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The application of sodium alginate is limited because of its relatively small adsorption capacity, easy to release cations into water after forming gel with divalent cations, and difficult to realize mass production under the condition of controllable cost. In order to solve the aforementioned problems of sodium alginate gel, this study used activated carbon (AC) as a support material to enhance the mechanical properties of sodium alginate gel. Activated carbon-sodium alginate-oxalate gel particles (CSO) were used to increase the number of its oxygen-containing functional groups and improve the adsorption capacity. The specific surface area of the synthesized CSO particles could reach 1,413.568 m2·g−1. The particle size of CSO particles was 50% in the range of 80–200 um, and 70% in the range of 40–200 um. The surface zero charge of CSO particles was determined to be 3.14. The thermal stability of CSO particles at 200°C was determined by thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA). By studying the effects of different influencing factors on the process of removing pollutants from water by CSO, it was determined that pH has different effects for different pollutants. The equilibrium adsorption capacity (qe) of CSO for Ni(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) under the optimum condition of reaction temperature of 50°C was 77.14, 53.04, and 77.66 mg·g−1 , respectively. The adsorption isotherms were fitted to obtain the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of CSO for Ni(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) as 75.56, 49.65, and 75.64 mg·g−1. A combination of X-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterization demonstrated that the main mechanisms for the removal of divalent metal cations by CSO particles involved electrostatic adsorption and ion exchange. Overall, this work provides a good reference for the purification of heavy metal–polluted water by CSO particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass such as Miscanthus grown on marginal agricultural land is very challenging and requires severe conditions to fractionate cell wall polymers for further valorization. The current study aimed to determine organic acid-based mild conditions to pretreat contrasting lignocellulosic Miscanthus genotypes for the efficient fractionation of cell wall components, with special focus on hemicellulose extraction. In doing so, five Miscanthus genotypes were subjected to four different acid treatments (sulfuric acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, and citric acid) in a vertical high-pressure steam sterilizer. The results demonstrated that, among the organic acids, oxalic acid was identified as the most effective pretreatment solvent for hemicellulose separation, whereas citric acid yielded the highest amount of galacturonic acid, varying from 15 to 17 mg mL−1 across genotypes. One best performing genotype was selected for the enzymatic hydrolysis. Overall, M. floridulus genotypes exhibited the optimal quality traits for efficient bioconversion with second best in terms of ethanol production potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing controllable thermal conduction networks is the key to efficiently improve thermal conductivities of polymer composites. In this work, graphite oxide (GO) and functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) are combined to prepare "Line-Plane"-like hetero-structured thermally conductive GO@f-CNTs fillers, which are then performed to construct controllable 3D GO@f-CNTs thermal conduction networks via self-sacrificing template method based on oxalic acid. Subsequently, thermally conductive GO@f-CNTs/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites are fabricated via casting method. When the size of oxalic acid is 0.24 mm and the volume fraction of GO@f-CNTs is 60 vol%, GO@f-CNTs/PDMS composites present the optimal thermal conductivity coefficient (λ, 4.00 W·m−1·K−1), about 20 times that of the λ of neat PDMS (0.20 W·m−1·K−1), also much higher than the λ (2.44 W·m−1·K−1) of GO/f-CNTs/PDMS composites with the same amount of randomly dispersed fillers. Meanwhile, the obtained GO@f-CNTs/PDMS composites have excellent thermal stability, whose λ deviation is only about 3% after 500 thermal cycles (20–200 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lumasiran is the first RNA interference (RNAi) therapy of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). Here, we report on the rapid improvement and even disappearance of nephrocalcinosis after early lumasiran therapy. Case-diagnosis/treatment: In patient 1, PH1 was suspected due to incidental discovery of nephrocalcinosis stage 3 in a 4-month-old boy. Bilateral nephrocalcinosis stage 3 was diagnosed in patient 2 at 22 months concomitantly to acute pyelonephritis. Urinary oxalate (UOx) and glycolate (UGly) were increased in both patients allowing to start lumasiran therapy before genetic confirmation. Nephrocalcinosis started to improve and disappeared after 27 months and 1 year of treatment in patients 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusion: These cases illustrate the efficacy of early lumasiran therapy in infants to improve and even normalize nephrocalcinosis. As proposed in the 2023 European guidelines, the interest of starting treatment quickly without waiting for genetic confirmation may have an impact on long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative disorders cause most physical and mental disabilities, and therefore require effective treatment. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) prevents drug molecules from crossing from the blood to the brain, making brain drug delivery difficult. Implantable devices could provide sustained and regulated medication to solve this problem. Two electrolytes (0.3 M oxalic acid and 0.3 M sulphuric acid) were used to anodise Al2O3 nanoporous membranes, followed by a third anodisation in concentrated H2SO4 to separate the through-hole membranes from the aluminium substrate. FTIR, AFM, and SEM/EDX were used to characterise the membranes' structure and morphology. The effects of the anodisation time and electrolyte type on the AAO layer pore density, diameter, interpore distance, and thickness were examined. As a model drug for neurodegenerative disorders, donepezil hydrochloride (DHC) was loaded onto thin alumina nanoporous membranes. The DHC release profiles were characterised at two concentrations using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer. Oxalic acid membranes demonstrated an average pore diameter of 39.6–32.5 nm, which was two times larger than sulphuric acid membranes (22.6–19.7 nm). After increasing the anodisation time from 3 to 5 h, all of the membranes showed a reduction in pore diameter that was stable regardless of the electrolyte type or period. Drug release from oxalic acid-fabricated membranes was controlled and sustained for over 2 weeks. Thus, nanoporous membranes as implantable drug delivery systems could improve neurodegenerative disease treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The pectin from Ficus carica Linn. (fig) peels is a valuable and recyclable constituent that may bring huge economic benefits. To maximize the utilization of this resource, deep eutectic solvent (DES)‐assisted extraction was applied to extract pectin from fig peels, and the extraction process was optimized with response surface methodology. RESULTS: When DES (choline chloride/oxalic acid = 1:1) content was 168.1 g kg−1, extraction temperature was 79.8 °C, liquid–solid ratio was 23.3 mL g−1, and extraction time was 120 min, the maximum yield of 239.6 g kg−1 was obtained, which was almost twice the extraction of hot water. DES‐extracted fig peel pectin (D‐FP) exhibited better nature than hot water‐extracted fig peel pectin (W‐FP) in terms of uronic acid content, particle size distribution, and solubility, but lower molecular weight and esterification degree. D‐FP and W‐FP had similar infrared spectra and thermodynamic peaks but differed in monosaccharide compositions. D‐FP also showed good antioxidant capacities and exhibited better functional activities than W‐FP. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that D‐FP was of promising quality being utilized in food or medical industries and the optimal DES‐assisted extraction method might be applied as a sustainable process for the effective extraction of bioactive pectin from fig peels with the excellence of low equipment requirements and simple operation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction of 1.09 × 10−2 Zr(IV) and 1.07 × 10−3 Nb(V) from their admixture solution was done using a phosphonic acid derivative (Ionquest 801 = IQ-801/kerosene). The calculated extraction constants for Zr(IV) and Nb(V) were found to be 17.1 × 103 M−3 and 1.1 × 103 M−1, respectively. The suggested extraction conditions were found to be (time =15–30 min, Organic: Aqueous ratio = 1, [HNO3] = 3 M, [IQ-801] = 0.015–0.02, and T = 25 ± 1. The calculated loading capacities per mole of IQ-801 were found to be 0.8 moles of Zr(IV) and 9 × 10−2 moles of Nb(V). According to McCabe-Thiele diagrams, 0.02 M IQ-801 can completely extract 1 × 10−2 M Zr(IV) and 1 × 10−3 M Nb(V) in just 2 stages. In the stripping process, about 99% Zr(IV) was stripped by stripping precipitation with 0.1 M oxalic acid and 1 M NaF, which also provides the best conditions for the separation of Nb(V) from Zr(IV). The highest separation was obtained using citric acid concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 4 M, oxalic acid concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 1 M, and sulfuric acid concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 3 M. A flow chart outlining the proposed technique steps for separating Zr(IV) and Nb(V) from an HNO3 solution using IQ-801 was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basalt fibers (BFs) are being explored due to their excellent thermo-mechanical properties and commercial value. However, additional surface modifications are needed to improve the interfacial adhesion of the fibers with the matrix. Therefore, the present work explored the applicability of nitric acid, oxalic acid, and silane reagents as surface modification agents. The fibers were subjected to immersion in the chemicals for a varied length of time. The laminates were fabricated using a wet layup process and compression-cured. The developed composites were subjected to mechanical testing to ascertain the effect of the selected surface treatment acids and the treatment duration on the tensile, impact, and flexural strength. Acid treatment was found to be beneficial for improving the mechanical properties of the laminates due to the generation of several functional groups on the surface of the acid-treated fibers. The mechanical properties of the laminate improved for nitric acid treatment in comparison to oxalic acid treatment. With respect to time, the mechanical properties of the laminate improved when nitric acid treatment time was increased to 30 min from 15 min. However, when oxalic acid treatment was performed for 180 min instead of 90 min, there was an observed reduction in the mechanical properties of the laminates. The highest increase in the tensile strength was noted in composites manufactured using fibers subjected to primary acid treatment and secondary silane treatment. Conclusively, nitric acid treatment was most beneficial as it helped improve the tensile, impact, and flexural strength of the BF/epoxy composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of organics in Bayer liquors has a notable adverse effect on alumina production. Among these organics, dicarboxylic acids are a class of low molecular weight compounds that have yet to be studied for their decomposition in Bayer liquors using advanced oxidation techniques. This study aims to investigate the oxidation behavior of four dicarboxylic acids, including malonic acid (C3), succinic acid (C4), glutaric acid (C5), and adipic acid (C6), in Bayer liquors. The influences of different variables, such as sodium persulfate (SPS) dosage, initial organic concentration, caustic soda concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time, on the advanced oxidation process of dicarboxylic acids were also studied. The results of the experiment indicate that an increase in SPS dosage, initial organic concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time promoted the removal of total organic carbon (TOC). However, the concentration of caustic soda had an inhibitory effect on TOC removal, and it also affected the type of decomposition products of dicarboxylic acids. The EPR results revealed that the reactive groups responsible for organic decomposition were SO 4 - · and HO · . Dicarboxylic acids were found to produce several decomposition products, including carbon dioxide (in the form of carbonate), formic acid, and oxalic acid. Additionally, malonic and fumaric acids were observed as the main oxidation intermediates for dicarboxylic acids with C-atom numbers > 3. A reaction mechanism for succinic acid was also proposed. Advanced oxidation techniques have shown promise as a means of removing organics from Bayer liquors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

45Ti exhibits favorable decay properties for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and can be easily produced by the bombardment of natural scandium (Sc) by protons using the 45Sc(p,n)45Ti nuclear reaction. However, separation of 45Ti from irradiated Sc targets is arduous due to the hydrolytic instability of Ti(IV) complexes, making it a significant bottleneck for routine application of this radionuclide. In the present work, we describe the development and optimization of an ion chromatographic separation method based on trapping of 45Ti on a hydroxamate-functionalized chelating resin and subsequent elution with oxalic acid at pH = 2.8. Under optimized conditions, this method enabled 45Ti-recovery of 61 ± 8% within 7 min. Sc contamination in scaled-up experiments was found to be only 3.0 ± 1.8 µg/mL. The resulting 45Ti-solution was directly used for complexation with CDTA as a model chelator, affording the corresponding [45Ti]Ti(cdta) complex with a radiochemical conversion of 73 ± 3%. Conclusively, this promising method could be transferred to automated synthesis modules and should enable the preparation of 45Ti-labeled compounds for PET imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a simple one-step solid-phase method using iron nitrate[ Fe (NO3)3 ⋅ 9H2O] and anhydrous oxalic acid (C2H2O4) as raw materials. The samples' structure, morphology, and magnetic properties were analyzed by XRD, SEM-EDS, and N2-adsorption/deaetivation VSM. The results show that adding C2H204 to Fe (NO3)3 ⋅ 9H2O can successfully prepare rod-like γ-Fe2O3 with saturation magnetization of 76.3 emu/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a typical necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungus, which has a wide host range and can cause a variety of diseases, leading to serious loss of agricultural production around the world. It is difficult to control and completely eliminate the characteristics, chemical control methods is not ideal. Therefore, it is very important to know the pathogenic mechanism of S. sclerotiorum for improving host living environment, relieving agricultural pressure and promoting economic development. In this paper, the life cycle of S. sclerotiorum is introduced to understand the whole process of S. sclerotiorum infection. Through the analysis of the pathogenic mechanism, this paper summarized the reported content, mainly focused on the oxalic acid, cell wall degrading enzyme and effector protein in the process of infection and its mechanism. Besides, recent studies reported virulence-related genes in S. sclerotiorum have been summarized in the paper. According to analysis, those genes were related to the growth and development of the hypha and appressorium, the signaling and regulatory factors of S. sclerotiorum and so on, to further influence the ability to infect the host critically. The application of host-induced gene silencing (HIGS)is considered as a potential effective tool to control various fungi in crops, which provides an important reference for the study of pathogenesis and green control of S. sclerotiorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Artvin Coruh University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The high biological activity of cultivated and wild purslane offers broad possibilities for utilizing this plant in medicine and human nutrition. To assess the prospects of obtaining new functional food products based on the wild form of P. oleracea L., foliar biofortification of this species with sodium selenate (VI) was carried out, and the changes in leaf and seed biochemical characteristics were investigated. Selenium significantly enhanced plant yield, photosynthetic pigments and the ascorbic acid content, and showed a tendency to seed productivity increase. The application of selenium augmented quinic acid content in leaves by 1.7 times but did not affect the oxalic acid content. Oxalic acid prevailed in wild purslane and quinic acid in cultivated purslane (cv. Makovey). Seed oil in Se-enriched purslane was characterized by a two-fold decrease in saturated fatty acids and squalene and 2.3-fold decrease in malonic dialdehyde content, along with a 1.4-fold increase in ascorbic acid. Selenium supplementation resulted in an increase in total lipids and mono- and di-unsaturated fatty acids and did not affect the concentration of ω-3 fatty acids and sterol accumulation. Among the identified sterols, only the minor ones (fucosterol, 7-stigmasterol and ∆7-avenosterol) showed a slight decrease upon Se supply. Compared to seeds of cv. Makovey, wild purslane seeds had higher levels of antioxidant activity by a factor of 2 and of polyphenols by a factor of 3.2 but did not differ significantly in oil fatty acid composition. The results indicate the importance of wild purslane leaves/seeds both fortified and not fortified with Se in human nutrition and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Xinjiang University (Natural Science Edition) is the property of Xinjiang University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cotton is a textile material frequently used in the medical system. The possibility of using natural extracts for coloring biotextiles is a current way of giving sustainability attributes to articles used in medicine. The influence of five different classical mordants and biomordants (citric acid, tannic acid, ferrous sulfate II, copper sulfate and ferrous sulfate with oxalic acid), by meta-mordanting and dyeing by exhaustion and sonication methods with Rhus typhina L. fruit extract, was evaluated. The investigation was carried out by measuring the chromatic coordinates, water and dry rubbing resistance, as well as measuring the FT-IR absorption spectra. The mixture between ferrous sulfate and 4% oxalic acid produced, according to the ATRFTIR analysis, the greatest changes in the cotton structure, but significantly reduces the color changes resulting from the simple use of sulfate. The promising obtained results such as low color changes when using biomordants, good resistance to water and friction, encourage to continue the research regarding the application of this extract in the friendly technology of cotton dyeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before steel can be utilized, pickling is necessary to remove surface oxidation products. However, as the ferrous ion concentration in the pickling solution increases, the pickling rate significantly diminishes, necessitating the treatment of spent pickling solution (SPS) to mitigate its hazardous effects prior to disposal. Current industrial methods predominantly rely on neutralization and precipitation techniques, which are cost-prohibitive and generate substantial by-products, thus failing to meet environmental protection standards. In this study, a new method, which is based on the formation of FeC2O4·2H2O precipitate in a strong acid solution, is proposed to treat the SPS. Initially, the SPS undergoes a two-step impurity removal process, followed by the controlled addition of oxalic acid dihydrate (H2C2O4·2H2O) to precipitate iron. The resulting precipitate is filtered, washed, and vacuum-dried, and the regenerated acid is recycled back into the pickling tank. When 1 g/10 mL of H2C2O4·2H2O is used, the iron removal rate achieves 60%, and the acidity of the regenerated acid increases by 11.3%. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and thermogravimetric–differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) characterization showed that the precipitate was α-FeC2O4·2H2O, with an average particle size of about 3.19 μm and a purity of 95.24%. This process innovatively achieves efficient recycling of acid and iron resources, offering a potential solution to the industrial challenge of difficult SPS treatment in the steel industry and meeting the urgent need for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study would be the first to develop a novel combination of Chelex®100 and Fe3O4 as a mixed binding gel for in situ phosphate measurement employing Diffusive Gradient in Thin Films (DGT). Fe3O4 and Chelex®100 were utilized as binding agents within a single binding layer for phosphate measurements in laboratory and natural water settings. The synthesized Fe3O4 was identified as magnetite and consisted of micro-sized particles. The pore size of the mixed binding gel ranged from 22.39 to 112.5 µm. Incorporating Chelex®100 with Fe3O4 in oxalic acid cross-linked agarose did not diminish phosphate adsorption efficiency. As adsorption time and phosphate concentration in solution increased, the quantity of adsorbed phosphate in the mixed binding gel also increased. Optimal phosphate elution was achieved using a basic solution, with a phosphate elution efficiency of 95.3 ± 0.4% observed with 0.4 M NaOH. The diffusion coefficient measured using the mixed binding gel was 1.08 times greater than that of polyacrylamide cross-linked with an agarose derivative (APA) gel, typically employed in the DGT technique. Phosphate concentration measurement with Fe3O4/Chelex®100- agarose oxalic acid in a DGT passive sampler at pH 4-8 yielded values twice those in bulk solution. Similar results were obtained when measuring phosphate in a 0.01 -- 0.1 M NaNO3 solution. A T-test showed that the phosphate concentration obtained from mixed binding layer-DGT as an alternate passive sampler was not significantly different from grab sampling. This study underscores the suitability of Fe3O4-Chelex®100 impregnated in agarose-oxalic acid gel for monitoring phosphate in natural water via DGT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango (Mangifera indica) is a renowned fruit cherished for its delightful taste and nutritional value. Belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, mangoes exhibit a climacteric trait marked by heightened respiration and ethylene production, resulting in a limited shelf life. To counter this, mangoes are often processed into pulp for extended storage. However, improper processing techniques can drastically reduce the pulp's shelf life. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of food additives (potassium metabisulphite and sodium benzoate) and thermal treatments (at 70 and 80 °C), individually and in combination, on the quality of Chaunsa mango pulp during a six-month period at room temperature. Quality was evaluated through physicochemical tests (titratable acidity, TSS, pH, and color) and microbiological analysis (total plate count). During storage, titratable acidity, TSS and total plate count increased whereas pH decreased for all treatments. In case of color, L* values increased initially before declining whereas a* values increased and b* values decreased for all treatments throughout the storage. The results indicated that the treatment with potassium metabisulphite alone (MCP) or combined with a 70 °C heat treatment (M70CP) yielded the best outcomes, surpassing the control and other treatments, and maintained quality throughout the storage period. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze the organic acid content of these two most effective treatments. The highest concentration was of malic acid followed by citric acid and oxalic acid respectively. This study suggests that the use of food additives, alone or in combination with thermal treatments, significantly prolongs the shelf life of mango pulp to six months, ensuring availability during off-seasons and facilitating its industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium nitrides precipitation in a W-alloyed superduplex stainless steel grade UNS S39274 was studied. A microstructure of ferrite, austenite and quenched-in nitrides was produced by solution treatment at 1150 °C followed by water quenching. Although the ferrite to austenite ratio was close to 1:1 after solution treatment, the steel contained a high density of chromium nitrides in the ferrite phase. This intense precipitation could be detected by optical microscopy (LOM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atom force microscopy. Different features were observed comparing specimens electrolytically etched with 40%HNO3 solution and with 10% oxalic acid solution. The nitrides were also investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), where two types of chromium nitrides were observed: larger CrN/Cr2N particles and needle-like nanosized CrN particles. The larger nitrides were those observed by SEM and LOM. The nanosized nitrides could only be studied by TEM, where three variants of nanosized precipitates named V1, V2 and V3 were identified. They were found to be coherent with the ferritic matrix and respects the Baker–Nutting orientation relationship with ferrite ((100)CrN//(100)δ−Fe; [110]CrN//[001]δ−Fe). These fine precipitates provoke pinning of dislocations which is responsible for some hardening of the ferrite phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photolysis can separate the lithium and iron leached by oxalic acid and H 2 O 2 from spent lithium iron phosphate cathode. The process free the addition of precipitant and no hazardous waste is generated. [Display omitted] • Photolysis instead of additional precipitants for metal separation and recovery. • Rapid and selective leaching of active material elements from spent LFP cathode. • No wastewater or hazardous emissions generated from the process. Recovering valuable resources from spent cathodes while minimizing secondary waste generation is emerging as an important objective for the future recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries, including lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. This study proposes the use of oxalic acid leaching followed by ferrioxalate photolysis to separate and recover cathode active material elements from spent LFP batteries. The cathode active material can be rapidly dissolved at room temperature using appropriate quantities of oxalic acid and hydrogen peroxide, as determined through thermodynamic calculations. The dissolved ferrioxalate complex ion (Fe(C 2 O 4) 3 3−) is selectively precipitated through subsequent photolysis at room temperature. Depending on the initial concentration, the decomposition ratio can exceed 95 % within 1–4 h. Molecular mechanism analysis reveals that the decomposition of the Fe(C 2 O 4) 3 3− complex ion into water-insoluble FeC 2 O 4 ·2H 2 O results in the precipitation of iron and the separation of metal elements. Lithium can be recovered as dihydrogen phosphates through filtration and water evaporation. No additional precipitant is needed and no other side products are generated during the process. Oxalic acid leaching followed by photolysis offers an environmentally friendly and efficient method for metal recovery from spent LFP cathodes. The photochemical process is a promising approach for reducing secondary waste generation in battery recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of C2H2/CO2 mixtures is a very important but highly challenging task due to their comparable physical natures and relative sizes. Herein, we report a europium-based 3D microporous MOF with a 4-connected two-nodal net with {4·53·62}2{42·62·82} topology, {[Eu2(pzdc)(ox)2(H2O)4]·5H2O}n (1) (H2pzdc = 2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid, H2ox = oxalic acid), prepared by a hydrothermal method involving in situ generation of 2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylate and oxalate ligands. Two different temperatures were utilized to create two porous materials (1a and 1b) with channels of 4.8 × 5.4 Å and 4.1 × 6.3 Å, and 4.8 × 5.4 and 4.6 × 8.7 Å2, respectively. 1b shows a superior ability to selectively capture C2H2 from C2H2/CO2 as compared with 1a. At 1 bar and 298 K, 1b takes up 4.10 mmol g−1 C2H2 and 1.84 mmol g−1 CO2, respectively. In addition, at 298 K and 1 bar, 1b has a high selectivity for C2H2 over CO2, with an IAST selectivity of 12.7 while the value for 1a is 3.2. The separation of C2H2/CO2 with 1b also exhibits good reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium hydride (LiH) is a promising material for the production of hydrogen via hydrolysis. However, the formation of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) during the hydrolysis process hinders contact between the remaining LiH and water, retarding the hydrolysis reaction and increasing the actual amount of water required. Through this study, it is demonstrated that an increase in the hydrogen ion concentration can improve the hydrolysis of LiH. When the hydrogen ion concentration reaches 1 mol L−1, the maximum hydrolysis rate is 232.6 mL min−1, and the H 2 generation yield reaches 2102.8 mL. Additionally, we investigated the effects of doping solid acids and strong acid–weak base salts on LiH hydrolysis. Experimental results indicate that the addition of solid acids led to a hydrogen generation behavior similar to that with acid solutions. In particular, after the addition of oxalic acid, the maximum hydrolysis rate attained was 362.0 mL min−1, and the H 2 generation yield reached 2108.3 mL. After the addition of dl -malic acid, citric acid and dl -tartaric acid, the maximum hydrolysis rate attained were 173.1, 170.0 and 255.8 mL min−1, respectively. Under alkaline conditions, the hydrolysis of strong acid–weak base salts was enhanced, and the released hydrogen ions consumed LiOH, thereby increasing the rate of LiH hydrolysis. After the addition of CuSO 4 , the maximum hydrolysis rate attained was 403.8 mL min−1, and the H 2 generation yield attaining 2036.0 mL. After the addition of AlCl 3 and FeCl 3 , the maximum hydrolysis rate attained were 212.5 and 221.3 mL min−1. Thus, an increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions and the addition of solid acids and strong acid–weak base salts are effective techniques for reducing the adverse effects of LiOH formation on LiH hydrolysis for hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • Methods to mitigate the impact of LiOH on LiH hydrolysis are researched. • The addition of solid acids and strong acid-weak base salts enhance the hydrolysis rate of LiH. • The addition of CuSO 4 resulted in the maximum hydrolysis rate reaching 403.8 mL min−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of C2H2/CO2 mixtures is a very important but highly challenging task due to their comparable physical natures and relative sizes. Herein, we report a europium-based 3D microporous MOF with a 4-connected two-nodal net with {4·53·62}2{42·62·82} topology, {[Eu2(pzdc)(ox)2(H2O)4]·5H2O}n (1) (H2pzdc = 2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid, H2ox = oxalic acid), prepared by a hydrothermal method involving in situ generation of 2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylate and oxalate ligands. Two different temperatures were utilized to create two porous materials (1a and 1b) with channels of 4.8 × 5.4 Å and 4.1 × 6.3 Å, and 4.8 × 5.4 and 4.6 × 8.7 Å2, respectively. 1b shows a superior ability to selectively capture C2H2 from C2H2/CO2 as compared with 1a. At 1 bar and 298 K, 1b takes up 4.10 mmol g−1 C2H2 and 1.84 mmol g−1 CO2, respectively. In addition, at 298 K and 1 bar, 1b has a high selectivity for C2H2 over CO2, with an IAST selectivity of 12.7 while the value for 1a is 3.2. The separation of C2H2/CO2 with 1b also exhibits good reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the effects of preharvest oxalic acid (2.5 mM (OA1) and 5 mM (OA2)) and salicylic acid (0.5 mM (SA1) and 1 mM (SA2)) treatments on the storage and quality of blackberry cv. Chester. We applied salicylic acid and oxalic acid to the plants seven and fourteen days before harvest and recorded the physiological, physicochemical, and external appearance characteristics of the fruits during the cold storage period (nine days). The results showed that the treatments decreased ethylene production by 29.5% (SA1) at harvest and by 28.5% (SA2) at the end of the storage period. In addition, the respiration rate was reduced between 13.0% (OA2) and 28.0% (SA2) compared to the control. Although fruit weigh loss increased as storage extended, the highest losses were observed in control with 1.35%. Titratable acidity decreased from harvest (0.46%) to the end of storage (0.39%) in the control, whereas it ranged from 0.52% (SA1) to 0.62% (OA1) in the treatment groups. Malic acid and syringic acid were the dominant organic acid and phenolic, respectively, and although their content decreased continuously in the control group, no loss was observed in the treated groups after the sixth day. These effects were positively reflected in the external appearance of the fruits, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and properties related to antioxidant activity. As a result of the cumulative evaluation of all parameters, it can be suggested that Chester fruits can be stored for nine days in marketable quality with the SA2 applications. Among oxalic acid concentrations, 2.5 mM can be recommended for phytochemical accumulation at harvest and short‐term storage of three days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure tertiary alcohols is an important issue in organic synthesis of a range of pharmaceuticals including molecules such as the anti‐HIV drug Efavirenz. A conceptually elegant approach to such enantiomers is the dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic tertiary alcohols, which, however, requires efficient racemization strategies. The racemization of tertiary alcohols is particularly challenging due to various side reactions that can occur because of their high tendency for elimination reactions. In the last few years, several complementary catalytic concepts for racemization of tertiary alcohols have been developed, characterized by efficient racemization and suppression of unwanted side‐reactions. Besides resins bearing sulfonic acid moieties and a combination of boronic acid and oxalic acid as heterogeneous and homogeneous Brønsted‐acids, respectively, immobilized oxovanadium and piperidine turned out to be useful catalysts. The latter two catalysts, which have already been applied to different types of substrates, also have proven good compatibility with lipase, thus leading to the first two examples of chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution of tertiary alcohols. In this review, the difficulties in racemizing tertiary alcohols are specifically described, and the recently developed complementary concepts to overcome these hurdles are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic advantages of H2SO4 make it the acid of choice for the hydrometallurgical treatment of waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, to facilitate the full dissolution of the higher valency metal oxides present in the cathode black mass, a suitable reducing agent is required. Herein, the application of industrial black liquor (BL) obtained from the Kraft pulping for papermaking is investigated as a renewable reducing agent for the enhanced leaching of transition metals from LIB powder with H2SO4. The addition of acidified BL to H2SO4 significantly improved the leaching efficiency for a range of LIB cathode chemistries, with the strongest effect observed for manganese-rich active material. Focusing on NMC111 (LiMnxCoyNizO2) material, a linear correlation between the BL concentration and the leaching yield of Mn was obtained, with the best overall leaching efficiencies being achieved for 2.0 molL-1 H2SO4 and 50 vol% of BL at 353 K. A quasi-total degradation of oxygenated and aromatic groups from the BL during NMC111 dissolution was observed after leaching, suggesting that these chemical groups are essential for LIB reduction. Finally, the leached transition metals could be easily recovered by pH adjustment and oxalic acid addition, closing the resource loop and fostering resource efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial tongues have attracted increasing attention for the perception abilities of five basic tastes. However, simple and versatile identification of different tastes is a formidable challenge for bionic taste sensor. Enriching photoluminescence mechanisms to improve possibilities of multiple optical responses is conducive to simplify the sensor array. Herein, a single sensor Tb@MCATMA (Tb@1) is developed displaying dual‐emissions of both green fluorescence and deep‐blue phosphorescence by ternary co‐assembly of Tb3+, trimesic acid (TMA) and a 2D hydrogen‐bonded organic framework of melamine and cyanuric acid, MCA HOF. This sensor is capable of imitating the human gustatory system to identify and discriminate umami (disodium 5′‐inosinate and disodium 5′‐guanylate), sour (citric acid and oxalic acid) and bitter (2‐furaldehyde and 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural) substances through the diverse photoresponsive modes. Upon excitation wavelength as additional variable, the sensor can further collect the individual "fingerprint information" of six analytes related to tastes and quantitatively detect them with high accuracy. Moreover, the sensing mechanism of each analyte is explored in detail and substantiate that the uniform photoresponsive modes elicited by distinct analytes stem from the shared sensing mechanism. This work provides a facile and powerful sensor platform for taste perception to develop artificial photoresponsive tongue applicable to bionic gustatory system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise in installed capacity of photovoltaic systems, the growing generation of waste crystalline silicon solar cells has become an important issue. Silicon is one of the most valuable materials in cells; recyclable treatments with green techniques must be developed for it. A new strategy for the recovery of silicon wafers has been proposed using choline chloride and oxalic acid-based deep eutectic solvent–hydrogen peroxide (DES–H2O2) aqueous solution systems. With the synergistic effect of DES and H2O2, the leaching efficiency of silver from cells reached 89.19%, along with complete aluminum leaching. Compared with only the DES control, the leaching efficiency of silver was enhanced by as high as 97.45%. Subsequently, reusable silicon wafers were obtained with 97.47 wt% surface purity, and 99.41% of silicon retention rate (169 μm) after removing Si3N4. Favorable results were mainly attributed to the higher concentration of H+ due to a boost by oxalic acid-based DES compared to concentrations in an oxalic acid aqueous solution, which could provide stronger oxidizing power, and besides, lower oxidation activation energy for silver in H2O2. In this work, high-purity silicon wafers were obtained with high leaching efficiency of metals in a short time (2 h) at a low temperature (80 °C) without using strong acids; among solvents, the DES showed great potential for reuse. It is concluded that the DES–H2O2 aqueous solution system provides an environmentally friendly process for green and nearly lossless recovery of silicon wafers from silicon solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current research, we prepared a polymeric framework, {[Cu(C2O4)(C10H8N2)]·H2O·0.67(CH3OH)]}n (1) (where C2O4 = oxalic acid; C10H8N2 = 2,2-bipyridine), and explored this compound for adsorption of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). The crystal structure of the compound consists of a Cu(ox)(bpy) unit connected via oxalate to form a 1D polymeric chain. This polymeric chain has adsorption capacities of 194.0 and 167.3 mg/g for MB and MO, respectively. The removal rate is estimated to be 77.6% and 66.9% for MB and MO, respectively. The plausible mechanisms for adsorption are electrostatic, π-π interaction, and OH-π interaction for dye stickiness. The adsorbent surface exhibits a negative charge that produces the electrostatic interaction, resulting in excellent adsorption efficiency at pH 7 and 8. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model is selected for the adsorption of MB and MO on the adsorbent. The reported compound has remarkable efficiency for sorption of organic dyes and can be useful in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we show that unmodified titanium electrodes bearing the naturally-forming native TixOy coating display superior activity for the electroreduction of oxalic acid to glyoxylic acid and glycolic acid compared to Ti-based electrodes that have been deliberately modified for this purpose, in terms of both oxalic acid conversion and overall yields of reduced products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a heterogeneous Pd/C-catalyzed direct one-step four-component double carbonylative approach for cascade synthesis of 2-aryl quinazolinones has been reported for the first time starting from 2-iodoaniline derivatives and aryl iodides. The given reaction involves the simultaneous implementation of two different gaseous surrogates i.e., ammonium carbamate as an NH3 precursor and oxalic acid as a bi-functional reagent acting as a CO as well as a C-atom surrogate under ligand-free conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium wilt, a soilborne vascular disease caused by Verticillium dahliae , strongly affects cotton yield and quality. In this study, an isolated rhizosphere bacterium, designated Bacillus velezensis BvZ45-1, exhibited >46% biocontrol efficacy against cotton verticillium wilt under greenhouse and field conditions. Moreover, through crude protein extraction and mass spectrometry analyses, we found many antifungal compounds present in the crude protein extract of BvZ45-1. The purified oxalate decarboxylase Odx_S12 from BvZ45-1 inhibited the growth of V. dahliae Vd080 by reducing the spore yield, causing mycelia to rupture, spore morphology changes, cell membrane rupture, and cell death. Subsequently, overexpression of Odx_S12 in Arabidopsis significantly improved plant resistance to V. dahliae. Through studies of the resistance mechanism of Odx_S12 , V. dahliae was shown to produce oxalic acid (OA), which has a toxic effect on Arabidopsis leaves. Odx_S12 overexpression reduced Arabidopsis OA content, enhanced tolerance to OA, and improved resistance to verticillium wilt. Transcriptomics and quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that Odx_S12 promoted a reactive oxygen species burst and a salicylic acid- and abscisic acid-mediated defence response in Arabidopsis. In summary, this study not only identified B. velezensis BvZ45-1 as an efficient biological control agent, but also identified the resistance gene Odx_S12 as a candidate for cotton breeding against verticillium wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the ability of three naturally occurring low molecular weight organic acids (tartaric, TA; citric, CA; and oxalic, OA) to improve the efficiency of cadmium (Cd) phytoextraction in Lepidium didymus L. (Brassicaceae). The plants were grown in soil containing three different concentrations, i.e., 35, 105, and 175 mg kg−1, of total Cd and 10 mM of TA, CA, and OA. After 6 weeks, plant height, dry biomass, photosynthetic traits, and metal accumulation were determined. All three organic chelants significantly increased the Cd accumulation in L. didymus plants; however, the greatest accumulation was seen with TA (TA > OA > CA). In general, Cd accumulation was the highest in the roots, followed by the stems, and the leaves. Highest BCFStem was observed upon the addition of TA (7.02) and CA (5.90) at Cd35, compared to Cd-alone (3.52) treatment. The BCF was the highest in the stem (7.02) and leaves (3.97) under Cd35 treatment supplemented with TA. The BCFRoot in the plants under different chelant treatments were in the following order: Cd35 + TA (~ 100) > Cd35 + OA (~ 84) > Cd35 + TA (~ 83). The stress tolerance index and translocation factor (root-stem) were maximal at Cd175 with TA and OA supplementation, respectively. The study concludes that L. didymus could be a viable option for Cd-remediation projects, and the addition of TA improved its phytoextraction efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evidence the ferroelectricity of two isostructural magnetic coordination networks obtained from a chiral imidazolium dicarboxylate salt ((S, S)‐1,3‐bis(1‐carboxylethyl)imidazolium or [HL*]) and Gd3+ or Dy3+ ions in presence of oxalic acid (H2ox). The two compounds exhibit a chiral structure P1 and ferroelectric properties. The crystallographic study shows that the Dy based‐compound is isostructural to the Gd analog. The non‐centrosymmetry of the two samples was further checked by means of nonlinear optical spectroscopy. The room temperature ferroelectric character of the compounds has been investigated through by an original method, derived from that used for thin films, made possible by preparing the sample as thin slices of resin containing inclusions of the coordination compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As we know the recent pandemic, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to SARS CoV-2 virus has led to an increase in the consumption of various drugs as medicines by the patients. Paracetamol (acetaminophen, APAP) act as an emerging contaminant classified among the class pharmaceutical and personal care pollutant (PPCP) and is detected in wastewater and sewage systems. The enrichment culture approach was used for the isolation APAP-degrading bacterium wastewater sample. Microscopic examination, biochemical and 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that the isolate PYP-2 belongs to the Bacillus pumilus strain. Shake flask and batch culture degradation studies have shown that the strain can degrade APAP. Further, the response surface methodology (RSM) plot was used to know the best physical condition for biodegradation by optimization study. The optimum pH of 5.0, temperature of 30 °C, agitation speed of 146 rpm, and APAP 267 mg/L concentration were reported for PYP-2-based degradation. Bacterial biomass kinetic analysis was performed at the best physical condition, and the results showed that the specific growth rate (µ) was 713 mg/L. Oxalic acid, 2-isopropyl-5-methyl cyclohexanone, and phenothiazine were the intermediates of the APAP degradation pathway detected by the GC-MS chromatogram peaks. Therefore, this research has shown that Bacillus pumilus strain PYP-2 has the metabolic capacity to biodegrade APAP, providing new tools for bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gummy stem blight (GSB), a widespread disease causing great loss to cucurbit production, has become a major threat to melon cultivation. However, the melon–GSB interaction remains largely unknown. Here, full‐length transcriptome and widely targeted metabolome were used to investigate the defence responses of resistant (PI511089) and susceptible (Payzawat) melon accessions to GSB pathogen infection at 24 h. The biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and MAPK signalling pathway were specifically enriched for differentially expressed genes in PI511890, while carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism were specifically enriched in Payzawat. More than 1000 novel genes were identified and MAPK signalling pathway was specifically enriched for them in PI511890. There were 11 793 alternative splicing events involving in the defence response to GSB. Totally, 910 metabolites were identified in Payzawat and PI511890, and flavonoids were the dominant metabolites. Integrated full‐length transcriptome and metabolome analysis showed eriodictyol and oxalic acid were the potential marker metabolites for GSB resistance in melon. Moreover, posttranscription regulation was widely involved in the defence response of melon to GSB pathogen infection. These results not only improve our understanding on the interaction between melon and GSB, but also facilitate the genetic improvement of melon with GSB resistance. Summary statement: The early defence responses of resistant and susceptible melon (Cucumis melo L.) accessions to gummy stem blight infection caused by Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum were investigated and compared using the full‐length transcriptome, widely targeted metabolome and histochemical staining methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

316LSS is used in various industrial applications, including heat exchangers, dyeing equipment, pulp and paper equipment, and marine equipment for chemicals, dyes, paper, oxalic acid, fertilizer, etc. Corrosion has always been the most serious problem across these applications. For this reason, this research specifies the features of 316LSS, the use of inhibitors for control, austenitic 316LSS research with inhibitor efficiency, the environment employed, its concentration, experimental analysis, and an emphasis on organic inhibitors for a sustainable industry. Applying thermally stable HVOF WC-10Co-4Cr powder coatings over the 316LSS can reduce this impact. The current study examines the effects of HVOF cermets powder coatings on the assessment of the 316L SS microstructure, oxidation, and corrosion behavior in a hostile situation of Na2SO4-88%Fe2 (SO4)3 at 800 °C for up to 50 times. Every cycle lasted one hour at 800 °C for heating and twenty minutes at ambient temperature for cooling. The thermogravimetric method was used to study the hot corrosion kinetics, and it was discovered that these abide by the parabolic rate rule. The analysis of the results identified that the HVOF 86WC-10Co-4Cr sprayed coating on 316LSS has shown excellent oxidation and resistance to corrosion as compared to uncoated base metal and good coating adherence to the substrate under the tested environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substituting the O-C2H4-O-moiety of [2.2.2] by the O2CCO2-core of oxalic acid leads to the new Lehn-type cryptand [M ⊂ 2Oxa.2Oxa.2Oxa]m+. We explored by quantum chemical methods (B3LYP/LANL2DZp) the complexation behaviour and compared it with the original cryptand [2.2.2]. The cryptands [2Oxa.2Oxa.2Oxa] and [2.2.2] exhibit the same ion selectivity against alkaline and alkaline earth metal cation (K+ followed by Rb+; Ba2+ preferred over Sr2+). The exchange of the OC2H4O-moiety by the O2CCO2-moiety (the subsequent exchange of sp3- by sp2-carbon atoms) makes [2Oxa.2Oxa.2Oxa] less flexible in the OCCO-diether angle as [2.2.2]. This rigidity results in higher complexation energies for [M ⊂ 2Oxa.2Oxa.2Oxa]m+ and that the twisting of the dihedral angle CN...NC improves the nesting of the guest cations in the cryptand [2Oxa.2Oxa.2Oxa]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Varroa destructor is a mite that parasitises honeybee hives, weakening colonies and transmitting viruses. Beekeepers apply acaricide treatments to bee colonies to limit the spread of Varroa and the resulting negative effects on bee health. Oxalic acid treatment is the most widely applied, but little is known about its potential effects on the physiology of bees, particularly their immune system. This study investigated the short-term effects of oxalic acid treatment on the immune and antioxidant systems of house bees (i.e., glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase activities, and vitellogenin content). Residual concentrations of oxalic acid on the bees' external body and in the haemolymph were also measured. The results showed that the treatment did not affect the concentration of oxalic acid in the haemolymph, in which it was constitutively present. Residues of oxalic acid remained on the outer body of the bees for up to 48 h after treatment. Both glucose oxidase activity and vitellogenin concentration were affected by the treatment, increasing significantly after 48 and 24 h, respectively. No effects were observed on the other parameters investigated (phenoloxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase activities). Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) have to face many challenges, including Varroa destructor infestation, associated with viral transmission. Oxalic acid is one of the most common treatments against Varroa. Little is known about the physiological effects of oxalic acid, especially those on honeybees' immune systems. In this study, the short-term effects (0–96 h) of oxalic acid treatment on the immune system components (i.e., glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase activities, and vitellogenin contents) of house bees were preliminarily investigated. Oxalic acid contents of bee bodies and haemolymphs were also measured. The results confirm that oxalic acid is constitutively present in bee haemolymphs and its concentration is not affected by treatment. At 6 h after the treatment, a maximum peak of oxalic acid content was detected on bees' bodies, which gradually decreased after that until physiological levels were reached at 48 h. In the immune system, the oxalic acid treatment determined a peak in glucose oxidase activity at 48 h, indicating a potential defence response and an increase in vitellogenin content at 24 h. No significant changes were recorded in phenoloxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase activities. These results suggest a time-dependent response to oxalic acid, with potential immune system activation in treated bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxalic acid and oxalates are secondary metabolites secreted to the surrounding environment by fungi, bacteria, and plants. Oxalates are linked to a variety of processes in soil, e.g. nutrient availability, weathering of minerals, or precipitation of metal oxalates. Oxalates are also mentioned among low-molecular weight compounds involved indirectly in the degradation of the lignocellulose complex by fungi, which are considered to be the most effective degraders of wood. The active regulation of the oxalic acid concentration is linked with enzymatic activities; hence, the biochemistry of microbial biosynthesis and degradation of oxalic acid has also been presented. The potential of microorganisms for oxalotrophy and the ability of microbial enzymes to degrade oxalates are important factors that can be used in the prevention of kidney stone, as a diagnostic tool for determination of oxalic acid content, as an antifungal factor against plant pathogenic fungi, or even in efforts to improve the quality of edible plants. The potential role of fungi and their interaction with bacteria in the oxalate-carbonate pathway are regarded as an effective way for the transfer of atmospheric carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate as a carbon reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms in the plant's rhizosphere are capable of solubilising insoluble soil phosphates and can promote plant growth. In this study, a total of 30 bacteria were isolated from soils in Changji city, and one highly efficient strain (B5) was identified as a member of Pseudomonadaceae. B5 exhibited phosphorus (P) solubilisation of 519.66 mg/L in a culture medium containing tricalcium phosphate (Ca3 (PO4)2). Results showed that strain B5 had a high P utilisation rate in a medium containing glucose (monosaccharide), ammonium sulphate and tricalcium phosphate. B5 treatment significantly promoted plant growth and increased the dry weight, the chlorophyll content as well as P content of tomato, marigold and cucumber. Moreover, B5 produced plant growth-promoting hormones, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (4.18 g/L) and gibberellin (GA) (19.8 mg/L). In addition, organic acids including oxalic acid, succinic acid, gluconic acid, arabic-hexanoic acid and glutraic acid were produced by B5 under different phosphorus sources. Our results indicated that B5 is a potential candidate for development as a bioinoculant for horticultural application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) has been widely applied for the surface protection of electronic component packaging through a pore-sealing process, with the enhanced hardness value reaching around 400 Vickers hardness (HV). However, the traditional AAO fabrication at 0~10 °C for surface protection takes at least 3–6 h for the reaction or other complicated methods used for the pore-sealing process, including boiling-water sealing, oil sealing, or salt-compound sealing. With the increasing development of nanostructured AAO, there is a growing interest in improving hardness without pore sealing, in order to leverage the characteristics of porous AAO and surface protection properties simultaneously. Here, we investigate the effect of voltage on hardness under the same AAO thickness conditions in oxalic acid at room temperature from a normal level of 40 V to a high level of 100 V and found a positive correlation between surface hardness and voltage. The surface hardness values of AAO formed at 100 V reach about 423 HV without pore sealing in 30 min. By employing a hybrid pulse anodization (HPA) method, we are able to prevent the high-voltage burning effect and complete the anodization process at room temperature. The mechanism behind this can be explained by the porosity and photoluminescence (PL) intensity of AAO. For the same thickness of AAO from 40~100 V, increasing the anodizing voltage decreases both the porosity and PL intensity, indicating a reduction in pores, as well as anion and oxygen vacancy defects, due to rapid AAO growth. This reduction in defects in the AAO film leads to an increase in hardness, allowing us to significantly enhance AAO hardness without a pore-sealing process. This offers an effective hardness enhancement in AAO under economically feasible conditions for the application of hard coatings and protective films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cellulosic materials have been used as stabilizing agents for oil-in-water emulsions since the 1980s, their properties and the underlying mechanism are not universal regardless of the dispersed phase or of the treatments on cellulose. One case of unconventional organic phase is acetic acid-containing chloroform, which is known to be a good solvent system for the preservation of dithizone. In turn, dithizone is a long-known chromogenic reagent for the colorimetric detection of HgCl2. However, its usefulness is limited by its fast degradation in polar solvents. For instance, its dissolution in ethanol and the subsequent impregnation of paper strips allowed to quantify aqueous HgCl2 reliably and quickly (5.4 – 27 mg L–1), but only if they were used along the first 24 h after dip coating. Furthermore, those strips could not be used for sublimated HgCl2. The dithizone/chloroform-in-water emulsions presented in this work overcame these limitations. We opted for oxalic acid-treated cellulose nanofibers (ox-CNFs) as stabilizer, aiming at a proper balance between amphiphilic character and electrostatic repulsion. In this sense, ox-CNFs attained good gel-forming ability with a low content of carboxylate groups. The minimum ox-CNF concentration required was 0.35 wt%, regardless of the proportion of chloroform. This consistency implied yield stress values above 0.7 Pa. Nanocellulose also provided film-forming capabilities, which were exploited to produce visually responsive dipsticks and membranes. While quantification and reproducibility were hampered by the increase in the complexity of the system, dithizone/ox-CNF films were still a valid option for HgCl2 detection, outperforming solution coating in terms of stability, blank signal, and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fly ash, a type of solid waste generated in power plants, can be utilized as a catalyst carrier to enhance its value-added potential. Common methods often involve using a large amount of alkali for preprocessing, resulting in stable quartz and mullite forming silicate dissolution. This leads to an increased specific surface area and pore structure. In this study, we produced a catalyst composed of MnOx/NiOOH supported on fly ash by directly employing nickel hydroxide and potassium permanganate to generate metal active sites over the fly ash surface while simultaneously creating a larger specific surface area and pore structure. The ozone catalytic oxidation performance of this catalyst was evaluated using sodium acetate as the target organic matter. The experimental results demonstrated that an optimal removal efficiency of 57.5% for sodium acetate was achieved, surpassing even that of MnOx/NiOOH supported catalyst by using γ-Al2O3. After loading of MnOx/NiOOH, an oxygen vacancy is formed on the surface of fly ash, which plays an indirect oxidation effect on sodium acetate due to the transformation of ozone to •O2− and •OH over this oxygen vacancy. The reaction process parameters, including varying concentrations of ozone, sodium acetate, and catalyst dosage, as well as pH value and the quantitative analysis of formed free radicals, were examined in detail. This work demonstrated that fly ash could be used as a viable catalytic material for wastewater treatment and provided a new solution to the added value of fly ash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, decolorization via a bleaching operation was carried out on chrome and dye spotted skins with several bleaches to valorize the defective leather materials. Sodium perborate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium thiosulfate, sodium percarbonate, and oxalic acid were applied as bleaching agents in production. Sodium perborate by itself was applied and combined with other bleaching agents. Combined processes were also supported with an emulsifier agent for uniform distribution and deeper penetration of bleaching agents into the fibers. Color changes and differences on leather products were determined by Konica Minolta CM-3600d test apparatus spectrophotometrically before and after the applications. Bleached leathers were processed again, re-dyed, and finished after the bleaching operations. Then, bleaching performances of the single and combination applications were also evaluated for the leather strength indicators by analyzing tensile and tear strength of the final products as well as chromium (VI) oxidation of basic chromium (III) salts used in tanning. Antibacterial properties of the final bleached products were also investigated. As a result, sodium perborate was found to provide the most effective and safe bleaching without any physical and chemical deformation by creating antibacterial activity on leather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to prepare mackerel peptides (MPs) with calcium-binding capacity through an enzyme method and to investigate the potential role they play in improving the bioavailability of calcium in vitro. The calcium-binding capacity, degree of hydrolysis (DH), molecular weight (MW), and charge distribution changes with the enzymolysis time of MPs were measured. The structural characterization of mackerel peptide–calcium (MP–calcium) complexes was performed using spectroscopy and morphology analysis. The results showed that the maximum calcium-binding capacity of the obtained MPs was 120.95 mg/g when alcalase was used for 3 h, with a DH of 15.45%. Moreover, with an increase in hydrolysis time, the MW of the MPs decreased, and the negative charge increased. The carboxyl and amino groups in aspartic (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) of the MPs may act as calcium-binding sites, which are further assembled into compact nanoscale spherical complexes with calcium ions through intermolecular interactions. Furthermore, even under the influence of oxalic acid, MP–calcium complexes maintained a certain solubility. This study provides a basis for developing new calcium supplements and efficiently utilizing the mackerel protein resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]