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The study of the effect of the mechanism of urea addition to sewage sludge and sawdust-composting substrates on methane production is still limited. In the present study, the systematic investigation of the effect of urea addition (0.18, 0.9 and 1.8 kg) on methane production is discussed through the dynamics of physical properties, enzymes, and the microbial community during composting. The results showed that high urea addition (1.8 kg) suppressed methane production, with a lower rate and a shorter duration of warming in the thermophilic phase, but significantly enhanced cellulase activity, urease, and peroxidase, and promoted the degradation of organic carbon, as well as the loss of nitrogen. A high addition of urea stimulated the growth and reproduction of Sinibacillus, Pseudogracilibacillus, Sporosarcina, and Oceanobacillus. The random forest model indicated that the top six independent determinants of CH4 emissions were Methanobacterium, temperature, organic matter (OM), Methanospirillum, and NH4+-N. Furthermore, structural equation modeling displayed that NH4+-N, O2, and pH were the main physicochemical properties affecting CH4 emissions. Methanobacterium, Methanosarcina, and Methanosphaera were the main archaea, and Bacillaceae were the main bacteria affecting CH4 emissions. This study provides new insights and a theoretical basis for optimizing urea addition strategies during composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers surfaces were modified by complexing tannic acid (TA)-iron ions (Fe3+) to form a metal skeleton structure on the fibers. In this system a large number of phenolic hydroxyl groups, epoxy groups and other active groups on the fibers surfaces can stabilize the metal skeleton structure and enhance the interfacial peeling performance between the fibers and the composite rubber matrix. The modified PET fibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and mechanical properties. The results showed that the peeling strength between the modified fibers and the rubber matrix was increased 45%. This method has the advantages of simple operation, mild conditions and low cost, which provides a new idea for the preparation of rubber/polyester fiber composites with excellent mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolyte additives have been promising strategies aimed at lithium metal dendrite growth and active materials loss of sulfur cathode those have troubled the development of Li‐S batteries (LSBs), while current interface modulations of electrodes are still challenged by low protection efficiency and high N/P ratio. Herein, potassium 3‐thiophenetrifluoroborate (KPTB) is adopted as an additive to construct versatile interface for both lithium metal anode (LMA) and sulfur cathode. The preferentially electrochemical reduction and oxidation of PTB (3‐thiophenetrifluoroborate) moiety, as well as electrostatic shielding exerted by K+ ion, enable F‐rich solid electrolyte interphase for LMA and construct polythiophene based protection layers on the two electrodes, facilitating fast and uniform ion/electron transfer across the interface, suppressing polysulfide outflow and maintaining integrity of electrodes. Electrochemical measurements indicate that optimized dosage of KPTB in electrolyte remarkably enhances reversibility and cyclic stability of the two electrodes, and endows LSBs with excellent performances over wide temperature range (−25–50 °C). Remarkably, the Li‐S full cells using a 75 µm of LMA can deliver a capacity of 6.0 mAh cm−2 and excellent cyclic performances for 350 cycles, at a N/P ratio as low as 1.4. This work can provide new reliable solution for electrolyte additive based interface protections in LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posidonia oceanica significantly contributes to the health of oceans and coastal areas; however, its progressive decline is becoming an increasing source of concern. The present preliminary study aims to assess the chemical parameters that describe the state of preservation of the aforementioned plant meadows located in the Tremiti Islands archipelago. To better understand the plants' response to external factors, the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) was investigated using Posidonia oceanica as a biological indicator. Subsequently, the heavy metal concentrations (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Ti, Tl, V, Zn) in sediments, leaves, and seawater were determined and pollution indicators were calculated to assess the deviation from the natural background levels of sediments. The dimethyl sulfoniopropionate (DMSP) to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) ratio was calculated to evaluate the oxidative stress levels in the meadows because the DMSP naturally present in Posidonia oceanica is oxidized to DMSO and decreases the ratio of DMSP/DMSO. BVOC analysis revealed dimethyl sulphide (DMS) as the most abundant molecule. Morphological features led to variations in metal concentrations across sampling sites, with sheltered bays displaying a higher metal content. Degradation is indicated by a greater DMSO content in the outer leaves. In accordance with the metal content, the bioindicator ratio confirms greater degradation on the south side, which aligns with increased oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many staple foods originate from durum wheat and its milling products; because of this, it is very important to know their characteristics. This study investigates elemental contents in these products and if differences exist because of organic farming. The concentrations of 28 elements in the whole seed and in milling products, that is, bran, semolina and flour, of durum wheat, were determined through ICP-OES. The wheats were grown under conventional or organic agronomic practices to verify the possibility of discriminating, using the elemental content, between products coming from one or the other practice. The elements were more abundant in the outer layer of the seed, the bran, but most of them were also present in the others. Traces of Sb were present only in 3% of the samples, while traces of Tl were detected in approximately half of the seed and bran samples but not in other samples. The absence of an element was more characteristic of specific products, e.g., most semolina and flour lacked Co, while other elements showed small differences between products from organic and conventional cultivation or between different milling products, which was the case, for example, for traces of Ag, B, and V. The concentrations of these elements were coupled with multivariate discriminant analysis, specifically PLS-DA, to identify the cultivation provenance of the milled products. A few elements, although different for each product, are sufficient to attain precision and accuracy of classification close to 1; small differences exist for different products. The worst is flour, where the predicted precision and accuracy are 0.92, although using only three elements: B, K, and Se. Semolina attains perfect prediction when also adding to the three previous elements, Ag, Cd, and Cu. Further elements are necessary for bran, while Fe and Mg replace K and Ag to classify seeds. In conclusion, five elements, B, Cd, Cu, K, and Se, are the most important in distinguishing between organic and conventional agriculture; these elements also permit some differentiation among products. The method could help in fraud prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It will be a new approach that BIM’s capital project lifecycle management (CPLM) applied to the yacht industry. This paper explored the feasibility of applying the principles and rationales of BIM for capital project lifecycle management in luxury yacht design, engineering, fabrication, construction and operation. The paper examined the premises and backbone technology of BIM. It then evaluated leading naval engineering and shipbuilding software applications and their development trends from the functional lens of BIM. To systematically investigate a BIM-based approach for capital project lifecycle management (CPLM) in the luxury yacht industry, the paper proposed and outlined an implementation framework. A case study and a student competition use case were discussed to delineate the core constituents and processes of the proposed framework. The case of BIM was reviewed. Through the domestic custom luxury yacht design and prototyping student competition, the application of this framework in educational research is demonstrated and the initial quantitative assessment of the framework is carried out. Conclusions: a BIM-based CPLM implementation framework can help the luxury yacht industry capitalize on the global transformation to an information-centric and data-driven new business paradigm in shipbuilding with integrated design, manufacturing and production.