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Using food waste hydrolysate as medium for culturing oleaginous microorganism is a dual-purpose strategy for relieving environmental burdens both in food waste disposal and energy crisis. The pure culture of one oleaginous microorganism when single waste as culture media has shortages such as high operation cost, low lipid production and low substrate utilization. Mix-culture of yeast and microalgae in this work enhanced this process result in better waste treatment, higher lipid production and shorter cultivation time. Compare to pure culture of Rhodosporidium toruloides , the nitrogen utilization rate, reducing sugar utilization rate and lipid production increased by 23%, 17% and 12%, respectively, and the cultivation time shorten by 40%, in mix-culture of Rhodosporidium toruloides and Chlorella vulgaris . The results showed that the mix-culture of yeast and microalgae using food waste hydrolysate as culture medium would be a good strategy for both waste disposal and biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal manganese oxide (FMO) is ubiquitous in the environment and believed to be a promising material for catalysis due to its biological reactive mineral phases. In this study, layered FMO was produced by Mn (II)-oxidizing fungus. After thermal treatment at various temperatures, FMO was converted to manganese oxides (MnO 2 , Mn 2 O 3 and Mn 3 O 4 ) with different morphologies. The as-obtained manganese oxides were adopted as catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to produce sulfate radicals, which were highly efficient for bisphenol A (BPA) degradation. Catalytic evaluation showed that FMO calcined at 400 °C performed well for BPA degradation. Complete BPA degradation and 97% TOC removal in solution could be achieved in 30 min. Effects of catalyst dosage, PMS loading, solution pH and reaction temperature on BPA degradation efficiencies were also investigated. In recycle study, remarkable decrease of BPA degradation efficiency was found, which was ascribed to the coverage of catalytic reaction intermediates on the surface of catalyst. Fortunately, heat treatment could recover the catalyst with a complete BPA degradation efficiency over regenerated catalyst. Furthermore, a BPA degradation pathway was proposed based on intermediates identification by GC-MS and LC-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To analyze the predictive ability of total tumor size in lung adenocarcinoma subtype and lymph node involvement. Materials and methods 1018 patients, ≤ 3 cm tumor, were enrolled. The maximum diameter and other variables of each tumor were measured. Results The optimal cut-off value for total tumor size in differentiating AIS and MIA from IAC was < 1.15 cm, in distinguishing lymph node involvement, it was 1.65 cm. Conclusions Total tumor size could be a reliable predictor of lung adenocarcinoma subtype and lymph node involvement irrespective of ground glass, part solid and solid characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe several scaling challenges of SRAM consisting of FinFETs and horizontal Gate-All-Around (GAA) Nano-sheet Field-Effect-Transistors (NshFETs), especially investigations related to Design-Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO). Comb-shaped channel FETs (CombFETs), which integrates the advantages of FinFETs and NshFETs were introduced to a six-transistor (6 T) SRAM cell and the corresponding simulations were established. The results show that compared with both FinFETs and NshFETs, CombFETs have larger the effective channel width or higher current at the same footprint and larger room for improving the mobility mismatch between N/P transistors. Moreover, CombFET SRAM showed ∼55% increase in effective channel width, 15% improvement of read static noise margin, ∼25% write speed gain, 88% read speed gain or 20% decrease in the minimum operating voltage (Vmin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Acetate feeding-regulated microbial community showed a surprising acetate production. • Hydrogen was continuously in-situ generation for carbon dioxide bio-reduction. • Acetate yield reached up to 67.24 mM with a high product selectivity of 84 %. • Positive correlation between acetate yield/selectivity and yeast extract addition. The autochthonous microbial community from excess sludge was regulated for enhanced conversion of CO 2 to acetate without exogenic H 2. It was interesting that the acetate-fed system exhibited a surprising performance to regulate the microbial community for a high acetate yield and selectivity. As a result, some hydrogen-producing bacteria (e.g., Proteiniborus) and acetogenic bacteria with the ability of CO 2 reduction were enriched by acetate feeding, 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BES) addition and CO 2 stress. When the selected microbial community was applied to convert CO 2 , the accumulation of acetate was positively correlated to the concentration of yeast extract. Finally, the acetate yield reached up to 67.24 mM with a high product selectivity of 84 % in the presence of yeast extract (2 g/L) and sufficient CO 2 in semi-continuous culture for 10 days. This work should help get new insights into the regulation of microbial community for the efficient acetate production from CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein production from microalgae requires both high cell density during cultivation and high protein content in cells. Heterotrophic microalgae can achieve high cell density, and yet are confronted with the problem of low protein content. Based on over-compensation strategy, a new concentration-shift method was proposed to cultivate heterotrophic Chlorella vulgaris , aiming to increase protein content. With a prior starvation period, microalgae utilized more nitrate and accumulated more proteins compared to one-stage cultivation. Considering the convenience of operation, nitrate-added culture was adopted for producing heterotrophic microalgae, rather than sterile centrifugal culture. Operating parameters including nitrate concentration in N-deficient medium, N-starved time and nitrate concentration in N-rich medium were optimized, which were 0.18 g l −1 , 38 h and 2.45 g l −1 , respectively. Under the optimized conditions, protein content in heterotrophic Chlorella reached 44.3%. Furthermore, the heterotrophic microalga was suggested to be a potential single-cell protein source according to the amino acid composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose two threshold voltage (V TH ) tuning methods for bulk FinFETs with replacement high-k metal gate. The first method is to perform a vertical implantation into fin structure after dummy gate removal, self-aligned forming halo & punch through stop pocket (halo & PTSP) doping profile. The second method is to execute P + /BF 2 + ion implantations into the single common work function (WF) layer in N-/P-FinFETs, respectively. These two methods have been investigated by TCAD simulations and MOS-capacitor experiments respectively, and then integrated into FinFET fabrication successfully. Experimental results show that the halo & PTSP doping profile can reduce V TH roll off and total variation. With P + /BF 2 + doped WF layer, the V TH-sat shift −0.43 V/+1.26 V for N-FinFETs and −0.75 V/+0.11 V for P-FinFETs, respectively, with gate length of 500 nm. The proposed two methods are simple and effective for FinFET V TH tuning, and have potential for future application of massive production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out to gain insight into the effect of pretreatment on enzymatic hydrolysis of kitchen waste (KW) for xanthan fermentation. Herein, various pretreatments were applied and it was found that chemical pretreatment had positive effect on the following enzymatic or overall hydrolysis process. The highest reducing sugar concentration was obtained as 51.87 g/L from 2% HCl (90 °C) pretreated sample, while the Kjeldahl nitrogen (KDN) concentration was 7.79 g/L. Kinetic study showed that first order kinetic model was suitable to describe the enzymatic hydrolysis process. The obtained kitchen waste hydrolysate (KWH) was successfully applied for xanthan fermentation. Xanthan concentration reached 4.09–6.46 g/L when KWH with 2% HCl (90 °C) pretreatment was applied as medium. In comparison, a xanthan concentration of 3.25–5.57 g/L was obtained from KWH without pretreatment. Therefore, pretreatment of KW using diluted acid is favorable for the overall hydrolysis process and effective for xanthan fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) waste is difficult to dispose effectively because of its stability and the potential risk of P element. In this study, taking one typical organic extractant of tributyl phosphate (TBP) as an example, we proposed a strategy to treat OPEs inspired by chemical looping combustion (CLC) technology—oxygen carrier immobilization process (OCIP), aiming at efficient TBP degradation and simultaneous P immobilization. Adopting Fe-Mn bimetallic oxide (FMBO) as oxygen carrier, an almost 100% P immobilization efficiency was achieved under recommended conditions which were obtained by response surface methodology. Meanwhile, gaseous products released from TBP degradation, e.g., non-methane hydrocarbon, was lower than the maximum allowable emission concentration limit. Further characterizations implied that P-species released from reaction process were mainly immobilized as stable inorganic forms of metaphosphate, phosphate and pyrophosphate. On the basis of identifying degradation intermediates, we proposed a possible degradation pathways. FMBO as an oxygen carrier provided sufficient oxygen molecules for flameless combustion of OCIP process. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurement confirmed the existence of oxygen vacancies on FMBO surface, which contributed to the formation of •O 2 −. Oxidation by oxygen molecules and •O 2 − attack resulted in the degradation and mineralization of TBP, with simultaneously achieving P stabilization. [Display omitted] • Organophosphate esters waste was treated inspired by CLC technology with FMBO as oxygen carrier. • Phosphorus in TBP could be immobilized into Fe/Mn salts with immobilization efficiency of ∼100%. • Gaseous products from TBP degradation fulfilled the requirement of environmental standard. • Flameless combustion and oxygen vacancy-induced •O 2 - dominated TBP degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sch-GO composites were synthesized via a biomineralization regulation process. • Efficient STZ degradation was achieved in Sch-GO 100 /PMS/Light system. • Sch-GO composites enhanced surface Fe(II) regeneration under light irradiation. • STZ degradation intermediates were predicted to exhibit lower ecotoxicity than STZ. Iron-based heterogeneous catalysts exhibit great peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation ability to degrade persistent antibiotic pollutants, but the catalytic efficiency of this process is significantly affected by Fe(III)/Fe(II) conversion rate. Herein, we designed a novel biomineralization regulation process to fabricate graphene oxide modified schwertmannite composites (Sch-GO x) as light-assisted PMS activator for enhancing sulfathiazole (STZ) degradation. More specifically, the introduction of GO in biomineralization process not only facilitated the dispersion of Sch, but also accelerated the regeneration of available surface-bound Fe(II) in resultant Sch-GO x through intramolecular electron transfer, thus promoting the activation of PMS. Compared with biosynthesized Sch without modification, the prepared Sch-GO 100 sample exhibited superior catalytic activity in light-assisted PMS activation process, 99.90 % removal efficiency of 78 μM STZ has been achieved within 30 min without pH adjustment (initial pH = 7.20). Abundant reactive oxygen species including SO 4 −, OH, O 2 − and 1O 2 were responsible for the effective elimination of STZ. The potential degradation intermediates of STZ were investigated by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and demonstrated to be less toxic than STZ using the ecological structure activity relationship program (ECOSAR). This study provided a facile and environmental-benign strategy of biomineralization regulation to fabricate effective iron-based PMS activator for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation-based advanced oxidation technology possesses great potential for antibiotic-containing wastewater treatment. Herein, we developed an iron phosphide/carbon composite and verified its capability and superiority towards a model antibiotic pollutant (sulfathiazole, STZ) degradation through PMS activation. Benefiting from the chelating ability of phytic acid (PA) with metal ions and its abundance on phosphorous element, a PA-Fe3+ complex was firstly formed and then served as sole precursor for iron phosphide formation by anoxic pyrolysis. Well crystalized FeP particle were found loading on the simultaneously formed thin layer carbon structure. Catalytic activity evaluation showed that FeP/carbon composite could remove over 99% of STZ (20 mg L−1) in 20 min adsorption and 30 min catalysis process under the reaction conditions of catalyst dosage 0.2 g L−1, PMS loading 0.15 g L−1. A pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant of 0.2193 min−1 was obtained, which was among the highest compared with reported studies. Further investigations indicated that the developed FeP/carbon composite worked well in a wide solution pH range of 3–9. Reaction mechanism study showed that reactive species of SO 4 −• and 1O 2 generated from PMS activation played major roles for STZ degradation. Based on liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) analysis, a few STZ degradation intermediate products were identified, which facilitated the proposal of STZ degradation pathways. The possible ecological risk of STZ and related degradation intermediates were also considered by toxicity assessment using the Ecological Structure Activity Relationships (ECOSAR) Class Program. The obtained acute and chronic toxicity values implied the relatively low ecological risk of FeP/carbon-PMS reaction system for STZ treatment. [Display omitted] • Phytic acid-Fe3+ complex served as sole precursor for FeP/carbon fabrication. • FeP/carbon presented porous layered carbon structure loaded with FeP nanoparticles. • FeP/carbon performed well for PMS activation to degrade sulfathiazole. • •OH, SO 4 −• and 1O 2 contributed to the elimination of STZ in FeP/carbon-PMS system. • ECORSAR predictions reveal the ecotoxicity of STZ and its degradation intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The maximum VFA production was 516 ± 6.0 mg COD/g VSS through AES pretreatment. • Sludge solubilization and hydrolysis were dramatically enhanced. • AES had a positive effect on municipal ES acidification process. • AES pretreatment severely inhibited microbial communities related to methanogenesis. • AES was highly biodegradable but not a substrate for VFA production. The conventional approach of anaerobic fermentation of excess sludge (ES) to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA) is limited by its poor efficiency and secondary pollution. Herein, a new strategy was developed for improving VFA production from the ES by sodium alcohol ether sulphate (AES) pretreatment. A maximum VFA yield of 516 ± 6.0 mg COD/g VSS was obtained with 0.28 g AES/g SS. It was proved that AES pretreatment had a synergistic effect on the enhancement of ES flocs solubilization, as well as hydrolysis and acidification of organic compounds in the ES. Meanwhile, the hydrolytic and acid-producing bacteria (i.e., Actinobacteria and Firmicutes) were enriched, while the VFA consumers (i.e., Halobacterota) were reduced by AES pretreatment, which resulted in the improved efficiency of VFA accumulation. Thereby, the AES had a positive effect on the conversion of organic matters in the ES to VFAs. Additionally, up to 97% of added AES could be degraded naturally during the treatment process, relieving the secondary pollution to environment. The strategy of AES pretreatment proposed in this work may provide a viable approach for ES treatment and relatively low-cost recovery of waste biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive ferrous sulfate with excess sulfuric acid is produced in titanium dioxide industry each year, ending up stockpiled or in landfills as solid waste, which is hazardous to environment and in urgent demand to be recycled. In this study, waste ferrous sulfate was used as a second raw material to synthesize nano α-Fe 2 O 3 red pigment powders with a bacteria-assisted oxidation process by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans . The synthesis route, mainly consisting of bio-oxidation, precipitation and calcination, was investigated by means of titration, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to obtain optimum conditions. Under the optimum conditions, nano α-Fe 2 O 3 red pigment powders contained 98.24 wt.% of Fe 2 O 3 were successfully prepared, with a morphology of spheroidal and particle size ranged from 22 nm to 86 nm and averaged at 45 nm. Moreover, the resulting product fulfilled ISO 1248-2006, the standards of iron oxide pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a freeze casting method combined with particle accumulation was applied to fabricate the aligned macroporous monolith for high-performance protein chromatography. For the preparation, the reactive colloids were first prepared by using glycidyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as monomers. Subsequently, these colloids accumulated regularly and polymerized into the aligned macroporous monolith. The aligned porous structure of the monolith was characterized by SEM, mercury intrusion, and flow hydrodynamics. The results revealed that the generated monolith was possessed of aligned macropores in size of about 10 μm and high column permeability. Finally, after being modified with sulfonated groups, the monolith was evaluated for its chromatographic performance. It demonstrated that the aligned macropores endowed the monolith with excellent adsorption capacity and high column efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of tributyl phosphate (TBP) extractant waste from specific industry, eg., nuclear industry, is a great challenge due to its stability and high environmental risk of phosphorus-containing species releasing. Inspired by chemical looping combustion (CLC) technology, a MnO 2 -assisted thermal oxidation strategy is proposed for TBP degradation and simultaneously P immobilization. Under recommended reaction conditions of 220 °C, 10 g MnO 2 mL−1 TBP and 3 h reaction duration, a high P immobilization efficiency of 93.99% is achieved. Material characterization results indicate that P is mainly immobilized in the form of Mn 2 P 2 O 7 , which greatly reduces the environmental risk of P-containing species. TBP degradation intermediates are further identified by thermogravimetric-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TG-GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which facilitates understanding of reaction mechanisms as well as proposing possible pathways of TBP degradation. It is suggested that MnO 2 provides essential oxygen as oxygen carrier for flameless combustion. Meantime, MnO 2 reduction leads to the generation of Mn(III) species. The existence of oxygen vacancy in MnO 2 also facilitates •O 2 - radical generation. Under flameless combustion and attacks of Mn(III) and •O 2 -, TBP is firstly degraded into intermediates and finally mineralized into CO 2 and H 2 O, while P is mainly immobilized as pyrophosphate. [Display omitted] • Phosphorus-containing organic waste was treated by CLC technology with MnO 2 as oxygen carrier. • Phosphorus in TBP can be immobilized as pyrophosphate with an immobilization efficiency of ~94%. • TBP degradation intermediates were identified. • Mechanisms of TBP degradation and phosphorus immobilization were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Forty-two metabolites of honokiol were tentatively identified in rat feces, twenty-six of which were first reported. [•] Two novel classes of metabolites, methylated and dimeric metabolites of honokiol, were identified in vivo for the first time. [•] Systemic understanding of the metabolic pathways of honokiol in rat feces, urine and plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature Schottky barrier (SB) metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) were investigated as top-level devices for monolithic three-dimensional (M3D) integration. P-channel SB silicon-on-insulator (SOI) FinFETs were fabricated with all the process steps below the typical thermal budget limit, i.e., 550 °C, for M3D top-tier fabrication. By developing a source/drain extension (SDE), a competitive driving capability and switching property were demonstrated relative to the conventional high-temperature SOI pFinFETs, with an ON-state current (I ON) of 55.49 μA/μm and an ON-state to OFF-state current ratio (I ON /I OFF) of 7 × 105 at V DS = −0.8 V. The effects of the SDE process and thermal budget on the device performance were investigated. [Display omitted] • P-channel SB SOI FinFETs are successfully fabricated with all process steps below 550 °C for M3D top tier fabrication. • Competitive driving capability and switching property are demonstrated in comparison to the conventional high temperature SOI pFinFETs by developing a source/drain extension (SDE), with I ON of 55.49 μA/μm and I ON /I OFF ratio of 7 × 105 at V DS = −0.8 V obtained. • Lowering SDE thermal budget will degrade I ON in SDElast scheme, and SDE1st prevails to SDElast in driving capability at a lower thermal budget level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, scallop-shaped p -type fin field-effect transistors (S-FinFETs) that outperform control-FinFETs for a given gate length are fabricated based on a conventional high-к metal gate FinFET fabrication flow. Because of the scallop-shaped gate structure and ultra-thin (∼5 nm) S-fin channel, the S-FinFETs demonstrate a 25% improvement in subthreshold swing and a 54% decrease in drain-induced barrier lowering compared with those of the control-FinFETs for a 20 nm physical gate length. Furthermore, a driving current of 200 μA/μm is obtained for S-FinFETs with a source/drain epitaxial substrate and a gate length of 20 nm, matching the performance of control-FinFETs with a source/drain epitaxial substrate. With improved short-channel effect immunity, the proposed S-FinFET provides a promising candidate beyond-FinFET technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide application of biodegradation technology makes it particularly significant to use immobilized microorganisms to achieve continuous degradation of pollutants. In this study, the performance of Ca-alginate (CA) immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium beads in a consecutive biocycle treatment of bisphenol A (BPA) effluent was researched. The effects of initial BPA concentration, biomass dosage, pH and curing time were investigated. Results showed that CA-immobilized P. chrysosporium can be successive cycle at least 9 times (12 h each), and each time the removal efficiency of BPA reached 100%. The degradation process of BPA in the treatment process was investigated. According to the analyses of glucose, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, extracellular proteins and biomass, it was found that consumed carbon and nitrogen sources were used for the rapid growth of fungal hyphae and the synthesis of a series of proteins. These extracellular proteins can be utilized as a nitrogen source by P. chrysosporium , and played a key role in the removal of BPA. Biodegradation process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Moreover, intermediates in the BPA degradation process were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and three possible degradation pathways were proposed. This strategy presented in the study provides a convenient and efficient biological method for the continuous treatment of BPA effluent. [Display omitted] • P. chrysosporium immobilized with sodium alginate can efficiently degrade BPA. • Immobilized fungal beads were successfully applied to continuous cycle degradation of BPA. • The BPA removal efficiency was still up to 100% after eight consecutive cycles of degradation. • Three possible degradation pathways were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • P-containing rice bran is applied for TMP/biocarbon fabrication for the first time. • Fe 2 P nanoparticles loaded on thin layer sheet-like biocarbon is obtained. • Fe 2 P/biocarbon performs well for LEV removal through both adsorption and PMS activation. • LEV degradation solution shows remarkably weakened antibacterial activity. Phosphorus-containing biomass represents one kind of sustainable and environmental-benign precursor for transition metal phosphide synthesis. Herein, we adopt abundant agricultural biomass of rice bran as both P and C precursor to fabricate iron phosphide/biocarbon composite. Through a ball-milling pretreatment coupled with a molten salt-assisted pyrolysis process, Fe 2 P/biocarbon composite (Fe 2 P/BC) with high specific surface area is obtained. The as-synthesized composite could be applied as environmental material for model antibiotic pollutant (levofloxacin, LEV) removal from aqueous solution through adsorption and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. Under the typical reaction conditions of 0.25 g L−1 Fe 2 P/BC, 0.1 g L−1 PMS, pH 7 and room temperature, 96.60% of LEV (initial concentration 10 mg L−1) could be removed within 60 min. Through quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) tests, active species including SO 4 −•, •OH and 1O 2 are found responsible for LEV degradation. Various reaction intermediates are detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which enable us to propose the rational degradation pathways of LEV. Although the mineralization efficiency only reaches 39.02%, LEV degradation solution does show remarkably weakened antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 compared with original LEV, indicating the possible low ecotoxicity of the developed Fe 2 P/BC-PMS system for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bioleaching promotes Mn and Fe recovery from ferruginous rhodochrosite. • Leaching solution could be directly used for Mn-Fe based catalysts fabrication. • Mn-Fe based catalysts perform well for STZ degradation through PMS activation. • Both radical and non-radical processes contribute to STZ degradation. Ferruginous rhodochrosite with high impurity is difficult to be utilized by traditional beneficiation process due to the complex characteristics. Herein, a bioleaching process driven by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was proposed to recover Mn and Fe in ferruginous rhodochrosite with economic and environmental benefits. The biogenic Fe3+, H+ and extracellular polymeric substances produced in bioleaching process significantly promoted the metal recovery and reduced the H 2 S emission. Optimal metal leaching efficiencies (95.94% of Mn and 97.54% of Fe) were achieved in bioleaching group. Furthermore, the Mn and Fe mixed leaching solutions could be directly adopted to fabricate Mn-Fe oxide based materials (MFO). When applied as catalysts for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, the as-synthesized MFO performed well for sulfathiazole (STZ) degradation with a 98.66% removal efficiency in 40 min. Both radical process and non-radical process occurred in the advanced oxidation process, which induced the generation of abundant active species of ̇OH, SO 4 ̇− and 1O 2. Meanwhile, charge transfer also contributed to STZ degradation. Favorably, MFO-3 exhibited good reusability in recycle study and showed adaptability towards various natural water matrixes. This research not only provided novel insights into the utilization of recalcitrant ferruginous rhodochrosite resources, but also enriched the strategy of PMS activator design for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new reasonable interpretation of azilsartan form II was suggested which had been reported as a 1,4-dioxane solvate in the literature. Multiple evidence has indicated that azilsartan form II obtained in this study was not a 1,4-dioxane solvate. Results of single crystal diffraction showed that the chemical formula of azilsartan form II was C 25 H 20 N 4 O 5 •1.25H 2 O. The apparent solubility and intrinsic dissolution rate of azilsartan form II were greater than that of form I in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer solution at 37 °C. Results of dynamic vapour sorption indicated that azilsartan form I was hardly hygroscopic. Results of accelerated stability test showed that azilsartan form I and II remained stable after 6 months of storage. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that azilsartan form II had a lower melting point than form I. A cleaner and more efficient preparation method for azilsartan form II was provided. Azilsartan form II could be prepared through the liquid-assisted grinding method by using a very small amount of tetrahydrofuran (η = 0.2 μL mg−1) or acetone (η = 0.3 μL mg−1). Azilsartan form II presents an alternative solid form for pharmaceutical preparation. [Display omitted] • A new reasonable interpretation of azilsartan form II was suggested. • Properties of azilsartan form II was investigated. • A cleaner and more efficient preparation method was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium in groundwater during uranium mining activities urgently needs to be remediated through effective and environmental-friendly approaches. The reduction and immobilization of soluble U(VI) using biogenic carboxymethyl cellulose modified iron sulfide complex (biogenic CMC-FeS complex) is one of the emerging and innovative methods. However, its removal mechanism is largely unknown. Here, biogenic CMC-FeS complex with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and CMC was successfully synthesized by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and showed highly dispersible capacity. The tryptophan and tyrosine, which were the main components in EPS produced by SRB on CMC-FeS surface, significantly increased the U(VI) removal capacity of the biogenic CMC-FeS complex compared with chemically synthesized CMC-FeS. U(VI) removal was attributed to the adsorption of soluble U(VI) by ≡ FeO + , CMC, tryptophan, and tyrosine on the biogenic CMC-FeS complex, following its reduction by S2-, S 2 2- and Fe2+. Moreover, biogenic CMC-FeS complex with CMC-to-FeS molar ratio of 0.0005 performed well in the presence of bicarbonate (5 mM), humic acid (10 mg/L), or co-existing cations such as Pb2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ (200 ug/L) at pH 7.0, and displayed relatively high oxidation resistance and stability ability. This work provides an in-depth understanding of the biogenic CMC-FeS complex for the U(VI) removal and contributes to the development of cost-effective U(VI) remediation technologies. [Display omitted] • CMC can efficiently increase the dispersion of biogenic FeS. • Adsorption reduction double combination is the mechanism of U(VI) immobilization. • The tryptophan and tyrosine in EPS on the biogenic CMC-FeS involved in the U(VI) immobilization. • Biogenic CMC-FeS displayed well in the presence of HCO 3 -, HA, and co-existing metal cations. • Biogenic CMC-FeS has relatively great oxidation resistance and long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the nuclear industry and clean energy, spent radioactive ion exchange resin has become a major concern that needs to be solved urgently. In this study, the mixed resin (sulfonic aid and quaternary ammonium polystyrene beads, 1:2, v/v) is co-pyrolyzed with manganese dioxide in a tube furnace, selecting argon as the reaction atmosphere. Manganese dioxide exhibits unique catalytic and oxidative activity, and a low mass remaining efficiency of 34.14% is obtained under low heating temperature of 300 ℃. The required decomposition temperatures of functional groups and benzene are decreased by approximately 100 ℃, and that of polymer chain is decreased by 130 ℃. The TGA analysis shows the decomposition temperature rule of functional groups and base polymer. The FT-IR spectra and XPS analysis reveal the bridging effects of manganese sulfonate and sulfide group. The SEM diagrams prove that the two processes including depolymerization and reunion could be found in co-pyrolysis. The XRD analysis indicates manganese dioxide undergoes the reduction path of MnO 2 →Mn 3 O 4 →MnO, and MnS is formed with the decomposition of manganese sulfonate. The possible mechanism of solid-phase reaction is proposed to explain the promotion of manganese dioxide on co-pyrolysis. [Display omitted] • The organic spent radioactive resin is converted into stable inorganic residue. • The pyrolysis efficiency of the resin is increased at relatively low temperatures. • Manganese dioxide acts as an oxidant to avoid the requrement of air or oxygen. • The sulfonic acid group exhibits an important influence on the co-pyrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the influences of zero-level interlayer dielectric (ILD0) materials on the fabrication of silicon nanowire (SiNW) gate-all-around (GAA) transistors based on conventional mainstream FinFET replacement metal gate (RMG) technology were investigated. We find that the fins in the source/drain (SD) regions covered by conventional plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of SiO 2 are seriously eroded after NW release and surface processing. To achieve desirable device fabrication, new fabrication technologies with ILD0 materials formed by PECVD SiN x and low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) SiN x are introduced to replace the conventional PECVD SiO 2. The results demonstrate that the PECVD SiN x ILD0 device overcomes the eroding issue at SD in NW release process but causes spacers exfoliation. In contrast, the LPCVD SiN x ILD0 provides excellent preservation of the SD fins as well as the adjacent spacers. Fully isolated SiNW GAA transistors with the LPCVD SiN x ILD0 film are successfully fabricated with well electrical characteristics and higher yield. The proposed optimized approach provides a robust processing window for the fabrication of GAA NW transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel g-C 3 N 4 -modified bio-Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate composite was synthesized. • Efficient photoreduction of Cr(VI) by g-C 3 N 4 @bio-Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate. • Photogenerated Fe(II), e− and O 2 – were identified as reactive reducing species. • The possible mechanism of photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) was proposed. Rational design of catalyst and reduction process are significant for the treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater. In this work, for the first time, g-C 3 N 4 -modified biosynthetic Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate (g-C 3 N 4 @bio-Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate) composites were developed to achieve efficient Cr(VI) reduction under visible irradiation with the assistance of citric acid. By simple addition of g-C 3 N 4 to cultivation medium of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans), g-C 3 N 4 @bio-Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate composites were obtained with improved productivities and surface properties. Compared with pure g-C 3 N 4 and bio-Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate, the prepared composite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity in catalyst/citric acid/light system. Under optimized conditions (catalyst = 0.5 g L−1, citric acid = 1.0 mM and temperature = 25 °C), 100% reduction of 20 mg L−1 Cr(VI) could be achieved in 20 min without pH adjustment (initial pH = 3.13). The enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C 3 N 4 @bio-Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate in the presence of citric acid mainly results from abundant reducing species (Fe(II), e− and O 2 –), accelerated electron-hole separation efficiency and enhanced Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycle. The strategy developed in this study provides new insights into the modification of bio-synthesized Fe(III)-hydroxysulfate and design of reductive system for the treatment of toxic Cr(VI)-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies show the feasibility of choosing sewage sludge as feedstock to produce biodiesel. However, low yield of biodiesel as using wet sludge directly, high cost of the pretreatment of sludge drying, and poor cognition about residues utilization, lead to the urgent need of new processes. In this study, hydrothermal process (HP) was introduced for biodiesel production by in situ transesterification. A favorable condition was determined as methanol dosage of 20 g g−1 dried sludge, and 2% sulfuric acid at 160 °C for 4 h, where the biodiesel yield reached 8.63%. HP also shows the ability to break the distinction of biodiesel yield derived from wet or dried sludge, since a similar yield of 8.71% was obtained when using dried sludge as feedstock. Furthermore, solid and liquid residues from HP could be applied as adsorbent for organic pollutant removal and nutrient substrate for yeast cultivation, respectively. A maximum adsorption capacity of 75.52 mg g−1 for Congo red (CR) was obtained using the solid residue as adsorbent. A 4.6 g L−1 biomass of Candida utili and 35.33% of protein in yeast cell were harvested using the liquid residue as nutrient substrate. This study not only demonstrates the feasibility of applying HP for biodiesel production from wet sludge, but also brings new insights about full utilization of wet sludge. Image 1 • 8.63% of biodiesel yield was obtained via a HP using wet sludge as feedstock. • HP can break the distinction of biodiesel yield derived from wet or dried sludge. • Sludge residues were applied further for pollutant removal and yeast cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fe x P/biochar composites were prepared by utilization of phosphorus from yeast. • Reducing gases identified by TG-MS were responsible for fabricating iron phosphide. • Fe x P/biochar was capable of activating oxygen to generate reactive oxygen species. • Synergistic effect of adsorption and oxidation exhibited high SMX removal efficiency. Fe-based phosphide has shown tremendous potential for heterogeneous catalysis due to its superior activity. Herein, a series of Fe x P/biochar composites were successfully prepared through a simple pyrolysis process. Iron species (FeOOH) was pre-loaded on the surface of phosphorus-containing biomass (yeast), which was subsequently converted to FexP/biochar with the assistance of in-situ produced reducing gases (H 2 , CO, PH 3 , etc.). When applied for typical antibiotic pollutant (sulfamethoxazole, SMX) removal, the optimal material (Fe x P/BC-5) performed well with a 99% removal efficiency in 30 min via the synergistic effects of adsorption and degradation by activation of dissolved oxygen (DO). Reactive oxygen species, including H 2 O 2 , ·OH, O 2 − and 1O 2 , were generated in Fe x P/BC-5/DO system by charge transfer and Fenton-like reaction. Fe x P/BC-5 was applicable in a broad pH range from 3.0 to 9.0 and exhibited good reusability in five recycle runs after regeneration. Moreover, the primary reactions in SMX degradation process were discussed based on identified intermediates by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). This work not only develops a simple approach to construct iron phosphides/biochar using green and sustainable phosphorus source but also bring new insights for environmental pollutants remediation by oxygen activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the design and fabrication of nitrogen-enriched hierarchical porous carbon aerogel (NPCA) with high supercapacitance performance derived from self-assembly natural biopolymer gel using a novel dual-template method. The as-obtained NPCA exhibited a honeycomb-like 3D network architecture composed of interconnected carbon nanosheets with hierarchical porous structure, large specific surface area (SSA, large to ∼1438 cm3 g−1) and high content of N element (large to ∼6%). The 3D hierarchical porous structure was designed and tailored to enhance the electron/ion transport ability. NaCl was in favor of the enhancement of SSA/graphitization degree and the support of 3D architecture, while NaOH played an important role in the formation of micropores. The N dopants were introduced to provide the extra pseudocapacitance, which could improve the performance of energy storage. It was also found that the SSA, graphitization degree and N dopants were highly affected by pyrolysis temperature. Among the resultant samples, NPCA-650 displayed the highest specific capacitance (264.3 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) attributed to not only the developed pore structure but also the abundant active N dopants. The as-assembled symmetric supercapacitor exhibited a high energy density of 12.4 Wh kg−1 with excellent cycling stability. Overall, this work provides a novel approach for the fabrication of low-cost biomass-based energy storage materials and could be also helpful for the design and tailoring of the hierarchical porous carbon aerogel architecture. Image 1 • Nitrogen doped carbon aerogels were fabricated from self-assembly biopolymer gel. • A novel dual-template method was used to form 3D hierarchical porous structure. • The carbon aerogel exhibited a high specific surface area of 760–1438 cm3 g−1. • N atoms were retained into carbon skeleton (∼5.5%) at high pyrolysis temperatures. • The carbon aerogel displayed a good energy storage performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hazardous waste of excess sludge was converted to carbocatalyst. • Hydrothermal treatment remarkably enhanced the surface oxygen content of sludge carbon. • Ketonic groups were the key active sites on HT 190 -SC 600 for PMS activation. • Low ecotoxicity of BPA degradation solution toward microalgae growth was demonstrated. A considerable amount of sewage sludge (SS) is generated from wastewater treatment process, which is hazardous to the environment and in urge to be disposed. In this study, for the first time, we prepared carbocatalyst with abundant surface oxygen functional groups using the hazardous waste of SS as precursor via a facile hydrothermal coupled pyrolysis process. The hydrothermal treatment was found to be crucial for enhancing the oxygen content of sludge carbon (SC), most of which existed as ketonic groups. Catalytic performances of the developed SCs were examined by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade bisphenol A (BPA). Sample with more ketonic group performed better for BPA degradation. Under optimal reaction conditions, 100 % of BPA and 69.53 % of TOC could be removed in 20 min. Singlet oxygen (1O 2) was suggested to be the main reactive oxygen species for degrading BPA and a BPA degradation pathway was proposed. The BPA solution showed decreased bio-toxicity after the oxidation process according to the acute ecotoxicity test. This study demonstrated the importance of surface functional groups on carbocatalyst for advanced oxidation process, which could be induced by a facile hydrothermal treatment. The feasibility of utilizing hazardous SS for advanced carbocatalyst fabrication was also revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recovery and utilization of phosphorus from microorganism for Co 2 P synthesis. • Reducing gases detected by TG-MS favoring phosphate reduction to phosphide. • High activity and good recyclability for BPA degradation over Co 2 P/C composite. • Low ecotoxicity of BPA degradation solution toward microalgae growth. Phosphorus (P) recovery is of significant importance due to its limited reserves and non-regenerative nature. In this study, we attempted to recover and utilize P from microorganism to obtain metal phosphide/carbon composites. By P-rich cultivation of a model yeast (Candida utilis), a total 4.3 wt% P could be accumulated in microorganism. A hydrothermal treatment coupled with pyrolysis approach enabled the formation of cobalt phosphide/carbon (Co 2 P/C) composites using P-rich microorganism and Co2+ as precursors. Thermogravimetric-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) analysis confirmed the generation of reducing gases (CO, CH 4 , PH 3 , etc.) in pyrolysis process, which played important roles for the conversion of phosphate (in microorganism) to phosphide (in Co 2 P). When adopted as catalyst for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, the developed Co 2 P/C composite performed well for bisphenol A (BPA) degradation with a 97.8% removal efficiency in 30 min. The recyclability of Co 2 P/C was also evident by five successive recycle runs. Moreover, intermediates in BPA degradation process were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which allowed us to propose a BPA degradation pathway. The following preliminary ecotoxicity test using Tetraselmis subcordiformis as ecological indicator confirmed that BPA degradation solution was much less toxic than the original solution. The strategy proposed in this study, which is the utilization of integrated elements (P, C, etc.) in microorganism to develop efficient catalyst, may provide a new solution for the recovery and value-added conversion of biomass/biowaste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Starch biosynthesis under nutrient depletion involve starch phosphorylase and PGM. • TAG synthesis is determined by the precursor supply and glycerolipid assembly. • Nutrient manipulation achieves high storage metabolites production in microalgae. • Relieving oxidative stress of nutrient depletion improves starch/lipid production. • Storage metabolites biosynthesis and regulation need in-depth research. Microalgae accumulate starch and lipid as storage metabolites under nutrient depletion, which can be used as sustainable feedstock for biorefinery. Omics analysis coupled with enzymatic and genetic verifications uncovered a partial picture of pathways and important enzymes or regulators related to starch and lipid biosynthesis as well as the carbon partitioning between them under nutrient depletion conditions. Depletion of macronutrients (N, P, and S) resulted in considerable enhancement of starch and/or lipid content in microalgae, but the accompanying declined photosynthesis hampered the achievements of high concentrations. This review summarized the current knowledge on the pathways and the committed steps as well as their carbon allocation involved in starch and lipid biosynthesis, and focused on the manipulation of different nutrients and the alleviation of oxidative stress for enhanced storage metabolites production. The biological and engineering approaches to cope with the conflict between biomass production and storage metabolites accumulation are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]