Development of high-concentration ammonium removal process via NH4+ ion exchange and Mg–P recycling using struvite

Whilst mineral fertilisers are a reliable source of crop nutrients in conventional arable farming, their production is associated with significant environmental and economic challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions, price volatility, and nutrient leaching. Organo-mineral fertilisers (OMFs) have been proposed as a sustainable alternative, combining mineral nutrients with organic residues. This study investigated the potential of OMFs to supplement mineral fertiliser applications in arable farming across three field trials in England from 2022 to 2023. The trials examined the impact of an OMF derived from composted food waste added to potassium chloride and ammonium sulfate (8–3-3 + 19% SO 3 ) on soil nutrient dynamics, grain yield, and crop quality in spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare ) and oats ( Avena sativa ). The results indicated that OMF application increased soil sulphur levels at two sites, suggesting its potential as a sulphur source for cereal crops. However, grain nutrient concentrations showed minimal response to OMF treatments compared to mineral fertilisers, with only minor differences observed in phosphorus, sulphur, and zinc levels. Yield responses varied by site, with OMF application resulting in slight reductions in barley grain and nitrogen yields compared to mineral fertiliser, particularly at higher nitrogen application rates. The oat trial showed no significant fertiliser effects, likely due to high inherent soil fertility and potential nutrient leaching. These findings highlight that while OMFs can contribute to nutrient cycling and sustainable fertiliser management, their effectiveness depends on formulation, nutrient release patterns, and site-specific factors such as soil fertility and weather conditions. The quality and composition of organic feedstocks within OMFs are critical to ensuring optimal synchronisation of nutrient availability with crop requirements, supporting their role in integrated nutrient management programs. • OMF increased soil sulphur at two sites compared with mineral fertiliser. • Grain nutrient concentrations were largely unchanged by OMF across sites. • OMF reduced spring barley yield slightly, especially at higher nitrogen rates. • High soil fertility limited fertiliser responses in the oat trial. • OMF performance depended strongly on nutrient release and site conditions.

Thermosensitive drug-loaded hydrogel based on natural collagen for diabetic wound management via modulating inflammation and promoting angiogenesis.

Dynamic hofmeister effect-engineered thermosensitive ionic conductive hydrogel with 3D plasticity and environmental adaptability for wearable strain sensor.

Tyrosinase, a copper-containing enzyme with broad biological and industrial applications, occurs widely in nature but remains underexplored in edible mushrooms such asAgaricus bisporus. This study reports the extraction, purification, and biochemical characterization of tyrosinase fromA. bisporusfruiting bodies. The enzyme was purified via ammonium sulfate precipitation (60% saturation), dialysis, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography, achieving 163 fold purification with a specific activity of 1.26 U/mg and 20% recovery. SDS-PAGE revealed a tetrameric structure with a subunit molecular mass of 128-130 kDa. Kinetic parameters were determined asKm = 0.42km = 0.42mM for L-DOPA andVmax = 12.5Vmax = 12.5U/mL. The enzyme exhibited optimal activity at pH 6.5 and 50°C, with stability profiles comparable to commercial counterparts. These findings underscore the optimized purification method and the biotechnological potential of A. bisporustyrosinase for applications in food processing, medicine, agriculture, and environmental remediation, while advancing knowledge of multicopper oxidases in fungi.

Plant-based serine protease inhibitors represent a promising class of bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic relevance. In this study, serine protease inhibitor-enriched peptide fractions were isolated from Zingiber officinale, Allium sativum, and Momordica charantia. Fractions were enriched using ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by ion-exchange chromatography, and characterized using preliminary physicochemical approaches, including SDS-PAGE (≈ 1-15KDa), UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared analysis, and amino acid profiling. The peptide-enriched fractions exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus thurigiensis, with MIC values in the mg/ml range, consistent with partially purified natural fractions. Antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger was observed at approximately 4mg/mL. In a plant-based Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) model using Nicotiana leaves, the peptide-enriched fractions reduced lesion development, indicating measurable antiviral activity. In this experimental system, the maximum inhibition ranged from approximately 58% to 86% depending on the assay format. Thrombolytic assays demonstrated moderate clot lysis (up to 42.95%) with low hemolytic activity under the tested conditions. Molecular docking suggested potential interactions between peptide motifs and serine protease targets, providing a basis for experimental evaluation. Consistent with this, enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated serine protease inhibitory activity, with IC50 values ranging from 0.15 nM (ASP fraction) to 24 µM (ZOP fraction). Kinetic analyses further revealed distinct modes of inhibition, including competitive, uncompetitive, and mixed mechanisms, depending on the fraction evaluated. As structural identity and purity were not confirmed using the mass spectrometry-based approaches, these findings should be interpreted as an early-stage functional assessment. Definitive structural characterization and further biological validation are necessary to clarify their mechanistic and translational relevance.

This work explores an improved fungal-mediated bioconversion method for generating stable L-dopaquinone from L-phenylalanine using two Aspergillus oryzae strains (ISL 19 and ISL 27) and mycelial biomass. Mycelial biomass produced through submerged fermentation was exposed to controlled reaction setups to evaluate dopa-oxidase activity and resulting product formation. Quantification of L-dopaquinone was performed using dopachrome and dopa-oxidase assays, measured at 475nm and 505nm. Through systematic optimization of cultural and nutritional variables, the highest yield was obtained after 48h of incubation at pH 6.0 and 30°C. Among the tested nitrogen sources, urea (0.04% w/v), ammonium sulfate (0.12% w/v), and yeast extract (0.75% w/v) markedly improved the biotransformation process. Carbon-source optimization identified L-tyrosine (3.75mg/mL) and L-ascorbic acid (8.75mg/mL) as the most effective concentrations. Under the optimized conditions, strain ISL 27 produced a maximum L-dopaquinone level of 29.75µg/mL. Stabilizing agents-including ethanol, ortho-phosphoric acid, potassium-sodium tartrate, and glycerol-further boosted enzyme efficiency and product stability. Overall, the findings highlight A. oryzae as a promising biocatalyst for L-dopaquinone synthesis, supporting potential applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and neurochemical fields. The study offers an environmentally friendly and scalable strategy for L-dopaquinone production and provides a framework for future research on fungal enzyme systems involved in neuroactive compound biosynthesis.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) of Escherichia coli give rise to resistance to broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics, making treatment difficult clinically and complicating environmental management. Understanding hospital effluent as a reservoir and dissemination route for these resistant enzymes is therefore very vital. The crude beta-lactamase enzyme extracts were partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephadex G-100 gel filtration chromatography, enzyme activity was assessed for observed degradation of ceftriaxone by UV spectrophotometry. Protein content was quantified by the Lowry method, and enzyme purity analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The ability of the partially purified enzymes to degrade ceftriaxone in hospital wastewater was also assessed. Crude enzyme extracts showed appreciable ceftriaxone degradation activity. Partial purification enhanced the specific activity of the enzyme while significantly reducing contaminating proteins. SDS-PAGE indicated a reduction in protein bands after purification. Partially purified enzymes showed remarkable ceftriaxone degradation in buffer and remained active, albeit to a lesser degree, in hospital wastewater. This study demonstrates the partial purification and characterization of CTX-type ESBL beta-lactamases from E. coli isolates obtained from wastewater. Partially purified enzymes remain active and have potential for application in reducing -beta-lactam antibiotics in hospital wastewater, thus proposing an environmental approach for curbing antibiotic resistance.

Efficient purification and desalting of nucleic acids are essential unit operations in downstream processing (DSP). Conventional methods offer good solutions for either desalting (e.g., tangential flow filtration, dialysis and size exclusion) or purification (e.g., chromatography and precipitation), but integrating both into a single step on preparative scale has remained a big challenge. Here, we present a novel chromatographic method using a multimodal anion-exchanging (AEX) Convective Interaction Media (CIM) Swiper column that enables binding of nucleic acids at slightly acidic pH and elution at neutral pH with low salt concentration. Swiper desalting capability was first demonstrated for purified plasmid DNA (pDNA) samples from two standard pDNA DSP elution buffers: Tris-EDTA (TE), 0.9M NaCl, pH 7.2 (AEX) and TE, 0.9M ammonium sulphate (AS) and pH 7.2 (hydrophobic interaction chromatography). A scalable desalting process of enriched and partially purified pDNA samples was developed; with desalting capacity of >1mg pDNA per mL of column and pDNA recovery of >90%, achieved with a simple TE, pH 7.2 elution buffer. Building from here, a single-step DSP combining purification and desalting of pDNA directly from clarified bacterial lysate was evaluated. Dynamic binding capacity (DBC) for pDNA from lysate using 4mL CIM Swiper column was 1.0mg/mL with the elution recovery of 90%. RNA, proteins and endotoxins in the pDNA elution fractions were below or close to the FDA-specified guidelines for pDNA purity, whereas host cell DNA and open circular (OC) pDNA were not efficiently depleted. Although the demonstrated process does not reach the specified product quality parameters, we pave the way to simplifying pDNA DSP flow by demonstrating an integration of two previously separate process steps at preparative scale, reducing footprint and costs.

Purification and characterization of rabbit polyclonal immunoglobulin G using DEAE ion-exchange chromatography and dynamic light scattering.

The accumulation of petroleum-based plastics demands sustainable alternatives such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biodegradable polyesters synthesised by numerous prokaryotes. However, high feedstock costs limit their commercialisation. This study evaluated cocoa mucilage, an underutilised by-product of the Ecuadorian cacao sector, as a low-cost carbon source for PHA production by a wild-type strain isolated from cocoa fruit residues. Bacteria were recovered from cocoa mucilage and pod shell fractions and screened for PHA accumulation by Sudan Black B staining with UV–Vis spectrophotometric confirmation. A single PHA-positive isolate, designated Priestia aryabhattai strain NBP01-UTN (GenBank accession OR567321.1; 99.88% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to the type strain B8W22T), was recovered from the cocoa shell surface—representing, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of a PHA-producing P. aryabhattai from cacao fruit residues. Fermentation conditions were optimised using the response surface methodology with a central composite design evaluating temperature, pH, and ammonium sulphate concentration. The fitted quadratic model was highly significant (R2 = 0.978, p < 0.0001), indicating that temperature and nitrogen limitation were the dominant factors. Optimal conditions (40 °C, pH 7.30, 0 g·L−1 (NH4)2SO4) yielded 0.496 g·L−1 PHA at 24 h (productivity ≈ 20.7 mg·L−1·h−1). Notably, no external nitrogen supplementation was required, as the endogenous nitrogen in cocoa mucilage sufficed to sustain growth whilst triggering the nutrient imbalance needed for PHA biosynthesis. FTIR and DSC analyses provided spectroscopic and thermal evidence consistent with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), although definitive monomer-level confirmation requires GC–MS or NMR spectroscopy. These results demonstrate the feasibility of coupling a locally isolated wild-type strain with cocoa mucilage to produce bioplastic within a circular bioeconomy framework.

2-Phenylethanol (2-PE) is a commercially valuable aromatic alcohol, yet its sustainable bioproduction remains challenging due to low yields and high costs. This study initially analyzed the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of eleven yeasts isolated from Senna macranthera nectaries. The resulting metabolic profiling revealed that 2-PE was the most prevalent volatile compound produced, reaching relative peak areas of up to 55%. This distinct prevalence drove the selection of Aureobasidium leucospermi CHAP-214 for optimization in cost-effective media composed of orange peel and malt bagasse extracts. While nitrogen supplementation with urea suppressed production and ammonium sulfate favored biomass over synthesis, the addition of L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) proved crucial. Specifically, the medium containing 4 g/L of L-Phe without extra nitrogen (Medium E3) achieved the optimal metabolic balance, yielding a maximum 2-PE concentration of 2.477 g/L with a high bioconversion efficiency of 0.83 g of 2-PE produced per g L-Phe consumed. Higher L-Phe levels (9 g/L) led to near-complete consumption but lower yields, indicating metabolic diversion. The addition of ammonium sulfate further reduced 2-PE formation, favoring biomass production instead. This is the first study to report the strong potential of A. leucospermi for 2-PE production using the novel combination of orange peel and malt bagasse extracts.

Extraction, purification and characterization of lipoxygenase from foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

Aedes aegypti is a dengue fever vector that can transmit dengue (DEN-V). Pyrethroid, carbamate, and organophosphate synthetic insecticides are often used as dengue control because they are very effective, quick to show results, and have minimal environmental impact. Garlic is commonly used as a seasoning by some people, but this plant has potential as an alternative larvicide. This plant contains the compounds allicin, sulfur ammonia acid, and allin. This study aims to determine the larvicidal effect of garlic extract on the mortality of Ae. aegypti larvae. The study was conducted with a post-test with a control group design of 5 groups. There are two groups: a negative control group (Aquadest) and a positive control (Temefos 1%). The other three groups were treated with garlic extract concentrations of 10% (P1), 20% (P2), and 30% (P3). There were 375 Ae. aegypti larvae with 3 repetitions, and 24 hours of larval mortality were observed. The Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc Mann-Whitney U tests analyzed larval mortality data. LC50 and LC90 values were subjected to probit analysis. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that there were differences in the effectiveness of garlic extracts on the mortality of Ae. aegypti larvae (p = 0.007). The LC50 value is 2.346%, while the LC90 value is 2.641%. Garlic extract (Allium sativum) is effective as a larvicide for Ae. aegypti

Sulfur-mediated strategies for enhanced yield, photosynthetic efficiency and antioxidant activity of mustard in north-western India

Dual mechanism of electrochemical regulation to reduce soil Nitrous Oxide emissions-microbial recruitment and electron transfer pathway optimization.

The increasing global demand for sustainable aviation fuels has driven extensive research on developing efficient heterogeneous catalysts. This study investigates the effect of different surface functionalization methods of mesoporous SBA-15 on its catalytic activity for the production of a C16 precursor of bio-aviation fuel. The SBA-15 surfaces were modified by two acid functionalization routes, namely sulfonation and sulfation, to enhance its surface acidity and catalytic activity. Sulfonation was carried out using 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) followed by oxidation to obtain the SO3H–SBA-15 catalyst containing sulfonic acid groups (–SO3H), while sulfation using ammonium sulfate as a precursor produced the SO4–SBA-15 catalyst containing sulfate groups (SO42-). Both catalysts were characterized using NH3-TPD and acid-base titration to quantify the total acidity. The catalytic performance was evaluated through hydroxyalkylation-alkylation (HAA) reaction between 2-methylfuran (2-MF) and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) to synthesize a C16 bio-aviation fuel precursor, 5,5′-(4-methylpentane-2,2-diyl) bis(2-methylfuran) abbreviated as MPM. The results revealed that both modification methods effectively increased the total acid of SBA-15. However, the sulfated SBA-15 catalyst exhibited superior catalytic activity and stronger acid strength than the sulfonated one due to formation of more acid sites on its surface. Therefore, the sulfation route was identified as a more effective strategy for developing highly active solid acid catalysts. This research demonstrates the superior properties of sulfated mesoporous SBA-15 as a promising and sustainable heterogenous catalyst for converting biomass-derived platform chemicals into advanced C16 bio-aviation fuel precursors.

Theanine supplementation in tea wine production: Accelerated fermentation, refined aroma profile, and enhanced sensory quality.

The recombinant production of the protein-glutaminase (PG) from Bacteroides helcogenes (PGB) was investigated in the three Bacillus subtilis strains: 168, RIK1285 and the isolated strain 007. B. subtilis 007 produced the highest PG activity (7.6 ± 0.7 µkat LCulture supernatant−1) in shake flask cultivations and, thus, was used for further investigations. As a wild-type strain, B. subtilis 007 exhibited high extracellular proteolytic activity and formed large amounts of foam in a bioreactor cultivation. While the proteolytic activity would be favorable for the extracellular cleavage of PGB’s propeptide, foaming is undesirable and should be prevented. Therefore, the influence of the two foam-demolishing substances anti-foaming agent 204 and rapeseed oil on the PGB production was investigated in bioreactor cultivations. A PGB activity of 11.8 ± 1.1 µkat LCulture supernatant−1 was obtained using anti-foaming agent 204, while rapeseed oil led to a lower maximal PGB activity of 7.6 ± 0.2 µkat LCulture supernatant−1. PGB was partially purified from the culture supernatant by fractionated ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. A final yield of 14.8% was obtained, while the specific PGB activity increased from 6.7 to 28.6 nkat mg−1. Alternatively, PGB was purified from culture supernatant by cross-flow filtration and subsequent heating step (1 h, 60 °C) to inactivate the extracellular peptidases. Thereby, the total proteolytic activity was decreased to below 4% while the specific PGB activity increased to 32.1 ± 2.0 nkat mg−1. The PGB preparation obtained was applied in gluten deamidation experiments which showed that PGB deamidated a 1% (w/v) gluten suspension by 95 ± 2%.

Upgrading sustainability: Ammonium sulfate recovery from low-concentration nitrate groundwater by ion exchange, electrolysis and gas-permeable membrane contactor hybrid system.