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Manganese has recently been a topic of interest among researchers, particularly when 1,752 million tonnes of manganese are expected to be produced by the steel industry in 2020. Manganese discharges from industrial effluents have increased manganese contamination in water sources. Its concentrations of more than 0.2 mg/L in the water sources could have negative impacts on human health and the aquatic ecosystem. Thereby, the available water treatment processes face challenges in effectively removing manganese at low cost. In response to these challenges, adsorption has emerged as one of the most practical water treatment processes for manganese removal. In particular, agricultural waste adsorbents received a lot of attention owing to their low cost and high efficiency (99%) in the removal of manganese. Therefore, this paper reviews the removal of manganese by adsorption process using agricultural waste adsorbents. The factors affecting the adsorption process, the mechanisms, and the performances of the adsorbents are elucidated in detail., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

During food production, food processing, and supply chain, large amounts of food byproducts are generated and thrown away as waste, which to a great extent brings about adverse consequences on the environment and economic development. The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is cultivated and consumed in many countries. Sweet potato peels (SPPs) are the main byproducts generated by the tuber processing. These residues contain abundant nutrition elements, bioactive compounds, and other high value-added substances; therefore, the reutilization of SPP holds significance in improving their overall added value. SPPs contain abundant phenolic compounds and carotenoids, which might contribute significantly to their nutraceutical properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and lipid-lowering effects. It has been demonstrated that SPP could be promisingly revalorized into food industry, including: (1) applications in diverse food products; (2) applications in food packaging; and (3) applications in the recovery of pectin and cellulose nanocrystals. Furthermore, SPP could be used as promising feedstocks for the bioconversion of diverse value-added bioproducts through biological processing., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The fundamental existence of any living organism necessitates the availability of pure and safe water. The ever-increasing population has led to extensive industrialization and urbanization, which have subsequently escalated micropollutants and water contamination. The environmental impact on various life forms poses a dire need for research in effective environmental management. Versatile technologies involving multiple approaches, including physiochemical and biological bioremediation strategies, draw insights from environmental biology. Metabolic annihilation mediated by microbes shows significant potential in the bioconversion of toxic micropollutants to tolerable limits. Environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable strategies are envisaged for efficient environmental protection. Phytoremediation technology, especially floating wetland treatments, facilitates micropollutant elimination, landscape management, ecosystem conservation, and aesthetic enhancement in diverse environments. The incorporation of nanomaterials in the bioremediation of toxic micropollutants augments novel and innovative strategies for water pollution abatement. This paper offers a novel strategy that combines nanomaterials to improve micropollutant degradation with bioremediation techniques, particularly the creative application of phytoremediation technologies like floating wetlands. Combining these techniques offers a novel viewpoint on long-term, affordable approaches to reducing water pollution. Additionally, the review proposes a forward-looking strategic framework that addresses the accumulation and refractory nature of micropollutants, which has not been thoroughly explored in previous literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government agencies, energy consumers, and other societal groups have all shown concern and attention for the energy management of buildings. Relevant statistical data, however, indicate that most public buildings continue to consume large amounts of energy overall and that the issues of low energy usage and energy waste have not materially improved. As a result, this study reviewed the state of progress and potential directions for future research in the field of building energy management in public buildings using a data-driven approach. Relevant studies were obtained from three databases—Web of Science, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure—based on certain search phrases. The text mining program VOS viewer was then used to examine the material. We provide a thorough examination of the study techniques and material, as well as a visual representation of the keywords and current state of the field. According to this study, the range of data processing outcomes; the flexibility of research system standards; and the availability of a comprehensive, unified assessment system are the main factors contributing to the practical issues facing building energy management today. Based on the geographic distribution and state of energy development, this study is the first to examine possible research avenues for building energy management in public buildings through cross-fusion research on passive energy-saving design and subjective behavioral energy-saving. It offers a foundation for developing the building energy management system best practice model in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron and manganese in groundwater impair the quality of drinking water; however, the rates of iron and manganese removal with conventional aeration and rapid sand filtration (RSF) processes vary extensively. Five full-scale aeration–RSF processes in Nepal also showed varying efficiencies of iron and manganese removal; while the iron concentration was below the national standard (0.30 mg/L) in 31 out of the 37 treated waters, the manganese concentration was higher than the standard (0.20 mg/L) in all of the treated waters. Re-aeration and stirring of the treated water did not oxidize soluble manganese, and this caused the poor removal rates for manganese. Bench-scale dual-media filters comprising anthracite on top of sand/ceramic layers with dosages of poly aluminum chloride and chlorine worked well by removing coagulated iron in the anthracite layer and then removing manganese in the sand/ceramic layers. A manganese-oxide-coated ceramic filter provided the highest manganese removal from 1.10 mg/L to <0.01 mg/L, followed by manganese-oxide-coated sand and quartz sand. Increasing the pH from 7.5 to 9.0 stabilized the manganese removal. Therefore, we propose a re-design of the present treatment processes and the selection of suitable filter media for better removal of iron and manganese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bukit Merah Reservoir is the main potable and irrigation water source for Kerian District, Perak State, Malaysia. For the past two decades, the reservoir has experienced water stress. Land-use activities have been identified as the contributor of the sedimentation. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate and quantify the impacts of land-use change in the reservoir watershed. The SWAT was calibrated and two scenarios were constructed representing projected land use in the year 2015 and hypothetical land use to represent extensive land-use change in the catchment area. The simulation results based on 17 years of rainfall records indicate that average water quantity will not be significantly affected but the ground water storage will decrease and suspended sediment will increase. Ground water decrease and sediment yield increase will exacerbate the Bukit Merah Reservoir operation problem.

Tissue engineering has emerged as a remarkable field aiming to restore or replace damaged tissues through the use of biomimetic constructs. Among the diverse materials investigated for this purpose, nanocellulose-based hydrogels have garnered attention due to their intriguing biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and sustainability. Over the past few years, numerous research works have been published focusing on the successful use of nanocellulose-based hydrogels as artificial extracellular matrices for regenerating various types of tissues. The review emphasizes the importance of tissue engineering, highlighting hydrogels as biomimetic scaffolds, and specifically focuses on the role of nanocellulose in composites that mimic the structures, properties, and functions of the native extracellular matrix for regenerating damaged tissues. It also summarizes the types of nanocellulose, as well as their structural, mechanical, and biological properties, and their contributions to enhancing the properties and characteristics of functional hydrogels for tissue engineering of skin, bone, cartilage, heart, nerves and blood vessels. Additionally, recent advancements in the application of nanocellulosebased hydrogels for tissue engineering have been evaluated and documented. The review also addresses the challenges encountered in their fabrication while exploring the potential future prospects of these hydrogel matrices for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-derived foods with therapeutic potential have strong connection with both the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The effectiveness of these therapeutic properties is heavily influenced by the thermal treatment during drying and extraction methods. Traditional convective drying is a very energy incentive and lengthy process. Although some advanced and hybrid drying methods have been developed, these have not been applied in drying of banana inflorescence. In this study, we investigated the effects of freeze-drying (FD) and intermittent microwave convective drying (IMCD), as well as traditional convective oven drying (CD), on the polyphenol profile of banana inflorescence when extracted using the energy-efficient Accelerated Solvent Extraction method (ASE). Our findings revealed that the freeze-dried banana inflorescence powder exhibited the highest extraction of bioactive compounds when using 75% methanol at 100 °C as a solvent. It recovered 2906.3 ± 20.83 mg/100 g of the phenolic compounds and 63.12 ± 0.25% antioxidant activity under the optimal extraction conditions. While IMCD was found to be the second-best drying method in terms of preserving bioactive compounds, its operational time and cost were significantly lower compared to freeze-drying. Furthermore, our study confirmed the presence of medicinal compounds such as gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, catechin, ferulic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin in banana inflorescence. The development of innovative functional foods and pharmaceutical ingredients through green extraction methods and optimal drying conditions holds significant potential to save energy in the process, enhance human health, and promote environmental sustainability and circular economy processes. These efforts align with supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aims to assess the literature on Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) factors and sub-indicators in classrooms over the past decade (2014-2024), focusing on models, assessment methods, and tools specific to these factors. The significance of this research lies not only in reviewing IEQ assessment holistically and panoramically (where 44 studies within the last 10 years were reviewed across major scientific databases) to highlight and reaffirm the most frequently measured IEQ sub-indicators, but it also aims to eliminate confusion that might occur for researchers by categorizing the assessment of IEQ. This helps readers clearly identify the specific type of assessment they are exploring, as past research on IEQ often features similar titles but differs in the type of actual assessment, whether it is occupant-based, holistic, multiple factors, or single factor. The main findings of the review highlight the most measured IEQ sub-indicators in the literature for each of the IEQ factors, and they are as follows; 1). For thermal comfort, air temperature and relative humidity are the primary measures. 2) For indoor air quality, the key indicators are CO2 concentration, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). 4) Visual comfort is primarily assessed through illuminance and daylight factor, 3) acoustic comfort focuses on background noise level and reverberation time. Despite numerous studies on specific IEQ factors, there is a lack of comprehensive models integrating multiple components for holistic assessments. Our findings underscore the necessity for ongoing monitoring and enhancement of IEQ in classrooms to improve students' health, well-being, and academic performance. We recommend future research focus on developing a standardized, holistic tool designed specifically for classroom environments. Such a tool should allow for initial and rapid assessments, making it accessible for professionals and non-specialists in IEQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic waste cannot be easily recycled or decomposed since it is not an organic substance. Due to the uncontrolled manufacturing of plastic items, a significant amount of plastic waste has been generated. There is a growing need for a sustainable alternative to the synthetic petrochemical–made plastic-based materials. Nowadays, plastic-based cake mold is a very common daily used product. Therefore, biobased bowls could be a suitable substitute for plastic counterparts. In this work, a biobased edible bowl/cake mold was fabricated using natural ingredients such as finger millet, refined flour, jaggery, and xanthan gum. The developed cake mold was further fortified with the addition of varying content (0–10%) of brewer's spent grain (BSG). The BSG-added cake mold (S4) showed ~ fivefold low water absorption and also ~ threefold reduction in oil absorption proficiency with respect to control. Moreover, the fortified cake mold itself exhibited excellent antioxidant activity, and interestingly, the antioxidant action was further improved (~ 25% increment in S4) by the addition of BSG. The hardness of the edible bowl was significantly increased (~ threefold) in the presence of the S4 sample. Also, the developed cake mold/bowl was biodegradable, as observed from the preliminary soil degradation test. Hence, the outcome of the present work could be a promising approach for producing a safer alternative to plastic-based cake mold/bowl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batteries are the main component of many electrical systems, and due to the elevated consumption of electric vehicles and portable electronic devices, they are the dominant and most rapidly growing energy storage technology. Consequently, they are set to play a crucial role in meeting the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to achieve more sustainable societies. In this critical report, a rational basic-to-advanced compilation study of the effectiveness, techno-feasibility, and sustainability aspects of innovative greener manufacturing technologies and processes that deliver each battery component (anodes, cathodes, electrolytes, and separators) is accomplished, aiming to improve battery safety and the circularity of end-products. Special attention is given to biomass-derived anode materials and bio-based separators utilization that indicates excellent prospects considering green chemistry, greener binders, and energy storage applications. To fully reach this potential, one of the most promising ways to achieve sustainable batteries involves biomass-based electrodes and non-flammable and non-toxic electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries and other chemistries, where the potential of a greener approach is highly beneficial, and challenges are addressed. The crucial obstacles related to the successful fabrication of greener batteries and potential future research directions are highlighted. Bridging the gap between fundamental and experimental research will provide critical insights and explore the potential of greener batteries as one of the frontrunners in the uptake of sustainability and value-added products in the battery markets of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overuse of chemical fertilizers degrades the soil ecosystem and restricts the natural development of plants. Various byproducts are produced throughout the production and consumption of coffee within the coffee industry, and they are significant in terms of environmental waste. Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) contains various bioactive compounds that have demonstrated potential applications in various fields. These compounds can enhance soil quality by improving its physicochemical properties and biological fertility, ultimately leading to improved plant growth and reducing food waste and contamination at the same time. This current study examined the impact of chemical fertilizer, vermicompost, SCGs with percentage fertilizer (SCGPF), and SCGs on the top dressing fertilizer (SCGTDF) on red radish (Raphanus sativus) growth and soil quality. This greenhouse experiment tested various concentrations of SCGPF (5%, 10%, 25%, and 50%) and different doses of SCGTDF (0.5 g, 1 g, and 2.5 g). The results showed that the 0.5 g SCGTDF treatment yielded the highest mean plant length (18.47 cm) and fresh weight (27.54 g), while the vermicompost at a 50% concentration produced the highest mean leaf surface area (58.32 cm2). These findings suggest the potential of SCGs as a sustainable fertilizer alternative, contributing to improved plant growth and soil quality, thus supporting sustainable agricultural practices and a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) and microfluidic thread-based analytical devices (μTADs) have recently been introduced as a new class of on-site monitoring devices. Creating hydrophilic channels with hydrophobic barriers on papers/threads produces μPADs/μTADs. Fabrication is a crucial step in creating durable μPADs/μTADs that can withstand various liquids and impact the device's performance. Fabrication materials with distinct physicochemical properties allow microfluidic systems with sophisticated functions to be customized for specific applications. We present flexible and low-cost fabrication methods for μPAD and μTAD platforms. Platform designs and fabrications were implemented using a trial-and-error method for various designs with varying parameters. All production methods presented in the method section were used in |PAD production. For comparison studies, only the dipping method was used in μTAD production due to its ease of application. In this study, we tried to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the production techniques and the resulting microfluidic platforms. A leaching test was performed with water solutions containing red ink. The compatibility of the hydrophobic walls of the platforms was tested with several solvents (isopropanol, methanol, and acetone), deionized (DI) water, and phosphate buffer solution PBS and compared. Patterning paper with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), white glue, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), beeswax, and paraffin are much more flexible and simpler than traditional photoresist-based fabrications. The advantages and disadvantages of fabrication techniques; solvent resistance and wicking behaviors of platforms were discussed in the last part. The fabricated microfluidic platforms can be functionalized and used in many areas where analytical tests are applied. Studies on diversifying channel geometries and increasing resolution need to be continued. It should be investigated which devices can be used to obtain qualitative and quantitative results. To make simple and cheap production techniques suitable for mass production, studies should be carried out from different branches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressing need for sustainable agricultural practices, especially with the increasing population, has directed attention towards alternative fertilizers that enhance crop yield while preserving soil integrity and reducing food loss. The current study investigated the comparative efficacy of food waste compost (FOWC), vermicompost, and chemical fertilizers on the growth of red radish. The present work used a systematic experimental design to evaluate plant growth parameters, including radish weight and height. The soil quality was determined by measuring the pH and electrical conductivity for all soil samples. The results indicated a significant variation in red radish fresh weight among different treatments. For example, the 25% vegetable and fruit waste compost (VFWC) treatment demonstrated a relatively high mean fresh weight, while the 50% mixed compost (MC) treatment yielded a much lower mean fresh weight. These numbers underscore the potential efficacy of specific food waste treatments in enhancing plant growth, with vermicompost at 50% and VFWC at 25% showing considerable promise in increasing crop yield. The current study concluded that FOWC and vermicompost significantly improved plant growth, advocating for their use as sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical fertilizers. The current findings emphasized the importance of selecting appropriate fertilizer types and concentrations to optimize agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, supporting the incorporation of food waste into agricultural systems as a beneficial resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are rodlike biosourced colloidal particles used as key building blocks in a growing number of materials with innovative mechanical or optical properties. While CNCs form stable suspensions at low volume fractions in pure water, they aggregate in the presence of salt and form colloidal gels with time-dependent properties. Here, we study the impact of salt concentration on the slow aging dynamics of CNC gels following the cessation of a high-shear flow that fully fluidizes the sample. We show that the higher the salt content, the faster the recovery of elasticity upon flow cessation. Most remarkably, the elastic modulus G′ obeys a time–composition superposition principle: the temporal evolution of G′ can be rescaled onto a universal sigmoidal master curve spanning 13 orders of magnitude in time for a wide range of salt concentrations. Such a rescaling is obtained through a time-shift factor that follows a steep power-law decay with increasing salt concentration until it saturates at large salt content. These findings are robust to changes in the type of salt and the CNC content. We further show that both linear and nonlinear rheological properties of CNC gels of various compositions, including, e.g., the frequency-dependence of viscoelastic spectra and the yield strain, can be rescaled based on the sample age along the general master curve. Our results provide strong evidence for universality in the aging dynamics of CNC gels and call for microstructural investigations during recovery as well as theoretical modeling of time–composition superposition in rodlike colloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of small wind turbines intended for domestic use has significantly increased during the recent years, and it is reasonable to assume that this trend will continue given the present political and economic environment. There is a greater need for clean, pollution-free energy due to worries about climate change. In this study, a 1.5 KW vertical-axis Darrieus helix wind turbine for residential use was designed and its performance was mathematically evaluated under typical wind speed circumstances of 12 m/s. The study is split into two sections: In the first, we examined a standard wind turbine design with three identical blades, whereas in the second, the blades were different, each with a unique airfoil with a varying chord, even though they shared the same rotor diameter. For each case, 5 CFD simulations were performed in order to determine the power characteristics of the wind turbines. To correctly set up the computational domain, the number of elements and the minimum element size were taken into account whereas mesh dependency analysis was performed. In order to compare the results, the vorticity magnitude was measured at 4 different blade locations in each boundary condition. The results showed that when the power coefficient of the turbines is considered, such geometry adjustments are possible. Furthermore, the evolution of the torque coefficient over a full 360-degree rotation was studied. A summary of the improvements in performance resulting from the geometry adjustment is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The research article discusses the use of orange peel as a low-cost adsorbent for removing methyl orange dye from water solutions. The study found that increasing contact time, adsorbent dose, and decreasing particle size led to higher removal of the dye. However, increasing the initial concentration of the dye decreased the removal percentage. The Langmuir isotherm model was found to best fit the experimental data. Overall, orange peel was found to be an effective and affordable adsorbent for water treatment. Another article by Li et al. explores the use of sludge-based activated carbon for removing dyes from water, highlighting its potential as a sustainable and cost-effective solution. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this study is to comprehensively describe the results of the analysis of the ability to understand concepts and misconceptions in terms of differences in learning styles, as well as gender differences. The data to be collected in this study is in the form of primary data and secondary data. The primary data is obtained from primary sources and secondary data is obtained from secondary sources. The primary source in this study is informants, namely students, and the secondary source is documentation of student test scores as an illustration of student abilities. The instruments in this study are student learning style tests and auxiliary instruments in the form of misconception diagnostic tests. Learning style test in the form of a questionnaire. This instrument is used to uncover visual, auditorial, and kinesthetic learning style variables. Misconception diagnostic tests use the Certainty of Response Index (CRI). The results of the CRI analysis based on student answer criteria are: (a) 5.83% of student problem solving do not know the concept (lucky guess); (c) 22.30% of the student problem solvers did not know the concept; (b) 50.18% of student problem solving mastered the concept well; and (d) 21.69% of student problem solving occurred misconceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of water resources available for human consumption is increasing with the continuous release of chemicals into aquatic environments and their inefficient removal in wastewater treatment. Several watersheds in Brazil, such as the Iguaçu River, are affected by multiple sources of pollution and lack information about their pollution status. The Iguaçu River basin (IRB) has great socioeconomic and environmental relevance to both the supply of water resources and its considerable hydroelectric potential, as well as for the high rate of endemism of its ichthyofauna. Also, the IRB is home to large conservation units, such as the Iguaçu National Park, recognized by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage Site. Thus, this article discusses the chemical pollution in the IRB approaching: (i) the main sources of pollution; (ii) the occurrence of inorganic and organic micropollutants; (iii) the available ecotoxicological data; and (iv) the socioeconomic impacts in three regions of the upper, middle, and lower IRB. Different studies have reported relevant levels of emerging contaminants, persistent organic pollutants, toxic metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons detected in the water and sediment samples, especially in the upper IRB region, associated with domestic and industrial effluents. Additionally, significant concentrations of pesticides and toxic metals were also detected in the lower IRB, revealing that agricultural practices are also relevant sources of chemicals for this watershed. More recently, studies indicated an association between fish pathologies and the detection of micropollutants in the water and sediments in the IRB. The identification of the main sources of pollutants, associated with the distribution of hazardous chemicals in the IRB, and their potential effects on the biota, as described in this review, represent an important strategy to support water management by public authorities for reducing risks to the local endemic biodiversity and exposed human populations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1280-1305. © 2023 SETAC., (© 2023 SETAC.)

Rapid industrialization and unplanned urbanization have significantly increased environmental pollution. These human behaviors have resulted in massive waste discharges into the environment. As a result, organic and inorganic contaminants, including heavy metals, have accumulated in surface and groundwater. Heavy metals are highly carcinogenic and deadly. Heavy metal removal from drinking water has always been difficult. Conventional water treatment procedures could be more efficient, wasteful of energy, and generate massive amounts of harmful waste. In this initiative, researchers created a bio-based adsorption technology for removing heavy metal ions from polluted water. Nano celluloses (NCs) as biosorbents have sparked considerable attention due to their unique properties, such as the presence of several -OH groups on their surface, allowing the insertion of chemical moieties, a substantial specific surface area, strong mechanical properties, recyclability, and biodegradability. This review paper goes into great detail regarding the ways of producing Nano cellulose and its essential qualities. Many factors influence the use of NCbased adsorbents in water treatment systems, including synthesis pathways, functionalization of the surface, specific surface area, regeneration capacity, and reusability. Recent advances in bio-sorbent synthesis have prompted using bio-derived NC-based adsorbents in water treatment methods. This study also demonstrates that utilizing the potential for agricultural wastes, specifically sugarcane bagasse (SCB), as a precursor for Nano celluloses represents a sustainable approach, namely the conversion of low-value waste into a specific high-value product and its use in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jackfruit rags (JR) are an abundant source of pectin, which offers promising health benefits. They can be valorized into a functional ingredient to reduce food waste and supply the local market demand. This research aimed to optimize and characterize the pectin extracted from JR using an ultrasoundassisted method with hydrochloric acid. A central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize the solid-to-solvent ratio (1:25 to 1:35) and extraction time (15 to 45 mins) to obtain high yield of pectin. The optimal conditions for JR pectin extraction were found to be a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:34.97 g/mL and an extraction time of 34.69 min, resulting in a pectin yield of 12.53%. The yielded pectin exhibited ash content of 3.64%, galacturonic acid content of 35.79 µg/mL, equivalent weight of 1950.88, methoxyl content of 1.39, anhydrouronic acid content of 31.12%, and degree of ¬esterification of 70.08%. FTIR analysis showed similar chemical group stretching and vibrations in both commercial pectin and JR pectin. The extracted pectin was then applied into model food gel and compared with commercial pectin. JR pectin formed a firm gel structure at low pH as compared to control pectin,¬ however both are classified as high methoxy pectin. Under optimum conditions, the experimental value was in close proximity to the predicted values with no significant difference, thereby validating the regression model. The potential of JR pectin to emerge as a fresh and sustainable source within the food industry is significant, given its comparable quality to commercially available pectin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing population, increasing industrial and agricultural activities have resulted in the exponential release of high concern emerging pollutants into the environment, categorized under endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The hydrophobic and lipophilic properties of these persisting EDCs comprising of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, surfactants, several industrial chemicals result in generation of complexes with soil organic matter favoring their bioaccumulation via food chain. At each trophic level, these cause negative reproductive, developmental, and neurological impacts in both humans and animals even at low concentrations of ng/L to μg/L. In soil, these impose ecotoxicological effects on soil organisms, reduce microbial activity and change the soil's physio-chemical properties. The present review provides an insight about its chemical fate in the environment with respect to their physiochemical properties, mechanisms and corresponding impacts in ecosystems. To mitigate EDCs, various regulatory frameworks designed around the globe have also been highlighted. Due to the unambiguous identification of EDCs structures and their amounts, the focus of this review has been also directed on the development of various analytical methods for their precise determination. Further, this review highlights the various physical and chemical methods for their removal with main focus towards the use of eco-friendly cost–effective approaches as phytoremediation, microbial remediation using bacteria, algae, yeasts, fungi and enzymatic remediation using ligninolytic enzyme systems of white rot fungi (WRF), generating no or minimum secondary pollutants. The prospects of immobilized microbes and enzymes on suitable nano supports to enhance their sensitivity against negative environmental factors, have also been summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory pollutants like pharmaceuticals and dyes have become excessively prevalent in most Malaysian water bodies because of the growing textile and pharmaceutical industries. Hence, this work employed activated carbon prepared from freely available paper mill sewage sludge for removing chloramphenicol (CAP) and methylene blue (MB). Modest treatment of low-temperature carbonisation assisted with a short activation time of microwave radiation had been used. Analysis of variance of central composite design resulted in the optimum conditions of 440-W radiation power and 3-min activation time for optimum removal of 70% CAP and 51% MB. The surface area of the paper mill sewage sludge activated carbon (PMSSAC) improved greatly from 1.14 to 412 m2/g, with the highest adsorption capacity of 13 mg/g. The scanning electron microscope images demonstrated the efficiency of microwave radiation treatment, where more cavities and pores were observed on activated carbon for improved adsorbate penetration. The Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-second-order model appeared to best fit the kinetic data. Furthermore, the high affinity of adsorbate towards the PMSSAC surface could be the plausible mechanism, as indicated by the high amount of adsorption within the initial stage of adsorption. Thus, it is envisaged that our PMSSAC could be effectively employed in actual wastewater systems, as evidenced by excellent CAP and MB removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of bovine calf serum (BCS) related to the functional performance of synovial fluid on the tribological behavior of borides grown on cobalt–28chromium–6molybdenum (Co–28Cr–6Mo) alloy used in orthopedic prostheses is not known yet. Here, the borides were grown on Co–28Cr–6Mo surface for 5 and 7 hours at 975 °C using 90 wt pct boron carbide (B4C) and 10 wt pct sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF4) powders. The borides were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), nanoindentation, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS). The tribological performance of the borides was evaluated using a ball-on-disk type tribometer in dry-sliding condition and different biological fluids (phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and BCS). The thickness, nanohardness and elastic modulus values of the borides composed of a bilayer Co2B and CoB phases were observed to be 33.3 to 40 µm, 22.34 to 24.30 GPa and 224.46 to 229.27 GPa, respectively. Following the boriding process, the volume loss of Co–28Cr–6Mo decreased from 0.275 to 0.122-0.142 mm3 owing to the high hardness and elastic modulus of the formed boride layers. The lubricating effect of PBS and BCS fluids has a great influence on the friction and wear performance of the boride layers. With the introduction of PBS lubricant into the tribosystem, the worn volume and COF of the borides significantly decreased from 0.122-0.142 to 0.014 mm3 and from 0.68-0.75 to 0.21-0.25, respectively. Plasma proteins present in BCS lubricant managed to reduce these values even further and showed a COF of 0.09 and the worn volume of 0.002 to 0.003 mm3. SEM and EDS analyses showed that the main failure mechanism of the borides was changed from oxidation-assisted delamination in dry-sliding condition to micro-scratches in BCS lubricant. The superior wear and friction performance of the borides (grown on Co–28Cr–6Mo) in BCS lubricant suggests its potential usage for orthopedic implant products although further in-vitro and in-vivo studies are needed to verify this potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]