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A series of bio-based additives derived from citric acid as a renewable chemical source were synthesised. The chemical composition and purity of 1–4 were confirmed by the combination of NMR, FTIR and MS. The thermal behaviour, stability and degradation pattern of the compounds 1–4 were investigated by TGA and DSC methods. PVC based formulations with compounds 1–4 were prepared through a simple mixing method. The formulations were treated at different temperatures (130–210 °C) to investigate the potential of these materials in industrial curing settings. L*a*b* data were used to monitor and to assess a colour change in the coated paper samples; this showed a correlation with degradation data of the pure compounds 1–4. SEM analysis of the final paper samples indicated that the compounds 1–4 show gas formation within the cellular structure; however compounds 3 and 4 result in a glossy smooth surface. This study showed that the compounds 3 and 4 exhibit promising properties in PVC formulations for application in industrial settings.

Ionic liquids have found their way into many applications where they show a high potential to replace traditional chemicals. But concerns over their ecological impacts (toxicity and biodegradability) and high cost have limited their use so far. The outcome of existing techno-economic and life-cycle assessments comparing ionic liquids with existing solvents has proven hard to interpret due to the many metrics used and trade-offs between them. For the first time, this paper couples the concept of monetization with detailed process simulation and life-cycle assessment to estimate the true cost of ionic liquids. A comparative case study on four solvents used in lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment is conducted: triethylammonium hydrogen sulfate [TEA][HSO4], 1-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate [HMIM][HSO4], acetone from fossil sources, and glycerol from renewable sources. The results show that the total monetized cost of production accounting for externalities can be more than double the direct costs estimated using conventional economic assessment methods. [TEA][HSO4] is found to have the lowest total cost, while glycerol presents the highest total cost. We expect this methodology to provide a starting point for future research and development in sustainable ionic liquids., Green Chemistry, 22 (10), ISSN:1463-9262, ISSN:1463-9270

In the present study, we used a low-cost protic ionic liquid, 1-methylimidazolium chloride, to simultaneously fractionate heavy metal contaminated wood and extract the metals from the wood at elevated temperature and short reaction time. This treatment selectively dissolves the lignin and hemicellulose in the biomass, leaving a solid cellulose-rich pulp, while coordinating and extracting 80–100% of the metal species present in the wood in a one-pot process. The lignin stream was recovered from the liquor and the cellulose was hydrolysed and then fermented into ethanol. The ionic liquid was recycled 6 times and the metals were recovered from the liquor via electrodeposition. This is the first time that highly contaminated waste wood has been integrated into a process which does not produce a contaminated waste stream, but instead valorises the wood as a feedstock for renewable chemicals, materials and fuels, while efficiently recovering the metals, converting a toxic environmental hazard into a rich source of biorenewables. We have therefore used an otherwise problematic waste as a low-cost lignocellulsoic feedstock for a circular bioeconomy concept.

Algae, which has high photosynthetic efficiency, non-arable land requirement and the ability to utilize salt or brackish water, is a promising renewable source for biofuel and other value-added biochemical production. Examination of the economic viability of such algae-based bioproducts is trending. The results of the examinations indicate that many parameters are decreasing the viability of the commercialization of algal biofuels and other commodity products. This chapter covers several different components of an integrated algal biorefinery, as an alternative approach to democratize algal products by decreasing the costs of production. The main sections touch base on strain improvements and other upstream components followed by sustainability issues. The chapter is finalized with the techno-economic assessments (TEA) of algal biorefineries with various production scenarios. The major components affecting the total cost of algal biochemical production are indicated by TEA, and their effect on the viability of the biorefineries are discussed.

Green coffee beans decaffeination and irradiation are important coffee post-harvest processing steps that allow to produce decaffeinated coffee products and raw material after insect and microbial disinfestation, respectively. Insects can cause damage to food as well as leading to consumer objections. The decaffeination process aims at producing coffee products without the caffeine referred to by many as the main motive for not consuming coffee. In addition, it is important to control microbial contamination of the green coffee during all stages of processing, including the raw crop stage, harvesting, processing, packing and exportation, avoiding the production of mycotoxins. The aim of this chapter is to briefly discuss the post-harvest processing steps and their impact on the quality of the final product.

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, and its consumption increases every year. The quality of a cup of coffee depends on many factors related to coffee, water and the coffeemaker. Coffee species, variety and origin have a clear influence on the chemical composition and quality of coffee brew, but many other factors from harvesting to roasting, grinding and brewing processes can contribute to maintain the high quality of the coffee beans or, on the contrary, to decrease or even ruin it. Each coffee brewing method has specific requirements in order to prepare a good quality cup. According to the methodology used for coffee brewing, the physico-chemical characteristics and chemical composition of coffee brews can substantially vary from one method to another. This chapter describes the different brewing methods and the requirements on water pressure, grinding grade, extraction time and water quality. Further, physico-chemical characteristics and chemical composition of brews will be discussed in detail.

Organic semiconductor materials are widely used in the field of organic electronic devices due to their wide variety, low price, and light weight. However, their developments are still restrained by their low stability and carrier mobility. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to study the influence of doped oxygen group elements (O, S, Se, and Te) on the properties of organic semiconductor materials (seven-membered benzothiophene, o-pentacene, thiophene derivatives, and pentacene) in this paper. Based on the calculation of EHOMO, ELUMO, ΔE, and total energy, the performances of organic semiconductor materials without and with doped elements were compared, and it was found that the doping of multi-element Te makes the material have high stability and potential high mobility. For these studied organic semiconductor materials, when the atoms of the doped site change in the order of O, S, Se, and Te, the carrier mobility gradually increases, and the molecules show a tendency of stability. In this paper, promising doping elements and doping methods for these studied molecules are determined through calculations and screening out suitable materials more efficiently and economically without a large amount of repetitive experimental work, which may provide a theoretical basis and guidance for preparing high-performance organic semiconductor materials.

This paper focuses on the complex conservation of the multi-material sculpture Love Me (1998) made by the British artist Sarah Lucas. The fragility of the constituent materials, combined with frequent transportations and installation/de-installation in art shows worldwide, had produced a deformation on one leg of the artwork. The goal of this experimental study was to develop a treatment methodology to ease out the dent and find a consolidant able to secure the area from further damage. A novel traction system, borrowed from medical limb-lengthening surgery, was developed and several types of tie rods and protecting layers were tested. Moreover, innovative materials based on nanocellulose particles were evaluated as strengthening agents for the papier-mâche layers and compared to traditional strengthening products. Due to the lack of information obtained from the experimentation, the use of nanocellulose particles was not considered safe for the treatment, which was done using more traditional materials, namely wheat starch and Kozo Japanese paper. Nevertheless, the results of the preliminary trials laid the foundation for the use of these novel products for conservation purposes.

Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) have the potential to not only replace paper notebooks for recording our research and our day-to-day activities, but they can also provide a myriad of additional capabilities for supporting scientists that go far beyond what is possible in a paper notebook. However, we know that many scientists are sceptical of the technology and have anxieties about the complexity of the software, and perceived ease of use is of primary importance to users in selecting an ELN provider. It is essential to ensure that usability is at the forefront in the design of digital tools to encourage adoption and also to ensure that the users get the best value out of the functions that are provided. The design of interfaces for digital tools not only impacts whether users are willing to use them, but also whether users are able to make the best use of them. In this chapter, we discuss a variety of user experience design techniques, including interaction design, that are used to help make software both useful and usable for the intended audience. We will investigate how these techniques can be used to identify requirements for new tools based on user needs and present some examples of potential ELN capabilities based on the needs and behaviours of real-world researchers. This chapter also includes guidelines and best practices for designing interfaces for desktop, mobile, and Web-based software.

Until relatively recently, scientific data has mostly been captured in paper notebooks or on paper forms. With the proliferation of digital technologies has come an even greater proliferation in the amount of scientific data produced and that subsequently needs to be managed. Although there are some challenges in managing data in paper-based form, there are significantly larger challenges in managing data in both paper and digital format. There is also an increasing desire for scientific data to be shared more widely in order that research can be validated and data reused. Both the creators and users of scientific data need to be able to find the data and then make sense of it in order to use it. In this chapter, we will discuss the issues and challenges around research reproducibility, and how data management practices can help. We discuss the role of metadata, standards, identifiers, and provenance in data curation and their importance for discoverability and reuse. We also look at the vulnerability of digital data and the steps that need to be taken to ensure that data is preserved for future access and reuse.

Biomass gasification is a widely used thermochemical process for obtaining products with more value and potential applications than the raw material itself. Cutting-edge, innovative and economical gasification techniques with high efficiencies are a prerequisite for the development of this technology. This paper delivers an assessment on the fundamentals such as feedstock types, the impact of different operating parameters, tar formation and cracking, and modelling approaches for biomass gasification. Furthermore, the authors comparatively discuss various conventional mechanisms for gasification as well as recent advances in biomass gasification. Unique gasifiers along with multi-generation strategies are discussed as a means to promote this technology into alternative applications, which require higher flexibility and greater efficiency. A strategy to improve the feasibility and sustainability of biomass gasification is via technological advancement and the minimization of socio-environmental effects. This paper sheds light on diverse areas of biomass gasification as a potentially sustainable and environmentally friendly technology.

Nano-enabled products and their applications have continued to evolve in recent years. Indeed, nanotechnologies have been integrated into many academic and industrial sectors, and have spurred new directions in terms of research, patents, commercial opportunities and technology transfer. However, many nanopatents are of dubious scope and breadth yet continue to be granted by patent offices internationally. Underpinning many issues in the regulation and patenting of such technologies is the difficulty that has been encountered in agreeing a definition, and this continues to pose a significant problem to regulators, policy-makers, drug companies, ethicists and legal professionals. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the regulatory and scientific landscape for nanotechnologies applied to medicine. The first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved nanodrug, Doxil®, is discussed as a paradigm for some of the sentient points. The chapter also provides information on the utility of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling for nano-enabled regulatory submissions, and a view of important gaps in knowledge relating to the mechanistic basis for modeling in the context of efficacy and safety of novel materials. There are potentially serious and inhibitory consequences if nanodrugs are overregulated, and a balanced approach is required, at least on a case-by-case basis, that addresses the needs of commercialization against mitigation of inadvertent harm to patients or the environment. Obviously, not every nanotherapeutic or nano-enabled product needs to be regulated. However, more is clearly needed from regulatory agencies like the FDA and European Medicines Agency than a stream of guidance documents that are in draft format, position papers that lack any legal implication, presentations that fail to identify key regulatory issues and policy papers that are often short on specifics. There is a very real need for regulatory guidelines that follow a science-based approach that are responsive to the associated shifts in knowledge and risks.

A rotation stage was developed to allow the surface of bullet casings to be imaged under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Experiments were performed over a period of seven months to determine how fingermarks deposited on the surface of Webley MkII revolver rounds change over time. Stitching software written in Python was used to combine image strips that were collected by performing ToF-SIMS analysis along the length of the revolver rounds. The ToF-SIMS analysis was performed by analysing a thin strip along the length of the casings, before rotating them through a few degrees and analysing a new strip. This process was repeated until the entire casing had been imaged. The resulting secondary ion images of the fingermarks were compared to optical images obtained from the same and similar rounds that had been exposed to cyanoacrylate fumes and subsequently stained using Basic Yellow 40 (BY40) dye. ToF-SIMS images were shown to display evidence of ridge and sweat pore level detail on samples that displayed no evidence of fingermarks when developed with cyanoacrylate and BY40. The effects of the curvature of the round casings on the morphology of fingermarks were also assessed. ToF SIMS images were compared to marks that had been deposited onto flat paper surfaces using ink. The distortions caused by differences in surface curvature and the deposition methods were found to be within acceptable limits. This journal is

Detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human breath is critical for the early diagnosis of diseases. Good selectivity of VOC sensors is crucial for the accurate analysis of VOC biomarkers in human breath, which consists of more than 200 types of VOCs. In this paper, a flexible virtual sensor array (FVSA) was proposed based on a sensing layer of MXene and laser-induced graphene interdigital electrodes (LIG-IDEs) for detecting VOCs in exhaled human breath. The fabrication of LIG-IDEs avoids the costly and complicated procedures required for the preparation of traditional IDEs. The FVSA's responses of multiple parameters help build a unique fingerprint for each VOC, without a need for changing the temperature of the sensing element, which is commonly used in the VSA of semiconductor VOC sensors. Based on machine learning algorithms, we have achieved highly precise recognition of different VOCs and mixtures and accurate prediction (accuracy of 89.1%) of the objective VOC's concentration in variable backgrounds using this proposed FVSA. Moreover, a blind analysis validates the capacity of the FVSA to identify alcohol content in human breath with an accuracy of 88.9% using breath samples from volunteers before and after alcohol consumption. These results show that the proposed FVSA is promising for the detection of VOC biomarkers in human exhaled breath and early diagnosis of diseases.

This paper describes a straightforward electrochemical method for rapid and robust urinary microRNA (miRNA) quantification using disposable biosensors that can discriminate between urine from diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients and control subjects. Aberrant miRNA expression has been observed in several major human disorders, and we have identified a urinary miRNA signature for DKD. MiRNAs therefore have considerable promise as disease biomarkers, and techniques to quantify these transcripts from clinical samples have significant clinical and commercial potential. Current RT-qPCR-based methods require technical expertise, and more straightforward methods such as electrochemical detection offer attractive alternatives. We describe a method to detect urinary miRNAs using diazo sulfonamide-modified screen printed carbon electrode-based biosensors that is amenable to parallel analysis. These sensors showed a linear response to buffered miR-21, with a 17 fM limit of detection, and successfully discriminated between urine samples (n = 6) from DKD patients and unaffected control subjects (n = 6) by differential miR-192 detection. Our technique for quantitative miRNA detection in liquid biopsies has potential for development as a platform for non-invasive high-throughput screening and/or to complement existing diagnostic procedures in disorders such as DKD., In this study we have developed an electrochemical microRNA biosensor sensitive to 17 fM and capable of detecting an established downregulation of urinary miR-192 in diabetic kidney disease patients.

Hydrogen is a major industrial chemical whose manufacture is responsible for ∼3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. >95% of hydrogen is made via reforming fossil fuels which typically co-produces hydrogen and waste carbon dioxide. Nearly all other hydrogen is co-produced with other commodity chemicals. Unfortunately, many alternative, clean hydrogen production processes are small-scale because they require major reductions in capital cost or energy prices to be economical enough for industry. Because the climate problem is urgent, and the economics of future energy is uncertain, this paper seeks to expand the options for producing industrial-scale, clean hydrogen under common, present-day economic conditions. First, we build a model to understand the economic and carbon dioxide emissions constraints of sulfur electrolysis which is an emerging process that cogenerates hydrogen and co-salable sulfuric acid and has the potential to produce up to 36% of the world's current hydrogen demand under present-day, average US economic conditions. We also use our model to evaluate water electrolysis, which cogenerates hydrogen and waste oxygen, but is not economical under present-day average US economic conditions. We then propose criteria for identifying clean hydrogen production chemistries. Using these criteria, we find enough reactions to have the combined potential to make over 150% of the world's industrial hydrogen needs under present-day, average US economic conditions while reducing cost and reducing or eliminating CO2 emissions. Given the urgency of the climate problem, we believe that an economic analysis, such as this is crucial to near-term CO2 emissions reductions.

Acoustic manipulation of microparticles and cells, called acoustophoresis, inside microfluidic systems has significant potential in biomedical applications. In particular, using acoustic radiation force to push microscopic objects toward the wall surfaces has an important role in enhancing immunoassays, particle sensors, and recently microrobotics. In this paper, we report a flexural-wave based acoustofluidic system for trapping micron-sized particles and cells at the soft wall boundaries. By exciting a standard microscope glass slide (1 mm thick) at its resonance frequencies, Lab on a Chip, 21 (3), ISSN:1473-0197, ISSN:1473-0189

PARP1 is the founder and most abundant of a superfamily of 17 enzymes, it plays a key role in the repair of DNA single-strand breaks, the most common form of endogenous DNA damage. PARP inhibitors were first developed to inhibit DNA repair and resistance to DNA damaging anticancer therapy. In 2005 two landmark papers were published showing that PARP inhibitors as single agents selectively kill cells lacking homologous recombination DNA repair, including those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Four PARP inhibitors are now approved for the treatment of cancer: 3 for ovarian cancer, 2 for breast cancer 2 for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer and 1 for pancreatic cancer with other tumour types under investigation. This chapter describes the journey from identification of the enzyme to the present day.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) could play a large role in meeting the 1.5C argets, but faces well-documented controversy in terms of land-use concerns, competition with food production, and cost. This study presents a bottom-up assessment of the scale at which BECCS plants – biomass pulverised combustion plants (“BECCS” in this study) and bioenergy combustion in combined heat and power plants (BE-CHP-CCS) – can be sustainably deployed to meet national carbon dioxide removal (CDR) targets, considering the use of both primary and secondary (waste-derived) biomass. This paper also presents a comprehensive, harmonised data set, which enables others to build upon this work. Land availability for biomass cultivation, processing, and conversion is quantified based on a land-use analysis, avoiding all competition with land used for food production, human habitation, and other protected areas. We find that secondary biomass sources provide a valuable supplement to primary biomass, augmenting indigenous biomass supplies. In initial phases of deployment, we observe that infrastructure is initially clustered near cities, and other sources of low cost, secondary biomass, but as CDR targets are increased and indigenous secondary biomass supplies are exhausted, infrastructure begins to move closer to potential biomass planting areas with higher yield. In minimising the cost of CDR on a cost per tonne CO2 removed basis, we find that the availability of secondary biomass, land availability, and yield are key factors that drive the cost of CDR. Importantly biomass conversion efficiency of a BECCS plant has an inverse effect on CDR costs, with less efficient plants resulting in lower costs compared to their more efficient counterparts. By consuming secondary biomass in BECCS and BE-CHP-CCS plants, the UK is able to be self-sufficient in biomass supply by utilising available indigenous biomass to remove up to 50 MtCO2 /yr, though for cost reasons, it may be preferable to import some biomass.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes demyelination of nerve cell axons. This paper is devoted to the study of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) biomarkers using an LC-MS/MS-based targeted metabolomics approach and the assessment of changes in the profile of 13 amino acids and 29 acylcarnitines in plasma during the relapse of the disease. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in the concentration of glutamate in plasma in patients with RRMS was detected, while the sum of leucine and isoleucine was reduced. A decrease in the concentration of decenoylcarnitine (C10:1, p < 0.05) was observed among acylcarnitines, and this metabolite was detected as a biomarker for the disease for the first time. Several models based on a single marker or multiple pre-selected markers and multivariate analysis with a dimension reduction technique were compared in their effectiveness for the classification of RRMS and healthy controls. The best results for cross-validation showed models of general linear regression (GLM, AUC = 0.783) and random forest model (RF, AUC = 0.769) based on pre-selected biomarkers. Validation of the models on the test set showed that the RF model based on selected metabolites was the most effective (AUC = 0.72). The results obtained are promising for further development of the system of clinical decision support for the diagnosis of RRMS based on metabolic data.

We demonstrate a rapid, 2-step, and ultrasensitive assay approach for quantification of target protein molecules from a single droplet test sample. The assay is comprised of antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that are “activated” when they are mixed with the test sample and bind their targets. The resulting liquid is passed through a microfluidic channel with a photonic crystal (PC) biosensor that is functionalized with secondary antibodies to the target biomarker, so that only activated AuNPs are captured. Utilizing recently demonstrated hybrid optical coupling between the plasmon resonance of the AuNP and the resonance of the PC, each captured AuNP efficiently quenches the resonant reflection of the PC, thus enabling the captured AuNPs to be digitally counted with high signal-to-noise. To achieve a 2-step assay process that is performed on a single droplet test sample without washing steps or active pump elements, controlled single-pass flow rate is obtained with an absorbing paper pad waste reservoir embedded in a microfluidic cartridge. We use the activate capture and digital counting (AC + DC) approach to demonstrate HIV-1 capsid antigen p24 detection from a 40 μL spiked-in human serum sample at a one thousand-fold dynamic range (1–103 pg mL−1) with only a 35-minute process that is compatible with point-of-care (POC) analysis. The AC + DC approach allows for ultrasensitive and ultrafast biomolecule detection, with potential applications in infectious disease diagnostics and early stage disease monitoring. This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 AI20683, F30AI122925, and the Carl Woese Institute for Genomic Biology postdoctoral fellowship.

This book chapter presents the basic facts about cellulose materials and comprehensive information about cellulose aerogels, silica–cellulose composite aerogels. Both the fabrication methods and properties of cellulose aerogels and silica–cellulose aerogels are discussed in detail. A combination of an aerogel structure and recycled cellulose fibres from paper waste can be used to form an advanced material, called a recycled cellulose aerogel, which is cost-effective and a promising material for oil absorption. This chapter also focuses on the thermal properties, such as thermal conductivity and thermal stability, of the recycled cellulose aerogels and their silica composites for the heat insulation applications. This is the first time that the benchmark data on the thermal properties of recycled cellulose-based aerogels have been summarized. Protein-based aerogels, novel biodegradable and biocompatible materials for lightweight food engineering and life science applications, are also briefly discussed.

Recently, the micro-Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (micro-SORS) technique has been developed to extend the applicability of Raman spectroscopy to probing thin, highly diffuse, scattering layers such as stratified paint samples. The method is a conceptual evolution of its parent technique, (macro-scale) SORS, combining SORS with microscopy and it can be applied in situations where the high turbidity of layers prevents the deployment of conventional confocal Raman microscopy with its depth-resolving capability. The method was applied successfully to detect non-invasively the presence of thin, highly turbid layers within polymers, wheat seeds, paper and cultural heritage materials. In this work two developed variants, defocusing and full micro-SORS, are described and applied to discriminate between the chemical composition of micrometric layers below the surface of street art paintings. A micro-invasive, cross-sectional analysis confirmed and provided a deeper understanding of the micro-SORS findings. Micro-SORS represents a new Raman imaging modality, expanding the portfolio of non-invasive, chemically specific analytical tools in archaeology and art history.

Understanding crucial material properties making a certain material suitable for a specific application requires a clear methodology linking microscopic parameters with macroscopic functionality. This paper provides such a methodology for the relevant example of the effective mass or effective density of states in semiconductors used as photovoltaic absorber materials. This example is inspired by the recent suggestion that low effective masses are a crucial ingredient explaining the high efficiency and in particular the high open-circuit voltages in metal-halide perovskite solar cells. We critically examine this claim and discuss the conditions that affect the relation between basic properties of a band structure with photovoltaic or more generally optoelectronic functionality. While low effective masses may indeed have a beneficial effect on the open-circuit voltage in the non-radiative limit, using low effective masses as a generic criterion for high optoelectronic functionality would be an oversimplification. Instead the effective mass should always be considered in combination with other material or device specific properties such as the type of band gap (direct or indirect), the doping level and the dominant carrier scattering mechanism.

Flow chemistry is a time-saver in the laboratory and a cost-saver in industry partly because of automation and autonomous operation. Nevertheless, a batch process is often preferred over a flow counterpart because setting up the autonomous operation may take a lot of time. In this paper, we propose a novel open-access OpenFlowChem platform based on LabVIEW for process automation, control and monitoring. The platform is optimized for quick system setup, reconfiguration and high flexibility. The platform is demonstrated in three examples: autonomous operation with an automatic stepwise program, proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control and self-optimization. In the first example, the system automatically executed a reaction program defined in a spreadsheet file to study the reversibility of a Pd/SiO2 catalyst poisoning with quinoline in the reaction of alkyne semihydrogenation. The addition of quinoline increased alkene selectivity and reduced the catalyst activity, but the time required to remove the catalyst poison varied by a factor of 10 and depended on the poison concentration. In the second example, a PID controller adjusted the nitrobenzene concentration in a hydrogenation reaction to compensate for catalyst deactivation and a disturbance in process parameters. The PID controller kept constant the hydrogen consumption determined by an inline optical liquid sensor. In the third example, the product yield in alkyne semihydrogenation was self-optimized, adjusting the flow rates of the substrate, the catalyst poison (quinoline) and the solvent in a tube reactor coated with a 5 wt% Pd/SiO2 catalyst. As a result, the alkene yield reached 96.5%.

The diagnosis of acute brain injury in the acute care setting is based on neurological examination and neuroimaging tools such as computed tomography scanning and magnetic resonance imaging. Clinicians have not been afforded the opportunity to use blood-based biomarkers for these conditions acutely. There are numerous blood-based biomarkers being used in medicine today, but no blood-based biomarker has been approved by the FDA for clinical use, nor has one been validated as a surrogate measure for clinical trials. Although there is an abundance of papers being published, many lack the rigorous methods and reporting required to adequately evaluate these markers for clinical use or as surrogate endpoints. Given all of this research, there is now an important need to validate these biomarkers. This chapter will review some of the most widely studied protein biomarkers for acute brain injury in the clinical setting, with an emphasis on traumatic brain injury and stroke. Also highlighted will be the gaps in the current state of knowledge and the role for blood-based biomarkers in future clinical trials.

MetGen is a Finnish SME specialising in the design, manufacturing and tailoring of industrial enzymes predominantly for pulp and paper (P&P) and biorefinery industries. In this chapter, the use of enzymes in wood related industrial applications is discussed. The chapter includes business and technical aspects of enzyme applications, industry specific challenges and solutions, and presents original experimental data from laboratory, pilot and industrial trials of some of MetGen enzymes.

X-Ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) generate nearly transversely coherent X-ray pulses over a wide wavelength range, from tens of nanometres to a fraction of one angstrom, with pulse durations from a few to hundreds of femtoseconds, and peak intensities from a few to 100 GW. Their unique and novel properties are opening a new area of scientific research in physics, chemistry, biology and materials sciences, at the length and time scale (angstrom–femtosecond) characteristics of atomic and molecular phenomena. In this paper, we review the physical principles, main characteristics and present status of XFELs. We also give a historical introduction on the subject and we briefly summarize novel developments in this exciting area of research.

Rapid urbanization combined with increases in per capita income have led to the world's motorization. Car manufacturers have been increasing their outputs in response to demands for fuel-efficient cars. New-generation vehicles (NGVs) like hybrid and electronic vehicles have emerged with significantly reduced weights and robust computerized systems. Likewise, the use of efficient batteries like nickel–hydrogen or lithium-ion batteries has been integrated into NGVs. Expectedly, a large volume of these cars will be classified as end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in the near future. The European Union, Japan and Korea have developed ELV recycling systems based on the extended producer responsibility principle, designed to recover used car parts, scrap metal, batteries, etc. However, countries like Mongolia and the Philippines are inundated with imported used cars, including used NGVs, which damage the environment due to their poor emissions and hazardous waste components. Air pollution and lead soil contamination are some of the environmental problems associated with the proliferation of ELVs. This paper tackles the opportunities and challenges of ELV recycling as espoused by the European Union, Japan and Korea and its potential application in developing countries. It also discusses emerging trends in the effective utilization of waste batteries from NGVs.

A key step in order to realise photo-electrochemical (PEC) water splitting to produce hydrogen sustainably, is reactor design. Good engineering will minimise energy losses (both optical and ohmic) due to reactor construction, whilst ensuring the H₂ and O₂ produced are separated, and this can subsequently relax the requirements on the photo-absorber material and/or electro-catalysts. In this paper we show that separation of the products through hydrodynamic flow alone would negate the need for the conventionally used membrane, which has an associated ohmic drop and cost. This is demonstrated to be possible using a ‘laminar flow between two parallel plates’ reactor design and AR/Pe and AR are found to be the two key dimensionless numbers that predict product cross-over (where AR, Pe are aspect ratio and Péclet number respectively). Supersaturation was used as an indicator of bubble formation, which disrupts the laminar flow required for separation and it is shown that by increasing the reactor pressure, higher current densities can be tolerated before supersaturation occurs. Removal of the dissolved hydrogen and oxygen from electrolyte is discussed. A multi-physics model, which employs an optical transfer matrix method, is used to validate the previous conclusions. Experimental data for hematite and Pt deposited on FTO was used as the anode and cathode respectively. Parasitic optical losses and efficiency improvement with stacking are shown for the example reactor configuration. Additionally, the concept of stacking this reactor design in order to absorb light in multiple passes is introduced. This approach relaxes a classical constraint on photo-absorber materials: large absorption length compared to small diffusion length of charge carriers in the semiconductor.

One of the main challenges in making any further advances in the field of SPR biosensing is in the detection of small molecules, low analyte concentrations, and single particle interactions. To this end, labels have been used to amplify the signal of this traditional label-free technique. The physical properties associated with these labels can enhance the SPR signal by affecting the dielectric constant both in the real and imaginary parts. In this paper, we have taken a holistic approach to considering the dielectric properties of these labels and their effect on the minimum resonance intensity (MI) is mapped for the Kretschmann SPR configuration. These maps provide a way for matching label properties for particular SPR conditions and reveal that thicker Au films (∼65 nm) make the MI method more suitable for the detection of absorbing materials. Whereas the wavelength SPR at 50 nm Au film thickness generates a shift of similar or lower magnitude for adsorption of the absorbing label, compared with BSA adsorption, in the 'thick'-film SPR using the MI format, the signal due to the non-absorbing BSA adsorption tends towards zero (background), whereas the absorbing label produces a large well resolved signal.

Micron-sized powders are often used in chemical plants. If the minimum ignition energy (MIE) of a powder is less than 30 mJ, measures to control static electricity-related disasters need to be implemented. Nanometals are susceptible to explosion because their MIEs are very low, for example, the MIEs of nano-Ti, Fe, and Al are all less than 1 mJ. These kinds of metal nanomaterials are very dangerous for operation. This chapter includes examples of nanomaterial disasters, explosion characteristics of nanopowders, risks of nanometals conveyed by air, and process safety control. For example, a nano-iron fire in an oxygen cylinder when the worker opened the regulator valves. The minimum ignition energy, minimum explosive concentration, maximum explosion pressure, and maximum rate of pressure rise for nano-iron will be introduced. Explosion disasters are combined with a review of journal papers to make readers recognize the fire and explosion risks of nanomaterials.

The environmental engineering paradigm is steadily moving towards a newer generation in today’s world and is surpassing visionary frontiers. Chemical engineering and separation processes are witnessing drastic and serious challenges. Environmental sustainability is vehemently and intensely gearing towards new and fresh challenges. Environmental disasters have urged the scientific domain to take drastic measures. Man’s scientific vision at this critical juncture of history and time needs to be restructured and re-envisioned. A critical overview is drawn along with this visionary treatise to lucidly delve deep into the scientific understanding of advanced environmental separation processes, analysis and application of nanotechnology. The author with deep comprehension delves deep into the latent world of advanced environmental engineering separation processes, especially advanced oxidation processes, integrated advanced oxidation processes and membrane separation processes, particularly nanofiltration. Furthermore, this treatise opens new frontiers in relevant environmental analysis and the successful and effective application of nanotechnology in environmental separation processes. The future vision of advanced environmental separation processes is absolutely bright and groundbreaking. Scientific knowledge, scientific prowess and scientific empowerment will go a long way in opening new vistas of cognizant frontiers in the field of advanced oxidation techniques, application of nanotechnology and relevant environmental analysis in generations to come. In today’s world of fervent and cautious environmental sustainability, challenges needs to be surmounted in the field of industrial wastewater treatment, provision of clean drinking water and application of nanotechnology, especially nanofiltration, ultrafiltration and microfiltration. A deep understanding of the provision of clean drinking water and desalination is the hallmark of this paper. In a separate dimension and a separate section, the author instinctively delves deep into the hidden world of the application of membrane separation process in drinking water treatment and relevant environmental analysis. The crux of this treatise is to highlight the importance of advanced environmental separation processes and relevant applications of nanotechnology. The ultimate and purposeful vision is targeted towards greater scientific understanding and scientific truth in unfolding the hidden and latent areas of advanced environmental separation science and fostering the vision towards greater environmental sustainability.

The increasing awareness of the environmental and health threats of lead as well as environmental legislation, both in the EU and around the world targeted at decreasing the use of hazardous substances in electrical appliances and products has reinvigorated the race to develop lead-free alternatives to lead zirconate titanate (PZT), which presently dominates the market for piezoelectric materials. Emphasis has been placed on one of the most likely piezoelectric materials, potassium sodium niobate (KNN), as a lead-free replacement for PZT. KNN has been speculated to have better environmental credentials and is considered as a ‘‘greener’’ replacement to PZT. However, a comparative environmental impact assessment of the life cycle phases of KNN versus PZT piezoelectric materials has not been carried out. Such a life cycle assessment is crucial before any valid claims of ‘‘greenness’’ or environmental viability of one material over the other can be made and is the focus of this paper. Against this backdrop, a methodologically robust life cycle supply chain assessment based on integrated hybrid life cycle framework is undertaken within the context of the two piezoelectric materials. Results show that the presence of niobium in KNN constitutes far greater impact across all the 16 categories considered in comparison with PZT. The increased environmental impact of KNN occurs in the early stages of the LCA due to raw material extraction and processing. As a result, the environmental damage has already occurred before its use in piezoelectric applications during which it doesn’t constitute any threat. As such, the use of the term ‘‘environmentally friendly’’ for the description of KNN should be avoided. Cost-benefit analysis of substituting PZT with KNN also indicates that the initial cost of conversion to KNN is greater, especially for energy usage during production. This environmental assessment has allowed us to define and address environmental health and safety as well as sustainability issues that are essential for future development of these materials. Overall, this work demonstrates insightful findings that can be garnered through the application of life cycle assessment and supply chain management to a strategic engineering question which allows industries and policy makers to make informed decisions regarding the environmental consequences of substitute materials, designs, fabrication processes and usage.

Semiconductor photoelectrochemistry experienced a renaissance stimulated by the development of mesoporous dye-sensitized solar cells following the 1991 Nature paper of O'Regan and Gratzel. The resulting move away from well-defined single crystal bulk materials to high surface area nanostructured electrodes opened a new field of research, and many of the ideas that had been developed for bulk semiconductor electrodes required re-examination in view of the very different length scales. Nanostructured semiconductor electrodes are now also being utilized for light-driven water splitting and environmental remediation. This historical development has resulted in a convergence of the fields of semiconductor photoelectrochemistry and photocatalysis at semiconductor particles. The objective of this chapter is to review the basic ideas that were developed originally to understand the photoelectrochemical behaviour of bulk semiconductors and to see how these ideas need to be modified when considering nanostructured semiconductor electrodes and dispersed colloidal systems.

This paper explores the cold field emission (CFE) properties of SiC nanowire (NW) arrays. The CFE currents were studied in the dark and under ultra-violet (UV) irradiation conditions. An increase in CFE current was observed when the SiC NW arrays were illuminated, with a consequent decrease in the values of the turn-on field and the threshold field. Furthermore, while dark CFE currents were well described by the standard Fowler–Nordheim (FN) theory for metals, the photo-enhanced CFE currents showed nonlinearity in FN plots. Specifically, a voltage range of current saturation appeared, which is appealing for nanotechnological applications, and it is indeed an essential prerequisite for realizing devices such as FE photocathodes.

Micron-sized lipid-stabilised bubbles of heavy gas have been utilised as contrast agents for diagnostic ultrasound (US) imaging for many years. Typically bubbles between 1 and 8 μm in diameter are produced to enhance imaging in US by scattering sound waves more efficiently than surrounding tissue. A potential area of interest for Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) are bubbles with diameters1 μm or 'nanobubbles.' As bubble diameter decreases, ultrasonic resonant frequency increases, which could lead to an improvement in resolution for high-frequency imaging applications when using nanobubbles. In addition, current US contrast agents are limited by their size to the vasculature in vivo. However, molecular-targeted nanobubbles could penetrate into the extra-vascular space of cancerous tissue providing contrast in regions inaccessible to traditional microbubbles. This paper reports a new microfluidic method for the generation of sub-micron sized lipid stabilised particles containing perfluorocarbon (PFC). The nanoparticles are produced in a unique atomisation-like flow regime at high production rates, in excess of 10(6) particles per s and at high concentration, typically10(11) particles per mL. The average particle diameter appears to be around 100-200 nm. These particles, suspected of being a mix of liquid and gaseous C4F10 due to Laplace pressure, then phase convert into nanometer sized bubbles on the application of US. In vitro ultrasound characterisation from these nanoparticle populations showed strong backscattering compared to aqueous filled liposomes of a similar size. The nanoparticles were stable upon injection and gave excellent contrast enhancement when used for in vivo imaging, compared to microbubbles with an equivalent shell composition.

© The Royal Society of Chemistry. Reactors based on particle suspensions for the capture, conversion, storage, and use of solar energy as H2 are projected to be cost-competitive with fossil fuels. In light of this, this review paper summarizes state-of-the-art particle light absorbers and cocatalysts as suspensions (photocatalysts) that demonstrate visible-light-driven water splitting on the laboratory scale. Also presented are reactor descriptions, theoretical considerations particular to particle suspension reactors, and efficiency and performance characterization metrics. Opportunities for targeted research, analysis, and development of reactor designs are highlighted.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has received growing attention as a potential pathway to replace fossil fuels and produce a clean, renewable, and sustainable source of fuel. To achieve overall water splitting and the associated production of solar fuels, complex devices are needed to efficiently capture light from the sun, separate photogenerated charges, and catalyze reduction and oxidation reactions. To date, the highest performing solar fuels devices rely on multi-component systems, which introduce interfaces that can be associated with further performance loss due to thermodynamic and kinetic considerations. In this review, we identify several of the most important interfaces used in PEC water splitting, summarize methods to characterize them, and highlight approaches to mitigating associated loss mechanisms. The authors thank Dr Eric Miller for the inspiration to compile this review, and the members of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Photoelectrochemical Working Group and Task 35 (Renewable Hydrogen) of the International E nergy Agency’s Hydrogen Imple- menting Agreement for helpful comments, suggestions, and dis- cussions, specifically Prof. Shane Ardo, Dr John Turner, Prof. Dunwei Wang, and Prof. Shannon Boettcher. WAS greatly acknowl- edges funding support from the FOM/NWO/Shell Program on CO 2 - neutral Fuels (Project – APPEL). IDS was supported by the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub, supported through the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Award Number DE-SC0004993. NCS acknowledges start-up funds from Lehigh University. JB thanks financial support from GeneralitatValenciana (ISIC/ 2012/008). A summary version of this review paper (DOI: 10.2172/1209498), and associated summary tables that will be updated as the field progresses, will be available on the working group website (http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/ photoelectrochemical-working-group).

This paper reports a novel hydrodynamic technique for sorting of droplets and cells based on size and deformability. The device comprises two modules: a focusing and spacing control module and a sorting module. The focusing and spacing control module enables focusing of objects present in a sample onto one of the side walls of a channel with controlled spacing between them using a sheath fluid. A 3D analytical model is developed to predict the sheath-to-sample flow rate ratio required to facilitate single-file focusing and maintain the required spacing between a pair of adjacent objects. Experiments are performed to demonstrate focusing and spacing control of droplets (size 5-40 ?m) and cells (HL60, size 10-25 ?m). The model predictions compare well with experimental data in terms of focusing and spacing control within 9%. In the sorting module, the main channel splits into two branch channels (straight and side branches) with the flow into these two channels separated by a "dividing streamline". A sensing channel and a bypass channel control the shifting of the dividing streamline depending on the object size and deformability. While resistance offered by individual droplets of different sizes has been studied in our previous work (P. Sajeesh, M. Doble and A. K. Sen, Biomicrofluidics, 2014, 8, 1-23), here we present resistance of individual cells (HL60) as a function of size. A theoretical model is developed and used for the design of the sorter. Experiments are performed for size-based sorting of droplets (sizes 25 and 40 ?m, 10 and 15 ?m) and HL60 cells (sizes 11 ?m and 19 ?m) and deformability-based sorting of droplets (size 10 � 1.0 ?m) and polystyrene microbeads (size 10 � 0.2 ?m). The performance of the device for size- and deformability-based sorting is characterized in terms of sorting efficiency. The proposed device could be potentially used as a diagnostic tool for sorting of larger tumour cells from smaller leukocytes. � The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

By combining the physics of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and silicon radio-frequency (RF) integrated circuits, we recently created progressively smaller NMR systems, which have been reported in references 1–4. Our strategy for NMR system miniaturization proved effective, culminating in the smallest prototype that weighs 0.1 kg and can be held in the palm of the hand. These small, low-cost NMR systems can be useful as biomolecular sensors in the personalized medicine setting, and we demonstrated their ability to detect proteins, compounds, and human cancer cells. The chapter reviews these developments. Portions of this chapter are reprinted from our recent review paper of with permission.

In the last decade, photovoltaics (PV) has experienced an important transformation. Traditional solar cells formed by compact semiconductor layers have been joined by new kinds of cells that are constituted by a complex mixture of organic, inorganic and solid or liquid electrolyte materials, and rely on charge separation at the nanoscale. Recently, metal organic halide perovskites have appeared in the photovoltaic landscape showing large conversion efficiencies, and they may share characteristics of the two former types. In this paper we provide a general description of the photovoltaic mechanisms of the single absorber solar cell types, combining all-inorganic and hybrid and organic cells into a single framework. The operation of the solar cell relies on a number of internal processes that exploit internal charge separation and overall charge collection minimizing recombination. There are two main effects to achieve the required efficiency, first to exploit kinetics at interfaces, favouring the required forward process, and second to take advantage of internal electrical fields caused by a built-in voltage and by the distribution of photogenerated charges. These principles represented by selective contacts, interfaces and the main energy diagram, form a solid base for the discussion of the operation of future types of solar cells. Additional effects based on ferroelectric polarization and ionic drift provide interesting prospects for investigating new PV effects mainly in the perovskite materials. This work was supported by MINECO of Spain under a project (MAT2013-47192-C3-1-R), and the Helmholtz-Energy-Alliance ‘‘Hybrid-Photovoltaics’’.