactions predominantly occurred aloft in the residual layer at the urban site, and downward transport from the residual layer in the morning is an important source (53 %) for surface nitrate at the urban site, whereas similar amounts of nitrate were produced in the nocturnal boundary layer and residual layer at the suburban site, which results in little downward transport of nitrate from the residual layer to the ground at the suburban site. We show that nitrate formation was in the volatile-organic-compound-limited (VOC-limited) regime at the urban site, and in the transition regime at the suburban site, identical to the response of ozone at both sites. The reduction of VOC emissions can be an efficient approach to mitigate nitrate in both urban and suburban areas through influencing hydroxyl radical (OH) and N2O5 production, which will also be beneficial for the synergistic control of regional ozone pollution. The results highlight that the relative importance of nitrate formation pathways and ozone can be site-specific, and the quantitative understanding of various pathways of nitrate formation will provide insights for developing nitrate and ozone mitigation strategies.

Nitrate aerosol plays an increasingly important role in wintertime haze pollution in China. Despite intensive research on wintertime nitrate chemistry in recent years, quantitative constraints on the formation mechanisms of nitrate aerosol in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), one of the most developed and densely populated regions in eastern China, remain inadequate. In this study, we identify the major nitrate formation pathways and their key controlling factors during the winter haze pollution period in the eastern YRD using 2-year (2018–2019) field observations and detailed observation-constrained model simulations. We find that the high atmospheric oxidation capacity, coupled with high aerosol liquid water content (ALWC), made both the heterogeneous hydrolysis of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) and the gas-phase OH oxidation of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) important pathways for wintertime nitrate formation in this region, with contribution percentages of 69 % and 29 % in urban areas and 63 % and 35 % in suburban areas during the haze pollution episodes, respectively. We further find that the gas-to-particle partitioning of nitric acid (HNO3) was very efficient so that the rate-determining step in the overall formation process of nitrate aerosol was the oxidation of NOx to HNO3 through both heterogeneous and gas-phase processes. The atmospheric oxidation capacity (i.e., the availability of O3 and OH radicals) was the key factor controlling the production rate of HNO3 from both processes. During the COVID-19 lockdown (January–February 2020), the enhanced atmospheric oxidation capacity greatly promoted the oxidation of NOx to nitrate and hence weakened the response of nitrate aerosol to the emission reductions in urban areas. Our study sheds light on the detailed formation mechanisms of wintertime nitrate aerosol in the eastern YRD and highlights the demand for the synergetic regulation of atmospheric oxidation capacity and NOx emissions to mitigate wintertime nitrate and haze pollution in eastern China.

Quaternary nitrogen (N-Q) functionalized porous carbon could be prepared from thermally stabilized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber (PYR) by ZnCl2 activation (PYR-7Z4) and consecutive heat treatment at 950 °C (PYR-7Z4-9.5HT10). The prepared carbonaceous adsorbents could effectively remove nitrate anion from water by 0.6 mmol/g or more in the wide range of equilibrium solution pH (pHe) 3–8. Although the adsorption amounts on the materials derived from PYR were about a half of ion-exchange resin (HP555), fairly good adsorption performance could be realized as carbonaceous materials compared with the other carbon based adsorbents containing nitrogen species. This is caused by the presence of the equivalent N-Q sites on the prepared porous PAN carbon surface. Examining adsorption isotherms of nitrate, PYR-7Z4-9.5HT10 exhibited a little better performance than PYR-7Z4. Comparing adsorption performance of nitrogen-doped rayon based activated carbon fiber (ACF) prepared in our previous study, N-Q sites could be dominantly introduced on carbon surface for the materials derived from PYR. In addition, post heat treatment at 950 °C also seems to be effective to reduce unexpected negatively charged carboxy groups leading to the increase in both adsorption capacity and affinity of nitrate on the carbon surface.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is considered a nitrogen (N) intensive plant with high nitrate (NO3-) accumulation in its leaves. The current study via a two-year field trial introduced an approach by combining N fertilization from different sources (e.g., ammonium nitrate; 33.5% N, and urea; 48% N) at different rates (180, and 360 kg N ha-1) with the foliar spraying of molybdenum (Mo) as sodium molybdate, and/or manganese (Mn) as manganese sulphate at rates of 50 and 100 mgL-1 of each or with a mixture of Mo and Mn at rates of 50 and 50 mg L-1, respectively on growth, chemical constituents, and NO3- accumulation in leaves. Our findings revealed that the highest rate of N fertilization (360 kg N ha-1) significantly increased most of the measured parameters e.g., plant length, fresh and dry weight plant-1, number of leaves plant-1, leaf area plant-1, leaf pigments (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids), nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn), total soluble carbohydrates, protein content, net assimilation rate, and NO3- accumulation, but decreased leaf area ratio and relative growth rate. Moreover, plants received urea-N fertilizer gave the highest values of all previous attributes when compared with ammonium nitrate –N fertilizers, and the lowest values of NO3- accumulation. The co-fertilization of N-Mo-Mn gave the highest values in all studied attributes and the lowest NO3- accumulation. The best treatment was recorded under the treatment of 360 kg N-urea ha-1 in parallel with the combined foliar application of Mo and Mn (50+50mg L-1). Our findings proposed that the co-fertilization of N-Mo-Mn could enhance spinach yield and its quality, while reducing NO3- accumulation in leaves, resulting agronomical, environmental and economic benefits.

Rice has a large number of nitrate or peptide transporter family (NPF) genes, but the effects of most members on rice growth and development are unknown. We report that OsNPF5.16, a nitrate transporter gene with natural variation in its promoter sequence, is essential for rice growth and yield. The promoter sequence showed various differences between indica and japonica cultivars, and higher expression of OsNPF5.16 was found in indica cultivars with higher plant weight and more tillers than japonica cultivars. OsNPF5.16 was highly expressed in roots, tiller basal parts, and leaf sheaths, and its protein was localized on the plasma membrane. In cRNA-injected Xenopus laevis oocytes, OsNPF5.16 transport of nitrate at high nitrate concentration depended on pH. Overexpression of OsNPF5.16 increased nitrate content and total nitrogen content in leaf sheath as well as biomass and tiller bud length in rice. Elevated expression of OsNPF5.16 increased rice tiller number and grain yield by regulating cytokinin levels. Inhibition of OsNPF5.16 expression showed the opposite effects. Regulating OsNPF5.16 expression has potential for improving rice grain yield.

Nitrate may reduce the ruminal methane emission by competing methanogenesis to achieve more hydrogen. For this purpose, twenty Holstein lactating cows were examined using a 2×2 factorial design in 4 groups for 60 days with two forage levels (40% and 60%) and supplemental nitrate 0% (F40 and F60) and 3.5% (F40N and F60N) of diet dry matter (DM). Then, the effect of nitrate and forage levels on cow performance, ruminal fermentation, methane emission, and metabolic hydrogen sink were evaluated. The nitrate supplementation did not significantly affect milk yield and ECM/DMI, while milk urea nitrogen was increased. Lowest quantity of milk vitamins (A and E) was observed in nitrate groups. The nitrate supplementation increased c9-C18:1, unsaturated fatty acids, and n-6/n-3 contents of the milk. Blood parameters were affected by nitrate supplementation. Blood met-Hb concentration was increased, while blood glucose was decreased in nitrate groups. High forage and nitrate fed animals (F60N) had higher ruminal acetate and lower propionate concentration, and higher acetate+butyrate to propionate ratio than other groups. Nitrite and NH3-N concentrations were higher in the rumen of nitrate fed animals. Nitrate supplementation inhibited gas volume and methane emission without affecting volatile fatty acids at 12 and 24 h of incubation. The H2 balance, H2 production and consumption, and recovery percentage were significantly lower in F60N group. In conclusion, nitrate supplementation can be employed as an alternative strategy for improving ruminal fermentation, milk quality and methane inhibition.

By introducing the amine group into the structure of P227, a novel extractant 2-ethylhexyl ((2-ethylhexylamino)methyl) phosphonic acid (EEAMPA, abbreviated as HA) was synthesized for the extraction and separation of trivalent rare earths (REs) from nitrate medium. The influence factors including extractant concentration, equilibrium time, HNO3 concentration, separation factors, cycle regeneration, stripping acidity, and actual leach liquor of metal ions, were studied systematically. The results show that the extraction ability of EEAMPA for REs decreases with increasing acidity. A possible extraction mechanism is proposed and the extracted species as REHA3(NO3) are confirmed by the slope analysis method. The extraction equilibrium can reach faster than P227. It shows good chemical stability and cycling regeneration. Stripping studies show that HCl is an excellent stripping agent and REs can be effectively stripped from the organic phase.

Soil amended with biochar is expected to produce less nitrous oxide (N2O), although this may depend on nitrate (NO3-N) availability. Our objective was to determine how pine wood biochar, slow pyrolyzed at 500 °C, affects N2O production in soil having different denitrification potentials with variable NO3-N concentrations under controlled laboratory conditions. Sandy loam surface soils (0–30 cm, pH 5.7) and sandy clay loam subsurface soils (40–60 cm, pH 5.6) were amended with four biochar rates (0, 10, 20, and 30 g·kg−1), two nitrogen fertilizer rates (0 and 100 mg·kg−1 NO3-N) and two acetylene levels (0% and 10% headspace), arranged as a full factorial. Soil moisture content was adjusted to 80% water-filled pore space, and flasks were incubated at 20 °C for 30 h. Headspace gas was collected from each flask at 25, 26, 28, and 30 h. There was a significant reduction in N2O production with an increasing rate of biochar in the surface soil but not in the subsurface soil. On average, less N2O was produced in the subsurface soil than in the surface soil. As the NO3-N concentration was not a limiting factor for denitrification, the most likely explanation was that denitrifier activity was influenced by the availability of soluble organic carbon in the soil–biochar mixtures. We recommend further study of the coupled carbon–nitrogen transformations during denitrification to understand how biochar influences soil N2O production in sandy loam soils.

Layered double hydroxides, especially Zn-Al, are valuable matrices for intercalation with various functional anions: dyes, medicines, food additives, etc. For the purposeful development and optimization of the technology for the synthesis of Zn-Al hydroxides intercalated with functional anions, the phase composition and crystal structure of Zn-Al nitrate layered double hydroxide samples (Zn:Al=4:1) synthesized at solution flow rates of 0.8 and 1.6 l/h, pH=7, 8, 9, 10 and t=10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 °С were studied. XRD showed that all samples synthesized at different temperatures, pH, and solution flow rates were Zn-Al layered double hydroxides with an α-Zn(OH)2crystal lattice of medium crystallinity, with an admixture of an oxide phase with a ZnO lattice. Three sections of the dependence of the crystallite size of the sample on the synthesis temperature were distinguished: 10–20°C, 30–50°C, and 60°C, within which an increase in temperature led to an increase in crystallinity. A hypothesis was put forward about a change in the mechanism or kinetics of LDH formation at temperatures of 30°C and 60°C. An increase in the pH of the synthesis and the flow rate of solutions led to an increase in crystallinity. A retrospective comparative analysis of the phase composition and crystal structure of Zn-Al-nitrate and Zn-Al-tripolyphosphate (tartrazine or Orange Yellow S) LDH samples was carried out. It was found that the use of large and multi-charged functional anions caused significant adsorption on precipitate nuclei and difficult intercalation. As a result, low crystallinity was formed (Tartrazine anion) or a significant part of LDH was decomposed to oxide (tripolyphosphate and Orange Yellow S anions).

Biochar is suggested to improve soil properties. However, its combination with inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer in temperate soils is not well understood. This study compared the effect of fertilizer N-biochar-combinations (NBC) and fertilizer-N (FN) on total soil N (TSN), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nitrate (NO3−–N), and ammonium (NH4+–N). Soil samples were taken from experiments at Efaw and Lake Carl Blackwell (LCB), Oklahoma, USA with ten treatments consisting of three N rates (50, 100, and 150 kg N ha−1) and three biochar rates (5, 10, and 15 t ha−1). Results at Efaw showed greater TSN and SOC under NBC compared to FN by 3 and 21%, respectively. No percentage difference was observed for NH4+–N while NO3−–N was lower by 7%. At LCB, TSN, SOC, NO3−–N, and NH4+–N were higher under NBC by 5, 18, 24, and 10%, respectively, compared to FN. Whereas application of biochar improved SOC at both sites, NO3−–N and NH4+–N were only significant at LCB site with a sandy loam soil but not at Efaw with silty clay loam. Therefore, biochar applied in combination with inorganic N can improve N availability with potential to increase crop N uptake on coarse textured soils.

Furans are emitted to the atmosphere during biomass burning from the pyrolysis of cellulose. They are one of the major contributing volatile organic compound (VOC) classes to OH and NO3 reactivity in biomass burning plumes. The major removal process of furans from the atmosphere at night is reaction with the nitrate radical, NO3. Here, we report a series of relative rate experiments in the 7300 L indoor simulation chamber at Institut de Combustion Aérothermique Réactivité et Environnement, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (ICARE-CNRS), Orléans, using a number of different reference compounds to determine NO3 reaction rate coefficients for four furans, two furanones, and pyrrole. In the case of the two furanones, this is the first time that NO3 rate coefficients have been reported. The recommended values (cm3 molec.−1 s−1) are as follows: furan, (1.49 ± 0.23) × 10−12; 2-methylfuran, (2.26 ± 0.52) × 10−11; 2,5-dimethylfuran, (1.02 ± 0.31) × 10−10; furfural (furan-2-aldehyde), (9.07 ± 2.3) × 10−14; α-angelicalactone (5-methyl-2(3H)-furanone), (3.01 ± 0.45) × 10−12; γ-crotonolactone (2(5H)-furanone)

Photocatalytic NO3– reduction in water has been regarded as a promising route due to its high efficiency and green feature. Several limiting factors, such as lack of catalytic sites, insufficient light collection, and spatial charge separation capacity photocatalytic denitrification, still need to be overcome for the practical applications. Herein, an innovative LiNbO3/ZnS heterojunction with a unilateral opening core–shell structure was constructed. ZnS was tightly anchored on the surface of LiNbO3 by modified electrostatic self-assembly method. High nitrate removal rate (98.84%) and N2 selectivity (98.92%) were achieved with a molar ratio of LiNbO3 and ZnS of 1:5 (1:5L-ZS) using formic acid as a hole scavenge. The LiNbO3/ZnS degradation kinetics of NO3– was corresponding to the first-order kinetics equation. The nitrate removal rate and N2 selectivity remained stable after three cycles in such photocatalytic NO3– reduction. The outstanding photocatalyst performance can be ascribed to the improved surface active sites, the well-matched band structure, and the unique core–shell structure. It provides an effective strategy for controllable fabrication of core–shell photocatalyst with strong light-harvesting ability and charge separation efficiency to enhance the removal rate of nitrate in water.

Submicron aerosol is of extensive concern not only due to its significant impact on air quality but also because it is detrimental to human health. In this study, we investigated the characteristics, sources and chemical processes of submicron aerosol based on real-time online measurements of submicron aerosols (NR-PM1) during December 2015 at an urban site in Beijing. The average mass concentration of NR-PM1 was 92.5±84.9 µg/m3, the hourly maximum was 459.1 µg/m3 during the entire observation. The organic aerosol (OA) (55%) was the largest contributor to NR-PM1. The average mass concentration of PAHs was 0.217±0.247 µg/m3, exhibiting the highest concentration at night and the lowest levels in the daytime. The average mass concentration of organic nitrate was 2.52±2.36 µg/m3 and that of inorganic nitrate was 7.62±8.22 µg/m3, accounting for 36% and 64%, respectively, of the total nitrate mass. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) differentiated the OA into five chemical components including LV-OOA, SV-OOA, COA, HOA and CCOA, accounting for 22%, 16%, 13%, 25% and 24% respectively, of the total OA. The average NR-PM1 mass concentration on the heavy polluted days (HPD) was 182.8±70.2 µg/m3, which was approximately 9 times that on clean days (CD). The enhanced secondary formation of SNA was evident on HPD, especially the rapid increase of sulfate (23%) and nitrate (19%).

Nitric oxide (NO) is a lipid-soluble molecule found in various organ systems that assists in regulating blood pressure, vascular function, and exercise performance. Inorganic nitrate (NO3-) supplementation has been touted as both an exercise ergogenic as well as a clinical therapeutic, as NO3- ¬reduces to NO via the NO3--NO2--NO pathway. While NO3- has shown to improve exercise economy, time to exhaustion, and muscular power, these studies have predominately only studied healthy young males. Females are largely understudied, perhaps because of the intricacies of the hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. Of these hormones, estrogen fluctuates cyclically in young healthy females ranging from lower levels during the early follicular (EF) phase of the menstrual cycle and peaking typically during the late follicular (LF) phase. This is important as estrogen is known to directly improve NO bioavailability, yet despite this, the interactions of NO3- supplementation with estrogen fluctuations in young healthy females has not been understudied. Further, as females undergo menopause, estrogen is largely reduced, as is the NO bioavailability afforded by estrogen. This results in a loss of vascular protection in post-menopausal (PM) females and an exacerbated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. While exercise training is known to improve vascular function, this does not occur in PM females, potentially due to a loss of bioavailable NO that comes with the loss of estrogen. Improving bioavailable NO either by increasing exercise intensity or by supplementing with NO3- supplementation may provide interventional options for PM females to prevent the elevated CVD risk. Thus, the purpose of manuscript 1 of this dissertation was to determine the effects of NO3- supplementation on aerobic exercise economy and endurance capacity across follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. The results of this placebo-controlled randomized control trial (RCT) revealed that NO¬3- supplementation (BRJ) elevated plasma nitrite and nitrate, but plasma nitrate was higher in the LF phase of the menstrual cycle (MC). Exercise economy was unaltered by BRJ or the MC, however exercise endurance was significantly worsened by 40 seconds (~9%) after BRJ supplementation (p = 0.04) but was not different across the MC with no interaction effects. The purpose of manuscript 2 of this dissertation was to determine the effects of NO3- supplementation on isokinetic peak muscular power, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force, muscular endurance, and recovery from fatigue across the follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. Isokinetic peak power was worsened by NO3- supplementation (p = 0.02), with maximal knee extensor power (Pmax) to being significantly worsened in the LF+BRJ condition compared to the EF+PL condition (p = 0.04). Maximal knee extensor velocity (Vmax) was also worsened by NO3- supplementation (p = 0.03). Muscular endurance, MVIC, and fatigue recovery was unaltered by BRJ or the MC (all p > 0.05). Finally, manuscript 3 of this dissertation was to determine the effects of NO3- supplementation and different intensities of exercise on acute changes to vascular health in PM females. BRJ + high intensity exercise (HIE) improved Peak ∆ Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD) compared to all control (CON) conditions (p < 0.05), while BRJ + moderate intensity exercise (MIE) improved Peak ∆ FMD compared only to BRJ+CON. Neither PL+HIE nor PL+MIE improved Peak ∆ FMD compared to PL+CON (p > 0.05). Plasma NO2- was positively correlated with Peak ∆ FMD, while body fat percentage with inversely correlated. Exercise prevented the increase in MAP and PWV over time independent of treatment. These dissertation data taken together suggest a potential hormetic relationship with estrogen and NO in which NO¬3- supplementation may harm exercise performance in young healthy females who already have sufficient NO, whereby NO3- supplementation may be further elevating NO to an extent where it is no longer beneficial. Contrarily, in PM females where endogenous NO is lower due to the loss of estrogen, NO3- supplementation and higher intensity of exercise may bring NO bioavailability back into a healthy range, whereby NO3- supplementation is beneficial. These data have revealed a fascinating relationship between estrogen and its relationship on both endogenous and exogenous NO that had never been explored previously. Understanding these relationships allows for a precision approach such that NO3- supplementation can be implemented in the context of underlying low endogenous NO bioavailability. Hopefully, these data will provoke further study in this area and will invoke curiosity towards studying these relationships in a nuanced manner.

Agricultural managed aquifer recharge (Ag-MAR, on-farm recharge), where farmland is flooded with excess surface water to intentionally recharge groundwater, has received increasing attention by policy makers and researchers in recent years. However, there remain concerns about the potential for Ag-MAR to exacerbate nitrate (NO3-) contamination of groundwater, and additional risks, such as greenhouse gas emissions and crop tolerance to prolonged flooding. Here, we conducted a large-scale, replicated winter groundwater recharge experiment to quantify the effect of Ag-MAR on soil N biogeochemical transformations, potential NO3- leaching to groundwater, soil physico-chemical conditions, and crop yield. The field experiment was conducted in two grapevine vineyards in the Central Valley of California, which were each flooded for 2 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively, with 1.31 and 1.32 m3 m-2 of water. Hydrologic, geochemical, and microbial results indicate that NO3- leaching from the first 1 m of the vadose zone was the dominant N loss pathway during flooding. Based on pore water sample and N2O emission data, denitrification played a lesser role in decreasing NO3- in the root zone but prolonged anoxic conditions resulted in a significant 29 % yield decrease in the 4-week flooded vineyard. The results from this research, combined with data from previous studies, are summarized in a new conceptual model for integrated water-N dynamics under Ag-MAR. The proposed model can be used to determine best Ag-MAR management practices.

Eutrophication is reported as the most important water quality issue around the world. The potential death of Lake Winnipeg, the world's ninth largest lake, is a dramatic exampe of this ecological disater in Canda. Property price devaluation, tourist repulsion, and toxicity due to eutrophication cause the annual economic losses over $3 billion in Europe, South and North America. The objective of this thesis is to develop an efficient biological nutrient removal reactor to be commercialized and used in the water/wastewater treatment industry. This bioreactor has a unique configuration which is filed as a US patent technology called "Compact Upright Bioreactor for the Elimination of Nutrients", invented by M. Alvarez Cuenca and M. Reza. It consists of four stages including Deaeration, Anoxic, Anaerobic and Aerobic where Do removal, denitrification and phosphorus removal processes take place respectively. The bioreactor performs very well obtaining 100% Do removal and 98% nitrate removal efficiency. The phosphorus removal process requires much longer operational period to reach steady state. The phosphorus removal process shows variable results having a maximum of 60% removal success.

Improved nitrogen fertiliser management and increased nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) can be achieved by synchronising nitrogen (N) availability with plant uptake requirements. Organic materials in conjunction with inorganic fertilisers provide a strategy for supplying plant-available N over the growing season and reducing N loss. This study investigated whether a combined application of inorganic N with an organic soil amendment could improve nitrogen use efficiency by reducing N loss in runoff. Nitrogen runoff from a ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) cover was investigated using a rainfall simulator. Nitrogen was applied at low, medium and high (50, 75 and 100 kg/ha) rates as either (NH4)2SO4 or in combination with a poultry manure-based organic material. We showed that the NUE in the combination (58–75%) was two-fold greater than in (NH4)2SO4 (24–42%). Furthermore, this combination also resulted in a two-fold lower N runoff compared with the inorganic fertiliser alone. This effect was attributed to the slower rate of N release from the organic amendment relative to the inorganic fertiliser. Here, we demonstrated that the combined use of inorganic and organic N substrates can reduce nutrient losses in surface runoff due to a better synchronisation of N availability with plant uptake requirements.

Background: Dietary nitrate consumption can increase concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in blood, saliva, and urine. Whether the change in concentrations is influenced by age is currently unknown. Objectives: We aimed to measure changes in nitrate and nitrite concentrations in plasma, urine, and saliva and exhaled NO concentrations after single incremental doses of dietary nitrate in young and older healthy adults. Methods: Twelve young (18–35 y old) and 12 older (60–75 y old) healthy, nonsmoking participants consumed single doses of 100 g, 200 g, 300 g whole beetroot (BR) and 1000 mg potassium nitrate (positive control) ≥7 d apart in a crossover, randomized clinical trial. Plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations and exhaled NO concentrations were measured over a 5-h period. Salivary nitrate and nitrite concentrations were measured over a 12-h period and urinary nitrate over a 24-h period. Time, intervention, age, and interaction effects were measured with repeated-measures ANOVAs. Results: Dose-dependent increases were seen in plasma, salivary, and urinary nitrate after BR ingestion (all P ≤ 0.002) but there were no differences between age groups at baseline (all P ≥ 0.56) or postintervention (all P ≥ 0.12). Plasma nitrite concentrations were higher in young than older participants at baseline (P = 0.04) and after consumption of 200 g (P = 0.04; +25.7 nmol/L; 95% CI: 0.97, 50.3 nmol/L) and 300 g BR (P = 0.02; +50.3 nmol/L; 95% CI: 8.57, 92.1 nmol/L). Baseline fractional exhaled NO (FeNO) concentrations were higher in the younger group [P = 0.03; +8.60 parts per billion (ppb); 95% CI: 0.80, 16.3 ppb], and rose significantly over the 5-h period, peaking 5 h after KNO3 consumption (39.4 ± 4.5 ppb; P < 0.001); however, changes in FeNO were not influenced by age (P = 0.276). Conclusions: BR is a source of bioavailable dietary nitrate in both young and older adults and can effectively raise nitrite and nitrate concentrations. Lower plasma nitrite and FeNO concentrations were found in older subjects, confirming the impact of ageing on NO bioavailability across different systems. This trial was registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN86706442.

In this study a series of CoFe2O4 NPs have been synthesized successfully in presence of various surfactant viz. cationic, anionic and non-ionic.CoFe2O4 NPs was prepared in aqueous medium by Co-precipitation technique using Cobalt nitrate (Co2+) and Ferric nitrate (Fe3+) as the precursor and CTAB, SDS and Tween-20 were used as the templating agent. The structural as well as the magnetic properties were investigated by XRD, FT-IR, FESEM and VSM analysis. The XRD study of the NPs confirms that the phases corresponding to the cubic spinel structure of the CoFe2O4 NPs were retained even after the addition of templating agent. The crystallite size has been restricted to within 6–9 nm respectively.

A thorough understanding of chemical composition, particle pH, and pollutant emissions is essential to address the climate and human health effects of atmospheric particles. In this study, we used a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) to characterize the composition of submicron particles. Moreover, we applied the ISORROPIA-II model to analyze the particle acidity effect on the compositional characterization of submicron particles from December 22, 2016 to January 7, 2017 in Albany, New York, USA. The results indicated that aerosols with mobility diameter from SMPS in the range 200–400 nm were the main contributors to the mass during the measurement period. The dominance of organics (47%) and sulfate (16%) was similar to previous observations in the eastern United States in Winter 2015, while the fraction of nitrate (23%) was much higher. Moreover, nitrate could easily form at colder temperatures and lower RH levels even when there were more acidic particle periods during the measurement period in Albany. The ISORROPIA-II model indicated that there were more acidic particles, which was estimated using pH values. Lower temperature conditions tended to favor nitrate formation. The nitrate concentration exceeded that of sulfate in the measurement period, even though the SO2 and NOx emissions were similar. The organics in submicron particles were strongly influenced by the local emissions in winter. However, the inorganic compounds in submicron particles could be derived from regional transport as their pollution sources originated from different directions. This may help strategize emission reductions in the future.

Nitrogen (N) can be supplied to plants as nitrate (NO3-) or ammonium (NH4+), which may influence plant nutritional status and predisposition for pathogen infection. Understanding how kiwifruit plants (Actinidia spp.) cope with Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) infection when grown under different N sources may improve our knowledge on how to manage N supply to mitigate this pathogen. Here, A. chinensis var. deliciosa plants were grown for 21 days in a complete hydroponic nutrient solution, differing in the source of N: 214 μM of NO3-, 214 μM NH4+ or a mixture of both (107 μM NO3- + 107 μM NH4+ - Mix), after which plants were inoculated with Psa. Fourteen days post-inoculation, plants grown with NO3- showed no visual disease symptoms and had a lower Psa endophytic population. In contrast, NH4+ led to the appearance of typical Psa-induced leaf spotting and lower total chlorophyll content. With NO3- supply higher P, K, Mg, Ca and Fe contents were observed in plant tissues, which possibly contributed to an improved mineral nutrition and increased tolerance to Psa. It is concluded that the N source affected plant mineral accumulation, leading to distinct infection outcomes, and should be taken into consideration for a more effective and sustainable Psa management.

Presence of methanotrophs in diverse environmental habitats helps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas like methane. Isolation and culture of undiscovered wealth of methanotrophic organisms can help in exploitation of these organisms in value added products. The present study focuses on the enrichment of methanotroph dominated mixed microbial community by use of three stage strategy of revival, proliferation, and segregation. During the enrichment process amplicon sequencing of 16 s rRNA V3-V4 region showed relative abundance of mixed culture comprising single methanotrophic species of Methylocystis genus (88.92%) along with only three other species. Methylocystis dominant mixed culture (MMI-11) was observed to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). During studies to identify favourable culture conditions, nitrate was found to be preferred nitrogen source for growth and PHA production. Cell growth ability to produce PHA was also evaluated at 14 L fermentor by supplying gas using continuous bubbling and through pressurization in the headspace. The mixed methanotrophic culture was found to accumulate maximum of 22.20% polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) under nitrate limited condition. The molecular weight of PHB was found to be 2.221 × 105 g mol-1 with polydispersity of 1.82.

Novel processes for the sustainable production of fertilizers are highly sought after to combat climate change. Herein, we demonstrate that by irradiating with strong UVA-light, TiO2 is able to photocatalytically oxidize molecular nitrogen in the gas phase under ambient conditions to NOx and nitrate. The reaction produces predominantly nitrogen dioxide with a high selectivity of up to 93% which could be captured afterwards to produce nitric acid or nitrates and used as sustainable (solar) fertilizer.

Selective conversion of hydroxymethylfurfural to diformylfuran using copper hydroxide nitrate.

Acid modification of sheep wool changed the surface charge from a negative to a positive one as demonstrated by means of zero-charge point determination. The positive surface facilitated the adsorption of nitrate (NO3 −) anions. The amount of nitrates in solution within 20–100 mg/dm3 was determined applying a home-developed ultraviolet spectrometry method. A little more effective modifier was 0.01 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) than the 0.1 M one. In the case of citric acid concentration, the effect was opposite. Wool modified with hydrochloric acid showed higher nitrate adsorption (up to 5 mg/g) compared with the sample modified with citric acid, (up to 1.7 mg/g of nitrate and 3, respectively). Testing eight adsorption isotherm models indicated inhomogeneity of the adsorbed layer from chemical as well as physical aspects. The Freundlich, Temkin and Halsey models fitted best. The study demonstrated that biopolymer modified using a suitable acid has the potential to remove nitrates from an aquatic environment.

Karenia mikimotoi is a toxic bloom-forming dinoflagellate that sometimes co-blooms with Karenia brevis in the Gulf of Mexico, especially on the West Florida Shelf where strong vertical temperature gradients and rapid changes in nitrogen (N) can be found. Here, the short-term interactions of temperature, N form, and availability on photosynthesis–irradiance responses were examined using rapid light curves and PAM fluorometry in order to understand their interactions, and how they may affect photosynthetic yields. Cultures of K. mikimotoi were enriched with either nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), or urea with varying amounts (1, 5, 10, 20, 50 µM-N) and then incubated at temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30 °C for 1 h. At 15–25 °C, fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fm, rETR) when averaged for all N treatments were comparable. Within a given light intensity, increasing all forms of N concentrations generally led to higher photosynthetic yields. Cells appeared to dynamically balance the “push” due to photon flux pressure and reductant generation, with consumption in overall metabolism (“pull” due to demand). However, at 30 °C, all fluorescence parameters declined precipitously, but differential responses were observed depending on N form. Cells enriched with urea at 30 °C showed a smaller decline in fluorescence parameters than cells treated with NO3− or NH4+, implying that urea might induce a photoprotective mechanism by increasing metabolic “pull”.

This study evaluates the vulnerability of aquifers to the nitrate concentration variations. Prediction of nitrate concentration using MT3DMs modeling for a period of 10 years. The results showed th...

Soil health and water quality improvement are major goals of sustainable agricultural management systems, yet the connections between soil health and water quality impacts remain unclear. In this study we conducted an initial exploratory assessment of the relationships between soil chemical, physical, and biological properties and edge-of-field water quality across a network of 40 fields in Ohio, USA. Discharge, dissolved reactive P (DRP), total P (TP), and nitrate losses associated with precipitation events via surface runoff and tile drainage were monitored. Agronomic soil tests and a suite of soil health indicators were measured, then predictive relationships between the field average soil properties and tile drainage and surface runoff discharge and DRP, TP, and nitrate loads were explored with random forest and multiple linear regression approaches. Among the soil health indicators, water extractable C and N were consistently found to be positively related to tile nitrate loads, but other soil health indicators had little or inconsistent importance for water quality impacts. Several other soil properties were important predictors, particularly soil P pools for surface and tile DRP and TP losses as well as Mehlich-3 extractable Fe and Al for surface and tile discharge. Thus, we did not observe strong evidence that soil health was associated with improved edge-of-field water quality across the edge-of-field monitoring network. However, additional studies are needed to definitively test the relationships between a broader array of soil health metrics and water quality outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The Physicochemical variables and Zooplankton of Asu River, Ebonyi State, Nigeria were studied monthly between October 2013 and June 2014 which covered the wet and dry seasons. The study was carried out monthly in two selected sites by collecting water samples for physiochemical analysis and zooplankton identification. Shannon-Weiner diversity and Margalef's indices were used to determine the zooplankton composition. Investigation on the physiochemical variables showed that water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, pH, conductivity and carbon (iv) oxide all recorded maximum values in the dry season. The present result also showed that the river is not seriously polluted. However, only carbon (iv) oxide and nitrate varied significantly between seasons (p