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It is well-known that Fe3+ impurities in the electrolyte can significantly promote the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of Co-based and Ni-based electrocatalysts. However, it is not clear if they work for single-metal Fe-based catalysts. Here, we systematically investigate the influence of Fe3+ ions in the electrolyte on the OER activity of core-shell FeO x @C catalytic system. We find that the absorbed Fe3+ can induce the generation of surface oxygen vacancies and regulate the electronic structure of active sites, thus increasing the OER kinetics and decreasing the energy barrier. Combining with in-situ Raman and ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, we disclose that Fe4+ species is the active species for the OER and positively correlate the characteristic content of the high-valence Fe species and OER activity. Fe3+ impurities in the electrolyte can improve the OER activity of Fe-based catalysts, which can be oxidized into Fe4+ as the active species. [Display omitted] • FeO x @C-700 exhibits improved OER activity when dropping Fe3+ into the electrolyte. • Fe3+ impurities have synergistic effects with FeO x @C-700. • In-situ Raman and ex-situ XPS spectra reveal Fe4+ species during the OER. • Fe4+ favors the OER as the reactive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for highly active and durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is the key to break through the bottleneck of overall water splitting. Here, we prepare Ni x Fe-BDC (H 2 BDC = terephthalic acid) nanorods with different Ni/Fe ratios by a facile solvothermal method for the OER. The optimal Ni 3 Fe-BDC exhibits a low overpotential (η 10) of 265 mV and a Tafel slope of 90 mV·dec−1 in 1 M KOH. Moreover, it shows a low η 10 of 280 mV and excellent stability in the mixture of 1 M NaCl and 1 M KOH, which has strong corrosion resistance to Cl− anions. The role of Fe3+ not only increases the charge transfer rate of Ni 3 Fe-BDC, but also affects the specific surface area of the catalyst with high electrochemical activity. Kinetic studies show that both Fe and Ni sites act as active centers, which catalyze synergistically to reduce the reaction kinetic energy barrier. Characterization results of the used Ni 3 Fe-BDC reveal that the in situ formed rod-like Ni 3 FeOOH is the active site for the OER. Ni 3 Fe-BDC shows low η 10 of 265 mV and 280 mV for the OER in 1 M KOH and in 1 M NaCl + 1 M KOH, respectively. In situ transformation of nanorod-like Ni 3 Fe-BDC MOF to Ni 3 FeOOH can efficiently remain the advantages of MOF, e.g. porous structure, high specific surface area and uniformly dispersed metal sites. [Display omitted] • Ni 3 Fe-BDC shows low η 10 of 265 mV for the OER in 1 M KOH. • Ni 3 Fe-BDC shows η 10 of only 280 mV for the OER in 1 M NaCl +1 M KOH. • Ni 3 Fe-BDC exhibits a low OER energy barrier of 13.7 kJ/mol. • The in-situ formed rod-like Ni 3 FeOOH serves as efficient active site for the OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing robust non-noble catalysts towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is vital for large-scale hydrogen production from electrochemical water splitting. Here, we synthesize Sn- and Fe-containing sulfides and oxyhydroxides anchored on nickel foam (SnFeS x O y /NF) using a solvothermal method, in which a heterostructure is generated between the sulfides and oxyhydroxides. The SnFeS x O y /NF exhibits low overpotentials of 85, 167, 249, and 324 mV at 10, 100, 500 and 1000 mA cm−2 for the HER, respectively, and a low overpotential of only 281 mV at 100 mA cm−2 for the OER. When it serves as both anode and cathode to assemble an electrolyzer, the cell voltage is only 1.69 V at 50 mA cm−2. The sulfides should be the efficient active species for the HER, while the oxyhydroxides are highly active for the OER. The unique sulfide/oxyhydroxide heterostructure facilitates charge transfer and lowers reaction barrier, thus promoting electrocatalytic processes. The heterostructure between sulfides and oxyhydroxides in the SnFeS x O y /NF facilitates charge transfer and lowers reaction barrier, thus promoting electrocatalytic HER and OER processes. [Display omitted] • SnFeS x O y /NF shows low HER overpotentials of 85 and 324 mV at 10 and 1000 mA cm−2, respectively. • SnFeS x O y /NF shows overpotential of only 281 mV at 100 mA cm−2 for the OER. • SnFeS x O y /NF-based electrolyzer needs 1.69 V to deliver 50 mA cm−2. • Heterostructure between sulfides and oxyhydroxides improves the electrocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dried shiitake mushrooms offer rich nutritional value and unique sensory properties, prompting further investigation. The effects of different drying techniques (hot air drying (HAD), infrared hot air drying (IRHAD), pulsed vacuum drying (PVD), vacuum freeze drying (VFD), and natural drying (ND)) combined with enzymatic hydrolysis on the release of flavor compounds and nutrients from shiitake mushrooms were explored. The combination of HAD with cellulase hydrolysis yielded notably high levels of umami amino acids (5.4723 ± 0.1501 mg/g) and 5′-nucleotides (4.0536 ± 0.0062 mg/g), and superior volatile flavors. Combined with cellulase hydrolysis, IRHAD achieved the highest level of total sugars (6.57 ± 0.34 mg/mL), VFD resulted in the greatest soluble protein content (153.21 ± 0.23 μg/mL), PVD yielded the highest total phenolics content (93.20 ± 0.41 μg GAE/mL), and ND produced the maximum reducing sugar content (5.79 ± 0.13 mg/mL). This study addresses crucial gap in the post-drying processing of shiitake mushrooms, offering valuable insights for further product development of shiitake mushrooms. [Display omitted] • The combination of drying techniques and cellulase hydrolysis was first studied. • Hot air-dried mushrooms had the best sensory quality after cellulase hydrolysis. • Pulsed vacuum drying was beneficial to the preservation of total phenolics. • Different combinations of techniques could be applied to diverse industry demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effect of vacuum freeze drying combined with catalytic infrared drying (FD-CIRD) process on aromas, free amino acids, reducing sugars and free fatty acids in chive leaves and stems. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with multivariate data analysis revealed that dipropyl disulfide was the key aroma that distinguished the differences between chive leaves and stems. The key aromas benzeneacetaldehyde, decanal and 1-octen-3-ol enhanced FD-CIRD chive leaves and stems aromas. The free amino acid content was highest at FD-CIRD stage in all samples except for the control (FD), while the reducing sugar content was lowest. The content of unsaturated fatty acids gradually decreased at FD stage and increased at FD-CIRD stage. Additionally, correlation analysis revealed that phenylalanine was a potential precursor of benzacetenealdehyde, oleic and linolenic acids were potential precursors of decanal and 1-octen-3-ol. Therefore, FD-CIRD technique helps to improve the sensory profile of dried chives. [Display omitted] • First study on aroma changes in drying chive leaves and stems. • Pearson reveals the relationship between aroma precursors and key aroma compounds. • Metabolic pathways of key aroma compounds hypothesized. • Benzeneacetaldehyde, decanal, and methional are key aromas in FD-CIRD chive leaves. • (E)-2-heptenal and 1-octen-3-ol are key aromas in FD-CIRD chive stems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclinic phase of BiVO 4 is a promising photoanode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, but its sluggish water oxidation kinetics and frequent bulk charge recombination greatly reduce its efficiency of PEC water splitting. A novel BiVO 4 /NiO/rGO photoanode was very simply prepared by electrodeposition, solution immersion and spin coating methods, in particular, the solution immersion method to loading NiO has never been reported in PEC research. Compared with BiVO 4 , the photocurrent density of the ternary photoanode reaches 1.52 mA / cm2 at 1.23 V vs RHE, which is 2.41 and 1.39 times higher than that of pure BiVO 4 and binary BiVO 4 /NiO photoanode, respectively. The onset potential of the ternary photoanode shows a significant cathodic shift of 130 mV compared with the BiVO 4 photoanode. Moreover, the measured incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) value reaches 50.52% at λ = 420 nm. The improvement is attributed to the type-II heterojunction formation that enhances the separation efficiency of electron/hole and the rGO decoration that accelerates the electron transfer and provides more active sites for gas adsorption. A novel ternary photoanode of BiVO 4 /NiO/rGO was successfully designed and fabricated by simple method. The photoanode not only extends the visible light absorption range and increases photocurrent density but also enhances IPCE and ABPE value, which is attributed to the enhanced charge separation and surface reaction dynamics of p-n heterojunction formed by BiVO 4 /NiO and the acceleration of electron transport by rGO. [Display omitted] • The BiVO 4 /NiO/rGO photoanode was synthesized by simple methods. • PEC properties of ternary photoanode are significantly enhanced compared with BiVO 4. • The enhancing is attributed to the modification of NiO and the addition of rGO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a promising method for lignin depolymerization, photocatalysis faces the challenge of low efficiency. In this study, MoS 2 /ZnO heterojunction catalysts, endowed with piezocatalysis and photocatalytic capabilities, were crafted through Zn ion intercalation for the depolymerization of phenoxyphenylethanol (PP-ol) and alkali lignin. Then, the synergistic interplay between ultrasonic-induced piezoelectric fields and heterojunctions was analyzed. The amalgamation of the piezoelectric field and heterojunction in MoS 2 /ZnO catalysts resulted in a diminished photogenerated hole/electron recombination efficiency, thereby fostering the generation of ·OH during the reaction. This pivotal role of ·OH emerged as a crucial reactive substance, converting 95.8 % of PP-ol through β-O-4 bond breaking within a 3-h treatment. By incorporating ultrasonic, the contact probability of PP-ol with the catalyst was significantly improved, resulting in efficient conversion even with a reduced amount of acetonitrile in the solvent system (20 %). Furthermore, ultrasonic-light methods show high efficiency for depolymerizing Alkali lignin (AL), with 33.2 % of lignin undergoing depolymerization in a 4-h treatment. This treatment simultaneously reduces the molecular weight of AL and cleaves numerous chemical bonds within it. Overall, this work presents a green approach to lignin depolymerization, providing insights into the synergistic action of ultrasonic and photocatalysis. • A bifunctional catalyst with piezoelectric photocatalysis ability was synthesized. • When ultrasound is employed, ·OH is the active substance in the reaction. • Ultrasonic-light methods show high efficiency for depolymerizing lignin. • Ultrasonic-light methods reduce the proportion of acetonitrile in the reaction solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarette smoking substantially promotes tumorigenesis and progression of colorectal cancer; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Among 662 colorectal cancer patients, our investigation revealed a significant correlation between cigarette smoking and factors, such as large tumor size, poor differentiation, and high degree of invasion. Among the nicotine-derived nitrosamines, 4-(methylnitrosamino)−1-(3-pyridyl)−1-butanone (NNK) emerged as the most critical carcinogen, which significantly promoted the malignant progression of colorectal cancer both in vivo and in vitro. The results of methylated RNA immunoprecipitation and transcriptome sequencing indicated that NNK upregulated transmembrane and ubiquitin-like domain-containing protein 1 (TMUB1) via N6-adenosine methylation, which was regulated by methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) and YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 2 (YTHDF2). Elevated TMUB1 levels were associated with a higher risk of cancer invasion and metastasis, leading to a high mortality risk in patients with colorectal cancer. Additionally, TMUB1 promoted lysine63-linked ubiquitination of AKT by interacting with AMFR, which led to the induction of malignant proliferation and metastasis in colorectal cancer cells exposed to NNK. In summary, this study provides a new insight, indicating that targeting TMUB1 expression via METTL14/YTHDF2 mediated N6-adenosine methylation may be a potential therapeutic and prognostic target for patients with colorectal cancer who smoke. [Display omitted] • Cigarette-smoking is related to the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). • Cigarette-derived NNK induces the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells. • NNK upregulates TMUB1 expression in a METTL14/YTHDF2-mediated m6A manner. • High TMUB1 expression is associated with a poor overall survival of CRC patients. • TMUB1 promotes AKT signaling activation through AMFR-mediated ubiquitination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BiVO 4 was firstly prepared by modification's metal organic decomposition method followed by electrodepositing rGO and Cu 2 O on BiVO 4 to construct the rGO decorated BiVO 4 /Cu 2 O n-n heterojunction triadic photoanode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The structure and PEC properties of the photoanode were characterized and measured by various spectral analysis and three electrode system. The highest photocurrent density of the triadic photoanode achieves 2.2 mA/cm2 at 1.8 V (vs. RHE) that is closely 2 folds of single BiVO 4 photoanode. The photoanode has the highest IPCE value of 42.0% at 400 nm. The enhanced PEC properties come from the valid separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pair and enhancement of surface oxidation kinetics due to the formation of n-n heterojunction and rGO act as the role of electronic migration mediator accelerates charge carrier transfer, which has been demonstrated by calculated the decrease of charge transfer resistance at electrode/electrolyte interface and prolonging of charge carriers lifetimes. BiVO 4 /Cu 2 O/rGO (0.02C) photoanode achieves the higher photocurrent density of 2.2 mA/cm2 at 1.8 V vs. RHE. The enhancement is attributed to the efficient separation of the photoexcited electron-hole pairs and superior electrical conductivity of rGO. Image 1060707 • BiVO 4 /rGO/Cu 2 O photoanode was fabricated by facile electrochemical deposition. • The BiVO 4 /rGO/Cu 2 O photoanode is few reported in literature. • The photoanode achieves the photocurrent density of 2.2 mA/cm2 at 1.8 V vs RHE. • The enhancing mechanism is attributed to the heterojunction and decoration of rGO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Fe-N x coordination structure in single-site iron nanozymes is highly similar to that in natural bio-enzymes, they exhibit superior therapeutic effects and have wide biomedical applications, including disease treatment, antibacterial wound disinfection, biosensing and oxidative stress cytoprotecting. [Display omitted] • The biomedical applications of Fe-based single-site materials are summarized. • Synthesis and characterization of Fe-based single-site materials are introduced. • The biomedical effect mechanisms of Fe-based single-site materials are discussed. • Current challenges are discussed and future trends are envisioned in biomedical field. With the vigorous development of nanozymes in recent years, single-site nanozymes (SSNs) with maximum atomic utilization of 100% have become a popular research frontier in various fields due to their tremendous advantages in both catalytic activity and selectivity. As for biomedicine, Fe-based SSNs not only have a high abundance of earth resources, but also share the normal Fe-N x coordination structure, which is extremely similar to that of natural bioenzymes. Moreover, Fe ions play a crucial role in the Fenton response, exhibiting superior therapeutic effects. These unique advantages allow Fe-based SSNs to greatly shine in the biomedicine. In this review, we first describe the characterization and synthesis methods of atomic level sites. Then the biochemical action mechanism and in vivo pharmacokinetics of Fe-based SSNs is outlined. Following, we emphatically summarize the latest biomedical research and applications according to different application directions (including disease treatment, antibacterial wound disinfection, biosensing and oxidative stress cytoprotecting). Finally, a concise but directly summary and perspective is provided to outline the challenges for the future development of Fe-based SSNs for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics influences hydrogen production efficiency from water splitting. To break through the bottleneck of water splitting, it is urgent to develop efficient and economic electrocatalysts. Although NiFe-based catalysts exhibit outstanding OER activity, the complicated preparation process limits their large-scale synthesis and applications. Here, partially crystallized nickel-iron oxyhydroxides are synthesized by a facile sol-gel method. When the Fe/Ni mole ratio is 0.5:1, the NiFe 0.5 (OH) x catalyst shows superior OER performance with a low OER overpotential of 265 mV and good durability. Kinetic studies show that the energy barrier of NiFe 0.5 (OH) x is only 31.5 kJ mol−1, much smaller than those of Ni(OH) x (41.0 kJ mol−1) and Fe(OH) x (44.8 kJ mol−1). The synergistic action between Ni and Fe sites not only facilitates mass and charge transfer, but also promotes the formation of ∗OOH intermediate for the OER. The OER energy barrier on NiFe 0.5 (OH) x is only 31.5 kJ mol−1, much lower than those on Ni(OH) x (41.0 kJ mol−1) and Fe(OH) x (44.8 kJ mol−1). [Display omitted] • Partially crystallized nickel-iron oxyhydroxides are synthesized by a facile sol-gel method. • The overpotential of NiFe 0.5 (OH) x is only 265 mV at 10 mA cm−2. • NiFe 0.5 (OH) x exhibits a low OER energy barrier of 31.5 kJ mol−1. • Synergy between Ni and Fe sites promotes charge transfer for the OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel NO 2 sensor based on rGO (0.5 wt%)-NiO/32ZnO composite was successfully prepared by hydrothermal method and hydrazine hydrate reduction method. Compared with the ZnO, the rGO (0.5 wt%)-NiO/32ZnO composite has a significant improvement in the sensing performance of NO 2 , indicating the new rGO (0.5 wt%)-NiO/32ZnO composite with p-n heterojunction is a promising sensing material for the detection of NO 2 gases. [Display omitted] • One-step hydrothermal method synthesized a novel gas sensing of NiO/ZnO composite. • The triadic composite exhibits high sensitivity, higher response and shorter response time to NO2. • The improvement is due to the formation of junction and the modification of rGO. The rGO-NiO/ZnO composites were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal and hydrazine hydrate reduction methods and were used to detect NO 2. The structure and morphology of the composites were characterized using spectrum techniques. The sensing tests showed that the triadic composite of rGO (0.5 wt%)-NiO/32ZnO exhibits a liner response toward NO 2 in the concentration range of 0.5–3 ppm and the highest response reaches 75.3 to 2 ppm NO 2 at 140 °C, which is 4.55 times and 1.38 times higher than that of pure ZnO and binary composite of NiO/32ZnO, respectively. The composite also exhibits a fast response of 39 s and a low detection limit of 46 ppb. The improvement mechanism is ascribed to the formation of p-n heterojunction that benefits from the formation of an additional depletion layer at the junction interface and the decoration of rGO increases surface active sites and accelerates electron transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging clean energy, wind energy has become an important part of energy development all over the world. One of the major ways to use wind energy is wind power. Accurate wind power forecasting is significant to the wind energy development and utilization, and the power systems safe and stable operation. Due to the fluctuation and randomness of wind energy, improving the accuracy of ultra-short-term wind energy prediction has become the key to wind energy development and utilization, and it is also the focus of wind energy development research in various countries. Therefore, this paper proposes a new combination model based on complementary empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD), T-S fuzzy neural network (FNN) optimized by improved genetic algorithm (IGA) and Markov error correction to improve the accuracy of ultra-short-term wind power prediction. First, the CEEMD is used to decompose the wind data into several components; then, the trained IGA-FNN model is used to individually predict each modal component to improve accuracy and stability; finally, the prediction results of all modal components are superimposed and the Markov process is used for error correction to obtain the final prediction result. The empirical results show that the mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the proposed model is 15.59%, 17.95% and 6.94%, respectively. The empirical result proves that compared with the BPNN, Elman NN, and FNN, the prediction results MAE of the proposed method is reduced by 68 0.6%, 61.7%, 59.2%, the RMSE is reduced by 70.7%, 65.0%, 63.9%, the MAPE is reduced by 75.5%, 67.6%, 60.4%. The prediction accuracy of the proposed method is significantly higher, and it is available for wind power development and utilization. • A novel wind speed prediction method is proposed, which is beneficial to development of wind energy. • The CEEMD decomposition method is used for decomposition which integrate the advantages of EMD and EEMD algorithms. • The GA method is improved to optimize the FNN, and the combination prediction model is used for wind prediction. • Introducing the Markov chain to correct the prediction error of wind speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A miniaturized biosensor was developed for in situ noninvasive detection of glucose in sweat. The biosensor was composed of a pair of interdigital Pt-poly(L-lactic acid) (Pt-PLA) microelectrode arrays operating as the working and auxiliary electrode. The size of the sensor was 3.56 × 0.72 mm, while the width of the interdigital microelectrodes was 2.4 μm. The microelectrodes with densely packed coral-like Pt-PLA nanoparticles were fabricated using a multi-potential step deposition process. We investigated the influence of the Pt-PLA electrodeposition time on the morphology and electrochemical performance of the microelectrode. The optimized biosensor exhibited high electrocatalytic activity because of the synergistic effects between the Pt nanoparticles and PLA polymer matrix, including the electrooxidation of Pt on glucose, the adsorption of glucose by the PLA polymer, and the acceleration of the glucose dehydrogenation step. For glucose detection in sweat and tears, the linear concentration ranges were observed to be 0.001–33.76 μM and 33.76–1000 μM, with a low detection limit of 0.19 nM. The miniaturized biosensor exhibited high sensitivity and signal stability, and could be suitable for use in the long-term monitoring of sweat glucose levels in patients, athletes, and other subjects in various difficult environments. Image 1 • Interdigital microelectrode array-based microsensor for in-situ glucose detection. • Pt-poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) microelectrodes were used. • High sensitivity to glucose in sweat and tears, with 0.19 nM detection limit, is shown. • Sensor could be attached to skin for in-situ glucose detection in sweat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The combined weight model clarifies that economics affect MSW separation vitally. • The prediction model solves the problem of missing urban sanitation data sets. • An artificial neural network were established to evaluate MSW separation ability. • An MSW separation evaluation system has been designed for model application. With the increase in municipal solid waste (MSW), most cities face solid waste management issues. In this study, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and artificial neural network (ANN) models were improved to assess the MSW separation capability based on 18 selected indicators of solid waste separation in 15 cities in China. The entropy weight method (EWM) was used in AHP to optimize and determine the indicators and then evaluate their weights, which showed that the general public budget expenditure had the highest weight (0.5239). This implied that the MSW separation capability could be mainly influenced by government financial support. ANN based on scan optimization and machine learning methods were established (R2 = 0.9992) to predict the missing indicators. The mapping relationship between MSW separation indicators and capabilities was also significantly improved from R2 = 0.5317 to R2 = 0.9993, thereby increasing the prediction accuracy of MSW separation capabilities to 95.15%. Thus, this research provides a new avenue for MSW separation and establishes a combined model to predict the separation capability in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Effect of Ag-O-Al entity on C 11 H 24 activation was analyzed by C 11 H 24 -TPD and C 11 H 24 -P-TPD. • Different types of byproducts with different number of carbons were systematic studied by GC-MS. • The value of υ as CH 3 / υ as CH 2 in processes of adsorption and reaction were analyzed by in situ DRIFTS. • Plasma-catalytic C 11 H 24 degradation mechanism of chain scission and oxidation was put forward. To provide insight into the mechanism of plasma-catalytic long-chain alkane oxidation from the aspect of chain scission, n-undecane (C 11 H 24) decomposition over γ-Al 2 O 3 and Ag/γ-Al 2 O 3 were investigated in a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The highest n-undecane conversion (89.7 %) and CO 2 selectivity (S CO 2 , 40.0 %) were achieved in Plasma + Ag/γ-Al 2 O 3 system. It was found that the simultaneous activation of O 3 and C 11 H 24 played a very important role in chain scission, which could be promoted by the formation of Ag-O-Al entity introduced by the strong interaction between Ag and γ-Al 2 O 3. Different chain scission behaviors and reaction pathways were proposed by a combined analysis of GC-MS and in-situ DRIFTS. In Plasma + Ag/γ-Al 2 O 3 system, the reaction of chain scission and oxidation preferred to take place in the middle of the chain, producing the ketone and aldehyde species with low carbon number, which were easy to be converted to CO 2 and H 2 O. Instead, without the highly efficient activation of O 3 and C 11 H 24 , the oxidation of the C 11 H 24 over the surface of γ-Al 2 O 3 was more likely to take place on the edge of the chain, leading to the accumulation of long-chain aldehyde, which lower values of C 11 H 24 conversion and S CO 2 (45.6 % and 21.7 %, respectively) in Plasma + γ-Al 2 O 3 system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-atom manganese catalysts possess high stability in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their lower Fenton reaction activity. Here, we employ N- and S-co-coordination strategy to modulate the microstructural Mn sites towards high-efficiency ORR. The fabricated Mn-N/S-C catalyst with isolated Mn-N 2 S 2 sites demonstrates a positive half-wave potential of 0.91 V for the ORR. The fabricated zinc–air battery with Mn-N/S-C as the cathode affords a maximal power density of 193 mW cm−2 and superior output stability. Moreover, the maximal power density is increased by 1.53 times compared with S-free Mn-N-C catalyst in anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). Both experimental characterizations and theoretical simulations unveil that the main active sites in the Mn-N/S-C should be Mn-N 2 S 2 moiety embedded into the graphene framework (Mn-N 2 S 2 G). Further computational results demonstrate that the S atom doping and asymmetry of structure lead to higher ORR activities of ortho-Mn-N 2 S 2 G than Mn-N 4 G, Mn-N 3 SG, para-Mn-N 2 S 2 G and Mn-NS 3 G. [Display omitted] • N- and S-co-coordination to isolated Mn sites improves the catalytic activity. • The Mn-N/S-C exhibits a positive half-wave potential of 0.91 V for the ORR. • The Mn-N/S-C-based zinc–air battery affords a peak power density of 193 mW cm−2. • The Mn-N/S-C-based AEMFC affords a peak power density of 247 mW cm−2. • Ortho-Mn-N 2 S 2 G shows higher activity than Mn-N 4 G, para-Mn-N 2 S 2 G and Mn-NS 3 G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiVO 4 is an ideal photoanode material for solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting but it easily suffers from the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes due to its low carrier mobility thus cause low efficiency of PEC water splitting. Herein, the BiVO 4 /CdS/NiCo-LDH photoanode was prepared by combining methods of metal organic decomposition, chemical and electrodeposition. The photoanode photocurrent density reaches 2.72 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE), which is 3.6 folds of pure BiVO 4 photoanode and onset potential shifts 450 mV toward cathodic. The incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) value is 2.86 folds of BiVO 4 , the calculated photon–to–current efficiency (ABPE) is 1.24% at 0.62 V (vs. RHE). The obtained results are higher than that of most BiVO 4 based photoanodes published so far. The enhancement benefits from increase of visible light absorption capacity, enhancement of separation efficiency of photoexcited electron-hole and fast transfer of holes accumulated on electrode/electrolyte surface for water oxidation, which has been confirmed by calculating carrier density and carrier transport rate. This work successfully prepared BiVO 4 /CdS/NiCo-LDH photoanode, and improved the PEC water splitting efficiency, which benefits from the formation of heterojunction and the decoration of cocatalyst. Image 1 • NiCo-LDH decorated BiVO 4 /CdS heterojunction photoanode was fabricated successfully. • PEC properties of triadic photoanode were significantly enhanced compared with BiVO 4. • The enhancement benefits from the combination of heterojunction and co-catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the decomposition of n-hexane in 15% O 2 (N 2 balance) in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactors filled with three different kinds of dielectric balls, viz. quartz, less porous, and porous alumina balls. Products of n-hexane decomposition were analyzed by using a gas chromatograph (GC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). The main products of n-hexane decomposition are CO, CO 2 , and liquid particles. The DBD reactor filled with porous alumina balls can completely adsorb the liquid particles and reduce particle emission. GC–MS and FTIR analysis results show that the liquid particles mainly compose 3-hexanone and 2-hexanone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Structure and bioactivities of main sweet taste ingredients of stevia are described. • Stevia provides beneficial effects against various diseases and its application in food. • A number of novel techniques are currently utilized to extract steviol glycosides. • Recovery of steviol glycosides from Stevia is discussed. For health and safety reasons, the search for green, healthy, and low-calorie sweeteners with good taste has become the demand of many consumers. Furthermore, the need for sugar substitutes of natural origin has increased dramatically. In this review, we briefly discussed the safety and health benefits of stevia sweeteners and enumerated some examples of physiological functions of steviol glycosides (SGs), such as anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, anti-diabetes, and anticaries, citing various evidence related to their application in the food industry. The latest advances in emerging technologies for extracting and purifying SGs and the process variables and operational strategies were discussed. The impact of the extraction methods and their comparison against the conventional techniques have also been demonstrated. These technologies use minimal energy solvents and simplify subsequent purification stages, making viable alternatives suitable for a possible industrial application. Furthermore, we also elucidated the potential for advancing and applying the natural sweeteners SGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ozone (O 3 ) generation in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor driven by a pulsed power supply was investigated at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. An O 3 generation efficiency model is established in which discharge power, O 2 concentration, gas flow rate, and volume of the discharge space are included. Constants in the O 3 generation efficiency model were obtained by fitting the model with experiment results. O 3 concentration can be simply calculated from the energy density and initial O 2 concentration. Comparison on O 3 concentrations from calculation with references is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) technology has been widely considered as a key strategy in preventing eutrophication and recognized as the advancing front of research in wastewater treatment. The key to keep its high efficiency in biological phosphorus removal is to optimize the operation and management of the system. Previous research in this field has undoubtedly improved understanding of the factors hindered overall efficiency of EBPR. However, it is obvious that much remains to be learnt. This paper attempts to review the fundamental understanding in factors inhibiting the stability and reliability of the EBPR systems in the state-of-the-art research. In view of modeling the EBPR systems, an appropriate extension of the current mechanistic models with these inhibitory factors is recommended in order to better simulate and predict the behavior of full-scale and lab-scale EBPR plants. From the perspectives of the further mechanistic and multi-factors study, the direction of denitrifying dephosphatation and granules/biofilms are also discussed. This comprehensive overview will not only help us to understand the overall mechanism of the EBPR process, but also benefit the researchers and engineers to consider all the possible factors affecting the process in the urban sewage treatment plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fe or Mo-modified VWT catalysts were used for degradation of benzene in SCR DeNOx system. • The production of 16 kinds of PAHs were investigated. • Fe or Mo could play as a carrier to boost the migration of oxygen among V-Fe/Mo-W. • The weakly adsorbed phenol easily desorbed as phenyl which would transform to PAHs. • The reaction mechanism for benzene → COx/PAHs were revealed by in situ DRIFTS. V 2 O 5 -WO 3 /TiO 2 (VWT) was modified by Fe and Mo to degrade benzene at selective catalytic reduction with NH 3 (NH 3 -SCR) reaction temperature (350 °C). Mo modified catalyst (Mo-VWT) was found greatly increased COx selectivity from 74.80 % (VWT) to 94.00 %. Meanwhile, the transformation of benzene into polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was effectively inhibited, with the PAHs selectivity decreased from 3.04 % (VWT) to 0.34 %. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Mo could play as the carrier to efficiently transform electron from V to W, increasing the amount of V5+ and oxygen vacancies (O v). Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) experiments proved that Mo could also play as the carrier for surface lattice oxygen (W-O lat-s) migrating from W to V, replenishing adsorbed oxygen species (O ads) and keeping a higher amount of V5+-O ads for benzene degradation. Based on temperature programmed desorption of benzene (benzene-TPD) and in situ diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS) results, it was found that surface Mo-OH could provide new benzene activation sites to form strongly adsorbed phenol, which was easily oxidized by V5+-O ads. For VWT, benzene would be weakly activated to form the weakly adsorbed phenol, which would desorb as phenyl to transform into PAHs. When the degradation of benzene was carried out under NO + NH 3 , catalyst surface O ads and O lat-s tended to be occupied by NH 3 , which hindered the migration of W-O lat-s and weakened the oxidation of phenol. Therefore, more phenol would desorb and transform to PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The production period of virus-free seed garlic was shortened by the artificial control of light supplementation and substrate cultivation. • Resultant commercial garlic had improved virus-free effects and quality. • Breeding efficiency nearly five times better than conventionally farmed garlic. • Light supplement with dark break greatly increased bulb formation. The garlic (Allium sativum L.) industry is faced with severe problems such as virus accumulation and low reproduction coefficients due to long-term asexual propagation. In vitro propagation may be an effective method to solve such problems. In the present study, a complete virus-free and rapid propagation technology system from explants to bulblets have been established based on a tissue culture method using the inflorescence of the introduced and domesticated Xinjiang purple peel garlic "Jiangjin No.1″ as explants. The inflorescences were divided into three groups based on the length ratio of the flower stem to the pseudostem to optimize the harvest time of explants. The result indicated that the inflorescences harvested during the stage when the ratio of flower stem length to pseudostem length was 08–0.9 had the best induction efficiency of bulblets. The obtained virus-free seed garlic and commercial garlic were tested for physio-biochemical and viral indices. Subsequently, the effects of different photoperiod treatments and culture media on the growth of plants originating from the bulblets were assessed. Our results indicated that the virus-free seed garlic and commercial garlic exhibited good virus-free effects and their quality was improved to a large extent. Concomitantly, the breeding efficiency was nearly five times higher than that of traditional breeding methods, resulting in greatly reduced production cost. The formation of underground bulbs was significantly affected by photoperiod treatment, while substrates had a slight influence. The underground bulb formation rate could reach 96% when the bulblets were cultivated on an inorganic substrate under the light source to break the darkness at night. The whole process from bulblets to virus-free seed garlic was completed in a relatively short period (four months) by providing the required nutrients regularly and replenishing artificial light. Compared with conventional field planting, the production period of virus-free seed garlic was shortened by approximately a year. Overall, our study can give important insights into the process optimization of virus-free seed garlic preparation, and make the reproduction, popularization and industrialization of seed garlic free of virus a reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article summarizes the published scientific data on sources, levels and human exposure of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in China. Potential sources of unintended HCB emission were assessed by production information, emission factors and environmental policies. HCB was observed in various environmental compartments in China. HCB levels increased from South China to North China in most of environmental compartments (air, soil and mussel). Some hotspots were identified near the factories producing and using HCB. In terms of spatial distribution, HCB concentrations in air and shellfish showed much variation, which indicated some primary emission sources in China. HCB levels in air and human milk in China were relatively higher than those in other countries, but HCB levels in other compartments were similar to those in Europe and other countries in Eastern Asia. In the limited studies on temporal trends of HCB levels in China, HCB concentrations in air, sediment, fish and human milk did not show a consistent downward trend. Although HCB levels in food and human milk does not pose a health risk in China at present, long-term exposure to HCB should not be overlooked. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Sand + activated carbon + ceramsite removed 97.4 of NH 4 +-N and 96.2% of TN. • Ceramsite + activated carbon + sand substrate had a high DO content. • NH 4 +-N removal was improved by AOB, anammox, and aerobic denitrifying bacteria. • Lightweight substrates had high bacterial abundance, e.g., Vibrio and Planctomyces. Three constructed wetland systems were established to treat saline sewage via high-porosity ceramsite, activated carbon, and low-porosity sand: A (ceramsite + activated carbon + sand), B (sand + activated carbon + ceramsite), and C (sand). The distribution of dissolved oxygen in these systems varied with different filling methods with the best removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen and total nitrogen observed in system B (97.4 and 96.2%, respectively). The 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing results showed that all the systems had a high abundance of salt-tolerant denitrifiers, and the filling method significantly impacted denitrifying bacteria (e.g., Vibrio and Planctomyces) in the substrate. System B had more diverse dissolved oxygen conditions than system A and showcased aerobic nitrification–denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation pathways. Therefore, the use of substrates with different porosities can improve the dissolved oxygen supply and enhance nitrogen removal efficiency in constructed wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power, as a potential new energy generation technology, is gradually developing towards to the mainstream energy in the world. However, the inherent random volatility of wind brings severe challenges to the safe operation of the grid and the reliability of power supply, one of the effective ways to solve the problem is to improve the accuracy of wind speed prediction. However, most of wind speed prediction model cannot well mine the inherent regularity of wind speed data. Therefore, this paper introduces variational mode decomposition (VMD) algorithm. And the Short-term Wind Speed Prediction Model based on GA-ANN improved by VMD is proposed, which can effectively improve the accuracy of wind speed prediction. Firstly, hierarchical cluster method in this paper is employed to extract the historical data with high similarity to the predicted day. And then the appropriate number of decompositions K is selected by judging the value of sample entropy, so that the extracted historical data is decomposed into K subsequences by the variational mode decomposition. Next, with the global optimization ability of genetic algorithm, the artificial neural network is optimized to improve the forecasting performance. Finally, the short-term wind speed forecasting model based on GA-ANN improved by VMD is employed to predict the wind speed of each subsequence and superimposed them to obtain the final wind speed prediction sequence. The results in this paper show that (1) the model can find the periodic fluctuation of wind speed through historical data by hierarchical cluster method, so that significantly improving the accuracy of short-term wind speed prediction; (2) for the wind speed prediction, the error value of GA-ANN model is smaller than that of BP neural network; (3) in view of the inherent nature of the wind, the model proposed in this paper can use VMD to decompose the wind speed signal to obtain different scale fluctuations or trends, so as to fully exploit the potential information of wind speed, and obtain more accurate prediction results. The research work can help the relevant departments of the power system to accurately assess the risk of power grid operation, make a reasonable generation plan, effectively reduce the cost of power operation, and then greatly promote the development of green energy. • Proposing a new windspeedprediction model named HC-VMD-GA-BPmodel. • Using hierarchical cluster methodtoselect the historical wind speed data. • VMD is introduced to decomposethe original wind speed sequence. • Artificial neural networkisoptimized by GA to improve the prediction performance. • The HC-VMD-GA-BP model is comparedwith other models to verify itseffectiveness and high prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the antimicrobial ability of MoS 2 -containing films, we used lignin and triple-frequency ultrasound for liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) to obtain MoS 2 nanosheets. Photoresponsive antimicrobial films with MoS 2 nanosheets, lignin, polyvinyl alcohol and deep eutectic solvents were subsequently prepared. Lignin functionalized the MoS 2 nanosheets by chemically linking with S in MoS 2 and significantly improved the exfoliation efficiency. Tri-frequency ultrasound produces beneficial effects on the LPE process by creating a more homogeneous sound field and a stronger degree of cavitation. The concentration of MoS 2 nanosheets in the exfoliating solution could reach 1.713 mg/mL under the effect of lignin-ultrasound. The antimicrobial ability of the films was analyzed, and the colony-forming units of E. coli and S. aureus could be reduced from 7 × 106 to 1 × 106 cfu/mL under the irradiation of infrared. The lignin in the film undergoes depolymerization and demethoxylation under the irradiation of infrared to have a more phenolic hydroxyl structure, which confers the growth inhibition ability of the films for bacteria that cannot be in close contact with the film. The method we used has some significance for the preparation of MoS 2 nanosheets, and composite films prepared from MoS 2, and lignin can be used in food packaging, wound antimicrobials, and other fields. • The MoS 2 nanosheets were fabricated by triple-frequency ultrasound and lignin. • The effect of ultrasound frequency on with LPE was investigated • Under infrared stimulation, the film has excellent sterilization ability against E.coli and S.aureus. • Lignin enhances the antimicrobial range of films through depolymerization and demethoxylation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CH 4 is firstly decomposed to CH 3 and H which are adsorbed on γ-Al 2 O 3 surface. • Oxygen atoms produced by discharges enhance surface OH formation and CH 3 oxidation. • Formation of bicarbonates on γ-Al 2 O 3 surface inhibits CH 3 deep oxidation. • Au provides sites for bicarbonates on γ-Al 2 O 3 to gaseous CO 2 and enhances complete CH 3 oxidation. • Mechanisms of CH 3 oxidation on γ-Al 2 O 3 and Au/γ-Al 2 O 3 were proposed. The plasma-catalytic oxidation of methane (CH 4) is a potential reaction for controlling CH 4 emissions at low temperatures. However, the mechanism of the CH 4 plasma-catalytic oxidation is still unknown, which inhibits the further optimization of the oxidation process. Herein, a CH 4 oxidation mechanism over an Au/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst was proposed based on our experimental findings. CH 4 is first decomposed to CH 3 and H by the discharge, and a fraction of the CH 3 is adsorbed on γ-Al 2 O 3 surface for deep oxidation. The oxygen atoms produced by the discharge react with H 2 O to yield surface reactive OH groups that contribute to the CH 3 oxidation. Oxygen atoms also promote the release of H 2 O from the surfaces of the γ-Al 2 O 3 and Au/γ-Al 2 O 3 and especially promote CO 2 desorption from the surface of the Au/γ-Al 2 O 3. When γ-Al 2 O 3 was used as the catalyst, the CO 2 selectivity was only 15 vol.%, and the CH 4 conversion decreased after 7 h of plasma-catalytic oxidation. In contrast, when Au/γ-Al 2 O 3 was used, the CO 2 selectivity was 80 vol.%, long-term CH 4 conversion was obtained. Experimental results revealed that Au was beneficial for the decomposition of surface carbonate species into gaseous CO 2 , whereas the carbonate species accumulated on γ-Al 2 O 3 when Au was absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-thermal plasma technology has great potential in reducing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission. But in plasma-alone process, various undesired by-products are produced, which causes secondary pollutions. Here, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor has been developed for the oxidation of naphthalene over a TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst at low temperature. In comparison to plasma-alone process, the combination of plasma and TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst significantly enhanced naphthalene conversion (up to 40%) and CO x selectivity (up to 92%), and substantially reduced the formation of aerosol (up to 90%) and secondary volatile organic compounds (up to near 100%). The mechanistic study suggested that the presence of the TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst intensified the electron energy in the DBD. Meantime, the energized electrons generated in the discharge activated TiO 2 , while the presence of ozone enhanced the activity of the TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst. This plasma-catalyst interaction led to the synergetic effect resulting from the combination of plasma and TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst, consequently enhanced the oxidation of naphthalene. Importantly, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of plasma to activate the photocatalyst for the deep oxidation of PAH without external heating, which is potentially valuable in the development of cost-effective gas cleaning process for the removal of PAHs in vehicle applications during cold start conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) catalyst hybrid reactor with CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst balls was investigated for benzene decomposition at atmospheric pressure and 30 °C. At an energy density of 37–40 J/L, benzene decomposition was as high as 92.5% when using the hybrid reactor with 5.0wt%CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 ; while it was 10%–20% when using a normal DBD reactor without a catalyst. Benzene decomposition using the hybrid reactor was almost the same as that using an O 3 catalyst reactor with the same CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst, indicating that O 3 plays a key role in the benzene decomposition. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that O 3 adsorption on CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 promotes the production of adsorbed O 2 − and O 2 2‒ , which contribute benzene decomposition over heterogeneous catalysts. Nano particles as by-products (phenol and 1,4-benzoquinone) from benzene decomposition can be significantly reduced using the CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst. H 2 O inhibits benzene decomposition; however, it improves CO 2 selectivity. The deactivated CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst can be regenerated by performing discharges at 100 °C and 192–204 J/L. The decomposition mechanism of benzene over CeO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 catalyst was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental vertical-flow constructed wetland (CW) was tested to treat salt-containing sewage. CW clogging deposits and withered Pontederia cordata L. were collected into a complex fermentation broth to serve as the carbon source and its effects on the denitrification capacity and microbial composition of the CW were examined. Addition of the complex fermentation broth into the CW influent (1.8% salinity) led to high removal efficiencies of NH 4 + -N > 99.82 ± 0.00% and TN > 90.39 ± 0.05%. Heterotrophic nitrifiers and aerobic denitrifiers were entirely dominant in the middle and upper layers of the CW, where obligate halophilic, aerobic denitrifiers Zobellella occurred. The CW successfully cultivated and enriched heterotrophic nitrifying–aerobic denitrifying bacteria, overcoming the effects of salinity and insufficient organic carbon sources on the denitrification capacity of CW. This type of complex carbon sources can also facilitate the utilization of waste resources, such as CW clogging deposits and withered wetland plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a great need for a sustainable diesel particulate matter (DPM) removal approach to effectively control the emission of DPM over long term and to improve the efficiency of diesel engine. However, methods that are currently available either require a high operation temperature or an external device. Here, we report an optimized plasma-catalytic method for the sustainable removal of DPM at low temperature. Au catalyst, which was the most effective in the enhancement of DPM oxidation among the tested noble-metal catalysts, was introduced into the plasma reactor for the diesel engine test. We found that after 1.1 h plasma processing, the performance of DPM removal in the condition of sole plasma (without a catalyst) was reduced due to the accumulation of precipitated DPM within the plasma reactor. As a result of an enhanced DPM oxidation efficiency due to the use of Au catalyst, the accumulation of precipitated DPM was inhibited and the performance of DPM removal was maintained until plasma was switched off (8 h processing). Importantly, the maintained DPM removal caused an enriched CaSO 4 deposition on the plasma-catalytic reactor, which further enhanced DPM oxidation efficiency. Thus, a sustained DPM removal performance over long term could be ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the impacts of ZnO Nanoparticles (NPs) on the microbial community in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system and its recoverability were investigated. High-throughput sequencing was applied to study the microbial community shift. Results show that the species richness in the EBPR system was reduced under the condition of ZnO NPs with high concentration (above 6 mg/L). Evolution analysis suggests that higher concentration ZnO NPs induced more microbial community shift. According to the analysis on genus level, Competibacter was more impressionable than Accumulibacter after exposure to 2 mg/L ZnO NPs. Nonetheless, this phenomenon could not be found as the concentration of ZnO NPs got higher (above 6 mg/L). Accumulibacter could reach to the initial level after recover for 20 days, whereas Competibacter could not recover even when the concentration of ZnO NPs was only 2 mg/L. Interestingly, although the phosphorus removal (P-removal) process was re-achieved, the microbial community in reactors was irreversible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Splitting water to produce hydrogen is considered one of the effective ways to deal with the energy crisis, while high-efficiency hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) requires excellent catalysts. Pt and other precious metal catalysts are not suitable for industrial applications because of their high prices. Molybdenum disulfide based (MoS 2) catalysts are considered to be the materials that may replace precious metal catalysts because of their excellent performance. However, MoS 2 catalyst still needs to be improved to improve its catalytic performance due to its semiconductor nature and insufficient catalytic active site. In this work, lignin was used as the surface-active material to increase the catalytic active site on MoS 2 , and chestnut shell carbon (CSC) was used to enhance the electron transport ability of the material. A composite catalyst with excellent HER ability was prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. Lignin promoted the exposure of catalytic active sites on MoS2 through steric and charge effects. In addition, lignin could be depolymerized into phenolic substances through hydrothermal reaction, which not only added a large number of oxygenous functional groups to the MoS 2 catalyst, but also improved the electron transport efficiency. Under 5 wt% lignin content, synthesis of composite catalyst (MoS 2 @CSC Lig 5) has low overpotential (86.84 mV at −10 mA·cm−2 current density), high C dI value (64.59mF·cm−2), and high electron transfer efficiency. All these show that the catalyst has excellent HER ability. In general, we have prepared a catalytic material without adding precious metal materials and with excellent HER ability. It provides help for expanding the application of lignin in the field of electrocatalysis and provides a method for the high-value utilization of chestnut shells. [Display omitted] • High efficiency HER catalyst was synthesized by adding alkali lignin. • Prove lignin can increase the active catalytic site of MoS 2. • The interactions of lignin, MoS 2 , and CSC under hydrothermal reactions were analyzed. • Expand the application of lignin in the field of electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, a disease characterized by splenic hemorrhage and necrosis killed ducks in a duck farm in Guangxi province, China. A duck reovirus strain was isolated from the tissues of the dead ducks by inoculating duck embryos and BHK-21 cells. Electron microscopy of the cultured the isolate showed that the viral particles were nearly round in shape and approximately 70 nm in diameter, and they were designated DRV-GL18. Sequence analysis showed that the GL18 strain viral genome was 23,419 nt in length and had 10 dsRNA segments. Phylogenetic analysis of cDNA amplicons of segments encoding the protein σC which are outer capsid proteins showed that the isolate belongs to the branch of the epidemic strains of duck reovirus. The Recombination Detection Program (RDP) and SimPlot program analyses suggested potential genetic recombination events in the M2 segments. Pathogenicity experiments revealed that GL18 produced severe hemorrhaging in livers and necrosis in the spleen of infected SPF ducklings. A death rate of 50% in the experimental ducklings was calculated during the first 7 d, and the rest of the ducklings were observed to undergo spleen necrosis. These data suggested that GL18 is a duck reovirus isolate with severer pathogenicity, and it could be a candidate for development of vaccine. This is the first reported isolation of duck reovirus from mature ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Erythromycin (ERY) and oxytetracycline (OTC), including individual and combinative effect, on enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system within a short-term (24 h) were evaluated in this study. Results showed that the P-removal efficiency decreased to 34.6% and 0.0% under the effect of ERY (10 mg/L) and OTC (10 mg/L) for 24 h. OTC concentration higher than 5 mg/L was sufficient to cause serious adverse impact on the EBPR performance. While the performance of EBPR system will be impacted by ERY above 10 mg/L. OTC, due to its special antibacterial action to the gram-negative bacteria which most PAOs belong to, has more serious negative effect on the EBPR performance than ERY does. Moreover, in the combined antibiotics test, neither synergistic nor antagonistic effect was detected between ERY and OTC. Finally, ERY (10 mg/L) and OTC (10 mg/L) could inhibit the microorganisms’ activity, while couldn’t induce serious microorganisms death within 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canalized rivers are often the product of urbanization. They are an important component of urban blue-green infrastructure whose visual landscape quality affects the aesthetics of a city. Existing research on urban waterways pays little attention to urban canalized rivers and lacks a quantitative interpretation of their visual quality. This study aims to simulate human visual perception and establish quantifiable landscape features for urban riverside greenways. Using a deep learning model to build connections between landscape features and the aesthetic preference of riverside spaces, we establish the best predictive model for the aesthetic quality of urban canalized riverside greenways. We use panoramic photos of rivers in central Beijing and image semantic segmentation technology to extract physical features of landscape composition. We use an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model and a random forest (RF) model to develop a predictive model for riverside aesthetic quality. The RF model was found to be the most accurate for predicting the aesthetic quality score of the channelized riverside. Trees and bridges are the most important input factors that affect the output score of the RF model. Trees are positively correlated with aesthetic quality, while bridges are negatively correlated. In practice, this model can be used for batch evaluation and aesthetic quality prediction of urban canalized riverside landscapes to help practitioners improve analysis efficiency and guide the management and planning of riverside landscapes. • The riverside greenway landscape of urban canalized rivers is examined. • Quantifiable physical features are used as an index system. • Batch prediction of urban river landscape quality is developed. • Guidance is provided for urban riverside landscape management and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite of 6ZnO/ZnWO 4 -rGO (0.6 wt%) nanorods was successfully synthesized by one-step calcined equiatomic W and Zn precursors followed by reduced GO for detection of NO 2. The morphology and structure of the composite were characterized by various spectroscopic technologies. The gas sensing test results showed that the composite exhibits linear, high and rapid response, the highest response reaches up to 45.38 that are 2.32 times of ZnO nanorods and the response and recover times are short to 35 s and 39 s at 110 ℃, and has high selectivity. The mechanism enhanced gas sensing was also discussed in detail, which is attributed to regulating and accelerating interface electron transfer and providing more active sites for gas adsorption due to the formation of heterojunction and the decoration of rGO. The work has reference significant for preparing bimetal oxide composite based sensors. • A bi-metal triadic oxide of ZnWO 4 was developed as novel NO 2 sensing material • The prepared method is novel, facile, low-cost and effective for NO 2 detection. • The sensing properties are comparable to other metal oxide composites reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to investigate the influences of surfactants on the nanoparticle transport behavior in soil. The transport behaviors of TiO 2 nanoparticles ( n TiO 2 ) in soil with three different surfactants, including Triton X-100 (TX-100), sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) and cationic cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) were studied. Results showed that all the three surfactants decreased the mobility of n TiO 2 in soil column, which were mainly caused by the strong adsorption of surfactants on soil and n TiO 2 . The inhibition order was as follows: CTAB > SDBS > TX-100. Combined effect experiments showed that when solution ionic strength (IS) increased, TX-100 or CTAB inhibited the mobility of n TiO 2 in soil. However, the effect of SDBS on n TiO 2 transport shifted from inhibition to facilitation when IS increased from 0.1 to 5 mM. This was mainly attributed to the decreasing adsorption of SDBS on soil with increased IS, whereas the adsorption of TX-100 and CTAB was independent of IS. This innovative information motivates further insight into the role of surfactants on nanoparticle transport behavior in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel thermophilic bioelectrochemical system (TBES) based on electrical stimulation was established for the enhanced treatment of p -fluoronitrobenzene ( p -FNB) wastewater. p -FNB removal rate constant in the TBES was 78.6% higher than that of the mesophilic BES (MBES), the elevation of which owing to high-temperature overtook the rate improvement of 50.8% in the electrocatalytic system (ECS). Additionally, an overwhelming mineralization efficiency of 91.96% ± 5.70% was obtained in the TBES. The superiority of TBES was attributed to the integrated role of electrical stimulation and high-temperature. Electrical stimulation provided an alternative for the microbial growth independent energy requirements, compensating insufficient energy support from p -FNB metabolism under the high-temperature stress. Besides, electrical stimulation facilitated microbial community evolution to form specific thermophilic biocatalysis. The uniquely selected thermophilic microorganisms including Coprothermobacter sp. and other ones cooperated to enhance p -FNB mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the fact that most wastewater in China contained both industrial and domestic wastewater, a 52-d systematical investigation was conducted on the long-term effect of low concentration Cr(VI) (0.3–0.8 mg L −1 ) on P removal performance of granule-based EBPR system in this study. The mechanisms were likewise discussed. Results showed that high Cr(VI) concentration (⩾0.5 mg L −1 ) could significantly inhibit P removal, while this phenomenon was not found when Cr(VI) concentration was less than (or equal to) 0.4 mg L −1 . Most of the granules was disintegrated and filamentous bacteria overgrew inducing sludge bulking occurred at 0.7 mg L −1 Cr(VI). During the exposure test, the abundance of poly-phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) significantly decreased while the populations of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) and other bacteria increased. Both production and degradation of poly-β-hydroxyakanoates (PHAs) were apparently inhibited. An improved polysaccharide/protein (PS/PN) ratio was observed with the increasing Cr(VI) concentration, implying excessive polysaccharide was secreted by microorganisms to support its resistance to the toxicity of Cr(VI). Besides, good linear regression between PS/PN ratio and the granule size ( R 2 = −0.86, p < 0.01) was obtained, indicating that high PS/PN was adverse to granule stability. Correlation analysis indicated that the accumulation of granules intracellular Cr was directly responsible for the observed inhibitory effect on P removal process. The long-term Cr(VI) treatment had irreversible effects on granule-based EBPR system as it could not revive after a 16-d recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of varied COD loading (200, 400, 500, 600 and 800 mg L −1 ) on stability and recoverability of granule-based enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system was investigated during continuously 53-d operation. Results showed that COD loading higher than 500 mg L −1 could obviously deteriorate the granular EBPR system and result in sludge bulking with filamentous bacteria. High COD loading also changed the transformation patterns of poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and glycogen in metabolism process of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and inhibited the EPS secretion, which completely destroyed the stability and integrality of granules. Results of FISH indicated that glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) and other microorganisms had a competitive advantage over PAOs with higher COD loading. The community composition and EBPR performance were recovered irreversibly in long time operation when COD loading was higher than 500 mg L −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A novel model was proposed to simulate and optimize the poor ammonia removal efficiency of a full-scale WWTP at low temperature. [•] Several important kinetic parameters were determined by respirometer test. [•] The optimal operating condition was DO of 3.5mgL−1, SRT of 15d, HRT of 14h. [•] Ammonia removal efficiency would improve 19.14% under the optimal operating condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]