Initial Amount Research Articles

Meso-Foundations of Experiential Education in Ontario Universities: A Content Analysis of the Province’s Strategic Mandate Agreements

Experiential education, the process of providing students with applied learning opportunities within and outside the classroom, is rife with organizational complexity. This article examines Ontario’s Strategic Mandate Agreements using qualitative content analysis to see how conceptions and communications of experiential learning have changed over time, and how universities have responded to government pressure to foster experiential learning. Drawing on frame analysis, findings reveal that universities have developed a considerable amount of institutional infrastructure and initiatives to support the expansion of experiential learning, and these efforts have been framed in relation to current discourse about graduate skill readiness. However, these outward signalling responses are not necessarily aligned with internal organizational processes (i.e., expansion of co-curricular learning). These mandate agreements represent official accounts of institutional priorities, which leave the door open for future research to examine micro-foundations of experiential learning through the perspectives of the faculty and staff inhabiting these institutions.

Phase Behavior of the Mixtures of 2- and 3-Components for Poly(styrene-co-octafluoropentyl methacrylate) by Dispersion Polymerization under CO2.

The dispersed-phase polymerization of poly(styrene-co-2,2,3,4,4,4-octafluoropentyl methacrylate), also known as p(styrene-co-OFPMA), took place in supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2). The chemical and physical properties of p(styrene-co-OFPMA) were studied by varying the styrene-to-OFPMA ratios (40:1, 30:1, and 20:1) and 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) initiator amounts (wt %: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0). The cloud-point data were obtained for various systems, including the binary mixtures of p(styrene-co-OFPMA) (30:1 ratio, AIBN wt %: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0) with supercritical solvents such as sc-CO2, sc-CH3OCH3, sc-C3H6, sc-C4H8, and sc-CHClF2. Phase behavior (i.e., mixtures) was studied at temperatures of 324-455 K and pressure below 201 MPa. In the binary system of p(styrene-co-OFPMA) + sc-CH3OCH3, a lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type curve was observed, characterized by a positive slope. Conversely, the binary systems of p(styrene-co-OFPMA) + (sc-C3H6, sc-C4H8, sc-CHClF2) exhibited an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior with a decreasing slope. The phase equilibrium curves were obtained for p(styrene-co-OFPMA) [30:1; 1.0% (Mw = 42,400), 2.0% (Mw = 33,800), and 4.0% (Mw = 24,100); AIBN: 1.0 wt %] + sc-C3H6, sc-C4H8, and sc-CHClF2 mixtures. These curves exhibited an increasing slope for p(styrene-co-OFPMA) + sc-CH3OCH3 and a negative slope for p(styrene-co-OFPMA) + (sc-C3H6, sc-C4H8, sc-CHClF2) systems, indicating distinct phase behavior. Tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) addition (0.0-68.9 wt %) to P(styrene-co-OFPMA) (30:1; AIBN wt %: 1.0) + solvents altered the phase equilibrium, switching from UCST to LCST, as evidenced by changes in the pressure-temperature slope.

Soot-on-snow experiment: artificial deposition of light-absorbing particles onto snow surfaces in 2018

The absorption of shortwave irradiance in snow depends on the physical properties of snow (e.g., snow grain size and shape, liquid water content, etc.) and light-absorbing particles (LAP). Originating from natural and anthropogenic sources, LAP has been reported to accelerate snowmelt significantly in different regions globally. Yet, our process-level understanding of LAP after deposition onto snow remains rather limited. Here we investigate the impacts of artificial deposition of different LAP onto snow surfaces in an outdoor environment of northern Finland. Following LAP dry deposition into a custom-made tent standing on top of the snowpack, the albedo was followed along with the properties of snow in snow pit measurements throughout the spring season. The results showed that the albedo decay at the end of the season for the different spots were linked to the initial amount and type of LAP that were deposited onto the snowpack. Measured snow temperature profiles from LAP doped snow versus natural reference snow illustrated that the LAP affected snow had higher temperatures in the subsurface snow layers. Collected snow samples analyzed for size distribution of soot particles revealed no apparent agglomeration of soot particles during thaw-freezing events taking place during the experiment. Despite the relatively large perturbation of the experimentally deposited LAP, their impact on the season length was only up to 3 days. Additional experiments are, nevertheless, needed to better constrain the effects of LAP on snow albedo, melt rate, and other associated processes.

Quality and quantity trade-offs in clear ice making

This paper is aimed at clear ice making. To this end, a purpose-built apparatus that controls the solidification rate was specially designed and constructed to assess the trade-offs between ice clearness (quality) and production rate (quantity). An image-based ice clearness evaluation technique was devised and adopted to compute a figure-of-merit for the ice quality. 30 ml ice cube samples were produced in a closed ice tray for either prescribed heat flux (650, 1300 and 1700 W m−2) or surface temperature (−4, −8 and −12 °C) at the bottom wall, while a 25 mm EPS insulation was adopted for top and lateral walls. The experiments were carried out using both tap and boiled water, whose initial amount of dissolved gas was monitored. The results pointed out the heat transfer and initial air concentration conditions that rule the quality and quantity trade-offs in clear ice making.

Use of welding powder as a low‐cost adsorbent for waste motor oil removal

AbstractWaste motor oil (WMO), which has no stable form or structure, causes major environmental problems and damage to the ecosystem once it is disposed to the environment. Because of the high toxicity of contents in such effluent, it must be treated before being discharged into the receiving environment. In recent years, the valorization and the use of waste materials to remove toxic pollutants is of great importance to researchers and diverse industries. In this study, the usability of waste welding powder (WWP) as an adsorbent for waste oil removal was investigated. For this purpose, investigating the usability of material, which is generated as industrial waste, in wastewater treatment will lead to the evaluation of waste. The effects of temperature, pH, WWP amount, and initial WMO amount were investigated. According to the adsorption studies, 1 g WWP/L of the processed adsorbent was able to effectively remove 95.05% of WMO (100 mg) at a pH of 2 at 30°C. Stereo microscopy images showed a large amount of oil adsorbed on the WWP surface. The different WWP properties were determined by adsorption isotherm (Harkins–Jura), kinetic (pseudo‐second order), and thermodynamic (ΔG: −5.1 kJ mol–1) experiments. It is thought that WWP, which is a low‐cost and waste material, can be used as a promising adsorbent in WMO removal.

Feeding premature babies in the neonatology department of the Androva Mahajanga Hospital

Background: The initiation and progression of enteral nutrition in premature infants remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate enteral nutritional management in premature infants in the neonatology department at the mother and child complex Androva Mahajanga. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study over a 7-month period, from January to July 2018. All neonates under 37SA who received enteral feeding were included. Results: During the study period, 74 newborns were able to receive enteral feeding. The mean age of onset of enteral feeding was 10.6 hours. In 89.2% of cases, enteral feeding was started within the first 24 hours of life. On average, the initial quantity administered was 28.4ml/kg/d. Human milk was used most frequently (54.8%). The presence of residue was the most frequently encountered incident (31.5%). Ulcero-necrotizing enterocolitis occurred in 7 newborns (9.5%). Forty-five newborns had a good outcome, with an average weight gain of 9.28 g/kg/d. Conclusions: The implementation of a nutritional management protocol for newborns, especially premature babies, in the neonatology department would be beneficial for a better outcome and growth of the baby.

Growth of Double-Network Tough Hydrogel Coatings by Surface-Initiated Polymerization.

Hydrogel coatings exhibit versatile applications in biomedicine, flexible electronics, and environmental science. However, current coating methods encounter challenges in simultaneously achieving strong interfacial bonding, robust hydrogel coatings, and the ability to coat substrates with controlled thickness. This paper introduces a novel approach to grow a double-network (DN) tough hydrogel coating on various substrates. The process involves initial substrate modification using a silane coupling agent, followed by the deposition of an initiator layer on its surface. Subsequently, the substrate is immersed in a DN hydrogel precursor, where the coating grows under ultraviolet (UV) illumination. Precise control over the coating thickness is achieved by adjusting the UV illumination duration and the initiator quantity. The experimental measurement of adhesion reveals strong bonding between the DN hydrogel coating and diverse substrates, reaching up to 1012.9 J/m2 between the DN hydrogel coating and a glass substrate. The lubricity performance of the DN hydrogel coating is experimentally characterized, which is dependent on the coating thickness, applied pressure, and sliding velocity. The incorporation of 3D printing technology into the current coating method enables the creation of intricate hydrogel coating patterns on a flat substrate. Moreover, the hydrogel coating's versatility is demonstrated through its effective applications in oil-water separation and antifogging glasses, underscoring its wide-ranging potential. The robust DN hydrogel coating method presented here holds promise for advancing hydrogel applications across diverse fields.

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) beverage spontaneously fermented

Abstract: Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a tuberous root with a high phenolic compounds and fibers content which has a prebiotic effect, both important for preventing and/or promoting the reduction of non-communicable chronic diseases risks. However, this root’s shelf life is highly reduced and culminates the reduction of the beneficial to health compounds, which can be avoided by some strategies. In this sense, this work aimed to produce yacon beverages added with anti-browning agents (cysteine or citric acid) and evaluated the spontaneous fermentation during storage. Three yacon beverages have been produced with cysteine or citric acid (0.05% w/w) and a control beverage. Beverages were analyzed by microbiological counts, nutritional composition, physical-chemical characteristics, total phenolic compounds and phenolic acids, for 60 day storage. The data were evaluated by ANOVA and compared using the Duncan test (p≤0.05) or regression models were adjusted. Regarding microorganisms, all beverages have reached 109 CFU.ml-1 after 30 day storage. To the anti-browning agents use, the differences were occasional; however, the citric acid beverage had a desirable pH (< 4.5) for a fermented beverage, which allows inhibition of undesirable bacteria and a higher proportional initial FOS amount and less variation with 30 and 60 day storage. However, the citric acid beverage have presented smaller amount of phenolic compounds like chlorogenic and gallic acids (230.37 ± 168.63 and 40.87 ± 1.32, respectively). So, we conclued that spontaneous fermentation was a preparation technique which has added nutritional and functionals values to the yacon beverage, in special to beverage added citric acid, with a higher proportion of FOS.

Efficient Capture of Cannabis Terpenes in Olive Oil during Microwave-Assisted Cannabinoid Decarboxylation.

The development of selective extraction protocols for Cannabis-inflorescence constituents is still a significant challenge. The characteristic Cannabis fragrance can be mainly ascribed to monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and oxygenated terpenoids. This work investigates the entrapment of Cannabis terpenes in olive oil from inflorescences via stripping under mild vacuum during the rapid microwave-assisted decarboxylation of cannabinoids (MW, 120 °C, 30 min) and after subsequent extraction of cannabinoids (60 and 100 °C). The profiles of the volatiles collected in the oil samples before and after the extraction step were evaluated using static headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), followed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Between the three fractions obtained, the first shows the highest volatile content (~37,400 mg/kg oil), with α-pinene, β-pinene, β-myrcene, limonene and trans-β-caryophyllene as the main components. The MW-assisted extraction at 60 and 100 °C of inflorescences using the collected oil fractions allowed an increase of 70% and 86% of total terpene content, respectively. Considering the initial terpene amount of 91,324.7 ± 2774.4 mg/kg dry inflorescences, the percentage of recovery after decarboxylation was close to 58% (mainly monoterpenes), while it reached nearly 100% (including sesquiterpenes) after extraction. The selective and efficient extraction of volatile compounds, while avoiding direct contact between the matrix and extraction solvents, paves the way for specific applications in various aromatic plants. In this context, aromatized extracts can be employed to create innovative Cannabis-based products within the hemp processing industry, as well as in perfumery, cosmetics, dietary supplements, food, and the pharmaceutical industry.

1-out-of-n standby systems with storages and activation moment-dependent component operation time limit

This paper pioneers the modeling and optimization of a 1-out-of-n standby system with a required mission time and non-identical components, whose operation times are limited and dependent on their activation time and dynamic resource supply and storage units. Each component contains a main operating unit characterized by certain time-to-failure distribution and mode-dependent resource demands, a resource generator characterized by a time-varying resource generation rate, and a storage unit characterized by an initial amount of resource and the maximum capacity. The resource generator and storage interact collaboratively to supply the dynamic resource demand of the main unit. Based on an event transition probabilistic model, a new numerical algorithm is proposed for assessing the mission success probability (MSP) of the considered standby system. An optimization problem is further formulated and solved, which determines the activation sequence of standby components maximizing the MSP. A detailed case study of a standby sensor system with the photo-voltaic power supply source and battery storage is provided to demonstrate the proposed model and examine the effects of several system parameters on the MSP and optimization solutions. Several useful findings related to the MSP improvement are revealed from the case study.

ALD-Engineered CuxO Overlayers Transform ZnO Nanorods for Selective Production of CO in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) holds tremendous promise as a strategy for lowering atmospheric CO2 levels and creating new clean energy sources. The conversion of CO2RR to CO, in particular, has garnered significant scientific interest due to its industrial feasibility. Within this context, the CuZn-based electrocatalyst presents an attractive alternative to conventional CO-selective electrocatalysts, which are often costly and scarce. Nevertheless, the wide-range utilization of CuZn electrocatalysts requires a more comprehensive understanding of their performance and characteristics. In this study, we synthesized ZnO nanorods through electrodeposition and subsequently coated them with CuxO overlayers prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD). CuxO significantly enhanced CO selectivity, and 88% CO selectivity at a relatively low potential of -0.8 V was obtained on an optimized CuxO overlayer thickness (CuxO-250/ZnO). The addition of CuxO on ZnO was found to dramatically increase the electrochemical surface area (ESCA), lower the charge-transfer resistance (Rct), and introduce new active sites in the ε-CuZn4 phase. Furthermore, electrochemical Raman spectroscopy results showed that the CuxO-250/ALD electrode developed a ZnO layer on the surface during the CO2RR, while the bare ZnO electrode showed no evidence of ZnO during the reaction. These results suggest that the addition of CuxO by ALD played a crucial role in stabilizing ZnO on the surface. The initial amount of CuxO was shown to further affect the redeposition of the ZnO layer and hence affect the final composition of the surface. We attribute the improvement in CO selectivity to the introduction of both ε-CuZn4 and ZnO that developed during the CO2RR. Overall, our study provides new insights into the dynamic behavior and surface composition of CuZn electrocatalysts during CO2RR.

Clinically accessible amplitude-based multiplex ddPCR assay for tryptase genotyping

Hereditary α tryptasemia (HαT) is an autosomal dominant trait characterized by increased TPSAB1 copy number (CN) encoding α-tryptase. The determination of HαT is being discussed as an important biomarker to be included in risk assessment models and future diagnostic algorithms for patients with mastocytosis and anaphylaxis. Due to the complex genetic structure at the human tryptase locus, genetic testing for tryptase gene composition is presently notably limited and infrequently pursued. This study aimed to develop, optimise and validate a multiplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay that can reliably quantify α- and β-tryptase encoding sequences in a single reaction. To optimise the ddPCR conditions and establish an amplitude-based multiplex ddPCR assay, additional primers and probes, a thermal gradient with varying annealing temperatures, different primers/probe concentrations, and various initial DNA quantities were tested. Results obtained from all 114 samples analysed using multiplex ddPCR were identical to those obtained through the use of original duplex assays. Utilizing this multiplex ddPCR assay, in contrast to conducting distinct duplex ddPCRs, presents noteworthy benefits for tryptase genotyping. These advantages encompass a substantial threefold decrease in material costs and considerable time savings. Consequently, this approach exhibits high suitability and particularly captures interest for routine clinical implementation.

Enhancing the Antioxidant Potential of Weissella confusa PP29 Probiotic Media through Incorporation of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Anthocyanin Extract.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce important metabolites during fermentation processes, such as exopolysaccharides (EPS), which represent powerful natural antioxidants. On the other hand, H. sabdariffa L. anthocyanin extracts protect LAB and support their development. This study uncovers for the first time, the antioxidant profile of Weissella confusa PP29 probiotic media and focuses on elevating its impressive antioxidant attributes by synergistically integrating H. sabdariffa L. anthocyanin extract. The multifaceted potential of this innovative approach is explored and the results are remarkable, allowing us to understand the protective capacity of the fermented product on the intestinal mucosa. The total phenolic content was much lower at the end of the fermentation process compared to the initial amount, confirming their LAB processing. The DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP of the fermented products were higher compared to ascorbic acid and antioxidant extracts, while superoxide anion radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity were comparable to that of ascorbic acid. The antioxidant properties of the fermented products were correlated with the initial inoculum and anthocyanin concentrations. All these properties were preserved for 6 months, demonstrating the promising efficacy of this enriched medium, underlining its potential as a complex functional food with enhanced health benefits.

Dynamic recrystallisation in Inconel®718 at creep conditions

Inconel®718 is a nickel-based superalloy primarily used in applications at high temperatures and loads. Its main characteristic is the high creep resistance due to a combination of microstructural features, mainly the presence of coherent intermetallic phases. Although the design of this type of alloy relies on controlling the distribution, nature and stability of the intermetallic phases, dislocations may play a determinant role on the creep resistance of nickel-based superalloys. This work investigates the creep resistance of Inconel®718 after two different heat treatments between 590 and 650 °C at 550 and 830 MPa stresses. After analysing the microstructure, we observe that dynamic recrystallisation happens at high temperatures and stresses, softening the material considerably. Therefore, we further develop mean-field models that predict the strain and microstructure evolutions during creep considering the size and fraction of precipitates, the dislocation densities, grain sizes and recrystallisation grade. Finally, we simulate the creep behaviour at different testing conditions and the initial microstructures and explore the robustness of the model beyond the measurement capabilities. The main conclusion is that an initial large amount of dislocations accelerates the nucleation and recrystallisation rates, decreasing the creep resistance of Inconel®718. In consequence, the material aged after forging presents lower creep resistance than the standard aged because of the larger initial dislocation density. On the contrary, the standard aged material undergo a strong reduction of the remaining dislocation density from forging during the solution treatment.

Numerical Simulation of Droplet Dispersion and Passenger Infection Risk Assessment in a Subway Carriage

Droplet transmission is a critical pathway for the spread of respiratory infectious viruses. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of droplet dispersion within subway carriages is crucial to curb the widespread transmission of the virus. This study utilizes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to establish a full-scale numerical model of a subway carriage. The numerical model and droplet evaporation behavior are validated using experimental data and literature. The impact of primary parameters such as the initial droplet size, release velocity, release position, relative humidity, and passenger density on the droplet diffusion and probability of infection for passengers is investigated. The results indicate that large droplets (100 μm) are deposited on the carriage floor before complete evaporation, while tiny droplets (10 μm) evaporate rapidly, leading to a longer suspension time in the air within the carriage. The infected passenger’s position influences the ventilation system’s efficiency in removing the droplets; removal takes significantly longer when the infected passenger is closer to the carriage end. Additionally, a low relative humidity (35%) and high passenger density (4 p/m2) result in more droplets being trapped by passengers’ bodies. The infection probability for passengers depends on the initial size and quantity of droplets trapped by their bodies. Maintaining higher relative humidity levels and limiting the passenger numbers within the subway carriage can reduce the number of droplets captured by passengers’ bodies, thus helping to reduce the infection probability of fellow passengers.

Multi-level deep Q-networks for Bitcoin trading strategies

The Bitcoin market has experienced unprecedented growth, attracting financial traders seeking to capitalize on its potential. As the most widely recognized digital currency, Bitcoin holds a crucial position in the global financial landscape, shaping the overall cryptocurrency ecosystem and driving innovation in financial technology. Despite the use of technical analysis and machine learning, devising successful Bitcoin trading strategies remains a challenge. Recently, deep reinforcement learning algorithms have shown promise in tackling complex problems, including profitable trading strategy development. However, existing studies have not adequately addressed the simultaneous consideration of three critical factors: gaining high profits, lowering the level of risk, and maintaining a high number of active trades. In this study, we propose a multi-level deep Q-network (M-DQN) that leverages historical Bitcoin price data and Twitter sentiment analysis. In addition, an innovative preprocessing pipeline is introduced to extract valuable insights from the data, which are then input into the M-DQN model. A novel reward function is further developed to encourage the M-DQN model to focus on these three factors, thereby filling the gap left by previous studies. By integrating the proposed preprocessing technique with the novel reward function and DQN, we aim to optimize trading decisions in the Bitcoin market. In the experiments, this integration led to a noteworthy 29.93% increase in investment value from the initial amount and a Sharpe Ratio in excess of 2.7 in measuring risk-adjusted return. This performance significantly surpasses that of the state-of-the-art studies aiming to develop an efficient Bitcoin trading strategy. Therefore, the proposed method makes a valuable contribution to the field of Bitcoin trading and financial technology.

Atmospheric Escape From Three Terrestrial Planets in the L 98-59 System

A critically important process affecting the climate evolution and potential habitability of an exoplanet is atmospheric escape, in which high-energy radiation from a star drives the escape of hydrogen atoms and other light elements from a planet’s atmosphere. L 98-59 is a benchmark system for studying such atmospheric processes, with three transiting terrestrial-sized planets receiving Venus-like instellations (4–25 S ⊕) from their M3 host star. We use the VPLanet model to simulate the evolution of the L 98-59 system and the atmospheric escape of its inner three small planets, given different assumed initial water quantities. We find that, regardless of their initial water content, all three planets accumulate significant quantities of oxygen due to efficient water photolysis and hydrogen loss. All three planets also receive enough strong X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet flux to drive rapid water loss, which considerably affects their developing climates and atmospheres. Even in scenarios of low initial water content, our results suggest that the JWST will be sensitive to observations of retained oxygen on the L 98-59 planets in its future scheduled observations, with planets b and c being the most likely targets to possess an extended atmosphere. Our results constrain the atmospheric evolution of these small rocky planets, and they provide context for current and future observations of the L 98-59 system to generalize our understanding of multiterrestrial planet systems.

DPA calculation in a stainless steel baffle of Chooz-A PWR using auto-dosimetry measurements

This paper presents a method dedicated to the calculation of DPA (displacements per atom) in a stainless steel element irradiated inside Chooz-A reactor core. This method is based on experimental results obtained in samples taken from the analyzed stainless steel element, and calculation results. Experimental results consist in the mass of 59Co and the activity of 60Co, both measured in 2018, i.e. 27 years after the final shutdown of Chooz-A reactor. Calculations are carried out with the TRIPOLI-4® 3D Monte Carlo particle transport code, and the DARWIN/PEPIN2 depletion code, with a simplified modelling of Chooz-A reactor. As explained in this paper, these simplifications are corrected by the use of measurement results. Due to a lack of information about the irradiated steel element (initial 59Co quantity in particular), an iterative process was developed and used. It allows to evaluate missing information and to calculate corrected DPA results in samples. Besides, stress tests were carried out to check the robustness of the process and the uniqueness of DPA result for each sample. This work was carried out by CEA/SERMA with the financial support of EDF.

Glycerol carbonate synthesis via transesterification of enriched glycerol and dimethyl carbonate using a Li-incorporated MCM-41 framework.

Waste crude glycerol was successfully enriched and utilized as an inexpensive source for producing value-added chemicals, such as glycerol carbonate (GC) - a valuable compound with extensive industrial applications. The Li/MCM-41 heterogeneous catalyst was synthesized and used for the transesterification of enriched glycerol and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) to produce GC. The catalyst's physicochemical properties were characterized using thermogravimetric, Hammett indicator, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Reaction conditions were optimized using response surface methodology and analysis of variance, yielding an accurate quadratic model to predict the GC yield under different transesterification variables. The results revealed that 5%Li/MCM-41 served as the optimal catalyst, achieving the highest TOF of 4.72 h-1. The DMC: enriched glycerol molar ratio had the greatest impact on the GC yield, with an R2 = 0.9743 and adjusted R2 = 0.9502. The optimal GC yield (58.77%) with a final purity of 78% was attained at a 5.15 wt% catalyst loading relative to the initial amount of enriched glycerol, DMC: enriched glycerol molar ratio of 4.24 : 1, and a reaction temperature of 86 °C for 165 min. The 5%Li/MCM-41 heterogeneous catalyst could be reused for four cycles with a decreased GC yield from 58.77% to 45.72%. Thus, the Li/MCM-41 catalyst demonstrated a remarkable efficiency and potential as a heterogeneous catalyst for synthesizing GC. This method not only contributes to environmental sustainability by making use of a byproduct from biodiesel production but also aligns with the principles of a circular economy.

Investigation of catalytic activation of peroxydisulfate on cu-doped mesoporous silica-based particles (Cu-BMS) for efficient degradation of methylene blue

The Cu-doped mesoporous silica-based particles (Cu-BMS) were prepared using an evaporation-induced self-assembly sol-gel procedure as a heterogeneous catalyst for the activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS). The formation of well-organized mesoporous structures with amorphous nature and high surface area of 286 m2/g was demonstrated. The catalytic activity of Cu-BMS in the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) and the effects of operating parameters, including Cu-BMS dosage, initial PDS amount, initial MB concentration, temperature and initial pH, were investigated in details. The Cu-BMS demonstrated a remarkable catalytic activity (93.5% degradation efficiency within 60 min) and good stability.