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[Display omitted] • Biowaste co-pyrolysis contributed to high-quality bio-oil and carbonaceous materials. • Ca-Mg-P in CM effectively enhanced quality of bio-oil as zeolite (Si/Al = 30). • SSA of carbonaceous material reached 567 m2/g via activation with AB-based NH 3. • CM-derived catalyst showed a potential market value of 25.58 US$/Kg. • Investment on biowaste co-pyrolysis system was economically attractive. This study addressed the production of high-quality bio-oil and carbonaceous materials from in-situ co-pyrolysis of chicken manure (CM), algal bloom (AB) and woodchip (WC). The effects of biowaste-derived catalyst and AB-based NH 3 on improving the quality of bio-oil, tar and carbonaceous materials were investigated, respectively. The major presence of Ca-Mg-P in CM resulted in a higher quality of bio-oil with a cetane number of 40 and HHVs of 38.62 MJ/kg. The loading of Ni 2 P further enhanced the catalytic performance of CM-derived catalyst and contributed to the produced bio-oil with a cetane number of 50 and HHVs of 40.85 MJ/kg. The major presence of K-Cl-Fe in AB and AB-based NH 3 activation contributed to a larger specific surface area of carbonaceous materials as high as 567 m2/g. Furthermore, the catalytic activity, electrochemical activity and potential market value of biowaste-derived carbonaceous materials were explored in this study. To facilitate the investment decision-making in industrial applications, techno-economic analysis was conducted for the deployment of co-pyrolysis system in a hen layer farm for its daily treatment of 20-ton CM. The technological approach and techno-economic analysis can be generalized to the other types of bioresources. This work provides a novel and effective approach to convert and manage biowaste resources for environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current view of the involvement of PI3-kinases in checkpoint responses after DNA damage is that ATM is the key regulator of G1-, S- or G2-phase checkpoints, that ATR is only partly involved in the regulation of S- and G2-phase checkpoints and that DNA-PKcs is not involved in checkpoint regulation. However, further analysis of the contributions of these kinases to checkpoint responses in cells exposed to ionizing radiation (IR) recently uncovered striking integrations and interplays among ATM, ATR and DNA-PKcs that adapt not only to the phase of the cell cycle in which cells are irradiated, but also to the load of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), presumably to optimize their processing. Specifically, we found that low IR doses in G2-phase cells activate a G2-checkpoint that is regulated by epistatically coupled ATM and ATR. Thus, inhibition of either kinase suppresses almost fully its activation. At high IR doses, the epistatic ATM/ATR coupling relaxes, yielding to a cooperative regulation. Thus, single-kinase inhibition suppresses partly, and only combined inhibition suppresses fully G2-checkpoint activation. Interestingly, DNA-PKcs integrates with ATM/ATR in G2-checkpoint control, but functions in its recovery in a dose-independent manner. Strikingly, irradiation during S-phase activates, independently of dose, an exclusively ATR-dependent G2 checkpoint. Here, ATM couples with DNA-PKcs to regulate checkpoint recovery. In the present work, we extend these studies and investigate organization and functions of these PI3-kinases in the activation of the G1 checkpoint in cells irradiated either in the G0 or G1 phase. We report that ATM is the sole regulator of the G1 checkpoint after exposure to low IR doses. At high IR doses, ATM remains dominant, but contributions from ATR also become detectable and are associated with limited ATM/ATR-dependent end resection at DSBs. Under these conditions, only combined ATM + ATR inhibition fully abrogates checkpoint and resection. Contributions of DNA-PKcs and CHK2 to the regulation of the G1 checkpoint are not obvious in these experiments and may be masked by the endpoint employed for checkpoint analysis and perturbations in normal progression through the cell cycle of cells exposed to DNA-PKcs inhibitors. The results broaden our understanding of organization throughout the cell cycle and adaptation with increasing IR dose of the ATM/ATR/DNA-PKcs module to regulate checkpoint responses. They emphasize notable similarities and distinct differences between G1-, G2- and S-phase checkpoint regulation that may guide DSB processing decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charged up: Three‐dimensional architectures constructed from graphene/MoS2 nanoflake arrays have been successfully fabricated by a one‐step hydrothermal method. MoS2 nanoflakes with thicknesses less than 13 nm grow vertically on both sides of graphene sheets (see figure), which allows the architectures to be more stable during charging and discharging. Even at a high current density of 8000 mA g−1, their discharge capacity is still up to 516 mA h g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To demonstrate the abscopal mutagenic effect of low-energy-ion irradiation in dormant plant seeds, and its dependence on the targeted portion of seeds. Materials and methods: Arabidopsis thaliana-lines transgenic for b-glucuronidase (GUS) recombination substrates and A. thaliana RADiation54 (AtRAD54) promoter::GUS were adopted. The seeds were irradiated from four specialised orientations with 30 KeV 40Ar++ ions. The homologous recombination frequency (HRF) and the expression levels of the AtRAD54 genein non-irradiated aerial plants were measured. Moreover, several post-embryonic developments, such as growth of primary roots, differentiation of root hairs, and germination of seeds and growth of true leaves, were also analysed. Results: It was shown that low-energy-ion irradiation of seeds led to significant increases in HRF in the non-irradiated aerial parts of irradiated plants and the aerial parts of naïve plants from irradiated progenitors. The low-energy-ion irradiation was also shown to induce an elevated expression of AtRAD54 gene in aerial plants, and to inhibit the post-embryonic developments of seeds. Moreover, the changes in HRF, expression level of the AtRAD54 gene and post-embryonic developments depended largely on the orientation of seeds with regard to low-energy-ion irradiation; and the root apical meristem (RAM)-orientated irradiation exhibited the largest effects on all biological endpoints assayed here. Conclusions: Low-energy-ion irradiation can induce an abscopal mutagenic effect in dormant plant seeds, the extent of which depends greatly on the targeted portion of seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on conversion of algal biomass to bio-oil through in-situ catalytic fast pyrolysis. In particular, novel Ni 2 P-loaded and unmodified (zeolite, activated carbon and chicken manure biochar) catalysts were evaluated to determine their effect on in-situ upgrading of algal pyrolysis products. Among the catalysts evaluated, Ni 2 P-loaded zeolite achieved the highest bio-oil hydrocarbon (34.97 %) and calorific value (32.66 MJ/kg), and the lowest O/C (0.075) and N/C (0.074) ratios. There was a 137 % increase of the aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction and a 72 % increase of the biochar specific surface area (SSA) with the loading of Ni 2 P to zeolite. Additionally, unfavourable major oxygen- and nitrogen-containing compound, phytol and tetradecanamide, decreased seven- and six-fold, respectively, compared to the non-catalytic baseline case. Ni 2 P-loaded biochar achieved a reduction in the bio-oil acidity from a pH of 4.52–6.78 and a 41 % decrease of the carboxylic acids content. Biochar produced from the zeolite formulations exhibited especially favourable sorbent quality with SSA greater than 500 m2/g. According to the proposed catalytic mechanism, the generation of n-heptadecane and hexadecanamide may be due to the decomposition of phytol and tetradecanamide, and the catalytic activity was correlated to the pore size of the catalyst (22.22 Å). Direct addition reactions were the dominant pathway in the formation of liquid hydrocarbons. These results suggest that it is feasible to develop an in-situ multi-catalyst system to achieve high-quality bio-oil production. Thus, the development of novel Ni 2 P-loaded catalysts addressed a promising approach for biomass conversion into hydrocarbon-rich products with low risk to the environment. [Display omitted] • Novel Ni 2 P-loaded catalysts were effective at reduction of heteroatom species. • Ni 2 P-loaded chicken manure biochar catalyst was effective at neutralizing high acidity in algal bio-oil. • Ni 2 P-loaded zeolite catalyst achieved the highest hydrocarbon and lowest oxygenous and nitrogenous species concentrations. • Ni 2 P-loaded catalysts achieved biochar specific surface areas greater than 500 m2/g. • A catalytic mechanism and formation pathways of bio-oil aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The CO 2 RR over (M)-N-C materials are investigated based on the model catalysts. • The contribution of redox potential and acidity in thermodynamic overpotential is included. • Fe and N sites can serve as the active sites for CO 2 reduction and alter the selectivity. • The aim is to achieve catalytic efficient CO 2 to fuels conversion for renewable energy. • The results provide a guidance in rational design of green catalyst and achieving carbon neutral. Selective electrochemical reduction of CO 2 is of interest in relieving the accumulation of CO 2 in the atmosphere and the global energy crisis. This study investigates active sites and reaction mechanisms for CO 2 electroreduction over metal N-doped flexible carbon materials using Phthalocyanine (Pc) and Iron Phthalocyanine (FePc) molecules as model catalysts. Both the FePc molecule and Pc molecule show catalytic activity for CO production and H 2 evolution based on experimental results and DFT calculations. The presence of Fe atom results in a significantly higher activity for CO production and a little lower activity for H 2 evolution. Calculated p K a and redox potentials (U re) are introduced for the multi-step proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) steps of two competitive reactions. Specifically, a comparison between them is conducted to explain the competition between CO 2 electroreduction and H 2 evolution reaction with the support of energy diagram. The rate-determining steps for CO 2 reduction and H 2 evolution are also investigated. Both the CO and H 2 formation on Pc molecule depend on electron transfer process. Besides, the U re of two rate-determining steps are close, which is related to the closed E onset for CO and H 2 formation in the experiment. This study demonstrates that the mechanism for CO 2 reduction from DFT calculation is in agreement with the experimental results. The technological approach and reaction mechanism can be applied to other types of CO 2 electroreduction on carbon materials. Thus, this work provides a guidance in the rational design of the green catalyst and the implementation of carbon neutral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The gasification product of chicken manure is abundant in hydrogen. • Chicken manure ash increased the carbon conversion of petcoke up to 5 times. • The optimal ash content co-gasification with petcoke is around 30%. • The ash enhanced pore development of petcoke during gasification process. • The yield of carbon monoxide was increased in air co-gasification product. Disposal of animal manure in an environmentally friendly way is a severe challenge for megacities. At the gasification temperature of chicken manure around 900 °C, the CO 2 gasification product is abundant in hydrogen. The co-gasification of chicken manure with petcoke increased the hydrogen content in syngas. The catalytic effect of chicken manure ash on petcoke gasification was investigated individually. The yield of CO in ash catalyzed gasification product of petcoke was more than 5 times higher than that in pure petcoke gasification product, which demonstrated the strong catalytic effect of chicken manure ash on gasification reaction. The microstructure of partially gasified petcoke particles demonstrated the effect of chicken manure ash on pore development. Reaction surface areas of petcoke also would be blocked when adding excess ash in petcoke for gasification. The high content of calcium and potassium contributed to the dramatically catalytic effect of chicken manure ash. The combustion of petcoke supplied enough heat for co-gasification process. Synergistic effect was achieved during co-gasification process of chicken manure and petcoke. The chicken manure waste was sustainably disposed and also was used as catalyst for gasification reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CVFEM modeling of MHD convection flow of hybrid nanomaterial is studied. • Permeability is an augmenting function of ψ and Nu. • Isotherms have been affected by Ha due to reduction of velocity. • Darcy augments smoother detach of boundary layer appears. The outputs of CVFEM modeling of MHD convection flow of hybrid nanomaterial has been reported in current article. To convert the problem more applicable, permeability and Lorentz terms have been involved in estimation of flow structure. To reduce the computational cost, one scalar has been eliminated with defining vorticity formula and radiation term was imposed in temperature distribution. Outcomes demonstrated that as Darcy augments, the interaction of nano powders to elliptic surface augments which means smoother detach of boundary layer. Therefore, permeability is an augmenting function of ψand Nu and in presence of Ha, this impact decreases. Nu tends to reduce if radiation term involved in energy equation and increasing Ha makes this reducing trend weaker. Although the Joule impact was neglect and magnetic has no term in energy equations, isotherms have been affected by Ha due to reduction of velocity of nanomaterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean and renewable energy plays important role in achieving carbon neutrality and nature sustainability, especially the application of green hydrogen in new energy system. Hydrogen (H 2) produced from visible light has attracted attention owing to its high conversion efficiency and cleaner process. In this review, different photocatalyst preparation methods which can directly design the same structure were clarified. Also, different mechanism design which can realize different electron transfers were also proposed. Thus, various morphologies and different mechanisms of electron transfer have been summarized and evaluated. Also, the methods of photocatalysts' construction were mentioned, all H 2 production reactions depend on the amount of reaction sites and photo-generate electrons. It was evident that the concentration of reaction sites and photo-generate electrons play important roles in efficient H 2 production. This review provides fundamental knowledge to design and construct variable morphologies with different electron transfer processes to enhance efficiency of H 2 production. [Display omitted] • Structure-mechanism relationship was applied to analysis H 2 production process. • Heterojunction structures was applied to analyze mechanism of electron transfer. • Different combination and preparation of morphology were reviewed to evaluate system. • Different preparation method and electron transfer mechanism of photocatalysts were summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current report, hybrid nanomaterial free convection through a permeable region was scrutinized involving magnetic force. Porosity effect is studied using non-Darcy porosity model. Hybrid nanoparticles, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and Ferrous Ferric Oxide (Fe 3 O 4), are merged into pure water (H 2 O) to compose working nanofluid. Moreover, effects of radiation and various shapes nanoparticles has also been reported. The corresponding mathematical model consists of set of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) including conservation of mass, momentum and energy along with specified boundary conditions. The numerical modeling is carried out via Control Volume Finite Element Method (CVFEM). The space discretization is performed using non-uniform finite number of triangular elements. Impacts of Darcy number, magnetic force, radiative and buoyancy forces on nanomaterial behavior have been displayed. Result revealed augment in Nusselt number due to augment in radiation, while converse trend is seen due to rise in Hartmann and porosity effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review is focused on the sustainable management of harvested water hyacinth (WH) via thermochemical conversion to carbonaceous materials (CMs), biofuels, and chemicals for energy and environmental applications. One of the major challenges in thermochemical conversion is to guarantee the phytoremediation performance of biochar and the energy conversion efficiency in biowaste-to-energy processes. Thus, a circular sustainable approach is proposed to improve the biochar and energy production. The co-conversion process can enhance the syngas, heat, and energy productions with high-quality products. The produced biochar should be economically feasible and comparable to available commercial carbon products. The removal and control of heavy and transition metals are essential for the safe implementation and management of WH biochar. CMs derived from biochar are of interest in wastewater treatment, air purification, and construction. It is important to control the size, shape, and chemical compositions of the CM particles for higher-value products like catalyst, adsorbent or conductor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Non-edible feedstock co-transesterification benefited to mitigate climate change and achieve sustainability. • Nanoparticle catalysts enhanced triglyceride conversion, biodiesel production and properties. • Chicken manure nano-catalyst demonstrated the highest biodiesel yield of 95%. • Nano-catalyst could be reused for three times with an optimal 3% loading. • Density, viscosity and cetane number of the biodiesel met the diesel standards. Key challenges for the application of biodiesel include their high acid value, high viscosity, and low ester content. It is essential to develop later-generation biodiesel from unexploited non-food resources for a more sustainable future. Reuse of biowaste is critically important to address these issues of food safety and sustainability. Thus, the co-transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO), algal oil (AO) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) for the synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) was investigated over a series of nanoparticle catalysts containing calcium, magnesium, potassium or nickel under mild reaction conditions. Nanoparticle catalyst samples were prepared from biowaste sources of chicken manure (CM), water hyacinth (WH) and algal bloom (AB), and characterized using XRD, Raman and FESEM techniques for the heterogeneous production of biodiesel. The catalyst was initially prepared by calcination at 850 °C for 4 h in a major presence of Ca x Mg y CO 3 , KCl and K 2 CO 3. The WCO and AO co-conversion of 98% and FAMEs co-selectivity of 95% were obtained over CM nanoparticle catalyst under the reaction conditions of 80 °C, 20 mins and DMC to oil molar ratio of 6:1 with 3% catalyst loading and 3% methanol addition. Under the optimum condition, the density, viscosity, and cetane number of the biodiesel were in the range of diesel standards. Nanoparticle catalysts have been proven as a promising sustainable material in the catalytic transesterification of WCO and AO with the major presence of calcium, magnesium and potassium. This study highlights a sustainable approach via biowaste utilization for the enhancement of biodiesel quality with high ester content, low acid value, high cetane number, and low viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mechanism of wastewater treatment was summarized. • The structure and influencing factors of electrospun nanofibers were reviewed. • The applications of electrospun membranes in wastewater treatment were concluded. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, more and more attention has been paid to the preparation of electrospun nanofibers. Electrospun nanofiber membranes play an important role in many fields due to their high specific surface area, high porosity and good functional abilities. Especially in the field of wastewater treatment, electrospun fiber membrane has solved the drawbacks of high energy consumption, low efficiency and difficult recycling of traditional methods. Herein, in this review, we first introduces the influencing factors of electrospinning technology and the research progress in the preparation of nanofibers with different morphology. Then, the mechanism of electrospun nanofiber adsorption and filtration of industrial wastewater is described. Furthermore, the researches and development of electrospun nanofiber membranes for wastewater treatment are summarized. Finally, the challenges and perspectives in this field are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) related long noncoding RNA (ICR) is on the antisense strand of ICAM-1 and regulates ICAM-1 expression. ICAM-1 is involved in renal tubulointerstitial injury; however, the expression and clinical implication of ICR are not determined in IgA nephropathy (IgAN). We compared renal ICR levels in 337 IgAN patients with those of 89 biopsy controls, and a markedly increased ICR level was observed in IgAN patients. By Cox proportional hazards models, higher levels of renal ICR were independently associated with disease progression event defined as end-stage renal disease or ≥ 40% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate. Patients in the highest tertile of renal ICR had a 3.5-fold higher risk for disease progression compared with those in the lowest tertile. The addition of renal ICR to a model with traditional risk factors improved risk prediction of disease progression (net reclassification index: 0.31 [95% CI 0.01–0.50]; integrated discrimination index: 0.10 [95% CI 0.04–0.16]). Inhibition of ICR by transfection with plasmids containing ICR shRNA significantly reduced expression of collagen I and α-SMA, and phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR in TGF-β1- treated HK-2 cells. Our findings suggest that renal ICR might be an independent predictor of IgAN progression and contribute to renal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersing nano powders as well as insert of fins have been considered in current modeling to expedite the solidification. Among various shapes of nanoparticle, four types have been selected in this simulation and its effect was involved in calculating thermal conductivity. For this purpose, homogeneous model has been chosen in nanofluid modeling. To obtain the lowest time of solidification, longest fins should be selected with impose of platelet shape nanomaterial. Maximum influence of L occurs when sphere nano powder exists and 27.37% reduction in needed time can be obtained. At m = 5.7, augmenting L causes the time declines about 26.88%. Pure water with L = 27 mm takes 1.12 time longer than φ = 0.04 to achieve full solidification. • Dispersing nano powders as well as insert of fins have been considered. • Pure water with L = 27 mm takes 1.12 time longer than φ = 0.04. • To obtain the lowest time of solidification, longest fins should be selected. • At m = 5.7, augmenting L causes the time declines about 26.88%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Algal biochar enhanced co-digestion of algal biomass and food waste for biomethane. • 75% algal biomass + 25% food waste mixture co-digestion showed a synergistic effect. • Average methane yields enhanced by 12–54% due to 15 g/L of algal biochar amendment. • Proteiniphilum enriched in mesophilic reactor like Defluviitoga in thermophilic one. • Biochar shifted methanogens towards a balance of two flexible methanogenic pathways. The impact of algal biochar addition on mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic co-digestion of algal biomass and food waste was investigated with a focus on semi-continuous operations and functional microbial communities. Under batch co-digestion, the highest co-digestion synergy was observed for a mixture of 25% food waste and 75% algal biomass. During semi-continuous co-digestion of 25% food waste-75% algal biomass mixture, biochar amended digesters exhibited a 12–54% increase in average methane yield (275.8–394.6 mL/gVS) compared to the controls. Elevated temperature induced narrow distributions of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by inhibiting the production of branched VFAs. Genus Proteiniphilum was selectively enriched by 3.2 folds in mesophilic digesters with biochar amendment while genus Defluviitoga was selectively enriched in thermophilic digesters due to elevated temperature. Methanogenic communities were significantly different in mesophilic and thermophilic digesters. Biochar amendment contributed to shifts in the predominant methanogens leading to a more balanced state of two methanogenic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental and numerical study of biomass catalytic pyrolysis using Ni 2 P-loaded zeolite: product distribution, characterization and overall benefit. • Co-production of hydrocarbons and carbonaceous materials from catalytic pyrolysis. • Ni 2 P-loaded zeolite contributed 88.5% enhancement of hydrocarbon production. • Total benefit of 749 US$/ton∙biomass achieved under optimal conditions. • Carbon number distribution in bio-oil was the same as in jet fuel. • Temperature contributed 88.6% increment of bio-char SSA. This study investigates co-production of hydrocarbons and carbonaceous materials from catalytic pyrolysis of water hyacinth (WH) and algae bloom (AB) to explore the potential of bio-waste management and bio-energy conversion based on product distribution, characterization and overall benefit. Various reaction conditions of temperature, WH to biomass ratio, catalyst to biomass ratio, CO 2 -cofeeding and steam-cofeeding were examined via pyrolysis experiments for high quality bio-oil and bio-char production. Artificial neural network (ANN) model and genetic algorithm (GA) were introduced to further optimize the reaction conditions based on the product overall benefit. The results show that reaction temperature and N 2 P-loaded zeolite play highly important roles in the enhancement of the product quality for the production of hydrocarbon-enriched bio-oil and carbonaceous materials. It was found that steam-cofeeding is benefit to the generation of hydrocarbons, especially the aliphatic hydrocarbons, and the improvement of HHVs for bio-oil and bio-gas. CO 2 -cofeeding is a potential strategy for the enhancement of the bio-char specific surface area (SSA) as well as the improvement of H 2 , CO and C 2 H 6 production. A maximum overall benefit of 749 US$/ton∙biomass was evaluated for the catalytic pyrolysis products of bio-oil, bio-char and bio-gas. The carbon number distribution in the bio-oil is in the same range of jet fuel. Essentially, this study addresses a highly potential approach for transforming bio-waste into high-benefit fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the behavior of NEPCM thorough melting process including Y-shaped fins. Paraffin with addition of cooper oxide was considered. According to helpful effect of heat transfer surface area on melting rate, various arrangements of fins were considered in this paper. In outputs, not only the liquid fraction and temperature but also the velocity contours were examined. Using fins on both outer and inner pipes is more advantageous than other arrangement and minimum melting time was reported for fourth case. The longer fin length leads to greater heat absorption and higher performance. The thinner the fin thickness, the quicker melting occurs. The charging time declines with inserting fins on both inner and outer pipes. • Unsteady simulation for charging process of heat storage unit was performed. • Finite volume method is utilized to find the best design. • Insertion of Y-shaped fins was suggested to improve performance. • Selecting the fourth arrangement leads to greatest melting rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The settlement of roadways in permafrost regions is sensitive to the warming of the permafrost under the roadbeds. Various measurements have been proposed to cool the roadbeds for preserving the underlying permafrost. One of these measurements is to install shading boards over the side slope of the roadway embankment for sheltering the side slope from solar insolation. Under the board, an air gap with a 30-50 cm thickness is left for draining the heat from the side slope via the stack effect. However, boards over such an air gap are rendering to the risk of wind damages, which have limited the application of the shading boards as a popular roadway-cooling method. Here we investigated if the heat gain of the embankment soil can be curtailed by reducing the emissivity of the board's underside (ε u). A group of shading boards with different ε u was placed side by side in a permafrost region for testing the temperature of the soils under the boards. It is found that the board with a lower ε u retains the solar absorption at the board and curtails the heat radiating to the underlying soils. As a result, soils under shading boards with a lower emissivity at the underside stay cooler. Further studies are called to measure the soil temperature under boards with different ε u in a long period and to understand how the condenser and icing on the board's underside influence the temperature of the embankment soils. • Shading boards with different emissivity at the underside (ε u) are set side by side. • Shading boards with lower ε u stays hotter under sunlight. • Soils under a shading board with lower ε u stay cooler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bladder cancer progression has been associated with dysfunctional repair of double-strand breaks (DSB), a deleterious type of DNA lesions that fuel genomic instability. Accurate DSB repair relies on two distinct pathways, homologous recombination (HR) and classical non-homologous end-joining (c-NHEJ). The transcription factor E2F1 supports HR-mediated DSB repair and protects genomic stability. However, invasive bladder cancers (BC) display, in contrast to non-invasive stages, genomic instability despite their high E2F1 levels. Hence, E2F1 is either inefficient in controlling DSB repair in this setting, or rewires the repair apparatus towards alternative, error-prone DSB processing pathways. Methods: RT-PCR and immunoblotting, in combination with bioinformatics tools were applied to monitor c-NHEJ factors status in high-E2F1-expressing, invasive BC versus low-E2F1-expressing, non-invasive BC. In vivo binding of E2F1 on target gene promoters was demonstrated by ChIP assays and E2F1 CRISPR-Cas9 knockdown. MIR888-dependent inhibition of APLF by E2F1 was demonstrated using overexpression and knockdown experiments, in combination with luciferase assays. Methylation status of MIR888 promoter was monitored by methylation-specific PCR. The changes in invasion potential and the DSB repair efficiency were estimated by Boyden chamber assays and pulse field electrophoresis, correspondingly. Results: Herein, we show that E2F1 directly transactivates the c-NHEJ core factors Artemis, DNA-PKcs, ligase IV, NHEJ1, Ku70/Ku80 and XRCC4, but indirectly inhibits APLF, a chromatin modifier regulating c-NHEJ. Inhibition is achieved by miR-888-5p, a testis-specific, X-linked miRNA which, in normal tissues, is often silenced via promoter methylation. Upon hypomethylation in invasive BC cells, MIR888 is transactivated by E2F1 and represses APLF. Consequently, E2F1/miR-888/APLF rewiring is established, generating conditions of APLF scarcity that compromise proper c-NHEJ function. Perturbation of the E2F1/miR-888/APLF axis restores c-NHEJ and ameliorates cell invasiveness. Depletion of miR-888 can establish a 'high E2F1/APLF/DCLRE1C' signature, which was found to be particularly favorable for BC patient survival. Conclusion: Suppression of the 'out-of-context' activity of miR-888 improves DSB repair and impedes invasiveness by restoring APLF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Electrochemical CO 2 reduction (eCO 2 R) to industrially important feedstock has received great attention, but it faces different challenges. Among them, the poor CO 2 mass transport due to low intrinsic CO 2 solubility significantly limits the rate of reduction reactions, leading to lower catalytic performance; thereby, commercially relevant current densities can't be achieved. Moreover, the poor activity and selectivity of high-cost monometallic catalysts, including Cu, Zn, Ag, and Au, undermine the efficiency of eCO 2 R. Flow-through gas diffusion electrodes (FTGDE), a newly developed class of GDEs, can potentially solve the issue of poor CO 2 mass transport because they directly feed the CO 2 to the catalyst layer. In addition, abundant surface area, porous structure, and improved triple-phase interface make them an excellent candidate for extremely high rate eCO 2 R. Antimony, a low-cost and abundant metalloid, can be effectively tuned with Cu to produce useful products such as CO, formate, and C 2 H 4 through eCO 2 R. Herein, a series of porous binary CuSb FTGDEs with different Sb compositions are fabricated for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to CO. The results show that the catalytic performance of CuSb FTGDEs improved with increasing Sb content up to a certain threshold, beyond which it started to decrease. The CuSb FTGDE with 5.4 g of antimony demonstrated higher current density (206.4 mA/cm2) and faradaic efficiency (72.82 %) at relatively lower overpotentials. Compared to gas diffusion configuration, the poor catalytic activity and selectivity achieved by CuSb FTGDE in non-gas diffusion configuration signifies the importance of improved local CO 2 concentration and improved triple-phase interface formation in GDE configuration. The several hours stable operation of CuSb FTGDEs during eCO 2 R demonstrates its potential for efficient electrocatalytic conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanofibre membrane with excellent flexibility and transparency was prepared by the green electrospinning method for PM 2.5 removal. Air particulate pollution from ever-increasing industrialization poses an enormous threat to public health. Thus, the development of a green air filter with high efficiency and performance is of urgent necessity. In this study, we introduce a new effective air filtration membrane that can be used for outdoor protection. The air filter's composite nanofibre materials were prepared from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-sodium lignosulfonate (LS) via a "green" electrospinning method and thermal crosslinking. The addition of LS helped increase the PM 2.5 removal efficiency compared to that of a pure PVA nanofibre membrane. The pressure drops of the electrospun PVA-LS membranes exceeded those of the pristine PVA air filter. The remarkable air filtration performance was maintained even after 10 cycles of circulation filtration. In addition, the PVA-LS composite nanofibre membrane exhibited excellent mechanical properties and transparency due to the introduction of LS. This study provides new insight into the design and development of high-performance and high-visibility green filter media, which include personal protection and building screens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the yield and quality of bio-oil produced from catalytic and non-catalytic pyrolysis of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris using Ni supported zeolite (Si/Al = 30) prepared by two different methods, ion exchange (IE) and wet impregnation (WI) to examine the effect of catalyst preparation methods on the bio-oil quality. The experiments were also conducted to investigate the effect of different temperatures (300–600 °C) and catalyst to algae ratio (1:5, 1:2, 1:1 and 2:1) on the yield and quality of bio-oil. The results showed that catalytic pyrolysis using Ni supported zeolites produced high hydrocarbon, less oxygenated and acid compounds compared to non-catalytic pyrolysis. The catalyst preparation method did not affect the yield but had an effect on the bio-oil composition. The results obtained from this study are useful in developing the catalytic pyrolysis process to refine bio-oils for commercial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PTEN has been implicated in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), particularly through homologous recombination (HR). However, other data fail to demonstrate a direct role of PTEN in DSB repair. Therefore, here, we report experiments designed to further investigate the role of PTEN in DSB repair. We emphasize the consequences of PTEN loss in the engagement of the four DSB repair pathways—classical non-homologous end-joining (c-NHEJ), HR, alternative end-joining (alt-EJ) and single strand annealing (SSA)—and analyze the resulting dynamic changes in their utilization. We quantitate the effect of PTEN knockdown on cell radiosensitivity to killing, as well as checkpoint responses in normal and tumor cell lines. We find that disruption of PTEN sensitizes cells to ionizing radiation (IR). This radiosensitization is associated with a reduction in RAD51 expression that compromises HR and causes a marked increase in SSA engagement, an error-prone DSB repair pathway, while alt-EJ and c-NHEJ remain unchanged after PTEN knockdown. The G2-checkpoint is partially suppressed after PTEN knockdown, corroborating the associated HR suppression. Notably, PTEN deficiency radiosensitizes cells to PARP inhibitors, Olaparib and BMN673. The results show the crucial role of PTEN in DSB repair and show a molecular link between PTEN and HR through the regulation of RAD51 expression. The expected benefit from combination treatment with Olaparib or BMN673 and IR shows that PTEN status may also be useful for patient stratification in clinical treatment protocols combining IR with PARP inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is becoming increasingly clear that cells exposed to ionizing radiation (IR) and other genotoxic agents (targeted cells) can communicate their DNA damage response (DDR) status to cells that have not been directly irradiated (bystander cells). The term radiation-induced bystander effects (RIBE) describes facets of this phenomenon, but its molecular underpinnings are incompletely characterized. Consequences of DDR in bystander cells have been extensively studied and include transformation and mutation induction; micronuclei, chromosome aberration and sister chromatid exchange formation; as well as modulations in gene expression, proliferation and differentiation patterns. A fundamental question arising from such observations is why targeted cells induce DNA damage in non-targeted, bystander cells threatening thus their genomic stability and risking the induction of cancer. Here, we review and synthesize available literature to gather support for a model according to which targeted cells modulate as part of DDR their redox status and use it as a source to generate signals for neighboring cells. Such signals can be either small molecules transported to adjacent non-targeted cells via gap-junction intercellular communication (GJIC), or secreted factors that can reach remote, non-targeted cells by diffusion or through the circulation. We review evidence that such signals can induce in the recipient cell modulations of redox status similar to those seen in the originating targeted cell – occasionally though self-amplifying feedback loops. The resulting increase of oxidative stress in bystander cells induces, often in conjunction with DNA replication, the observed DDR-like responses that are at times strong enough to cause apoptosis. We reason that RIBE reflect the function of intercellular communication mechanisms designed to spread within tissues, or the entire organism, information about DNA damage inflicted to individual, constituent cells. Such responses are thought to protect the organism by enhancing repair in a community of cells and by eliminating severely damaged cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global excessive use of fossil energy has led to a sharp rise of greenhouse gas (GHG) in the atmosphere. In the fast-growing aviation sector, the global aviation industry has already made efforts to address the growing GHG emissions, in which sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are proposed as a promising solution to mitigate GHG emissions. However, the costs of current SAFs are still higher when compared to conventional fossil jet fuels. Therefore, reducing costs and increasing product competitiveness are currently the biggest challenges to SAFs. Machine learning-based technologies, which can shorten technology development time and support process optimization, are important techniques to achieve intelligent systems of certified aviation fuels in the future. Given that these machine learning and future biofuel systems are the focus of much scientific, this research will systematically summarize the latest relevant research findings. Up to now, comprehensive review of machine learning technology in smart biofuel energy systems is still lacking. Therefore, this research reviewed the smart biofuel energy system coupling with machine learning technology for aviation biofuel applications. We believe that this review will be of particular interest to chemists and chemical engineers in the biofuel community, in addition to researchers working on machine learning. [Display omitted] • Sustainable alternative fuel (SAF) emits fewer greenhouse emissions. • Biofuel from non-edible sources is the key to achieving 100％ SAF. • Sustainable catalysts help fully cleaner production of high-quality biofuel. • Machine learning will model and predict fuel performance in the assessment stages. • The smart production of SAF coupling with machine learning reduces its costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Report on the effect of curing conditions on the albedo of concrete. • Compare the albedos of pastes with different cementitious materials. • Moist curing makes concrete more reflective. Most people are dwelling in cities, which contain a high density of buildings constructed of concrete or similar materials. Conventional grey-colored concrete is absorptive to solar radiation and discharges the absorbed heat to the air as sensible heat, contributing to the development of urban heat island. While existing studies have attempted to find high-reflective concrete by varying the components of the concrete mix, the influence of cured conditions on the albedo of concrete samples is still unknown and has not been reported. Here we first prepared 120 cement pastes with different water-to-cement ratios and different cementitious materials, and then cured the pastes in an indoor environment and a moist chamber, respectively. After cured in a moist chamber for 28 days and then cured in the air for 365 days, the spectral reflectance of all the pastes was tested. Experimental results indicated that the pastes cured in a moist chamber have an albedo that is 0.01–0.10 greater than those of the pastes cured in an indoor environment, with a greater albedo difference at relatively higher water-to-cement ratios. The results also revealed that when concrete productions, such as concrete roof tiles and concrete paver blocks, are prepared, it is practical to cure such productions in a moist environment to get a high albedo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hot research topic in visible-light-driven photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) oxidation technology is the development of superior photoanode materials. The design of the photoanode system with a direct Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism is crucial to achieving effective charge separation for sustainable photoelectrocatalysis. Here, a novel Bi / Bi 2 S 3 /α-MoO 3 heterostructure was successfully assembled by a simple and feasible strategy. The direct Z-scheme heterogeneous formed between Bi 2 S 3 and α-MoO 3 has the advantages of low resistance, high optical response current and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Bi nanoparticles (Bi NPs). Thus, the efficiency of photogenerated carrier separation and transfer is further enhanced, and the catalytic activity is significantly improved. It is impressive that the unique photoanode has achieved a maximum removal efficiency of 85.8% of tetracycline (TC) pollutants under visible light irradiation within 60 min and has excellent stability, which is expected to degrade antibiotics efficiently and environmentally in harsh environments. These characteristics give Bi / Bi 2 S 3 /α-MoO 3 promising candidates for practical applications in antibiotic degradation. [Display omitted] • A novel Bi/Bi 2 S 3 /α-MoO 3 PEC system was constructed to synergistically remove organic pollutants. • ROS (.•OH and •O 2 −) involved in the degradation of tetracycline by Bi/Bi 2 S 3 /α-MoO 3 PEC system. • Calculation of material work function for determining the transfer path of photogenerated charges. • Direct Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism enhances the redox ability of photogenerated electron/hole pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing complexity of environmental pollution posed a higher requirement for the development of environment-governed functional materials. Herein, to achieve desired synergy and multiple functionalities of eco-friendly nanomaterials, a micelle-mediated metal assembly strategy was proposed to integrate plasmonic Ag nanoparticles into MnO x modified mesoporous silica hosts by metal-modified neutral dodecyl amine surfactant, correspondingly, a multifunctional mesoporous Ag@MnOx/m-SiO 2 (AMSs) nanocomposite was obtained. The characterization results revealed that the introduction of Mn and alteration in the amount of Ag mediated the formation of a special mesostructure and nanometric morphology of the silica host. Bearing a low Ag loading (r.t. of Ag/Mn = 1/2), ultrafine Ag nanoparticles were embedded in the inner core of mesoporous silica nanospheres. While assembly with a higher Ag concentration affected the morphology of the obtained AMSs and resulted in rich Ag nanoparticles on the exterior surface of mesoporous silica. By this strategy, ultrafine Ag nanoparticles and well-dispersed amorphous MnO x species were coupled into the mesoporous silica to reach a special configuration and integrated functionality. The obtained AMSs-3 can effectively inactivate bacteria (E. coli , S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa) with a prolonged inhibitory effect, rapidly reduce harmful nitrophenol, as well as photothermally assist water evaporation (evaporation rate of 1.51 kg m−2 h−1, receiver efficiency of 87%). This work provides versatile environment-governing functional nanomaterials for both highly effective antimicrobial and environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • A micelle-mediated multiple metals assembly strategy is proposed. • Plasmonic Ag nanoparticles are integrated into MnO x modified mesoporous silica. • Adjusting Ag amount affects the morphology and configuration of silica. • The materials exhibit multifunctionality for disinfection, catalysis and water evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics abuse has triggered a growing environmental problem, posing a major threat to both ecosystem and human health. Unfortunately, there are still several shortcomings to current antibiotics removal technologies. Microalgae-bacteria consortia have been shown to be a promising antibiotics treatment technology owing to advantages of high antibiotics removal efficiency, low operational cost, and carbon emission reduction. This review aims to introduce the removal mechanisms, influencing factors, and future research perspectives for using microalgae-bacteria consortia to remove antibiotics. The interaction mechanisms between microalgae and bacteria are comprehensively revealed, and their exclusive advantages have been summarized in a "Trilogy" strategy, including "reinforced physical contact", "upgraded substance utilization along with antibiotics degradation", and "robust biological regulation". What's more, the relationship between different interaction mechanisms is emphatically analyzed. The important influencing factors, including concentration and classes of antibiotics, environmental conditions, and operational parameters, of antibiotics removal were also assessed. Three innovative treatment systems (microalgae-bacteria fuel cells (MBFCs), microalgae-bacteria membrane photobioreactors (MB-MPBRs), and microalgae-bacteria granular sludge (MBGS)) along with three advanced techniques (metabolic engineering, machine learning, and molecular docking and dynamics) are then introduced. In addition, concrete implementing schemes of the above advanced techniques are also provided. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions in using microalgae-bacteria consortia to remove antibiotics have been summarized. Overall, this review addresses the current state of microalgae-bacteria consortia for antibiotics treatment and provides corresponding recommendations for enhancing antibiotics removal efficiency. [Display omitted] • Exclusive features of antibiotics removal are summarized as "Trilogy" strategy. • Important influenced factors for antibiotics removal are emphasized and discussed. • Novel microalgae-bacteria consortia treatment systems have been highlighted. • Advanced techniques for speeding up the future development are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar radiation on urban surfaces is subjected to multiple reflections, which increase the solar absorption of these surfaces. Measuring the albedo of an urban area is important in order to estimate the solar absorption of the area and find engineered solutions for urban heat island mitigation. This study proposes a new approach to measure the albedo of the urban prototype. The approach measures the albedo of an urban prototype by sequentially covering a target area with a white solar-opaque mask, a black solar-opaque mask, and a black urban prototype, and the measured urban prototype, and while simultaneously measuring the incident radiation and reflected radiation over the target area. The errors of the albedo measurement depend on the albedo of the black urban prototype. The smaller this albedo is, the less the error. The proposed method can be used to measure the albedo of urban prototypes with high-reflective walls and high-reflective pavements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar irradiance incident to an urban canyon with traditional diffuse reflective (DR) surfaces is subjected to multiple reflections, which increase the solar absorption of urban buildings and consequently contribute to the development of the unban heat island. Retroreflective (RR) materials direct the incident radiation back to its source and thus have the potential to reduce the heat intake of the urban surfaces. This study experimentally investigates the temperatures of the inner and outer walls of two small-scale building blocks with RR and DR surfaces, respectively. Two blocks stood side by side and were set at an experimental site such that both blocks were sunlit for a half day and were shaded for the other half day. It was found that the RR wall can keep the building blocks cooler than the DR wall during a sunny weather, and that the cooling effect is very small during a cloudy weather. The RR surface loses retro-reflectivity when the sunlight incident angle on the surface exceeds a certain angle (about 40°). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of roadway embankments may destabilize the thermal stability of roadbeds in permafrost regions. One mitigating strategy is to face the embankment side slopes with a crushed-rock layer, which promotes convective cooling and cools the underlying permafrost. While research on the convective cooling of the crushed-rock layer is fairly plentiful, the solar absorption of this layer remains unknown in the current stage. Measuring the albedo of a crushed-rock layer is crucial to estimate the thermal performance of the roadway embankment. This study proposes the theory and procedure for measuring the albedo of crushed-rock layers. The albedo of crushed-rock layers with different sizes of aggregate is measured in sunny and cloudy weather. It was found that the albedo of crushed-rock layers decreases with the increase of the aggregate size. The reason for this correlation is that at a rough surface, some photons leaving the surface return to it, increasing its absorption. Incorporating light-colored aggregates on a highway surface or side slope layer may raise the highway albedo and cool the underlying permafrost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional materials composed of all-oriented branches assembled with active Ag nanospecies might be attractive in the microbial inhibition application because of improved Ag ion release behavior and interaction with targeted substance. Herein, we report an excellent Ag-AlNiO nanocomposite antimicrobial materials by Ni-doping AlOOH triggering better implanting of Ag nanospecies. The TEM results revealed that the formed nanoflower-like configuration of the Ni-doping AlOOH favors the formation of refined active silver nanospecies (diameter of 6–10 nm) compared to Ni-free AlOOH (Ag-AlO). The resulting Ag-AlNiO afford good biocompatibility which is evidenced by the cell viability test via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. More importantly, Ag-AlNiO showed promotive broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties against various gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, and fungi. We also demonstrated that corresponding MIC values against different microbes ranging from 16 to 128 μg/mL concerning Ag-AlNiO composite were at least 2-, or 4-folds lower than Ag-AlO composite. Besides, the optimal Ag-AlNiO is endowed with excellent antimicrobial effect against H37Rv , Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), and multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In comparison with Ag-AlO, Ag-AlNiO revealed a prolonged inhibitory effect on microbial growth, which indicated that abundant silver nanospecies were sustained released from the nanoflower-like Ag-AlNiO composites in addition to the direct attacks. [Display omitted] • Nano-Ag species functionalized AlOOH composites were constructed with and without nickel-doping (Ag-AlNiO and Ag-AlO). • Nickel-doping improved the efficient assembly of silver nanoparticles on nanoflower-like AlOOH compared to Ni-free AlOOH. • Ag-AlNiO composites had superior and long-term antimicrobial effects against varied microbes. • Ag-AlNiO composites could better kill multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis compared with Ag-AlO. • The direct attack microbials and the sustained silver release of Ag-AlNiO composites have been proven the probable antibacterial mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additional cost of Hg0 capture in coal-fired power plants has facilitated the demand for environmental pollutants mitigation material for Hg0 oxidation to Hg2+ for an ultra-low Hg emission technology. Herein, a suite of CeO 2 -based catalysts were investigated aiming at ultra-low gaseous Hg0 emission at coal-fired power stations. Gaseous elemental mercury is feasible to be catalytically oxidized to Hg2+. The co-regulated dispersion, exposure and defect sites on CeO 2 (111) surface with 2 wt% Ce and 8 wt% Mo compositions on γ-Al 2 O 3 was found to be the most promising catalyst demonstrating a high catalytic oxidation efficiency, a broad operating temperature range and a low activation energy. Specifically, it is shown that the oxidation of Hg0 on the Ce-based catalysts can be enhanced by the addition of Mo (up to 8 wt%) via promoting the CeO 2 (111) surface dispersion and exposure. Moreover, insights into the Ce and Mo synergistic interactions showed that it facilitated the formation of defect-containing surface sites. Besides, the co-regulation of dispersion, exposure and defect sites on CeO 2 (111) surface was further studied by DFT calculations. This study provides a feasible approach in optimization of CeO 2 -based catalysts for catalytic oxidation of Hg0 to achieve efficient removal of environmental pollutants. [Display omitted] • The Mo additive had a promotional effect on surface Ce crystal dispersion. • The exposure of CeO 2 (111) surface was contributed by Mo doping. • The presence of CeO 2 (111) defective sites was cross-validated. • Co-regulated dispersion, exposure and defect sites on CeO 2 surface was found. • Ce and Mo synergistic interactions enhanced Hg0 emission control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

● A flexible strategy was designed for converting algae residues into N-doping graphene-like biochar. ● The MBCM displayed superior performance for continuously separating multiphase emulsion mixtures. ● MBCM/AOPs system was efficiently used for simultaneously degrading SOCs. ● DFT confirmed the pyridine N at graphene-like edge was the intrinsic active site of the activation of PS. In this study, we applied a flexible strategy to manufacture a microalgal biochar-based membrane (MBCM). Due to the hierarchical surface topography on a micro-nano scale, the MBCM was found to have both underwater superoleophobic and underoil superhydrophobic properties. Combining an underoil superhydrophobic oil-containing region (OCR) with an underwater superoleophobic water-containing region (WCR) achieved the successive filtration of multiphase emulsions. The MBCM also served as a high-performance carbocatalyst for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), due to the N functionalities (5.08%) of the graphene-like structure. This was caused by the high-temperature pyrolysis of rich proteins and alkaline salts in the algal residue. As a result, the MBCM/AOPs system achieved greater than 99.5% emulsions separation efficiency in different emulsion mixtures, while also achieving an outstanding degradation rate (99.8%) of soluble organic contaminants (SOCs). This in-depth exploration resulted in a low-cost and green strategy for developing multifunctional membranes to treat complex wastewater. The paper explains the mechanisms used by MBCM to synchronously remove emulsions and SOCs from wastewater. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar, produced as a by-product of pyrolysis/gasification of waste biomass, shows great potential to reduce the environment impact, address the climate change issue, and establish a circular economy model. Despite the promising outlook, the research on the benefits of biochar remains highly debated. This has been attributed to the heterogeneity of biochar itself, with its inherent physical, chemical and biological properties highly influenced by production variables such as feedstock types and treating conditions. Hence, to enable meaningful comparison of results, establishment of an agreed international standard to govern the production of biochar for specific uses is necessary. In this study, we analyzed four key uses of biochar: 1) in agriculture and horticulture, 2) as construction material, 3) as activated carbon, and 4) in anaerobic digestion. Then the guidelines for the properties of biochar, especially for the concentrations of toxic heavy metals, for its environmental friendly application were proposed in the context of Singapore. The international status of the biochar industry code of practice, feedback from Singapore local industry and government agencies, as well as future perspectives for the biochar industry were explained. Unlabelled Image • Waste to biochar is a sustainable partway to circular economy. • Four key uses of the Singapore biochar industry are analyzed and reviewed. • The code of practice for biochar application in Singapore is proposed. • Future perspective of the research, innovation and development for biochar industry is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on the recent advances in the sustainable conversion of biowaste to valuable carbonaceous materials. This study summarizes the significant progress in biowaste-derived carbon materials (BCMs) via a plasma hybrid system. This includes systematic studies like AI-based multi-coupling systems, promising synthesis strategies from an economic point of view, and their potential applications towards energy, environment, and biomedicine. Plasma modified BCM has a new transition lattice phase and exhibits high resilience, while fabrication and formation mechanisms of BCMs are reviewed in plasma hybrid system. A unique 2D structure can be designed and formulated from the biowaste with fascinating physicochemical properties like high surface area, unique defect sites, and excellent conductivity. The structure of BCMs offers various activated sites for element doping and it shows satisfactory adsorption capability, and dynamic performance in the field of electrochemistry. In recent years, many studies have been reported on the biowaste conversion into valuable materials for various applications. Synthesis methods are an indispensable factor that directly affects the structure and properties of BCMs. Therefore, it is imperative to review the facile synthesis methods and the mechanisms behind the formation of BCMs derived from the low-temperature plasma hybrid system, which is the necessity to obtain BCMs having desirable structure and properties by choosing a suitable synthesis process. Advanced carbon-neutral materials could be widely synthesized as catalysts for application in environmental remediation, energy conversion and storage, and biotechnology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)