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This study focuses on addressing the limitations associated with most chemical derivatization methods commonly used for formaldehyde detection. These methods often suffer from prolonged derivative times (≥30 min) and complex procedures, which hinder their ability to meet the requirements of real-time and accurate sensing. In this research, a novel formaldehyde indicator system based on hyperbranched polyamine molecule was developed, and its mechanism and principles of color change were investigated. The findings revealed that hyperbranched polyamine molecule effectively reacts with formaldehyde, leading to a reduction in electron cloud density in the amine group N and subsequently causing a decrease in pH value. This reaction enables the visualization of formaldehyde detection through changes in the indicator spectrum. Moreover, the spectral variation pattern exhibits a strong linear correlation with the formaldehyde concentration when the PAMAM concentration is optimized. The detection limit of this method was determined to be 1.8 ppm. Notably, the reaction between PAMAM and formaldehyde is almost instantaneous, the color change is insensitive to temperature, and the method demonstrates high selectivity. Overall, this research contributes to the advancement of real-time formaldehyde monitoring technology and provides insights for future developments in this field.

During the hydration of CA cement exists a dormant period, which is responsible for the setting kinetics of CA cement bonded refractory castables. The dormant period is believed to be caused by an Al–O–H passivation layer on the CA cement particles. Recent publications indicate that the dissolution (aging) of the passivation layer is closely connected to the prevailing pH value of the pore solution during setting. The higher the pH value, the faster the dissolution of the passivation layer.As phosphate additives, frequently used as dispersing agent, differ in their pH value when dissolved in water it is reasonable that they change the setting kinetics of CA cement bonded refractory castables. Commonly used sodium polyphosphate (S-PP, special case S-TPP for sodium tripolyphosphate) dispersing agents mainly differ in chain length, and therefore in Na+ and phosphate concentration, with different setting kinetics as a result.To investigate the influence of S-(T)PP on setting kinetics, sonic velocity and pH measurements were conducted on S-(T)PP/citric acid dispersed and CA cement bonded refractory castables during their setting. Different phosphates, differing in portion of Na+ to phosphate and medium chain length of the phosphate molecules, were used in varied concentrations within refractory castables to quantify the shift in setting kinetics and verify the role of the pH value during the hydration of CA cement.It was found that the chain length of the phosphate molecule of S-(T)PP influences the setting kinetics, and especially the length of the dormant period of the hydration of CA cement, in an indistinct way. Minor differences within the Na+ concentration at differing chain length S-(T)PP showed a comparable tendency to influence the hydration kinetics of CA cement as the chain length of the phosphate molecule was varied. However, an increase of the concentration of the applied S-(T)PP, which goes along with a distinctly increased Na+ concentration, resulted in a significant shorter dormant period and correspondingly an accelerated main hydration of CA cement. The corresponding pH value during the dormant period of the hydration of CA cement increased concurrently to the increase of the S-(T)PP and Na+ concentration.It is discussed that this increase of the pH value of the pore solution of the refractory castable results from an increase of the Na+ concentration from the S-(T)PP, while phosphate molecules are precipitated as Ca-phosphate. This indicates that the dissolution of the Al–O–H passivation layer accelerates with an increasing Na+ concentration (equivalent to increasing pH value) in the pore solution. Thereby, the dormant period is shorter and the hydration of CA cement starts earlier.The general tendency that additives of alkaline nature are accelerating the setting kinetics could be linked to the pH value during the dormant period. Therefore, the theory of the pH dependent aging of the Al–O–H passivation layer on CA cement particles was confirmed. As a directly applicable result, S-(T)PP may be used as accelerator (accelerating the CA cement hydration) beside their dispersing effect.

Copyright of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology is the property of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology Periodical Office 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.)

Copyright of Storage & Process is the property of Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences 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.)

Samples prepared with the AZ80 magnesium alloy were immersed in simulated body fluids (SBF) with different flow rates (0 and 3 mL/s) and different pH values (4, 7.4 and 9). During the immersion process, the electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) and the dynamic potential polarization curves were measured using an electrochemical work station. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy spectrometer (EDS) were used to observe the corrosion morphology of the sample surface and the chemical composition of the corrosion products. The results showed that the corrosion resistance of samples increases with increasing pH values, and decreases with increasing flow rates. In the SBF with different pH values, the effect of the flow rate on the corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy is different. The corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy was the least affected by the flow rate in pH4 environment, and the most affected in pH9 environment. The corrosion mechanism of magnesium alloy under the interaction of flow rate and pH value was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Modern Food Science & Technology is the property of Editorial Office of Modern Food Science & Technology 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.)

Soil acidification in Chinese tea plantations is widespread, and it has significantly affected the growth of tea trees; it was important to explore soil remediation of acidified tea plantations in depth for the sustainable development of tea industry. In this study, the effects of sheep manure fertilizer with different application depths on soil acidification, tea yield and quality, and soil nitrogen transformation in tea plantations were analyzed for five consecutive years from 2018 to 2022. The results showed that long-term use of sheep manure fertilizer significantly reduced soil acidification (P< 0.05) in tea plantations, improved soil pH and soil ammonium nitrogen content, enhanced root activity and root nitrogen uptake capacity of tea trees, and thus improved tea yield and quality. The effect of different application depths of sheep manure fertilizer on tea yield and quality was mainly reflected in the transformation ability of soil ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen, which showed that high transformation ability of soil ammonium nitrogen and high ammonium nitrogen content were beneficial to high tea yield and vice versa, and the best effect was achieved when sheep manure was applied at a depth of 50 cm and 70 cm. The topsis analysis confirmed that sheep manure fertilization had a greater effect on root activity, ammonium nitrogen, ammonia intensity, and nifH gene. This study provided an important practical basis for the restoration of acidified tea plantation soil through sheep manure fertilizer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the effect of ammonium nitrate on the crystallization of ammonium sulfate mother liquor, this paper selected crystal seed, pH and stirring rate as the influencing factors, and studied the changes of average particle size, morphology and phase structure of ammonium sulfate crystals under the action of ammonium nitrate. When the seed crystal concentration was 1%–2%, the solute growth of the mixed solution could effectively reduce the supersaturation during the evaporation process, and the crystal growth did not generate new crystal nuclei, interfering with the crystallization process. A pH value of 4–5 promotes solvent/crystal surface interaction and crystal surface growth, which is beneficial for obtaining high-quality crystals. At a stirring rate of 200–300 r/min, the nucleation rate and secondary nucleation were improved, which is conducive to solid–liquid separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of different pH phosphate buffer solution (PBS) drops on intact corneal biomechanics. Intact rabbit cornea with a 3 mm scleral skirt was sampled and immediately applied in inflation tests within 5 min. After preconditioning, a stable loading cycle from 0.3 to 6 kPa was performed followed by a 10 min interval. During the interval, the samples were randomized into four groups, with one control group receiving no drops and three groups with PBS drops of pH 6.9, 7.4 or 7.9 administration on the surface once per minute. The pressure and displacement were collected at the baseline and 10, 20 and 30 min following the administration. Continuous corneal thickness increase was manifested following the administration of PBS but not in the control group. There was significant swelling-independent corneal modulus reduction after PBS administration, which occurred mainly in the first 10 min. PBS of pH 6.9 achieved significantly smaller modulus reduction than that with pH 7.4 PBS adjusted for thickness changes (p < 0.05). Pressure-modulus curve linear fitting demonstrated that the curve coefficient significantly reduced following PBS administration, and the coefficient decline was smallest with pH 6.9 PBS among three PBS administration groups (p < 0.05). The study demonstrated that the PBS drops of various pH administration could decrease the corneal stiffness independent of corneal swelling. Following the PBS administration, the stiffness changes were more prominent as the posterior pressure increased, and the minimal effect was achieved with slightly acidic PBS. The research provides the essence for stabilizing the corneal biomechanical properties by regulating the pH value of tear film and intraocular pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous in vivo monitoring (CIVM) of pH value is essential for personalized medicine, as many diseases are closely related to acid–base imbalances. However, conventional pH meters are limited in their ability to perform CIVM due to excessive blood consumption, large device volume, frequent calibration, and inadequate real-time monitoring. There is thus an urgent need for a portable method for CIVM of pH value. To address this need, we propose a minimally invasive, continuous monitoring solution in the form of an implantable pH microneedle sensor (MNS) in this study. The MNS is based on the integration of an acupuncture needle (AN) and a Ag/AgCl reference electrode. We fabricate the sensor by electrochemically depositing platinum black and gold nanoparticles onto the AN and further modifying it with polyaniline to increase its sensitivity to hydrogen ions. The pH value is obtained by calculating the open circuit voltage between the modified AN and the reference electrode. The resulting MNS demonstrates excellent selectivity and a high nernstian response to pH (−57.4 mV per pH) over a broad range (pH = 4.0 to pH = 9.0). Both in vitro and in vivo experiments have verified the performance of the sensor, showcasing its potential for biomedical research and clinical practice. The MNS provides an alternative to conventional pH meters, offering a less invasive and more convenient way to perform CIVM of pH value. Moreover, this electrochemical implantable sensor based on AN and silver wires provides a simple and sensitive method for continuous in vivo detection of other biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the effects of soil acidity on tea quality and the ability of soil nitrogen transformation, the tea leaves and tea tree rhizosphere soils were collected from 26-tea plantations and determined their contents of theanine and amino acids in tea leaves, the number of soil nitrogen transforming microorganisms and soil biochemical intensity. The results showed that the content of theanine and amino acid in tea leaves, the number of aerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and ammonifying bacteria in the soil and the nitrogen fixation intensity and ammonification intensity of the soil increased with the increase of pH value of tea tree rhizosphere soil. However, the number of soil nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria and soil nitrification intensity and denitrification intensity showed a downward trend. The results of principal component analysis showed that the contribution rate of principal component 1 and principal component 2 was 84.97 % and 7.57 %, respectively. In the soil with different acidity, the main contribution to differentiate the amino acid and theanine content in tea leaves came from the ability of soil for nitrogen fixation and ammonification as well as the ability of soil nitrification and denitrification. The results of correlation analysis showed that soil pH value was significantly positively correlated with theanine, amino acid, aerobic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, ammonifying bacteria, nitrogen fixation intensity and ammoniating intensity, while significantly negatively correlated with nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, nitrification intensity and denitrification intensity. The intensification of soil acidity decreased the nitrogen fixation and ammonification activities and boosted nitrification and denitrification activities and decreased the quality of tea leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria are similar to social organisms that engage in critical interactions with one another, forming spatially structured communities. Despite extensive research on the composition, structure, and communication of bacteria, the mechanisms behind their interactions and biofilm formation are not yet fully understood. To address this issue, scanning probe techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), and scanning ion-conductance microscopy (SICM) have been utilized to analyze bacteria. This review article focuses on summarizing the use of electrochemical scanning probes for investigating bacteria, including analysis of electroactive metabolites, enzymes, oxygen consumption, ion concentrations, pH values, biofilms, and quorum sensing molecules to provide a better understanding of bacterial interactions and communication. SECM has been combined with other techniques, such as AFM, inverted optical microscopy, SICM, and fluorescence microscopy. This allows a comprehensive study of the surfaces of bacteria while also providing more information on their metabolic activity. In general, the use of scanning probes for the detection of bacteria has shown great promise and has the potential to provide a powerful tool for the study of bacterial physiology and the detection of bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) is an invasive species with a wide distribution range in China. Red imported fire ants nest in soil, have strong territorial behavior and aggression, and can cause harm to humans and livestock through their stinging and venom. This study examined the effects of red imported fire ant nests on soil properties and microbial communities in five different habitats. In each habitat, compared to the non-red imported fire ant nest control soils, pH and nitrogen content significantly increased in red imported fire ant nests, whereas the content of heavy metals, such as Cr, Pb, Cu, and Ni, significantly decreased. Although the composition, abundance, and diversity of bacterial communities of the control soils varied between habitats, bacterial community composition in red imported fire ant nest soils was similar. The abundance of Actinobacteria significantly increased in the nest soils of red imported fire ants. We believe that red imported fire ants deliberately increase the abundance of Actinobacteria to reduce the harm cause by pathogenic bacteria in the nests. This study provides reference data for the changes in soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities caused by the adaptations of red imported fire ants to different habitat soils. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) is a highly adaptable invasive species that can nest and reproduce in different habitat soils. We aimed to explore the adaptability of red imported fire ants in different habitats by analyzing changes in the physicochemical properties of nest soils and bacterial communities. Five habitat types (forest, tea plantation, rice field, lawn, and brassica field) were selected. The results showed that the pH of the nest soils increased significantly in all five habitats compared to the control soils of the same habitat. A significant increase in nitrogen content was detected in the nests. The Cr, Pb, Cu, and Ni levels were significantly reduced in the soils of the five habitats, due to nesting activities. Analysis of the composition and diversity of the soil microbial community showed that, although the richness and diversity of bacteria in the nest soils of red imported fire ants in the five habitats varied, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria significantly increased and it emerged as the dominant bacterial group. These results indicate that red imported fire ants modify the physicochemical properties of nest soils and bacterial communities to create a suitable habitat for survival and reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-phase-low-pH MICP (Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation) or EICP (Enzyme Induced Carbonate Precipitation) is a new biocementation method for soil improvement. This method uses the low pH of bacterial or urease solution to provide a delay for the MICP or EICP process so that the treatment solution can be evenly distributed in soil during grouting. However, how are the delay duration and the effect of biocementation affected by the initial pH (pH0) of bacterial or urease solution has not been studied. In this paper, an experimental study using different pH0 of urease (or bacterial) solution for EICP (or MICP) biocementation is presented. The study shows that the lower the pH0, the longer the delay period. However, the EICP or MICP process becomes ineffective when the pH0 is equal to or lower than 4.5 or 4.0 for EICP and MICP, respectively. The pH0 also has a significant effect on the strength of treated sand by affecting the morphology and crystallinity of precipitated calcium carbonate crystals. The pH0 on the other hand, has little effect on the amount of calcium carbonate production and its distribution in soil as long as the delay duration is sufficient for the distribution of treatment solution in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Inorganic Analytical Chemistry / Zhongguo Wuji Fenxi Huaxue is the property of Beijing Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy Technology Group 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 protection and arrangement of agricultural areas in order to obtain health-safe food is extremely important to know the mobility of heavy metals lead, cadmium, zinc and uranium as radionuclides. This research investigated the influence of mineral raw materials (apatite and zeolite) on the mobility of heavy metals and radionuclides in a column system with constant pressure at different pH values (5.0 and 7.0). The tested solutions were contaminated with metals (lead, cadmium, zinc and uranium), in a concentration of 300 mg/l in time intervals of 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes. It was experimentally determined that there were significant changes in the pH value of the filtrate. The results showed that both apatite and zeolite successfully immobilized lead at both pH values. Uranium immobilization was better performed in columns with apatite, zeolite showed better properties in cadmium immobilization, and tests on a solution contaminated with zinc showed that both apatite and zeolite show similar affinity. The obtained results were statistically processed using the method of two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measurements. Further research will be based on monitoring the morphophysiological properties of underground and aboveground parts of plants on contaminated soil samples when apatite and zeolite are applied.

Aim: The goal of the study is to evaluate and compare the pH and dimensional stability of the experimental root sealer to those of existing root sealers commonly used in endodontic therapy. Methods: The study samples were produced using commercially available sealers as well as experimental sealers containing nanoparticles. The pH was measured using a digital pH meter (accuracy of 0.01). Before each pH measurement, the pH meter's accuracy was calibrated with a solution. Once the relevant dimension samples were generated, the dimensional stability of the materials was evaluated. L 30 - L/L × 100 was the formula used to calculate the percentage of dimensional change. Results: The Apexit Plus demonstrated a 1.33% expansion compared to the experimental sealer's 0.43%. The contraction was 0.37% for AH Plus. The mean pH of the experimental root canal sealer utilized at various periods of immediate, 24 h and 1 week after is 9.51, 8.48, and 8.17. The mean pH of the AH Plus root canal sealer immediately, 24 h and 1 week was 8.30, 7.70, and 6.80, respectively. Conclusion: Within the constraints of the studies, the experimental sealer had stronger pH and dimensional stability than commercially available sealers. In vivo studies can be performed to reassess the qualities.

In SCAL indirect air-cooling system， the aluminum pipe orifice of radiator is the position most easily to be corroded. Water leakage even occurs at this position in some units. Clarifying the corrosion type and key influencing factor of water quality can provide guidance for chemical operators and ensure the stable operation of units. In this paper， the corrosion type of the aluminum pipe orifice of radiator and key influencing factor of water quality were illustrated by field investigation of three SCAL intercooling system radiators in China， the analysis of the water quality data and suspended substance composition as well as laboratory simulation test. Results showed that aluminum pipe orifice corrosion in the radiator of SCAL indirect air-cooling system was erosion corrosion. With the same material and fluid flow state， when the pH value of circulating water increased to 9.5， it could obviously accelerate the erosion corrosion of aluminum pipe orifice， which could lead to corrosion damage of aluminum pipe orifice in a short time. This was the key influencing factor of water quality that increasing the corrosion of pipe orifice.Chemical operators should strengthen the detection of pH value of circulating water and adjust it timely.

The quality of drinking water was investigated in two localities from Vaslui county (Bârlad and Văleni) by comparison with a sample from Galați county. A number of parameters such as pH, turbidity, conductivity, nitrates, nitrites, temporary hardness, dissolved oxygen were analysed for each water sample collected during the month of May. The obtained values of each parameter were compared with the standard values set by the local standards, Law no. 458/2002 regarding the quality of drinking water.

Activated corrosion product is an important radioactive source term in the primary circuit of pressurized water reactor, which has an important influence on reactor shielding design, personnel protection and accident safety. As a key parameter of pressurized water reactor (PWR) coolant, its pH value plays an important role in the process of material corrosion, dissolution and precipitation of corrosion products. The solubility of corrosion products and the corrosion rate of materials in the coolant can be controlled by adjusting the pH value by coordinating the concentration of boronlithium in the coolant, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the source term of activated corrosion products. At present, the influence of pH value on the corrosion rate of materials and the solubility of corrosion products is more analyzed in the world. The influence of pH value on the radioactive source terms was described in varying degrees through experiments and feedback data of nuclear power plant operation. However, the cost of obtaining power plant operation data is high, so it is of great application significance to analyze the influence of pH value on radioactive source term from the perspective of simulation calculation. In this paper, the solubility of corrosion products and the corrosion rate of materials under different pH values were calculated, and the radioactive activity in each area of the primary circuit of PWR under different pH values was calculated by substituting it into the selfdeveloped source term analysis CATE code of activated corrosion products. After systematic research and analysis, it is concluded that when the pH value is 56 to 74, the solubility of corrosion products decreases continuously with the increase of pH value, and the decreasing range gradually becomes slow. The corrosion rate of 304 stainless steel decreases with the increase of pH value and reaches a balance after decreasing to a small value. The corrosion rate of Inconel decreases with the increase of pH value, and the decrease amplitude gradually becomes slow. With pH value increasing, the radioactive activity decreases, when the pH value increases to 7.2 or so, the radioactive activity decreases slower, when the pH value is 74, the radioactive activity in the core, steam generator and coolant decreases slightly compared with that when the pH value is 72, but the radioactive activity in coolant pump, transition section and cold pipe section increases slightly. pH value affects the source term of primary corrosion products of PWR through the solubility of corrosion products and corrosion rate of materials. Moderately increasing pH value can increase the corrosion resistance of nickel base alloy and stainless steel materials, and reasonably adjusting pH value can control the release and deposition of corrosion products, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the level of radioactive activity in primary circuit. Considering the solubility of corrosion products in primary circuit of PWR, corrosion rate of materials and radioactive activity of corrosion products, the pH value should be controlled within 7.2-7.4.

For further revealing the effect of pH value on the formation of conversion coating on magnesium alloy surface, the formation mechanism of phosphate chemical conversion coating on AZ91D magnesium alloy surface was studied, and the influence of the pH value of phosphating solution on the morphology and corrosion resistance of the conversion coating was mainly discussed. The potentiodynamic polarization test data and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the conversion coatings were compared, and the corrosion resistance of phosphate conversion coatings prepared in 3.5% NaCl solution under different pH conditions was analyzed by soaking test. Results showed that the key to the film formation of phosphate was the combined action of the hydrolysis equilibrium process of manganous dihydrogen phosphate [Mn(H2PO4)2] and the hydrolysis condensation process of ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3). The conversion coating was greatly affected by the pH value of the phosphating solution. With the increase of pH value, the corrosion resistance of the conversion coating was gradually improved, but the thickness showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing after reaching the extreme value. When the pH value of phosphating solution was 4.0, the coating had the best quality and the optimal corrosion resistance.

During the operation of underground repository of high-level radioactive waste, the highly alkaline solution generated by groundwater corroding lining concrete will diffuse into the bentonite buffer barrier, resulting in the degradation of barrier property. The KOH solution with different pH values was used to simulate the alkaline solution, and a one-year contact diffusion test at room temperature was conducted. Then, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) were performed to investigate the effect of slow diffusion on the mineralogy of bentonite. The XRF test results show that when the pH of KOH solution was greater than 12.6, the content of silicon began to decrease, that is, montmorillonite, quartz, cristobalite and other Si-containing minerals in bentonite were dissolved. At the same time, the content of K increased, indicating that the bentonite had an ion exchange reaction with the alkaline solution, a large amount of K+ ions in the solution entered the montmorillonite crystal layer. The XRD test results show that the 001 peak of montmorillonite mineral started to shift to the right at pH=12.6, the peak widths widened, and the peak intensity reduced considerably. When the pH>13, the crystal interlayer space decreased from 1.385 3 nm (13.853 Å) to 1.221 0 nm (12.210 Å), indicating that the crystal layer of montmorillonite was compressed. With the increase of the pH value, the content of minerals such as montmorillonite and quartz decreased significantly, and the contents of illite, clinoptilolite and feldspar minerals increased slightly. The SEM test results show that part of the montmorillonite crystal layer overlapped with the pH of the solution increasing, and then some cracks and holes were generated. As a result, the cracks can accelerate the dissolution of montmorillonite. In the one-year contact diffusion test, the diffusion depth of the KOH solution with pH=13.8 exceeded 7.5 mm, and the newly formed illite crystallites were observed on the contact surface between the alkaline solution and the bentonite. It is confirmed that the strong alkaline solution will cause montmorillonite dissolution and illitization.

Chernozem with pH 5.38, 6.54, 7.16 and 8.11 (No. A, B, C and D) were selected as the research object. The effects of nitrogen fertilizer (urea, diammonium phosphate) addition on the acidity change and acid-base buffing performance of chernozem were studied by constant temperature culture test. The results showed that urea and diammonium phosphate reduced the pH values of the four chernozems by 0.72, 0.53, 0.94, 0.44 and 0.89, 0.58, 1.18 and 0.54 units, respectively. For the four soils, the degree of pH reduction was in the order of C＞B≥A＞D. After the application of nitrogen fertilizer, the pH of sample D was still alkaline, so no exchangeable acid, H+ or Al3+ were detected. The exchangeable acid content of soil samples A, B and C increased by 0.07, 0.94, 3.62 times, 0.23, 0.74, 2.93 times, exchangeable H+ by 0.12, 1.14, 7.27 times, 0.26, 0.97, 4.73 times, exchangeable Al3+ by 0.15, 0.77, 2.35 times, 0.21, 0.54, 2.29 times, respectively. This indicated that the increase of exchangeable acid, H+ and Al3+ in chernozem after the addition of nitrogen fertilizer followed the order of C ＞B＞A. As considering the addition of urea and diammonium phosphate, the contents of exchangable acid, H+ and Al3+ in chernozemic showed no significant difference. The contents of exchangeable acid, H+ and Al3+ of chernozem were increased with the decrease of soil pH value in the neutral and acidic range. After the addition of urea and diammonium phosphate, the acid-base buffer capacities of the four soil samples were decreased by 2.82%, 10.27%, 3.24%, 2.99% and 2.26%, 3.80%, 3.70% and 3.94%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the addition of urea and diammonium phosphate. The acid-base buffer capacity of chernozem was significantly positively correlated with soil pH and organic matter content and negatively correlated with soil exchangeable H+ and AI3+. In conclusion, the addition of nitrogen fertilizer promoted the contents of exchangeable acid, H+ and Al3+ of chernozem to different degrees, and reduced the soil pH value and acid-buffer capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the large amount of CO2 generated during steelmaking, to resume production as soon as possible, a fast repair material with good carbonation resistance is needed to repair the factory building. First, the performance of an ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA) system under an accelerated carbonization environment was studied. Next, the OPC-CSA system with a CSA content of 15 wt% was selected to be modified by adding calcium hydroxide (CH). The findings showed that the addition of 15 wt% CSA to the OPC-CSA system resulted in the highest mechanical properties. Specifically, the flexural strength and compressive strength after 84 d of carbonization were 18% and 15% higher, respectively, compared to those of OPC alone. The degradation of the mechanical properties of the OPC-CSA system due to carbonation was improved by adding CH. The flexural strength (3.0 wt% CH) and the compressive strength (4.5 wt% CH) of the OPC-CSA-CH system after 84 d of carbonization were 13% and 5% higher, respectively, than those of the OPC-CSA system. The addition of CH increased the alkalinity of the OPC-CSA system and enhanced the stability of Aft, resulting in better carbonation resistance in the OPC-CSA-CH system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of lubricating oil degradation, which can happen during both storage and use, on spur gear wear is thoroughly examined in this paper at all scales, from macro to nano. A thorough structure was created by combining the results of testing performed at the macroscale on a test rig and at the nanoscale using tools such as FESEM analysis. Using a single-stage spur transmission under two different working conditions ('40 Nm, 1200 rpm, 198 h' and '50 Nm, 500 rpm, 90 min'), macroscale experiments were carried out using both conventional and artificially degraded lubricant oils. Aqueous hydrochloric acid (36.46% v/v concentration) was added to the lubricating lubricant to induce artificial degradation. Wear development and oil degradation were monitored in real time using tools such as metallic wear detritus sensors and oil sensor suites. Offline methods, such as total acid number (TAN) and pH value readings, were used with periodic lubricant oil samples. It was discovered through both online and offline monitoring methods that the spur gear experienced substantial wear in lubricant-degraded conditions. By demonstrating elevated levels of oxidative degradation products and the formation of new oxidative compounds, such as sulphates and aromatic groups, the attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis of the oil degradation at the nanoscale verified this. In addition, water creation was noted. It is interesting to note that the pH meter has become a viable option for detecting oil degradation and offers a useful way to keep track of lubricant quality. Overall, this study shows that there is a strong connection between macroscale and nanoscale phenomena in the complete method created for assessing the tribological performance of gear lubricants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences is the property of Editorial Board of Journal of Henan Agricultural Sciences 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.)

Tetracycline (TC) can easily lead to persistent environmental toxicity via bio-enrichment effects, due to the inefficient bio-absorption, high solubility, and high bio-activity. Advanced oxidation processes based on sulfate radicals (SR-AOPs) can be expected to serve as an alternative means. Green low-cost biochar (BC) can be also used as an uneven catalyst. The persulfate (PS) was efficiently decomposed to generate the high-oxidation to restore power free radicals (OH, and SO4-·) during the degradation mineralization of organic matter. In addition, the annual waste bone production has reached 1348 tons in 2021 in China. Traditional treatments of waste bone can also be limited in the implementation conditions or cure such defects as bacterial reproduction. The waste bone can be prepared to catalyze the PS degradation TC. There are different properties of thermal temperature, crystallization, and surface shape made of BC, leading to the removal performance of pollutants. In this study, the different structures of pig bones coal with cooking pig bones were prepared as the raw materials at different temperatures of thermal resolution from 500 ℃ to 900 ℃. Energy spectroscopy was selected to analyze the effect of heat resolution on the pig bone's carbon shape, active phosphorus (hydroxyapatite, HAP) crystal structure, oxygenic acid, as well as the active functional units and cavity structure. Then, the material performance was compared to determine the optimal material pH, and PS parameters impact. The optimal system was achieved in the active oxygen sudden extinction to investigate the interaction between bone carbonization temperature and structure for the catalyst degradation performance. The results showed that there was a noticeable carbonization structure of the pig’s bone with the change in the carbonization temperature, indicating three distinct structures of layered cracks, needle-shaped clusters, and empty heart balls at three supply temperatures. Compared with 500 ℃ and 900 ℃, the crystalline structure formed at 700 ℃, and the fully volatile organic components presented the 700BPBC surface calcium phosphorus in the high-temperature formed crystal and the sp² structural carbon frame in the pig coal combined to form the needle-shaped fiber structure in the form of cluster. The more fine and shorter narrow conveyor was formed with a more microporous structure and better crystal comparison of phosphatic minerals. Energy and infrared spectrum analysis showed that the non-crystalline transformation was significantly influenced by the thermal resolution temperature, and then the content of C, O, Ca, and P, due to the full splitting of organic collagen and inorganic phosphorus and crystalline composition in HAp. As such, the 700BPBC was superior to the other two kinds of pig bone biochar with the rich -OH and active CHAp. The catalytic degradation experiment showed that the degrading capacity order from large to small is 700BPBC, 500BPBC, 900BPBC. Among them, the 700BPBC shared a stronger performance of catalytical degeneration for the TC, due to the small, narrow conveyor, rich active functional agglomeration spots, and better crystalline comparison. Furthermore, the ion form of quercetin was easier to capture than pig coal, when the solution environment was weakly acidic (pH value is 5). The best activity was achieved in the free radicals produced by sulfate (PS). The moderate overdose of sulphate (BC:PS = 1:6) produced the most effective free radical. The OH contributed the most under the 700BPBC/PS system. The free radical reaction was the dominant pathway to catalyze the degradation reaction. There were active CHAp and C=O-induced non-free radical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeOCl was successfully synthesized by partial pyrolysis method and used as catalyst in Fenton-like reaction. The catalytic activity and stability of FeOCl at different initial pH were evaluated in degradation of isoniazid (INH). The experimental results showed that the pH of the solution had an important effect on the catalytic activity and stability of FeOCl. The point of zero charge (pH PZC) of FeOCl was measured to be 1.75. Adding FeOCl could change pH (before addition of FeOCl) of the solution from 3.0, 6.0, 9.0–3.0, 3.9 and 4.4, respectively, being conducive to Fenton-like reaction. The removal rates of INH by FeOCl/H 2 O 2 system at initial pH 3.0, 6.0, 9.0 were 94.48%, 92.45%, 42.32%, respectively. However, degradation efficiency was rapidly degenerative at initial pH 3.0 and 9.0 in stability test. By means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it was found that the rapid inactivation of FeOCl at initial pH 3.0 was caused by crystal structure transformation of FeOCl into FeOOH and the dissolved Fe, but at initial pH 9.0 was owing to the weakened pH regulation ability of the used FeOCl (only from 9.0 to 6.6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic fluorescent probe, citric acid-1,3-Propanediamine-Rhodamine B (CPR) was synthesized to determine pH of ordinary Portland cement requiring only a small sample size (less than 500 μL cement leachate). The SEM, XRD, and FTIR investigations demonstrate that citric acid-1,3-Propanediamine are polymer dots with a fusiform structure. Ratio pH probe is constructed by rhodamine B with polymer dots, which exhibits a linear response in high alkaline range. A 6-fold increase in fluorescence intensity (455 nm) is achieved at pH from 12.00 to 13.25. Combined with measurements of the isothermal calorimeter, mineral composition, and microscopic morphology, variation of pH is used to evaluate the changes of components during hydration. Furthermore, CPR can be applied to measure pH of high-dose pulverized fuel ash blending systems, the non-pure cement with slightly lower alkalinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To disclose influences of ultrasonic vibration agitation on the carbonation resistance of cement-based materials after absorption of CO2, the variation laws in internal carbonization zone were explored by the testing carbonization depth and carbonization range (pH variation range) of cement mortar after CO2 absorption at different ages. Results demonstrated that when CO2 absorption volumes of the cement mortar before carbonization were 0.44%, 0.88%, 1.32%, 1.76%, and 2.20% (28 d), the carbonization depth under ultrasonic vibration decreased by 5.5%, 12.3%, 21.7%, 20.7%, and 26.7% compared to those under mechanical stirring, respectively. When the ultimate CO2 absorption volume increased to 2.2% of cement mass, the extended degree of cement mortar was 103.23 mm, which decreased by 5.4% compared to that before CO2 absorption. pH variation values of the carbonization range under ultrasonic vibration presented a rising trend with the increase of CO2 absorption volume of cement mortar before carbonation. This indicated that, with the increase of CO2 absorption volume of cement mortar before carbonation increases under ultrasonic vibration, the carbonization process of the hardened body of cement mortar might be decelerated to some extent. Additionally, changes in internal composition and physical images of cement-based materials after absorption of CO2 were analyzed through microtest means like SEM and XRD. A carbonation resistance model was constructed, thus enabling disclosure of the variation mechanism of carbonation resistance of cement-based materials after absorption of CO2 under mechanical stirring and ultrasonic vibration. Results demonstrated that the higher CO2 absorption volume of fresh slurry generated more "nano-level" CaCO3 crystal nucleus. Accordingly, it could improve the porous structure of the cement mortar, decrease the quantity of capillary tubes significantly, improve the compaction degree of cement-based materials effectively, and lower the diffusion rate of CO2 in the cement paste base, thus improving the carbonation resistance. Research conclusions have important significance to decrease CO2 emissions and improve carbonation resistance of concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of pH and NaCl concentrations on the structure of golden pompano myosin and emulsion gel were analyzed using SEM in combination with molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). The microscopic morphology and spatial structure of myosin were investigated at different pH (3.0, 7.0, and 11.0) and NaCl concentrations (0.0, 0.2, 0.6, and 1.0 M), and their effects on the stability of emulsion gels were discussed. Our results show that pH had a greater effect on the microscopic morphology of myosin than NaCl. The MDS results show that under the condition of pH 7.0 and 0.6 M NaCl, the myosin expanded and experienced significant fluctuations in its amino acid residues. However, NaCl showed a greater effect on the number of hydrogen bonds than pH. Although changes in pH and NaCl concentrations only slightly altered the secondary structures in myosin, they, nevertheless, significantly influenced the protein spatial conformation. The stability of the emulsion gel was affected by pH changes but not NaCl concentrations, which only affect the rheology. The best elastic modulus G″ of the emulsion gel was obtained at pH 7.0 and 0.6 M NaCl. Based on the results, we conclude that pH changes have a greater influence than NaCl concentrations on the spatial structure and conformation of myosin, contributing to the instability of its emulsion gel state. The data from this study would serve as a valuable reference for emulsion gel rheology modification in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A triple functional additive with a trace amount (1 mM) was proposed to protect Zn anodes. The additive lowers the hydrogen evolution reaction potential, encourages the formation of an in situ solid electrolyte interphase and shields the "tip effect" Dendrite free Zn deposition and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behaviors were realized by the triple protections Although their cost-effectiveness and intrinsic safety, aqueous zinc-ion batteries suffer from notorious side reactions including hydrogen evolution reaction, Zn corrosion and passivation, and Zn dendrite formation on the anode. Despite numerous strategies to alleviate these side reactions have been demonstrated, they can only provide limited performance improvement from a single aspect. Herein, a triple-functional additive with trace amounts, ammonium hydroxide, was demonstrated to comprehensively protect zinc anodes. The results show that the shift of electrolyte pH from 4.1 to 5.2 lowers the HER potential and encourages the in situ formation of a uniform ZHS-based solid electrolyte interphase on Zn anodes. Moreover, cationic NH4+ can preferentially adsorb on the Zn anode surface to shield the "tip effect" and homogenize the electric field. Benefitting from this comprehensive protection, dendrite-free Zn deposition and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behaviors were realized. Besides, improved electrochemical performances can also be achieved in Zn//MnO2 full cells by taking the advantages of this triple-functional additive. This work provides a new strategy for stabilizing Zn anodes from a comprehensive perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium alloy, with high specific strength and stiffness, biocompatibility and degradability, has become a potential orthopedic implant material. However, the application of magnesium alloys in the medical field is limited by the excessively fast corrosion rate and poor wear resistance. The corrosion and wear behaviors of AZ80 magnesium alloy in simulated body fluid (SBF) with different pH values (pH 4, 7.4 and 9) were investigated by electrochemical and reciprocating wear tests respectively to understand the corrosive wear behavior of orthopedic magnesium alloys. The wear morphology was characterized by three-dimensional white light interference profiler, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray diffractometer (XRD). It was found that the test environment played a major role in the corrosion and wear behavior of the specimen. The corrosion resistance of the specimen enhanced with increasing pH value. Compared with the dry environment, the lubrication effect of SBF was not observed. Although the coefficient of friction (COF) of the specimen was not decreased by SBF, the wear volume of the specimen was significantly reduced by SBF. The synergistic effect of corrosion and wear caused the wear rate of the specimen in SBF to decrease with the increase of pH value. The stability of the block Mg(OH)2 film enhanced with the pH value, which was the reason why the corrosion and wear resistance of the specimen in SBF improved with the pH value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Minocycline hydrochloride (MINO) aspiration sclerotherapy (AS) has been widely used for treating hepatic cysts (HC). However, cyst recurrence remains problematic. Information on monoethanolamine oleate (EO) AS, another effective HC treatment, is currently limited. We investigated the efficacy of EO on ineffective MINO treatments, and the relationship between MINO AS and cyst fluid pH. Methods: A total of 22 cases with symptomatic HC underwent AS with 500 mg of MINO from January 2016 to June 2021. Cyst fluid pH was measured before and after MINO injection. Cyst volume ratio (CVR, %) after 2 weeks was calculated as follows:cyst volume 2 weeks after MINO injection / pre‐treatment cyst volume × 100. Treatment was completed if CVR after 2 weeks was ≤35% (MINO‐group). For patients with CVR >35%, 2 g of EO was added (MINO/EO‐group). Cyst volume ratio was measured every 12 months thereafter. Results: There were no recurrence symptoms in any of the patients during follow‐up. Of the 22 cases, 21 had CVR ≤20% after 12 months. The MINO/EO‐group (n = 8) tended to have smaller CVRs after 12 months than the MINO‐group (n = 14). Cyst volume ratio after 2 weeks was correlated to pH change (p = 0.012) and was larger in patients whose pH decreased by <1.5 (p = 0.015). All adverse events were mild, including in elderly patients. Conclusion: Adding EO is an effective and safe treatment for symptomatic HC when MINO AS alone is insufficient. Patients with pH decreases of <1.5 should be considered for additional EO treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In cotton growing, the problem of creating effective defoliants of complex action, providing high-quality shedding of cotton leaves and opening of bolls, is an urgent problem. It is advisable to use chlorate-containing preparations in conjunction with physiologically active substances, due to the negative effect, which is expressed in twisting the leaves and burning the boxes. Purpose: Extraction of citric and malic acids from the waste of a cotton ginning plant (OHOZ), study of the process of obtaining a new physiologically active substance based on them. Methodology. Citric and malic acids contained in OHOZa were isolated by the extraction method. The density of the extracted extracts (GOST 31992.1-2012) was determined on a pycnometer, the viscosity was determined on a VPZh viscometer, the refractive index was determined on a PAL-BX/RI refractometer, and the pH value was determined on a FE20 METTLER TOLEDO pH. Originality. Citric and malic acids were separated from the composition of OHOZ by extraction using hydrochloric acid, the resulting acidic extract was neutralized with monoethanolamine HO-(CH2)2-NH2 and a physiologically active substance was obtained. Findings. Cotton gin waste, cleaned of impurities, after drying at 90-100°C, was extracted with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5% hydrochloric acid at 25°C, while determining the temperature, density, viscosity, pH and refractive index solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response surface method is used to study the influence mechanism of three factors (seed crystal concentration, pH value, and stirring rate) on ammonium sulfate crystallization (average particle size and coefficient of variation [C.V.] value) under ammonium nitrate to prove the effect of ammonium nitrate doping on ammonium sulfate crystallization. Regression equations between each response value and the influencing factors are established. Results show that the interaction between the seed crystal concentration and the stirring rate is stronger than that between the seed crystal concentration and the pH and that between the pH and the stirring rate. The error between the verified model values and the experimental values is minimized when the seed crystal concentration is 1.5%, the pH is 4.5, and the stirring rate is 250 r min−1, at which the average particle size is 1.238 mm, and the C.V. value is 73.53. After optimization, the crystal morphology changes from needle‐ and flake‐like crystals to cubes, resulting in crystals with large average particle size, uniform distribution, regular morphology, and diffraction peak intensity that is close to that in the analysis of pure ammonium sulfate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, CaCl2 and KH2 PO4 were used as raw materials, Na2 EDTA·2H2 O as chelating agent, and NH3·H2 O was used to adjust pH value of the solution, the calcium-phosphate coatings on titanium substrate were prepared via hydrothermal method, and the effects of filling condition (FC) (16% ~64%) and pH value (3. 5 ~6. 0) on morphology and phase constitutions of the coatings were systematically investigated. The results show that: when the pH value is 3. 5 and 4. 0, the coatings are mainly platelet-like calcium hydrogen phosphate (DCPA) (P1) at different FC, and FC has no remarkable effect on phase constitution of the coatings; when the pH value is 4.5 and 5.0, dandelion-like hydroxyapatite (HAP) (P63 / m) are easily found at lower FC, and with the increase of FC, the coating changes from dandelion-like HAP to platelet-like DCPA; when the pH value is of 5. 5 and 6. 0, the coatings are mainly dandelion-like HAP at different FC, and with the increase of FC, the crystallinity of HAP increases, while with the increase of pH value, the diameter of dandelion-like HAP decreases. Otherwise, the wettability of the three typical coatings (i. e., the dandelion-like HAP, the platelet-like DCPA, and the mix of (HAP + DCPA)) show much better wettability than the titanium substrate, this indicates that the calciumphosphate coatings would benefit the future osseointegration. Meanwhile, the formation mechanisms of different kinds of coatings were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the problem of the availability of high-quality fresh water is urgent. The reservoirs from which water is extracted are running low. The amount of fresh water on the planet has decreased significantly in recent years. A big problem for the use of fresh water is its pollution. Groundwater remained relatively clean, but even when used, it needs to be controlled. Goal of research was the quality control of water from ponds and water sources in the National Dendrological Park (NDP) “Sofiyivka” of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine in terms of physicochemical and bacteriological indicators and a study of the park’s hydrosystem. When conducting research, potentiometric, gravimetric, titrimetric, colorimetric and spectrophotometric methods were used. The hydrosystem of the NDP “Sofiyivka” of the NAS of Ukraine, created during the period of its foundation, has basically retained its planning forms and all its artificial structures. The water system is an important environmental factor that contributes to the quality development of plants, and also has an aesthetic value. The analysis of the results of a study of the physicochemical and bacteriological composition of drinking water from the studied water catchments showed that the water is safe for consumption in terms of such indicators as the content of sulfates, nitrites, chlorides, but contains a significant amount of nitrates and has a high hardness, which can contribute to the development of a number of diseases. Long-term consumption of such water will have a negative impact on the human body. In all water samples from the capture, the growth of common coliforms in 100 cm3 and the presence of Escherichia coli were found, which is dangerous when drinking unboiled water and can bring to intestinal infectious diseases. According to the obtained experimental results of the quality of the studied water samples from the Krasnostavsky, Upper and Lower ponds of the NDP “Sofiyivka” NAS of Ukraine, the general physical and chemical indicators fully comply with the established standards, but the results of studies of the ponds in terms of bacteriological indicators, namely the index of lactose-positive E. coli indicate their significant excess and noncompliance with the standards in the Krasnostavsky and Verkhny ponds by 48 and 12 times, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy and sufficient crop and food production are very much essential for everyone as the population is increasing globally. The production of crops affects the economy of a country to a great extent. In agriculture, observing the soil, weather, and water availability and, based on these factors, selecting an appropriate crop, finding the availability of seeds, analysing crop demand in the market, and having knowledge of crop cultivation are important. At present, many advancements have been made in recent times, starting from crop selection to crop cutting. Mainly, the roles of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and machine learning tools help a farmer to analyse and make better decisions in each stage of cultivation. Once suitable crop seeds are chosen, the farmer shall proceed with seeding, monitoring crop growth, disease detection, finding the ripening stage of the crop, and then crop cutting. The main objective is to provide a continuous support system to a farmer so that he can obtain regular inputs about his field and crop. Additionally, he should be able to make proper decisions at each stage of farming. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, the cloud, sensors, and other automated devices shall be included in the decision support system so that it will provide the right information within a short time span. By using the support system, a farmer will be able to take decisive measures without fully depending on the local agriculture offices. We have proposed an IoT-enabled soil nutrient classification and crop recommendation (IoTSNA-CR) model to recommend crops. The model helps to minimise the use of fertilisers in soil so as to maximise productivity. The proposed model consists of phases, such as data collection using IoT sensors from cultivation lands, storing this real-time data into cloud memory services, accessing this cloud data using an Android application, and then pre-processing and periodic analysis of it using different learning techniques. A sensory system was prepared with optimised cost that contains different sensors, such as a soil temperature sensor, a soil moisture sensor, a water level indicator, a pH sensor, a GPS sensor, and a colour sensor, along with an Arduino UNO board. This sensory system allowed us to collect moisture, temperature, water level, soil NPK colour values, date, time, longitude, and latitude. The studies have revealed that the Agrinex NPK soil testing tablets should be applied to a soil sample, and then the soil colour can be sensed using an LDR colour sensor to predict the phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), and potassium (K) values. These collected data together were stored in Firebase cloud storage media. Then, an Android application was developed to fetch and analyse the data from the Firebase cloud service from time to time by a farmer. In this study, a novel approach was identified via the hybridisation of algorithms. We have developed an algorithm using a multi-class support vector machine with a directed acyclic graph and optimised it using the fruit fly optimisation method (MSVM-DAG-FFO). The highest accuracy rate of this algorithm is 0.973, compared to 0.932 for SVM, 0.922 for SVM kernel, and 0.914 for decision tree. It has been observed that the overall performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of accuracy, recall, precision, and F-Score is high compared to other methods. The IoTSNA-CR device allows the farmer to maintain his field soil information easily in the cloud service using his own mobile with minimum knowledge. Additionally, it reduces the expenditure to balance the soil minerals and increases productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pizza is a popular food consumed around the world every day. Hot food temperatures were obtained from 19,754 nonpizza samples and 1,336 pizza temperatures were taken from dining facilities operated by Rutgers University between 2001 and 2020. These data showed that pizza was more frequently out of temperature control than many other foods. A total of 57 pizza samples that were out of temperature control were collected for further study. Pizza was tested for total aerobic plate count (TPC), Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Lactic acid bacteria, coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Water activity of pizza and surface pH of each individual pizza component (topping, cheese, bread) were measured. Predictions for the growth of four relevant pathogens were made for select pH and water activity values using ComBase. Rutgers University dining hall data show only about 60% of all foods that are pizza are held at the appropriate temperature. When pizza contained detectable microorganisms (∼70% of samples), average TPC ranged from 2.72 log CFU/g to 3.34 log CFU/g. Two pizza samples contained detectable S. aureus (∼50 CFU/g). Two other samples contained B. cereus (∼50 and 100 CFU/g). Five pizza samples contained coliforms (4–9 MPN/g), and no E. coli were detected. Correlation coefficients (R2 values) for TPC and pickup temperature are quite low (

The acidity and alkalinity of aggregates greatly affect the stability, demulsification rate, and road performance of asphalt mixtures. To study the effect of acidity and alkalinity and chemical composition of aggregates, five aggregates, namely limestone (S1, S2, S3, S4) and basalt (X), were studied. The pH and alkalinity values of aggregates and their main chemical compositions (MgO, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, and SiO2) were tested. The pH/alkalinity measured values and pH/alkalinity composite values of the aggregates were analyzed using grey correlation and principal component analyses. The findings indicated a strong correlation between the composite and measured values for aggregate acidity and alkalinity indexes (pH: 0.9105, alkalinity: 0.9241). Additionally, the principal component analysis demonstrated that the composite values were in good agreement with the measured values (pH: R2 = 0.746, alkalinity: R2 = 0.992), which corroborated the grey correlation and regression model results, confirming significant correlations. This result indicates that the pH/alkaline index of the chemical constituents of the aggregate can be used to characterize the pH/alkaline index of the aggregate. The relationship model between aggregate and their chemical constituent’s acid and alkaline indexes can provide a theoretical reference for the in-depth study of the application of aggregate acid and alkaline in road engineering.

This study investigates the pH values and optical characteristics of Dual Rinse HEDP, either independently or combined with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and compares them to other irrigants used in endodontics. The solutions used in this study were commercially acquired and prepared, followed by pH measurements using a pH meter and spectral analysis using UV/Vis spectrophotometry in specified wavelengths of the ultraviolet (UV) C (190–280 nm), UVB (281–315 nm), UVA (316–400 nm), visible light (VL) (401–780 nm), and near-infrared (NIR) spectra (781–1100 nm). The pH analysis revealed alkaline values for NaOCl, EDTA, Dual Rinse HEDP, and the HEDP + NaOCl combination, an acidic value for citric acid, and nearly neutral values for chlorhexidine and distilled water. Spectral analysis revealed the notable absorption characteristics of endodontic irrigants. In the UV range, all solutions exhibited higher absorption values to water (p < 0.05), with Dual Rinse HEDP resembling EDTA and citric acid, and HEDP + NaOCl resembling NaOCl. The NIR region highlights absorption peaks around 975 nm for all solutions, including NaOCl and Dual Rinse HEDP + NaOCl, suggesting potential applications in laser-activated irrigation. This study provides comprehensive insights into the pH and optical features of endodontic irrigants, emphasizing their potential roles in enhancing disinfection strategies and optimizing laser-activated irrigation protocols.

The blast furnace slag was modified with DTAC to prepare a low-cost and environment-friendly adsorbent for the treatment of dye wastewater. The study analyzes theadsorbent dose, adsorption time, initial dye concentration and pH value on the adsorption capacity of KN-R reactive brilliant blue from the modified slag , and the variation rule of characterization of the modified slag was also analyzed. The results show that when the amount of modified slag is 10 g/L, the initial concentration of dye is 60 mg/L, the pH value is 2, and the adsorption time is 120 min, the maximum decolorization rate of the modified slag can reach 96%, and the initial concentration of 150 mg/L is the optimal solubility, the decolorization rate and adsorption capacity are both high at this concentration. Through XRD and FTIR tests, the characterization characteristics of slag and modified slag were compared and analyzed. It was found that DTAC could better modify slag, and the adsorption capacity of modified slag was significantly improved.

Introduction: In recent years, using metal alloys has been expanding in dentistry, especially in dentures. Further research is needed on ion release in these alloys considering the potential harm to human health. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 disk-shaped samples and two acidic environments with pH of 4.2 and 6.5 were used in the present study. Half of the samples without simulation of porcelain firing and the other half after the simulation were incubated for 7 days at 37 ° C in a closed sterile centrifuge tube containing 7.5 ml of acidic solution with pH of 4.2 and 6.5. Finally, the solution was analyzed by spectroscopic method to evaluate the amount of ions released from the Cintron alloy. The results were analyzed using ANOVA by SPSS software. Results: In the samples placed in solutions with pH of 4.2 and 6.5, the amount of released ions after firing was significantly higher than that without the firing process. Furthermore, the amount of released ions in a solution with a pH of 6.5 is significantly less than that in pH of 4.2 in samples without firing simulation. However, the amount of released ions in a solution with a pH of 6.5 is significantly higher than that in pH of 4.2 in the samples after firing. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that porcelain firing changes the nature of alloys leading to the release of more chromium, cobalt, and molybdenum ions. Also, increasing the acidity of the environment before firing causes more ions to be released, while after firing, the ions are released less in a more acidic environment.

The pH value within the wound microenvironment influences indirectly and directly all biochemical reactions taking place in the process of skin wound healing. Currently, it is generally believed that a low pH value, such as it is found on normal skin, is favorable for wound regeneration, while some investigations have shown that in fact alkaline microenvironments are required for some healing processes. The role of growth factors in promoting wound healing requires a specific microenvironment. In wound microenvironments of different pH, growth factors with different isoelectric points may have different effects. To explore whether the application of FGF with different isoelectric points in wounds with different pH values interferes with the healing process to different degrees, GelMA hydrogels with different pH values were prepared to maintain the wounds microenvironment with the same pH values, in which aFGF and bFGF were loaded as well. The results show that GelMA hydrogels of different pH values maintained the same pH of the wound microenvironment sustainably on the 4th day. Moreover, aFGF and bFGF promoted skin wound healing to varying degrees in different pH wound microenvironments. In particular, aFGF significantly promoted wound re-epithelialization in a weak acidic microenvironment, while bFGF promoted collagen synthesis and deposition in the early stage of weak acid wounds. In addition, aFGF plays a superior role in inhibiting inflammation in weak acidic wounds.

Copyright of Petroleum Refinery Engineering is the property of Petroleum Refinery Engineering Editorial Office 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.)