Alternative Production Methods Research Articles

Effect of Gradient Vacuum Pressure on Quality Parameters of Vacuum‐Fried Bananas Chips

ABSTRACTThe effect of vacuum pressure mode has not been studied depth yet. Effect of vacuum pressure on the quality of vacuum‐fried banana slices was studies in this work. Three vacuum frying processes were conducted and tested. Classically, two constant vacuum pressures 80 (CVF‐80) and 180 mmHg (CVF‐180) were applied in the frying process at 90°C. One novel frying method with gradient vacuum pressure (GVF) changed from 760 to 80 mmHg was conducted and adapted. The frying temperature was kept at 90°C. The frying processes were monitoring by moisture contents and 4% was generally accepted as moisture content of final product. Meanwhile, the frying times of CVF‐80, CVF‐180 and GVF were 50, 80 and 60 min, whereas the brightness values (L*) were corresponded to 71.07, 71.36, 67.25, respectively. The GVF samples were brightest with lowest hardness value (30.8 N) and the CVF‐180 was darkest with highest hardness value (36.87 N). The microstructure analysis showed that the GVF increase in both size and number of pores in comparison with CVF. Additionally, based on the paired comparison sensorial test the GVF fried banana slices were crisper than CVF samples. Our results revealed that the GVF method improves the quality of vacuum‐fried banana slices, thus it can be good alternative method for production of banana snack.

Determining food intake, the requirement, and weighing the relative risk between food secure and insecure households in rural areas of Ethiopia: The case of West Hararghe zone

The severity of food insecurity in Ethiopia is among the worst globally, with record-breaking food assistance needs by various factors. This study tries to uncover various aspects of food security related to food availability, food access, food utilization and food stability dimensions of food security. The study was executed in the west Hararghe zone of the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Its main objective was to determine the food security status of households, with specific objectives aiming at computing individual daily kilo calorie intake, determining the average food requirement, comparing the relative risk between food secure and insecure households and identifying factors that affect household food security status. A multi-stage sampling procedure, involving the purposive selection of; the Zone and Woreda, and a simple random selection of households, to draw the required number of representative sample respondents, was adopted. Hence, from 4163 total households, 134 were selected for collecting primary data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, relative risk analysis using Cohorts and independent tests using ANOVA. Food security status was measured using the Household Food Balance Model (HFBM). Using this model, the study obtained 1973 kilo calories per individual per day intake and 2108 kilo calorie as their requirement, which indicated households were energy deficient by 135 kilo calorie with 2-sided-value < 0.1 critical level (t= -1.747, df =133 & sig2-sided. 0.083). Independent test results showed that farm income (at p-value < 0.1), gross product (at p-value < 0.05), age of household head (at p-value < 0.1), years of owning land (at p < 0.1) and family size (at p-value < 0.1) contributed significantly to food security status. Cross-tabulation showed a linear relationship between food security and higher education level (at p-value < 0.05), which urges a concern in improving farming societies’ literacy to the desired level. In the study areas, about 91.8% of the population produces crops depending on the seasonal rainfall and their daily kilo calorie consumed depends on it; this is statistically correlated with the food insecurity problem at p-value < 0.1 critical level (lambada = 1.75 & sig. = 0.08). Therefore, to tackle the food insecurity problem, alternative method of crop production should be devised such as the establishment of irrigation schemes, water harvesting structures, and water conservation practices, among others. Key words: food security, calorie requirement, food availability, relative risk

A regio-specific 4’-O-methyltransferase from Epimedium pseudowushanense regiospecifically catalyzing 8-prenylkeampferol to icaritin

Epimedium is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and contains rich bioactive compounds. These compounds often have a methyl group at their 4’-OH position catalyzed by methyltransferases. Therefore, studying methyltransferases in Epimedium plants is of great significance. In this study, a flavonol methyltransferase, EpOMT4, was isolated from Epimedium pseudowushanense B.L. Guo. The recombinant enzyme regiospecifically transferred a methyl group to the 4’-OH position of 8-prenylkaempferol forming icaritin. The study demonstrates that enzymatic methylation of flavonoids in Epimedium plants holds significant potential and could provide a promising alternative method for the biosynthetic production of bioactive methylated prenylflavonoids.

Recombinant production of Paenibacillus wynnii β-galactosidase with Komagataella phaffii

BackgroundThe β-galactosidase from Paenibacillus wynnii (β-gal-Pw) is a promising candidate for lactose hydrolysis in milk and dairy products, as it has a higher affinity for the substrate lactose (low KM value) compared to industrially used β-galactosidases and is not inhibited by the hydrolysis-generated product D-galactose. However, β-gal-Pw must firstly be produced cost-effectively for any potential industrial application. Accordingly, the yeast Komagataella phaffii was chosen to investigate its feasibility to recombinantly produce β-gal-Pw since it is approved for the regulated production of food enzymes. The aim of this study was to find the most suitable way to produce the β-gal-Pw in K. phaffii either extracellularly or intracellularly.ResultsFirstly, 11 different signal peptides were tested for extracellular production of β-gal-Pw by K. phaffii under the control of the constitutive GAP promoter. None of the signal peptides resulted in a secretion of β-gal-Pw, indicating problems within the secretory pathway of this enzyme. Therefore, intracellular β-gal-Pw production was investigated using the GAP or methanol-inducible AOX1 promoter. A four-fold higher volumetric β-galactosidase activity of 7537 ± 66 µkatoNPGal/Lculture was achieved by the K. phaffii clone 27 using the AOX1 promoter in fed-batch bioreactor cultivations, compared to the clone 5 using the GAP promoter. However, a two-fold higher specific productivity of 3.14 ± 0.05 µkatoNPGal/gDCW/h was achieved when using the GAP promoter for β-gal-Pw production compared to the AOX1 promoter. After partial purification, a β-gal-Pw enzyme preparation with a total β-galactosidase activity of 3082 ± 98 µkatoNPGal was obtained from 1 L of recombinant K. phaffii culture (using AOX1 promoter).ConclusionThis study showed that the β-gal-Pw was produced intracellularly by K. phaffii, but the secretion was not achieved with the signal peptides chosen. Nevertheless, a straightforward approach to improve the intracellular β-gal-Pw production with K. phaffii by using either the GAP or AOX1 promoter in bioreactor cultivations was demonstrated, offering insights into alternative production methods for this enzyme.

Life cycle environmental trade-off of decarbonising UK industrial clusters — A cradle to gate approach

The industrial sector is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to process emissions and a heavy reliance on fossil fuels for heat and power. Methods exist to produce low carbon versions of products made in industrial clusters, including hydrogen, carbon capture and storage and alternative production methods, but these could increase burdens to other areas of the environment, such as resource depletion and water scarcity. This study compares different decarbonisation pathways for ammonia, cement, methanol and steel produced in the UK, to determine whether decarbonising could result in unintended environmental consequences. To determine this, life cycle assessment was applied to compare 267 different pathways to the conventional (fossil fuel) baseline. We find that most pathways lead to GHG emission reductions (43 to 78 % on average) but would increase impacts to other areas of the environment, including metal resources and ecotoxicity (8 % to 5-fold and 19 % to 24-fold, on average respectively). This study is the first to assess decarbonisation pathways for unintended environmental impacts and is of interest to industry, policy makers and anyone modelling industrial lifecycle emissions.

Development of Coal-Derived Graphite for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Graphite is one of many critical minerals that are utilized in lithium-ion batteries. The requirements for domestic sourcing of critical minerals used in Li-ion batteries as outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act have generated interest in exploring alternative production methods and feedstocks for critical minerals. An alternative feedstock for the production of graphite that is being evaluated is coal. Coal is an excellent candidate as a feedstock due to its abundance in the United States and its chemical structure.In this poster, the characterization and electrochemical performance of multiple coal-derived graphites will be presented. A focus will be put on linking electrochemical performance to the microstructure of each material. Electrochemical performance data such as initial capacity loss, gravimetric capacity and columbic efficiency will be presented for both coin and pouch cells. The application of the Multi-Species, Multi-Reaction model on coal-derived graphite will also be presented.

Design and thermal-hydraulic analysis of multi-target system with 100 MeV proton linear accelerator for the production of 67Cu and 68Ge radioisotopes

Radioisotopes are widely used in the fields of medicine, science, and industry. The growing demand for medical radioisotopes has driven research on alternative production methods. In particular, both isotopes of 67Cu and 68Ge play vital roles in the medical environment in many countries to be used in the radio-immunotherapy and the positron emission tomography imaging, respectively. This study designed a multi-target system consisting of two Zn and one Ga2O3 plates to enable simultaneous production of the medical radioisotopes 67Cu and 68Ge using 100 MeV proton beams. To understand the thermal effect on the multi-targets, we examined the distribution of energy absorbed in each solid plate target when exposed to an accelerated proton beam through the thermal-fluid analysis based on ANSYS simulation. For confirming thermal stability for two Zn targets and one Ga2O3 target, the modified water flow path inside the multi-target system was designed effectively with the controlled distribution of multiple sub-holes between main inlet and the following four channels. It was confirmed that the newly designed multi-target system of Zn and Ga2O3 solid plates shows higher thermal stability than the case of uniform distribution of water inlet, which means it could be exposed to a higher current beam of 7.57% to decrease the processing time.

Green process for Polyurethane: From CO2 to isocyanate

Polyurethane, a highly versatile and widely used polymer, has garnered significant interest as a candidate material for CO2 incorporation to address climate change. Nevertheless, research into alternative production methods for isocyanate, a key monomer in polyurethane production, remains insufficient, despite the heavy reliance of the conventional approach on phosgene, a highly toxic material. This study proposes a sustainable process for synthesizing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). The proposed process involves the production of syngas from CO2, followed by syngas separation via a hydrogenation reaction, oxidative carbonylation of amine to form dicarbamate, and subsequent thermal decomposition to yield MDI. The syngas separation via the hydrogenation reaction eliminates the need for an additional separation process by simultaneously separating reaction products and preparing a reactant for the subsequent step. Moreover, the introduction of a Pd/TiO2 catalyst and a new reactant introduction strategy significantly reduces side reactions during oxidative carbonylation, thereby enhancing the overall yield. Process modeling and a life cycle assessment demonstrated substantial environmental advantages over the conventional MDI manufacturing process, highlighting the potential of this approach as a greener alternative.

Efficient enzymatic synthesis of d-α-tocopherol acetate by Carica papaya lipase-catalyzed acetylation of d-α-tocopherol in a solvent-free system

Enzymatic synthesis of d-α-tocopherol acetate is a promising approach for cost-effective production of liposoluble food and pharmaceutical antioxidant. In this study, we developed an efficient and environmentally friendly process that employed plant-derived Carica papaya lipase (CPL) as biocatalyst for the synthesis of d-α-tocopherol acetate in a solvent-free system. The optimum conditions were: 400 mg/mL d-α-tocopherol, 125 mg/mL CPL (44 U, aw = 0.328), with acetic anhydride as acyl donor, at 60°C and 200 rpm for 30 h. Interestingly, yields of 90.7%, 77.7%, 60.3% and 48.1% of d-α-tocopherol acetate were achieved after the “naturally immobilized” CPL recycled for 4 times, indicating a novel enzyme immobilization mechanism. Moreover, the synthetic product was purified from scale-up reaction, and confirmed by FTIR and GC-MS analysis, providing a total of 97.5% purity (91.1% d-α-tocopherol acetate plus 6.4% d-α-tocopherol). Overall, this work provided an efficient alternative method for green production of d-α-tocopherol acetate probably being applied in food and pharmaceutical industries, and this could also enhance the comprehensive utilization of Carica papaya.

Assessing Environmental Impact: Organosolv Extraction of Cellulose Pulp from Wood Waste

In the upcoming years, the paper industry is expected rely on containerboard for packaging, with approximately 80% of it being made from recycled fibers by 2020. Creating a new supply chain for fibers could help mitigate possible shortages. In this context, wood waste emerges as a valuable resource with the potential to serve as a plentiful and cost-effective reservoir for generating new materials, as cellulose fibers. This study presents an assessment of the environmental impact associated with the organosolv extraction of cellulose pulp from wood waste based on a previous in lab study conducted by the authors. The increasing demand for sustainable materials has prompted exploration into alternative methods for cellulose pulp production, with a focus on minimizing environmental footprint. Organosolv extraction, a promising technique, involves the use of organic solvents and acid catalysts to break down lignocellulosic biomass, resulting in high-quality cellulose pulp production. To evaluate the environmental implications of this process, a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was adopted. The LCA framework considers all stages of the organosolv extraction process, from wood waste collection to cellulose pulp manufacture, using a gate-to-gate approach. The functional unit for assessment is set as one ton of cellulose pulp. The dataset utilized for the LCA comprises primary data obtained from laboratory experiments, complemented by secondary data sourced from literature and the Ecoinvent life cycle inventory database. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the influence of key parameters on the environmental performance of the organosolv extraction process, with a focus on variations in energy consumption to identify potential areas for optimization and improvement. In summary, this study emphasizes the environmental aspects of utilizing organosolv extraction for cellulose pulp production from wood waste. Further research is warranted to explore energy consumption during the organosolv process for obtaining more precise data and optimizing the process. This could be achieved through pilot-scale experiments or utilizing process simulation software.

Conciliation or a confrontation of agricultural visions? A characterisation of the networks and key actors for sustainable agrifood transformations in the Bauges

CONTEXTIn French mountain territories, origin-linked quality schemes have been widely used to address competition from more productive regions, but such schemes have tended to specialise a territory's agriculture around specific products. Today, these territories are marked by the arrival of “left-returned” and new residents, who develop alternative production methods and grassroot initiatives based on agroecological principles and food production relocation. The different groups within the territories hold different visions of what should be agriculture and may confront each other. Sustainable agrifood transformations need to account for the diversity of visions among the variety of actors to enrich transition pathways. OBJECTIVEThe aim of this article is to analyse relationships among a diversity of agrifood actors who have different visions of agriculture in a territory in order to characterise the structure of their relationships and the key actors. More specifically, it seeks, first, to analyse whether actors sharing the same characteristics interact more or not, and whether individual attributes stimulate or constrain relations among the diverse range of actors; and second, to characterise the key actors (i.e. prestigious and brokers) and their roles. METHODSThe study was conducted in a French alpine territory specialising in extensive dairy cattle breeding to produce protected designation of origin (PDO) cheese. We use mixed methods, combining a social network analysis (regression models, and homophily and centrality indicators) with semi-structured interviews to analyse the discussion network of the diverse actors involved in agriculture and food in the Bauges (including farmers, elected officials, processors, distributors, members of civil society, and employees of agricultural and local development institutions). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe analysis showed that there is no homophily within the actor typologies, and that relations were concentrated within the territory. Some actors were more important for developing ties, especially the employees of agricultural and local development institutions, who were more solicitated by others. However, the results revealed homophily among non-native actors, although they are driving force in the development of ties, demonstrating both their ability to forge links and relational barriers with natives. After that, the most influential broker actor was the park employee in charge of agriculture, who holds a pluralist vision and has a central role in gathering different actors together and bringing them into dialogue. The most prestigious actors were the park employee, a civil society actor, and four farmers. These actors all fulfil three main functions: to guide practices and visions within their group as key actors often hold a clear-cut vision, to bind heterogeneous groups together (although this does not prevent tensions and conflict with these actors), and to link institutional levels, often by virtue of being heads of networks and municipal councillors. However, the methodology did not allow the integration of more isolated actors, especially dairy cattle breeders, who should be included more deeply in further research. SIGNIFICANCETo better understand the dynamics of sustainable agrifood transformations, the relational approach enables analysis of the patterns of relationships between multiple actors with different agricultural visions, and to characterise the key actors and their roles. From the perspective of accompanying agrifood transformations, it is helpful to understand the relational structures between the actors in order to avoid the possible conflicts that could arise in such research. Moreover, it is useful to identify and mobilise key actors in order to facilitate researchers' entry into a territory and increase participation.

An Eclectic Review on Dicarboxylic Acid Production Through Yeast Cell Factories and Its Industrial Prominence.

Dicarboxylic acid (DCA) is a multifaceted chemical intermediate, recoursed to produce many industrially important products such as adhesives, plasticizers, lubricants, polymers, etc. To bypass the shortcomings of the chemical methods of synthesis of DCA and to reduce fossil fuel footprints, bio-based synthesis is gaining attention. In pursuit of an eco-friendly sustainable alternative method of DCA production, microbial cell factories, and renewable organic resources are gaining popularity. Among the plethora of microbial communities, yeast is being favored industrially compared to bacterial fermentation due to its hyperosmotic and low pH tolerance and flexibility for gene manipulations. By application of rapidly evolving genetic manipulation techniques, the bio-based DCA production could be made more precise and economical. To bridge the gap between supply and demand of DCA, many strategies are employed to improve the fermentation. This review briefly outlines the advancements in DCA production using yeast cell factories with the exemplification of strain improvement strategies.

Evaluation of Neuroprotective effect of Bioactive compounds of Mucuna monosperma in PD lines of Drosophila melanogaster

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the nervous system. Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in PD. Ongoing research is focused on discovering new plant sources and developing alternative methods of production to meet the increasing demand for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Ethnopharmacognosy plays a vital role in bridging traditional knowledge with modern science, and the screening of natural compounds from edible plants is a valuable approach to discovering new therapeutic agents. Hence, the exploration of plants and their bioactive compounds for drug development is an ongoing and promising field. This paper embodies results on neuroprotective property of Mucuna monosperma (MM), two major bioactive compounds namely l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and Ursolic acid were identified and isolated by Prep-HPLC and Column chromatography respectively. Further, quantified the isolated compounds by HPLC. The antioxidant property of crude, L-Dopa and Ursolic acid were scrutinized and verified through DPPH and Nitric oxide scavenging assay. To evaluate the neuroprotective property and anti-ageing effect of bioactive compounds, negative geotaxis, courtship behavior and longevity studies were made in Transgenic PD line of Drosophila melanogaster against oxidative stress status. Result reveals that the climbing ability, courtship behaviors and longevity were significantly increased in PD lines (Elva/SNCA-A30P) under stress conditions. Further it was noticed that synergetic effects of Ursolic acid along with L-Dopa showed excellent result.

Self-pigmenting textiles grown from cellulose-producing bacteria with engineered tyrosinase expression.

Environmental concerns are driving interest in postpetroleum synthetic textiles produced from microbial and fungal sources. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a promising sustainable leather alternative, on account of its material properties, low infrastructure needs and biodegradability. However, for alternative textiles like BC to be fully sustainable, alternative ways to dye textiles need to be developed alongside alternative production methods. To address this, we genetically engineer Komagataeibacter rhaeticus to create a bacterial strain that grows self-pigmenting BC. Melanin biosynthesis in the bacteria from recombinant tyrosinase expression achieves dark black coloration robust to material use. Melanated BC production can be scaled up for the construction of prototype fashion products, and we illustrate the potential of combining engineered self-pigmentation with tools from synthetic biology, through the optogenetic patterning of gene expression in cellulose-producing bacteria. With this study, we demonstrate that combining genetic engineering with current and future methods of textile biofabrication has the potential to create a new class of textiles.

3D-printing allows for fluid-controlled linear actuators with unconventional shapes

BackgroundPneumatic actuators are widely used in applications like (medical) robots, or prostheses. Pneumatic actuators require a complex manufacturing process and are produced in standardized dimensions to reduce costs. Over the last decade 3D-printing has emerged as a cost-effective and efficient production method in medical applications. 3D-printing can also function as a cost-efficient alternative production method for pneumatic actuators. ObjectiveThe goal of this research is to study the possibility of creating a pneumatic linear actuator with 3D-printing. Furthermore, the aim is to use the advantage of 3D-printing to create pneumatic actuators with non-circular cross-sections. MethodologyTo evaluate the performance of a 3D-printed pneumatic actuator, a test setup was designed and built to measure the leakage and sliding friction force. Furthermore, two pneumatic actuators with a non-conventional cross-sectional shape were designed and their performance was tested and compared with a 3D-printed cylindrical pneumatic actuator, since these tests only ran once, the results are more a guideline. During the manufacturing of the cylinders, no post-processing techniques were used. ResultsThe functioning of a 3D-printed circular pneumatic actuator was proven with low static leakage rates of 2.5%, low dynamic leakage rates of approximately 1%, and a maximum friction force of ▪. Furthermore, the results show that it is possible to print functioning pneumatic cylinders with a non-cylindrical concave cross-section. The non-conventional cylinders were tested up to ▪ with maximum dynamic leakage of ▪. ConclusionThis study demonstrates a method to create functional pneumatic linear actuators with 3D-printing. It was possible to create 3D-printed actuators with a conventional shape, e.g. circular and unconventional shapes e.g. stadium/oval shape and a kidney shape. The leak rates for conventional and unconventional shapes were in the same range. This opens up the world for more design freedom in pneumatic actuators.

Biosynthesis of melatonin from l-tryptophan by an engineered microbial cell factory

BackgroundThe demand for melatonin is increasing due to its health-promoting bioactivities such as antioxidant and sleep benefits. Although melatonin is present in various organisms, its low content and high extraction cost make it unsustainable. Biosynthesis is a promising alternative method for melatonin production. However, the ectopic production of melatonin in microorganisms is very difficult due to the low or insoluble expression of melatonin synthesis genes. Hence, we aim to explore the biosynthesis of melatonin using Escherichia coli as a cell factory and ways to simultaneously coordinated express genes from different melatonin synthesis pathways.ResultsIn this study, the mXcP4H gene from Xanthomonas campestris, as well as the HsAADC, HsAANAT and HIOMT genes from human melatonin synthesis pathway were optimized and introduced into E. coli via a multi-monocistronic vector. The obtained strain BL7992 successfully synthesized 1.13 mg/L melatonin by utilizing L-tryptophan (l-Trp) as a substrate in a shake flask. It was determined that the rate-limiting enzyme for melatonin synthesis is the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase, which is encoded by the HsAANAT gene. Targeted metabolomics analysis of l-Trp revealed that the majority of l-Trp flowed to the indole pathway in BL7992, and knockout of the tnaA gene may be beneficial for increasing melatonin production.ConclusionsA metabolic engineering approach was adopted and melatonin was successfully synthesized from low-cost l-Trp in E. coli. This study provides a rapid and economical strategy for the synthesis of melatonin.

From Waste to Value: Recent Insights into Producing Vanillin from Lignin.

Vanillin, one of the most widely used and appreciated flavoring agents worldwide, is the main constituent of vanilla bean extract, obtained from the seed pods of various members belonging to the Orchidaceae family. Due to the great demand in the food confectionery industry, as well as in the perfume industry, medicine, and more, the majority of vanillin used today is produced synthetically, and only less than one percent of the world's vanilla flavoring market comes directly from the traditional natural sources. The increasing global demand for vanillin requires alternative and overall sustainable new production methods, and the recovery from biobased polymers, like lignin, is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical synthesis. The present review provides firstly an overview of the different types of vanillin, followed by a description of the main differences between natural and synthetic vanillin, their preparation, the market of interest, and the authentication issues and the related analytical techniques. Then, the review explores the real potentialities of lignin for vanillin production, presenting firstly the well-assessed classical methods and moving towards the most recent promising approaches through chemical, biotechnological and photocatalytic methodologies, together with the challenges and the principal issues associated with each technique.

Status of the 226Ra nuclear data library and its impact on the production amount of 225Ac via the 226Ra (n,2n) reaction

ABSTRACT 225Ac is a promising alpha emitter for targeted alpha therapy. However, the current capability of 225Ac supply is limited to approximately 63 GBq/y, primarily relying on the natural source of 229Th stocked at a few institutes. Therefore, alternative 225Ac production methods are highly desired. The research and development of 225Ac and its parent nuclide production methods using accelerators and reactors to target 226Ra and 232Th are actively pursued worldwide. Hence, the authors focused on the 226Ra(n,2n)225Ra method using fast neutron spectra as an application of the experimental fast reactor Joyo. This study investigated the status of nuclear data libraries for 226Ra, an essential target for 225Ac production, and evaluated the impact of different nuclear data libraries on the amount of 225Ac produced. Consequently, cross-sections with covariance data were stored in TENDL-2021, JEFF-3.3, and EAF-2010 but not in ENDF or JENDL, the major nuclear data libraries. Furthermore, no consistency occurred among the respective nuclear data, and the 225Ra production amount varied.

Alternative methods of production and consumption as tools for solving global problems of modern society and implementing the principles of sustainable development

At the end of the 60s of the 20th century, a transformation of human civilization took place, which entered a qualitatively new state. During this period, the term “global problems” appeared in the scientific literature. In the context of scientific and technological progress, the load on the environment in terms of greater anthropogenic impact is increasing, thereby creating an objective need to find new ways to prevent environmental disaster. At the end of the 20th century, a direction in economics called the “green economy” was formed, designed to reduce the negative impact on the environment and solve the global problems of today’s realities through the use of green technologies. In this direction, both legislative (tax regulation in the field of anthropogenic impact) and the introduction of alternative energy sources, as well as the preservation of existing national natural resources, are applied. With the advent of the “green economy” concept, many new elements of regulating the economy and the harmful effects of human industrial activity on nature have been introduced into world practice. One such element is the cross-border carbon tax, which is being introduced by the European Union. This tax is an additional charge on the import of goods with a large carbon footprint into the European Union. It is unprofitable for the economies of many countries that import raw materials and supplies to the countries of the European Union, but it is necessary, since global warming, which is a consequence of human industrial activity, can lead to disastrous consequences in the future. The purpose of the work is to identify the main problems of human and social development and find ways to solve them, determine the impact of the new tax on the state of the environment.

Production of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride from fluorosilicic acid: a review.

Anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (AHF), a critical raw material for industries such as aluminum, pharmaceuticals, and petroleum, has traditionally been sourced from fluorite-a non-renewable mineral. The unsustainable reliance on fluorite has catalyzed the search for alternative AHF production methods. A promising substitute is fluorosilicic acid (FSA), a byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry previously deemed waste. Transforming fluorosilicic acid into AHF not only yields a valuable resource but also addresses the environmental and economic challenges associated with waste management. The innovative practice of producing AHF from fluorosilicic acid signals a shift towards sustainable chemical production by capitalizing on waste, potentially diminishing reliance on fluorite and reducing the industry's environmental impact. This review thoroughly dissects the AHF synthesis process from fluorosilicic acid. Despite the acknowledged importance of fluorinated compounds in numerous industrial applications, research on their synthesis from fluorosilicic acid is limited and fragmented. This review seeks to amalgamate this scattered information by closely scrutinizing diverse industrial processing methods. Additionally, it explores the current and future landscape, economic feasibility, and strategies to navigate the obstacles inherent in synthesizing AHF from fluorosilicic acid. It also assesses the environmental impact of these methods, thereby contributing to the dialogue in this emerging field. The primary aim of this manuscript is to foster further research and promote the industrial uptake of this sustainable process. Highlighting the challenges and proposing potential improvements, the review supports the responsible reuse of waste and advocates for advancements in industrial practices.