Search

Arsenic and cadmium (As/Cd) are toxic elements which negatively impact the health and productivity of rice plants by subjecting them to stress. To address these issues, we developed three biochar amendment materials derived from plant-based corn-stover with iron-magnesium modification (FM@CB), char sourced from animal-based eggshells with iron-magnesium modification (FM@EB), and a blend (1:1, w/w) of both (FM@CEB). Batch adsorption experiment revealed that FM@CB exhibited a Langmuir sorption capacity of 77 mg g−1 for As(III) and 107 mg g−1 for Cd(II). In contrast, FM@EB showed values of 63 mg g−1 for As(III) and 115 mg g−1 for Cd(II), both observed in mixed systems. The exothermic dual adsorption mechanisms could include ion exchange, cation-anion bridging, complexation with surface functional groups, and precipitation processes. Pot trials were conducted, and the findings unveiled a substantial enhancement in rice grain yield with a 2% application of FM@CB, FM@EB, and FM@CEB. Specifically, there was a notable increase of 21.9%, 34.9%, and 37.6%, respectively. Simultaneously, the application led to a reduction in grain As levels by 34.4%, 53.2%, and 42.6%, and grain Cd levels by 48.7%, 71.2%, and 59.9%, respectively, in comparison to the no-amendment control condition. Our study observed a transformation in the soil's microbial community, as beneficial bacterial genera such as Anaeromyxobacter , Citrifermentans , and Desulfovibrio emerged to assist in the detoxification of these metal contaminants. Concurrently, the application of these materials led to a reduction in harmful bacterial genera like Pseudomonas , Flavobacterium , and Massilia. In addition, these amendments decreased the bioavailable As/Cd fractions in the soil and promoted the root-iron-plaque, which effectively sequesters these contaminants, rendering rice quality improvement. Ultimately, the use of these amendments, particularly FM@CEB, holds the promise of protecting rice from harmful metal(loid)s contaminants, increasing yields, and revitalizing the soil. The presence of these unique bacterial genera, especially those capable of detoxifying As/Cd, plays a crucial role in ensuring a healthier and more secure environment for all living organisms. [Display omitted] • Fe–Mg modified plant/animal-based FM@CB, FM@EB, and FM@CEB were prepared. • Biochars' sorption capacity: 63−77 mg g−1 for As(III), 107−115 mg g−1 for Cd(II). • Sorption mechanisms: ion exchange, cation-anion bridge, complexation, precipitation. • Beneficial bacteria aid As/Cd detoxification in treated soil. • 2% amendments significantly reduce bioavailable As/Cd in soil and rice grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Brown rice Cd and yield was highly dependent on amendment's pH and watering amount. • Both ZVIB 6.3 and 9.7 amendments reduced >50% grain As in all watering treatments. • ZVIB 6.3 with 3/72 watering reduced grain As and Cd by increasing grain yield efficiently. • ZVIB 9.7 could reduce grain As and Cd, but proper watering is required for expected grain yield. Image, graphical abstract Zero-valent iron amended biochar (ZVIB) has been proposed as a promising material in immobilizing heavy metals in paddy fields. In this study, the impacts of pH of ZVIB (pH 6.3 and pH 9.7) and watering management techniques (watering amount in the order of CON (control, 5/72)>3/72>1–3/72>3/100>1/72, with 5/72, for example, representing irrigation given to 5 cm above soil surface in 72 hr regular interval) on As and Cd bioavailability for rice and its grain yield (Yield BR) were investigated in a pot experiment. Brown rice As (As BR) content was irrelative to the watering treatments, while significantly decreased (>50%) with the addition of both ZVIB materials. The diminutions of brown rice Cd (Cd BR) content as well as the Yield BR were highly dependent on both the soil amendment materials' pH and watering amount. Among all the watering treatments, 3/72 treatment (15% less irrigation water than the CON) with ZVIB 6.3 amendment was the optimum fit for simultaneous reduction of As BR (50%) and Cd BR contents (19%) as well as for significant increment (12%) of the Yield BR. Although high pH (9.7) ZVIB application could also efficiently decrease As and Cd contents in brown rice, it might risk grain yield lost if appropriate (e.g. 3/72 in our study) watering management technique was not chosen. Therefore, ZVIB would be an environmentally friendly option as an amendment material with proper selection of watering management technique to utilize As and Cd co-contaminated arable soils safely for paddy cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles offer several advantages in terms of heat transfer, stability, safety, and efficiency, making them an attractive option for reactor coolants. The feasibility of using α-alumina (α-Al 2 O 3) nanoparticles as a component of coolant for a light water reactor was investigated under the high neutron flux conditions of a TRIGA Mark II research reactor. To achieve this, highly thermally conductive α-Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction spectra analysis confirmed the crystal structure and the alpha (α) phase of the sample. The average crystal size was determined to be 55.5 nm. Transmission electron microscope analysis revealed that the nanoparticles had sizes ranging from 40 to 60 nm, although the shape of the particles was irregular. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a weight loss of less than 0.5% over a temperature range from 30 °C to 1200 °C. Dynamic light scattering showed two intensity peaks at 129.6 nm and 623.2 nm, resulting in a Zeta average (Z) value of 474.9 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.688. In the TRIGA Mark II research reactor, the synthesized nanoparticles were exposed to a thermal neutron flux of 5.28 × 1012 n/cm2/s using a pneumatic transfer irradiation channel (rabbit system). This irradiation resulted in the formation of various activated products, including 28Al, 24Na, and 27Mg, with abundances of 50.5 ± 0.3%, 0.18 ± 0.02%, and 1.59 ± 0.06%, respectively. All of these nuclides are radioactive, with half-lives ranging from minutes to hours. The induced radioactivity in the reactor core area poses a risk of secondary radiation. The physicochemical interaction of these induced products, especially sodium (24Na), with the coolant and other components, is not safe, as sodium is a highly reactive element that can undergo an exothermic reaction with water. These findings suggest that the use of α-Al 2 O 3 in water as a reactor coolant should be further examined from the viewpoints of neutron irradiation effects and the physicochemical interaction of activated products with core materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perilousness of arsenic and cadmium (As–Cd) toxicity in water and soil presents a substantial hazard to the ecosystem and human well-being. Additionally, this metal (loids) (MLs) can have a deleterious effect on rice quality and yield, owing to the existence of toxic stress. In response to the pressing concern of reducing the MLs accumulation in rice grain, this study has prepared magnesium-manganese-modified corn-stover biochar (MMCB), magnesium-manganese-modified eggshell char (MMEB), and a combination of both (MMCEB). To test the effectiveness of these amendments, several pot trials were conducted, utilizing 1% and 2% application rates. The research discovered that the MMEB followed by MMCEB treatment at a 2% rate yielded the most significant paddy and rice quality, compared to the untreated control (CON) and MMCB. MMEB and MMCEB also extensively decreased the MLs content in the grain than CON, thereby demonstrating the potential to enrich food security and human healthiness. In addition, MMEB and MMCEB augmented the microbial community configuration in the paddy soil, including As–Cd detoxifying bacteria, and decreased bioavailable form of the MLs in the soil compared to the CON. The amendments also augmented Fe/Mn-plaque which captured a considerable quantity of As–Cd in comparison to the CON. In conclusion, the utilization of multifunctional biochar, such as MMEB and MMCEB, is an encouraging approach to diminish MLs aggregation in rice grain and increase rice yield for the reparation of paddy soils via transforming microbiota especially enhancing As–Cd detoxifying taxa, thereby improving agroecology, food security, and human and animal health. [Display omitted] • MMEB and MMCEB at 2% rate significantly increased rice yields compared to control and MMCB. • MMEB followed by MMCEB was most effective in reducing grain accumulation of As and Cd. • All the amended treatments significantly reduced bioavailable form of As and Cd. • All the amendments pointedly reduced As and Cd tolerant Pseudomonas bacterial genus. • MMEB application increased heavy metal-detoxifying bacterial genera than MMCB and MMCEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a modeling approach for predicting strain localization during sheet metal stamping processes focused on automotive engineering applications. The so-called stretching-to-bending ratio, ρ , is proposed to characterize the loading conditions acting on an element during stamping processes. Then, localized strain or necking strain is suggested to be a function of ρ. Different stretch–bending tests with different tool radii, i.e., R3, R6, R10, and R50 are conducted for two automotive sheet metals, DP800 and AA6010, to identify their forming limits under combined stretch–bend loads. The calibrated necking limit curve of the AA6016 sheet is then employed in AutoForm R10 software to predict the necking and failure of a stamped panel. Agreement with the experimental observation of failure positions of the panel validates the usefulness of the proposed modeling approach in practice. • Proposal of the so-called stretching-to-bending ratio, ρ of shell elements • Proposal of the necking limit curve as a function of ρ • Calibrate the necking limit curve of two automotive sheet metals: DP800 and AA6016. • Validate the calibrated AA6016 curve via a test die stamping simulation in AutoForm • Good agreement with experimental observation on the deformed panel's failure positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new criterion (MMFC2) for predicting the forming limit curve (FLC) of sheet metal. The strain path evolution of a critical element examined in a uniaxial tensile test is elaborated by incorporating the results of experimental measurement, finite element simulation, and theoretical prediction via the Modified Maximum Force Criterion (MMFC). A scaling factor is introduced to mimic the theoretical evaluation with the simulated one. It is believed that the rotation of the principal axes of the theoretically considering material point, which is initially co-axial with the external load coordinate, implicates the macro track of the strain path change. Furthermore, an optimal event of the second derivative of the axial rotations is proposed to indicate the strain localization and formulate the FLC. The performance of the proposed criterion is compared with that of the original MMFC in predicting the FLC of three automotive sheet metals, of which all related data were published in the Benchmark of Numisheet 2014 conference. The use of three different hardening laws and three yield functions is examined in the analogy. The comparison reveals that the results of MMFC2 are more sensitive to the employed constitutive model than that of MMFC. Furthermore, the proposed MMFC2 presents concordant results with the experimental data. Nakajima tests are conducted for CR4 mild steel sheets to validate the capacity of the proposed criterion. Well agreement between the experimentally measured data and theoretical prediction based on the Yld2k yield function verifies its usefulness in practice. • New equation for governing the strain path change after the initiation of diffuse neck is presented. • New criterion for strain localization is proposed based on the acceleration of the principal axis rotation. • The proposed criterion is applied to predict the FLC of three automotive materials using published data. • Experimental tests were conducted for CR4 sheet to validate the predictability of the proposed criterion. • For CR4 sheet, the performance of the proposed criterion is comparable to that of MK model but superior in computational time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of underwater applications has been growing due to the major technological advances in the last few decades. Yet, direct communication from an airborne node to an underwater node remains challenging due to the inability of any known signal which propagates well in both the air and water mediums. Photoacoustic energy transfer is a promising mechanism for enabling such cross-medium communication. Although the use of the photoacoustic mechanism is quite common in medical imaging, little progress has been made on building the communication protocol stack. Most research studies have only focused on characterizing the channel and relating the laser and acoustic signals. Little attention has been given to developing suitable modulation and demodulation schemes. This paper fills such a technical gap and proposes a novel OOK modulation scheme using peak detection technique. We validate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme through simulation and lab experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Galerkin method with Bernstein and Legendre polynomials as basis functions is used for the numerical solutions of eighth order linear and nonlinear differential equations for two different cases of boundary conditions. In this method, the basis functions are transformed into a new set of basis functions which vanish at the boundary where the essential types of boundary conditions are defined and a matrix formulation is derived for solving the eighth order boundary value problems (BVPs). The numerical results, obtained by the proposed method, reflect that the performance of the present method is reliable, more efficient and converges monotonically to the exact solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrotactile feedback can be effectively applied to motor (physical) learning in virtual environments, as it can provide task-intrinsic and augmented feedback to users, assisting them in enhancing their motor performance. This review investigates current uses of vibrotactile feedback systems in motor learning applications built upon virtual environments by systematically synthesizing 24 peer-reviewed studies. We aim to understand: (1) the current state of the science of using real-time vibrotactile feedback in virtual environments for aiding the acquisition (or improvement) of motor skills, (2) the effectiveness of using vibrotactile feedback in such applications, and (3) research gaps and opportunities in current technology. We used the Sensing-Analysis-Assessment-Intervention framework to assess the scientific literature in our review. The review identifies several research gaps in current studies, as well as potential design considerations that can improve vibrotactile feedback systems in virtual motor learning applications, including the selection and placement of feedback devices and feedback designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Solid waste bin level detection using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). [•] Gabor wavelet filter is used to extract the solid waste image features. [•] Multi-Layer Perceptron classifier network is used for bin image classification. [•] The classification performance evaluated by ROC curve analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are unnecessary metal(loids) toxic at high concentration to plants and humans, hence lessening their rice grain accumulation is crucial for food security and human healthiness. Charred eggshell (EB), corncob biochar (CB), and eggshell-corncob biochar (ECB) were produced and amended to As and Cd co-polluted paddy soil at 1% and 2% application rates to alleviate the metal(loids) contents in rice grains using pot experiments. All the amendments increased paddy yields at 1%, while EB at 2% significantly reduced the yields compared to untreated control. The resulting yield loss in 2%EB was from the combined effects of its high CaCO 3 supplementation, and the increment of rhizosphere soil pH which could insolubilize plant nutrients. The amendments were inefficient in decreasing rice grain As (As Grain), but all the treatments significantly reduced the rice grain Cd (Cd Grain) at both 1% (44.4–77.1%) and 2% (79.8–91.5%) application rates compared to that of control. Regression analysis for contribution weights of control factors revealed that rhizosphere soil Eh and pH were vital influential factors regulating the As Grain , whereas porewater Cd was main factor controlling Cd Grain accumulation. These investigations indicated that the Ca-enriched eggshell-corncob biochar even at high application rate (i.e., 2%ECB) could be a potential tactic for grain accumulation remediation of the cationic pollutant (i.e., Cd) from the paddy soil to rice grain scheme with concurrent increase in rice yields. [Display omitted] • Charred eggshell (EB), corncob (CB) and eggshell-corncob biochar (ECB) were used. • ECB at 2% amendment rate decreased grain Cd load by 89%. • ECB increased grain yield compared with EB and CB at 2% amendment application. • Grain As accumulation was mainly controlled by rhizosphere soil Eh and pH. • Porewater Cd was vital influencing factor to regulate grain cadmium content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear power industry is a potential field in the arena of science and technology for clean energy production. Nuclear wastes and radiation are inevitable consequences of nuclear power production, and most people are concerned about it. Bangladesh is going to be the 33rd country to own its first nuclear power plants (NPPs) at Rooppur site in 2023. In this paper, it is shown how people of different ages, genders, and professions react to the safety of radioactive wastes for the development of NPPs. Among 487 participants in the survey, 60% of people believe that radioactive waste generated from NPPs is risky for the environment. In terms of comparison, 40 % of people believe coal power plants are more hazardous to NPPs. On the contrary, 43 % and 50 % of people agreed that radioactive waste disposal would be an unsolved issue and high risk for the country, respectively. However, 34 % and 41 % of respondents partially disagreed with the capability of regulatory authority and the Department of Environment (DoE) on solving the issue, respectively. More importantly, 44 % of people strongly supported the necessity of mass awareness campaigns regarding the safe management of nuclear wastes. The study can be an important tool for the policymakers, regulators, and operators on what action plan needs to be done to increase public acceptance for the safe operation of the nuclear industry. [Display omitted] • Radioactive waste is an inseparable concern of a nuclear power program. • Public perception on radioactive waste management is found to have some mixed feelings. • Public is distinctly influenced by demographic data. • More public engagement is suggested to raise education, knowledge, and awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates (PAEs) often exist simultaneously in contaminated soil and wastewater systems, and their adsorption to biochar might impact their behavior in the environment. So far, the competitive adsorption of PAEs to biochar has not been reported. In this study, the competitive adsorption of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on corncob biochar (fresh and oxidized) was investigated, and experiments of kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics were conducted. Langmuir and Freundlich models, pseudo-first-order and second-order kinetic models were used to simulate the experimental data. In the mono PAEs component systems, the biochar showed significantly greater adsorption capacity for DEHP (11.8–16.16 mg g−1) than for DBP (9.86–13.2 mg g−1). The oxidized biochar has higher adsorption capacities than the fresh one. Moreover, a fast adsorption rate for DBP was observed, which can be attributed to the smaller size and shorter carbon chains in the DBP molecule, resulting in faster diffusion into the biochar pores. In the binary PAEs component systems, competition between DEHP and DBP in their adsorption to the biochars was observed, and DEHP (11.7–15.0 mg g−1) was preferred over DBP (3.4–7.9 mg g−1). The stronger adsorption of DEHP can be explained by stronger hydrophobic interaction with biochar. Compared to DBP, DEHP has a high octanol-water partition coefficient (logK ow) and low water solubility. The positive entropy (Δ S 0) and enthalpy (Δ H 0) values for the adsorption of both DEHP and DBP further indicated that hydrophobic interaction played an important role, even though H-bonds and π-π interactions could also be involved. [Display omitted] • The biochar showed significantly greater adsorption capacity for DEHP than for DBP. • Sorption capacity of oxidized biochar for PAEs increased due to the enhancement of surface complexation. • Competition between DEHP and DBP in their adsorption to the biochar was observed. • The stronger adsorption of DEHP than DBP resulted from its stronger hydrophobic interaction with biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing uninterrupted and reliable electricity to all at an affordable price is a major undertaking for the governments of increasingly energy-hungry countries. This study assesses the energy supply-demand gap, progress, and prospects of alternative energy sources in Bangladesh. Several methods, including descriptive, trend, and comparative analyses, were carried out using time-series energy data to determine the current and historical energy status. Results show that between 1990 and 2018, the country experienced an approximate 3.05-fold increase in energy consumption from 12,743 to 38,807 ktoe, and a 3.11-fold increase in energy production from 10,760 to 33,504 ktoe. The shortfall between supply and consumption is approximately 26%, but this can be resolved by addressing energy diversification barriers related to policy, governance through regulatory actions, investment, transmission and distribution, resources optimisation, energy efficiency, conservation, research and education, and regional cooperation. • Analyze energy crisis and mitigation measures based on energy supply-demand gap, progress, and prospects of alternative energy sources using time series of data. • Resolve barriers related to policy, regulatory framework, and governance for better management of energy and power sector. • Emphasize less dependency on gas and oil and more dependency on alternative energy options namely coal, nuclear, energy efficiency and conservation, regional cooperation. • Update and/adopt new energy and power policies and regulatory framework with the aim of energy efficiency and conservation roadmap. • Emphasize more on education, training, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low loss porous core hexagonal lattice photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is proposed. Design procedure and properties are investigated in terahertz (THz) band. We explore different important properties of the PCF to evaluate the merit of proposed design. Circular air hole at the center surrounded by rectangular air hole array in the fiber core is designed in such a way that maximizes the core porosity of the fiber. The structure of cladding, on the other hand, is designed with a large hexagonal air hole array with tiny isolation width, resulting in a minimum total loss. The bulk material loss is diminished by 85.8% using core porosity of 80%. Numerical result shows relatively low confinement loss at 1 THz with flattened dispersion. Withal, single-mode propagation is exhibited in the proposed PCF design. The novel approach of this proposed PCF is unique to ensure good confinement in the core with a reasonable amount of power fraction. • A low loss porous core hexagonal lattice photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is proposed. • The bulk material loss of Topas can be diminished by 85.8% using 80% core porosity. • Flattened dispersion profile with single-mode propagation. • The novel approach ensures good confinement in the core with a reasonable amount of power fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect detection in Quick Response (QR) codes has important implications for downstream tasks. However, QR code defects include small objects and complex backgrounds, which makes their recognition effect poor. To address the above problems, we proposed a model based on YOLOv8, called YOLOv8-QR, to detect QR code defects. Specifically, first, the non-local attention (Non-local) module is introduced into the backbone of the YOLOv8 to enhance the interactive ability of the feature. The Non-local captures the correlation information of long-distance dependencies between features by calculating the attention weight between any positions. In addition, the contextual information required for representation learning of different defective objects is different. To extract multi-scale features, a Large Selective Kernel Network (LSKNet) was introduced. LSKNet dynamically adjusts the convolution receptive field of the neck fusion network and effectively uses the receptive field to capture the background information of different objects, thereby improving the representation ability of the model. To improve the defect detection accuracy of small objects in QR codes, the Normalized Gaussian Wasserstein Distance (NGWD) is introduced to replace the Intersection over Union (IoU) optimization function that is sensitive to the position deviation of objects and is not conducive to the regression of multi-scale objects. To verify the effectiveness of the model, the QR dataset was constructed and a series of experiments were conducted based on this dataset. The results show that the mAP 50 and mAP 50 : 95 of the YOLOv8-QR reach 95.5% and 65%, which are 3.8% and 2.3% higher than YOLOv8 respectively. The proposed YOLOv8-QR can better adapt to the needs of QR code defect detection in actual industrial environments. Our code is available at https://github.com/Code-of-Liujie/YOLOv8-QR.git. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Strength decreases by strain aging of SPR joints are discovered. • Failure model chain theory of SPR joint is constructed. • The mechanism of fail model changing is explained for the long-term using SPR joint. • A safe side design method of long-term using SPR joint is proposed. This paper conducts an investigation on the static mechanical properties and failure behavior of self-piercing riveted joints in aluminum alloy 5A06 after being subjected to the aging process. The study involves three distinct categories of joint specimens: original specimens, 1-year aged specimens and 1-year aged specimens that have been additionally heat-treated at 200 °C. The research findings affirm that strain aging is responsible for a reduction in the peak strength of the joints. Furthermore, the weakest failure chain within the self-piercing riveted joint shifts towards the upper sheet due to a more significant reduction in internal stress experienced by the upper plate. This leads to a failure model characterized by upper sheet pull-off. Through Weibull distribution analysis, it has been established that the 5 % lower limit value for the strength of the SPR joint experiences an 86 % decline following 1-year aging. In practical terms, this means that for a vehicle structure with 7000 riveting points will lose an overall structural strength equivalent to the initial strength of 1000 riveting points within one year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Single-junction MAGeI 3 reaches a PCE of 23%, comparable to MAPbI 3. • Mechanically stacked (4-T) MAGeI 3 -on-c-Si tandem device displays PCE of 29.86 %. • Monolithically stacked (2T) MAGeI 3 -on-c-Si tandem device reveals PCE of 28.71 %. In this study, solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS) was utilized to investigate a tandem solar device with Methyl-ammonium germanium iodide (MAGeI 3), an organic perovskite, as top cell active layer, and crystalline silicon (c-Si) as the bottom cell. Validation studies were done against established single-junction device structures including MAPbI 3 and c-Si. Our simulation-based results showcase a robust congruence with experimental data, with obtained power conversion efficiency (PCE) values of 20.19%, and 23.01% for MAPbI 3 and c-Si based single-junction devices, respectively. For the thesis of this work, both four-terminal (4-T) and two terminal (2-T) perovskite-on-silicon tandem architectures were investigated. Our numerical simulation for the monolithic stacked 2-T tandem structure of MAGeI 3 -on-c-Si produced a PCE of 28.71 %, while a PCE of 32.2 % was obtained for the standard MAPbI 3 -on-c-Si. For the current matching condition in the 2-T tandem devices, the optimum thickness of MAGeI 3 and MAPbI 3 were found to be 626 nm and 223 nm respectively. For the mechanically stacked 4-T configurations, MAGeI 3 -on-c-Si and MAPbI 3 -on-c-Si produced PCE values of 29.85 % and 33.67%, respectively, with optimum top cell absorber thickness values of 1.7 µm and 1.4 µm, respectively. Each device architecture was optimised by carrying out extensive studies including modulations in absorber thickness, bulk defect density, interfacial defect density, and back contact metal work function. Our in-depth analyses highlight a remarkable potential for MAGeI 3 to be utilized as the top cell of a perovskite-on-silicon solar device, boasting high efficiency and intrinsic non-toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining and smelting of lead-zinc (Pb-Zn) ores cause widespread As contamination. The fractions and colloidal distribution of As associated with Fe oxide minerals in Pb-Zn mine-contaminated soils have not been well understood. In this study, As fractions associated with Fe oxide minerals in Pb-Zn tailings- and smelter-contaminated soils were compared using sequential extraction techniques. Kinetic experiments were conducted to characterize the reactivity of Fe oxide minerals. The distribution of As and Fe oxide minerals in soil colloids were analyzed. The results show that in mining-contaminated soils (both tailings and smelter) the relatively active fraction (amorphous hydrous oxide-bound As, As F3) has a strong relationship with easily reducible Fe (Fe ox1). In smelter-contaminated soils, relatively stable fractions (crystalline hydrous oxide-bound As, As F4) were closely associated with reducible Fe (Fe ox2). Although the average proportions of specifically-bound As (As F2) and As F3 in contaminated soils were similar, high As release in tailings-contaminated soils was observed because of the high reactivity of Fe oxide minerals in those soils compared with that in smelter-contaminated soils. Some slightly polluted soils with high pH and TOC concentrations formed As-bearing colloidal suspensions. Especially in smelter-contaminated soils, many small-sized soil colloids could facilitate As migration with surface runoff or vertical transport. Image 1 • In mining-contaminated soil, As F3 has a close relationship with easily reducible Fe. • High As release in contaminated soils is due to high reactivity of Fe oxide minerals. • Arsenic-bearing colloids cause As transport in mining contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A national-scale inventory of heavy metal inputs is essential to understand the current situation of contribution and spatial heterogeneity of heavy metal sources in China. Published literatures from 2008 to 2018 about heavy metal inputs from various pollution sources (atmospheric deposition, livestock manures, fertilizers, and sewage irrigation) to agricultural soils were collected. In the past ten years, atmospheric deposition was the main pollution source which was responsible for 50–93% of the total As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, and Pb inputs, with livestock manures contributed to approximately 76% of total Cu inputs. However, due to industrial structure, geographical condition and the characteristics of economic development, the contribution of different sources to heavy metal pollution varies in different regions. For example, atmospheric deposition was the most important contributor in North China with its highly developed heavy industry and more coal combustion, while the contribution of livestock manures was obviously higher in South China due to its flourishing agricultural production and animal husbandry. Based on the analysis for clarifying the major pollution sources of five typical heavy metals (namely Cd, As, Hg, Cu and Pb), the controlling measures are suggested to make more effective and targeted strategies to protect agricultural soils in the future. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Atmospheric deposition (AD) contributed 50–93% for As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni and Pb inputs in farmlands in China. • Livestock manures (LM) was the most contributor for Cu, up to 76%. • AD exhibited higher contribution proportion in NC than in SC, while opposite tendency presented in LM. • Targeted heavy metal control measures were given based on the spatial heterogeneity in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present research was undertaken to understand the effect of long-term potassium (K) fertilization @ 0 kg (K 0 ) and 80 kg (K 80 ) K ha −1 on the quantity/intensity (Q/I) parameters for K in soil and characterize the Aeric Haplaquept soil for K supplying capacity under long-term continuous rice cropping. The study involved laboratory experiments on Q/I parameters of the soils in different depths (0–75 cm depth) from long-term K management experimental field. The Q/I parameters showed a linear relationship for both K omission and K fertilized soils at different depths. Omission of K decreased the equilibrium K concentration ratio (CR 0 K ) compared to K applied to the soil and slightly decreased the labile K (K L ) and non-specifically available K (-ΔK 0 ) but had no effect on specifically available K (K X ). The K omission increased the potential buffering capacity (PBC K ) compared to K fertilized soil. Potassium management had little effect on equilibrium exchangeable K (EK 0 ), magnitude of the conversion of added K to exchangeable pool (α) and non-exchangeable pool (β). However, equilibrium solution K (CK 0 ) in K omission soil was lower than K applied soil. β was higher than α in both the K management conditions. The PBC K for non-exchangeable pool was also higher than exchangeable pool both in K omission and K fertilized soils. Potassium management influenced critical solution K (CKr) and critical exchangeable K (EKr) but had no effect on minimum exchangeable K (Emin). Since the exchangeable K (EK), EKr and EK 0 is very close to Emin it is concluded that EKr and Emin should be consider in interpreting the K fertility specially the EK of soil under long-term wetland double rice cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) plays key role in lectin pathway of innate immunity, and shows the ability of triggering opsonization intermediately. Substantial increase in the serum level of MBL has been confirmed during leptospirosis, which caused by a pathogenic spirochete, Leptospira . Leptospira has a fascinating locomotion pattern, which simultaneously gyrating and swimming forward, such motility enables that Leptospira is difficult to be captured by immune cells if without any assistance. In this study, the effect of mannose-binding lectin to Leptospira was quantitatively investigated by measuring some kinematic parameters, to discover the mechanism behind MBL-mediated immune responses during leptospiral infection. The results showed that mannose-binding lectin is capable of inhibiting the motility of Leptospira by transforming free swimming cells to tumbled rotating cells, resulted in the increase number of rotating cells. Otherwise, decrease in rotation rate of rotating cell has been observed. However, the swimming speed of swimming Leptospira cells showed no observable change under the effect of MBL. The inhibitory effect were only valid in a relatively short period, Leptospira cells regained their original motility after 2 h. This raises an interesting topic that Leptospira is somehow able to escape from the inhibitory effect of MBL by dragging such unfavorable molecules toward to the cell end and eventually throwing it out. The inhibitory effect of MBL on the motility of Leptospira is expected to provide a new insight into lectin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production and degradation of plastic remains can result in nanoplastics (NPs) formation. However, insufficient information regarding the environmental behaviors of NPs impedes comprehensive assessment of their significant threats. In this study, the transport behavior of unmodified NPs (PSNPs), carboxyl-modified NPs (PSNPs−COOH), and amino-modified NPs (PSNPs−NH 2) was investigated using column experiments in the presence and absence of goethite (GT) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). Quantum chemical computation was performed to reveal the transport mechanisms. The results showed that GT decreased the transport of NPs and the presence of DEHP decreased it further. Van der Waals forces and small electrostatic interactions coexisted between the PSNPs and GT and caused deposition. Ligand exchange caused greater deposition of PSNPs−COOH on GT-coated sand than that of PSNPs. Although hydrogen bonding existed between the DEHP and NPs with functional groups, an increase in the positive charge and chemical heterogeneity of the collector was the main reason for DEHP promoting the deposition of NPs. Because of low absolute negative zeta potential values, PSNPs−NH 2 was sensitive to chemical heterogeneity, and thus fully deposited (over 96.9%) in GT and GT-DEHP-coated columns. Generally, the deposition of NPs due to chemical heterogeneity was more significant than that due to the formation of chemical bonds and van der Waals, electrostatic, and hydrogen interactions. Our results highlight that the surface charge and functional groups significantly influence the transport behaviors of NPs and elucidate the fate of NPs in the terrestrial environment. [Display omitted] • PSNPs−NH 2 transport was hindered in GT and GT-DEHP-coated columns. • GT and GT-DEHP decelerated the transport of PSNPs−COOH more than that of PSNPs. • Deposition of PSNPs−NH 2 was largely due to its sensitivity to chemical heterogeneity. • Quantum chemical computation was applied to study NPs transport for the first time. • Ligand exchange caused greater deposition of PSNPs−COOH than that of PSNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this paper was to introduce more advanced and practical procedures for fire load application methods considering the effects of Passive fire protection (PFP) with the motivation to nonlinear structural consequence analysis of FPSO topsides structures under fire load. This paper is a part of phase III of the joint industry project on explosion and fire engineering of FPSOs (EFEF JIP). Temperature dependent material properties of steel and PFP materials were adopted to develop fire load application methods. But in case of PFP materials, only temperature dependent thermal properties were considered to focus on the thermal effects. Numerical simulations were performed and the modeling method of PFP materials were validated with published experimental results. The nonlinear finite element code LS-DYNA was used for numerical simulations. The results of this study will be useful for consequence structural analysis under fire load considering PFP effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a Gaussian Quadrature method for the evaluation of the triple integral , where is an analytic function in x, y, z and T refers to the standard tetrahedral region: in three space . Mathematical transformation from space to space map the standard tetrahedron T in space to a standard 1-cube: in space. Then we use the product of Gauss Legendre and Gauss Jacobi weight coefficients and abscissas to arrive at an efficient quadrature rule over the standard tetrahedral region T. We have then demonstrated the application of the derived quadrature rules by considering the evaluation of some typical triple integrals over the region T. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is a demand to develop techniques for the continuous removal/immobilization of heavy metals from contaminated soil and water bodies. In this study, a unique biochar preparation method was developed for the removal of cadmium. First, conventional biochars of corn straw were produced by pyrolysis at two temperatures and then treated using one-step synthesis at different ferric nitrate ratios and different calcination temperatures to produce magnetic biochars. Second, the prepared biochars were used as adsorbents for Cd(II) removal from a solution, and the best one was selected for further evaluation. Various techniques were used to characterize the adsorbents and determine the main adsorption mechanism. The results indicated that the biochars successfully carried iron particles within, which improved the specific surface area, formed inner-sphere complexes with oxygen-containing groups, and increased the number of oxygen-containing groups. The adsorption experiments revealed that MBC800-0.6 300 had a higher affinity for Cd(II) than the other adsorbents. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to explore the influence of the kinetics, isotherm, pH, thermodynamics, ionic strength, and humic acid on Cd(II) adsorption. The results indicated that the Langmuir model fit the Cd(II) adsorption best with MBC800-0.6 300 having the highest adsorption capacity (46.90 mg g−1). The sorption kinetics of Cd(II) on the adsorbent follows a pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Because MBC800-0.6 300 is loaded with metal ions, it can be conveniently collected by a magnet. Thus, biochar modification methods with ferric nitrate impregnation provide an excellent approach to eliminating Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. The possible adsorption mechanisms include chemisorption, electrostatic interaction, and monolayer adsorption. • Magnetic biochars were produced by using a one-step synthesis. • The maximum adsorption capacity of MBC800-0.6 300 for Cd(II) is 46.9 mg g−1. • The Langmuir model is a good fit for adsorption process of Cd(II) to define monolayer sorption. • The Cd(II) -loaded MBC800-0.6 300 can be conveniently collected by a magnet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]