Amount Of Mn Research Articles

Investigation on the thermal expansion behavior of FeCoNi and Fe30Co30Ni30Cr10-xMnx high entropy alloys

This work investigates the thermal expansion behaviors of Fe30Co30Ni30Cr10-xMnx High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) (x = 0, 5, 10 at.%) from 400 K to 1200 K. Interestingly, comparing to that of Cantor alloy, a decrease in Cr and Mn in Co–Cr–Fe–Mn–Ni system could significantly decrease the thermal expansion coefficient by 45.2%; Fe30Co30Ni30Cr10-xMnx (x = 0, 5, 10) also showed an abrupt change in thermal expansion behaviors similar to that of Invar alloys. Experimental and theoretical analysis suggest the abrupt change in thermal expansion behaviors of these HEAs were associated with the transition from ferromagnetism to paramagnetism, and these alloys appear to exhibit the dimensional stability of the Invar effect. Since the Invar effect is related to ferromagnetic properties, the amount of Cr and Mn in the HEAs would influence the suppression of thermal expansion due to different intensity of anti-ferromagnetic coupling effect. This research contributes to the understanding of the thermal expansion behaviors of Co–Cr–Fe–Mn–Ni high entropy alloys and the effects of antiferromagnetic elements.

Effect of flue gas components on the NO removal and element mercury oxidation performance of Mn-modified low-temperature catalyst

Abstract The development of a low-temperature water and sulfur-resistant catalyst with high efficiency of NO removal and element mercury Hg(0) oxidation performance is one of the main directions for the synergistic removal of multiple pollutants from flue gas. The transition metal Mn is used to modify the V-W/Ti catalyst to prepare a modified Mn-SCR catalyst. The effects of Mn loading and complex flue gas components (SO2, H2O and HCl) on the modified catalysts activity were investigated on a small fixed-bed experimental bench, respectively. As the Mn loading increases, the acid sites on the catalyst surface are significantly enhanced, the window of NO removal temperature is significantly widened, and the Hg(0) oxidation performance is nearly 100%. The optimal loading amount of Mn is 0.2(Mn/Ti, mol). When the Mn loading exceeds 0.2, the particles on the catalyst surface sinter, and the specific surface area decreases. However, little difference is observed in catalyst activity. When SO2 and H2O are present in the flue gas, dual-action catalyst activity can be significantly suppressed, but the effect of H2O on catalyst activity is greater than that of SO2. With the increase of the HCl concentration from 0 ppm to 50 ppm, the oxidation efficiency of Hg(0) and the removal efficiency of NO increased slightly.

Effect of Mn content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–6Li–4Zn-xMn alloys

The as-cast Mg–6Li–4Zn-xMn alloys were prepared and extruded at 280 ​°C with an extrusion ratio of 25:1. The effects of Mn content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–6Li–4Zn-xMn alloys were investigated in this study. The XRD results show that Mg–6Li–4Zn–xMn alloys consisted of α-Mg (hcp) ​+ ​β-Li (bcc) duplex structured matrix, MgLi2Zn and Mn phases. The grains of the extruded Mg–6Li–4Zn–xMn alloys were refined by dynamic recrystallization during the extrusion process. The EBSD results show that the extruded alloys had basal textures. The grain size of the extruded alloys decreased while the basal texture was strengthened with the increasing Mn addition. The TEM results show that a large amount of nanoscale Mn precipitates existed in the extruded Mg–6Li–4Zn–1.2Mn alloy, which can effectively inhibit the dynamic recrystallized (DRXed) grains growth during the hot extrusion and is beneficial to the improvement of mechanical properties. Mg–6Li–4Zn–1.2Mn alloy in this research possesses the best mechanical properties with the ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of 321 ​MPa, 250 ​MPa, respectively.

Synthesis of biomass-derived carbon aerogel/MnOx composite as electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors

Synthesis of economical and high-performance carbon materials from biomass has been seen as an emerging strategy for energy storage devices. In this work, using radish as the raw material, a facile method for the synthesis of 3D carbon aerogels incorporated with MnOx nanoparticles has been developed. At a suitable impregnation amount of Mn(NO3)2, MnOx nanoparticles with a diameter of around 110 nm grow uniformly on the surface of the carbon aerogel, during which ordered carbon structures can be formed and results in an increase in the graphitization degree. The cross-linked 3D dimensional carbon structure and uniform growth of MnOx nanoparticles are beneficial to the electrochemical performance of the carbon aerogel/MnOx composite as electrode materials in supercapacitor applications. The carbon aerogel/MnOx composite impregnated with 1.6 mmol Mn(NO3)2 and activated under CO2 atmosphere (CAC@MnOx-1.6) reached the highest gravimetric specific capacitance of 557 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 in the three-electrode system using 2 M KOH as the electrolyte. In a two-electrode system, a high gravimetric specific capacitance of 447 F g−1 was obtained using the CAC@MnOx-1.6-based electrode, and the power density reached 4786.44 W kg−1 at an energy density of 248.23 Wh kg−1 with a current density of 1 A g−1 in the voltage range of -1~1 V.

Soil acidification enhances the mobilization of phosphorus under anoxic conditions in an agricultural soil: Investigating the potential for loss of phosphorus to water and the associated environmental risk

Soil redox potential (EH) and pH are key parameters regulating the solubility and fate of phosphorus (P). However, the impact of soil acidification on the redox-induced mobilization and speciation of P in soils under a wide range of EH values has not been extensively studied. Here, we investigated the mobilization and speciation of P in an acidified agricultural soil at two different pH values (e.g., highly acidic soil; pH = 5.6 and slightly acidic soil; pH = 6.1) compared to the un-acidified soil (control soil; pH = 7.3) under a wide range of EH condition (+459 to −281 mV). The impacts of EH/pH-dependent changes of Fe-Mn oxides, and dissolved organic (DOC) and inorganic (DIC) carbon on P mobilization and speciation were also investigated using geochemical and spectroscopic (X-ray absorption near edge structure) techniques. The concentrations of dissolved P under anoxic conditions increased up to 69.3% in the highly acidic soil compared with the control soil. The decrease of the Fe-P fraction, the decrease of Ferrihydrite-Pads speciation, and the strong linear correlation between the dissolved P and Fe2+ (R2 > 0.85) supports the finding that enhanced P mobilization under anoxic conditions may be attributed to Fe reduction in the highly acidic soil. The concentration of dissolved Fe and P remained low until pH dropped below 6.35 for P and 6.28 for Fe, while a liner increase was found in dissolved Mn accompanying a general trend of pH decrease. This result suggests that the dissolution of reducible Mn under acidic soil conditions was an important factor for enhancing mobilization of dissolved P under anoxic conditions. This trend was due to the low amount of Mn, indirectly speeding up Fe reduction. These results can help to develop management practices to effectively mitigate P export and protect water resources from diffuse P pollution.

Spin glass behavior and oxidative catalytic property of Zn2MnO4 from a metathesis driven metastable precursor

The reaction of chloride salts of zinc and manganese with NaOH yielded a cubic spinel structured metastable precursor at room temperature, driven mainly by the salt elimination process's energetics. While classical drying processes failed to produce the monophasic oxide, recrystallization under the hydrothermal conditions yielded Zn2MnO4 in nano dimensions. The sample consisted of crystallites with an average 6 nm size and had a lattice dimension of 8.396 (13) Å. The selected area electron diffraction pattern reiterated the occurrence of cubic inverse spinel. The presence of fingerprint (A1g and F2g) modes of an inverse spinel at 663 and 561 cm−1 in the Raman spectrum further supported our finding. The TEM-EDS analysis confirmed the ratio of Zn: Mn as 1.95:1. The sample showed an optical bandgap of 2.54 eV. X-ray photoelectron spectral analysis established the existence of manganese in the IV oxidation state. The presence of Mn (IV) with small amounts of Mn (III) (up to 20%) was confirmed from the electron paramagnetic spectra recorded at room temperature and 77 K. An average oxidation state of 3.85 was deduced from the chemical redox titration experiments. The pseudocapacitive behavior of the sample was evident in cyclic voltammetric experiments. The sample exhibited paramagnetic behavior at 298 K within the applied magnetic field of ±50 kOe. In the temperature-dependent measurements, the zero-field and field cooled data points of Zn2MnO4 diverged at 13 K, suggesting a spin-glass behavior. An effective magnetic moment of 4.31 BM was deduced for the sample. The inverse spinel effectively catalyzed the oxidation of phenol. It facilitated nearly 100% degradation of bisphenol-A to salicylaldehyde and phenylethyl alcohol (as major products) in the presence of H2O2 and at a pH of 9.

Effects of various treatment procedures and pulse power modes on the photoelectric efficiency of Ti-PEO photocatalysts

In this study, various treatment methods were developed to achieve suitable structural phase control for the oxide layer of Ti plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) photocatalysts to improve their photoelectric conversion efficiency. To achieve the aforementioned purpose and to increase the doping efficiency, a three-stage PEO manufacturing procedure was developed and applied. In the first stage, the porous morphology and specific structural phases of a pretreated layer were controlled for doping preparation. In the second stage, doping elements were added into the surface and pores of the pretreated layer using the impregnation method. Finally, in the third stage, PEO was performed with different control parameters. The treatment factors in this study were the amount of manganese ion impregnation; the porosity, pore diameter, crystal structure, and carrier used in the treatment process; and the applied power mode. The effects of structural phase control, the Mn+ impregnation concentration, and the applied power modes on the carrier concentration were studied. The results indicated that the designed treatment method can effectively control the characteristics of oxide layers. By applying the impregnation method, the doping amount of Mn+ was increased more than five-fold compared with that in the single-step PEO treatment. Furthermore, to understand the treatment mechanism, the absorption spectrum, doping efficiency, Mn+ distribution, and mass transfer mechanism (of anions and cations) were investigated under direct, pulsed unipolar, and pulsed bipolar current. Finally, the functioning of the manufactured Mn: TiO2 (PEO) photocatalyst was verified with toluene under ultraviolet A, blue, and white LED light.

Preparation of Metal Modified onto Biochar from Hazardous Waste for Arsenic Removal.

Use of urban sludge, hospital sludge, and aquatic product sludge as a biochar adsorbent from wastewater treatment plants was investigated. Microwave carbonization was used to carbonize the sludge and then chemically activated at high temperatures to increase porosity and surface area. Effective of arsenic adsorption in water presents a newly designed metal doped to biochar. The biochar was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm analyzer (BET), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Results display uniform pore sizes and high surface area (>490 m²g-1) of the biochar. Thence, urban sludge, hospital sludge, and aquatic product sludge can be used as carbon sources. The highest amount of Fe, Mn, and Ni loading onto the biochar was determined to be 8.0%, 6.0% and 10.0%, respectively. All biochar samples have arsenic adsorption capacities positively correlated with initial concentration. The corresponding removal efficiency of As(V) is 98% and As(III) is 84% at pH 3 with an adsorption capacity of 4.12 and 3.6 mg g-1, respectively. The adsorption capacity of As(V) and As(III) clearly decreased in the presence of PO₄3- (2.34 and 1.46 mg g-1, respectively). Due to competition for adsorption sites, the PO₄3- can effectively reduce arsenic adsorption. The arsenic species adsorption-desorption recycles on biochar are also discussed.

Heavy Metal Content Screening in Leaves and Flowers of Hypericum montbretii Spach. by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Atomic absorption spectrometry facilitates the reliable determination of mineral content during pharmaceutical quality control of medicinal plants. In the present work, measurable amounts of Fe, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na and Zn were detected in the leaves and flowers of Hypericum montbretii Spach. through atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean heavy metal content in the flowers and leaves of H. montbretii Spach. was, in descending order, Ca > Mg > K > Mn> Na. Ca was present in higher concentrations in the leaves (10252.75 ppm) and flowers (7321.94 ppm) of titled plant. Our results reveal that flowers are less suitable as target plant parts for metal accumulation than leaves.

Effects of natural hard shell particles on physical, chemical, mechanical and thermal properties of composites

Shelled herbal foods are widely consumed. The evaluation of the shells of these foods is important due to their features such as low cost, ease of recycling and environmental friendliness. In this study, hazelnut shell (HS), pistachio shell (PS), and apricot kernel shell (AKS) were brought to powder particles by grinding to dimensions of 300–425 µm. Some of the powder particles were converted into ash at 900°C. The amounts of cellulose, ash, humidity, and metal in these particles via chemical analyses were determined, while their structural properties via X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. Composite materials were produced by adding 15 wt.% to the polyester matrix material from these powder particles and ashes. Compression strength, hardness, specific weight, and thermal conductivity of these composites were analyzed. The lowest and highest humidity, ash, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin ratios in powders showed differences depending on the type of powders. The amount of Sn and K in the HS, PS, and AKS powders were close to each other, while the amount of Ca, Na, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Si was higher in AKS powder. The reinforcement adding to the polyester increased the compression strength, hardness, specific weight and thermal conductivity properties.

Preparation of Si–Mn/biochar composite and discussions about characterizations, advances in application and adsorption mechanisms

A novel Si–Mn binary modified biochar composite material (SMBC) was prepared after being sintered 450 °C for 2 h. The crystal structure, surface functional groups, surface morphology and element composition, specific surface area and pore structure were characterized by XRD, FTIR, XPS, SEM + EDS and BET etc. The results showed that the surface of SMBC was rough and loose, and the specific surface area increased to 35.4284 m2/g. Si and Mn were uniformly attached to the surface of biochar in the form of SiO2, MnOx, MnSiO3. Batch adsorption experiments showed that SMBC had a higher removal efficiency (139.06 mg/g, above 98%) for Cu(II) when the dosage was 2 g/L and pH = 6. The cycle experiments showed that SMBC had good reusability, and its regeneration efficiency still reached 80.24%. The leaching amount of Mn (0.65 mg/L) was greatly reduced and avoid second-pollution resulted from ion exchange, which was attributed to the existence of Si–O–Mn bonds, and they could help Mn adhere to the surface of biochar more stable. The adsorption process was dominated by single-layer chemical adsorption and mainly occurred in the membrane diffusion stage. Cu(II) mainly formed -COOCu, -OCu, Cu(OH)2, Cu(OH)2CO3, Si–O–Cu, Mn–O–Cu by the mechanisms such as precipitation (4.74%), ion exchange (13.81%), complexation and physical adsorption (total 81.45% of the two mechanisms). Among them, complexation was dominant in the adsorption process.

The influence of preferred habitat and daily range of the European hare on its contamination by heavy metals: a case study from the West Carpathians.

The Spišská Magura mountain range, located in the Middle Spiš, is one of the regions in Slovakia most contaminated by heavy metals resulting from mining and smelting activities. Heavy metals and other potentially toxic elements have accumulated in mountain areas via atmospheric transport. The influence of the daily range size of the European hare on its contamination by heavy metals was investigated in three habitat types (forest, woodland edge, meadow) in the Spišská Magura mountain range in the West Carpathians. Individual hares (n = 21) were traced and located by GPS following snowfall. Pair samples of their faeces (n = 64) and food (n = 64) were collected from feeding sites. The maps created were used for determination of the size of the daily range as being small or large. All hares that have a small daily range avoid meadows and open spaces due to the higher predation risk. However, individuals with a large daily range feed in all habitats, including meadows. Hares with a small daily range in a forest habitat ingested higher amounts of bio-elements Ca, Cr, S, and Mn as well as higher amounts of heavy metals Ba and Pb than hares with a large daily range. Moreover, dominant hares with a small daily range, with access to abundant food sources in a forest habitat, may gradually take on higher levels of bio-elements including heavy metals that are present in their food source. In contrast, in the woodland edge, hares with a small daily range had a smaller concentration of Ca, Cr, Mn, S, Ba, and Pb compared to hares with a large daily range. Caecotrophy plays a very significant role as far as the intake of nutrients and other elements is concerned. We found significant dependence between concentrations of the elements Cr, S, Ba, Pb, and Cd in the food of European hares and in their faeces.

Heavy metal accumulation by roadside vegetation and implications for pollution control.

Vehicular emissions cause heavy metal pollution and exert negative impacts on environment and roadside vegetation. Wild plants growing along roadsides are capable of absorbing considerable amounts of heavy metals; thus, could be helpful in reducing heavy metal pollution. Therefore, current study inferred heavy metal absorbance capacity of some wild plant species growing along roadside. Four different wild plant species, i.e., Acacia nilotica L., Calotropis procera L., Ricinus communis L., and Ziziphus mauritiana L. were selected for the study. Leaf samples of these species were collected from four different sites, i.e., Control, New Lahore, Nawababad and Fatehabad. Leaf samples were analyzed to determine Pb2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Mn2+ and Fe3+ accumulation. The A. nilotica, Z. mauritiana and C. procera accumulated significant amount of Pb at New Lahore site. Similarly, R. communis and A. nilotica accumulated higher amounts of Mn, Zn and Fe at Nawababad and New Lahore sites compared to the rest of the species. Nonetheless, Z. mauritiana accumulated higher amounts of Ni at all sites compared with the other species included in the study. Soil surface contributed towards the uptake of heavy metals in leaves; therefore, wild plant species should be grown near the roadsides to control heavy metals pollution. Results revealed that wild plants growing along roadsides accumulate significant amounts of heavy metals. Therefore, these species could be used to halt the vehicular pollution along roadsides and other polluted areas.

Ecotoxicology of alpine streams in the West Carpathians-Alpine Bullhead (Cottus poecilopus) and high mountain flash flood effects.

Flash floods represent a serious threat to wildlife, water biota, and human life in pre-alpine regions, particularly in recent historical memory. The alpine bullhead is an established bioindicator of water quality in mountain streams, which can be adversely affected by an increased propensity for flash flooding. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of flash flooding on the variation of chemical elements found in the skull of alpine bullheads, with a focus on inter-annual effects. Their bone tissue reflects an increased concentration of K and Cl and a decreased concentration of biogenic Cr, Zn, and Mo, absorbed mainly through the gills, for up to 2 years following a flood. During autumn, following a summer flash flood, the amount of Mn and Fe present in skull tissues of fish was found to have increased, tapering off again over the following year. These metals are predominantly ingested by bullheads while feeding. The lack of specific types of biogenic concentration in the water may be critical to the definition of presence/absence patterns, as populations were shown to decline 2 to 3 years post-flood. Pre-alpine streams are particularly susceptible to this type of flooding. The decreases in biogenic elements and increase of K and Cl exhibited in bullhead tissues indicate that a negative ecological footprint due to flash floods can still be observed several years following the event.

Hydroxyapatite nanophases augmented with selenium and manganese ions for bone regeneration: Physiochemical, microstructural and biological characterization

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanopowders with different manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se) contents with Mn/Ca and Se/P molar ratio of 1 mol%, 2.5 mol% and 5 mol% were synthesized by wet-co-chemical precipitation method. The results revealed that with either Mn or Se doping, ion-substituted apatite phase was achieved with good crystallographic features. The combined evidence obtained from spectrometric techniques revealed that nanocrystalline HAP was effectively doped with Mn and Se ions, where Se in form of SeO32− replaced PO43− and Mn2+ replaced Ca2+. Mn and Se doped HAP samples exhibited rod-like and needle-like morphology with strong tendency to form agglomerates. HAP enriched with Mn and Se represented a strong antibacterial effect and also showed prominent blood compatibility. From the biocompatibility testing, it was evident that Mn and Se doped HAP augmented the osteoblasts adhesion, migration and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. To conclude from this study, it is clearly evident that the doping amount of both Mn and Se ions can determine the size and morphology of the final HAP product. Therefore, Mn and Se HAP nanopowders with molar ratio less than 5 mol% without any heat treatment can provide good crystallographic features to HAP with satisfying micro-structural, thermal and biological properties.

Contrasted growth response of hybrid larch (Larix × marschlinsii), jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) to wood ash application in northwestern Quebec, Canada

The use of wood ash as a soil amendment in afforestation and reforestation efforts is increasing. While most studies suggest benefits or neutral results on tree growth and survival, a few studies indicate adverse effects. Hybrid larch, jack pine and white spruce were studied at three northwestern Quebec plantation sites after they received wood ash at two application rates. Soil chemical properties, foliar nutrients and seedling growth and mortality were monitored over a period of eight years. The response of soil to ash application was mostly observed in the forest floor and was more pronounced in year 3 than year 8, likely due to the acidifying nature of the boreal soils studied. Jack pine growth increased linearly with wood ash application rates, white spruce growth showed an inconsistent and delayed positive response under the higher application rate, and hybrid larch growth and survival were either increased or decreased under the lower application rate depending of site but decreased at all sites under the higher application rate. The divergence in growth response between tree species underlines a trade-off between species with rapid acquisition of resources (e.g., pine, larch) to species that use more conservative strategies and store nutrients in their tissues for longer periods (e.g., spruce). In the case of hybrid larch, it accumulated larger amounts of Mn in its needles under the higher application rate and thus, the high bioavailability of Mn appears to have been detrimental to its survival and growth. Its higher sensitivity to Mn addition from ash is likely due to its highly acquisitive (nutrients) nature compared to other coniferous species as well as the initial levels of available Mn levels in the soil. The contrasted growth responses reported here under similar growing conditions highlight the importance of identifying suitable species, sites and application rates to maximize the benefits of wood ash amendments for future tree plantations in the boreal forest.

Seabirds enrich Antarctic soil with trace metals in organic fractions

Coastal areas of Antarctica are subjected to anthropic contamination from around the world by trace metals biotransported and accumulated by seabird excrements. To explore this hypothesis, this study investigated the influence of seabirds on the contents of trace metals in soil organic fractions from Antarctica under different climatic conditions and from different parent materials. For this, soil profiles from the Maritime Antarctica region were selected based on the criteria of ornithogenesis, parent material, and climate. The contents of C, N, and selected metals (Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) were analysed in the organic matter associated with minerals (MAOM), the particulate fraction (POM), and in the total soil (MAOM + POM). The ornithogenic soils presented the highest amounts of C and N in the soil, MAOM, and POM as compared to nonornithogenic soils. Seabird activity resulted in an enrichment of Pb, Zn, and Cu. Among these biotransported metals, Cu and Zn seem to originate from natural biogenic processes in marine food chains, unlike Pb, which seems to come from anthropogenic sources. The soils developed from igneous rocks presented higher amounts of Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Sr in the soil, MAOM, and POM than soils from sedimentary rocks. The climate had no clear effect on most metals. Hence, seabirds enrich soils, MAOM, and POM with Cu, Zn, and Pb, whereas the amounts of Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Sr are mainly lithogenic, associated with the parent material. Monitoring biotransported trace metals in ornithogenic soils is of great importance, since they can create environmental toxicity to terrestrial plants and animals and can influence the food chain in the coastal areas of Antarctica.

Effects of environmental factors on release amount of heavy metal and structure of microbial community in sediments

In this study, the effects of environmental factors including overlying water flow rate and solution pH on heavy metal release and microbial community structure were investigated. Five sediments were collected from the Xiangjiang River to measure heavy metal concentrations and evaluate the contamination status. The average concentrations of As and Cd in the sediments were higher than the standard value, and the contamination status of the sediments stood at a very high ecological hazards level. A pollutant release device was used to study the effects of overlying water flow rate and solution pH on heavy metal release. Results revealed that the heavy metal release amount increased with the increase of flow rate and decrease of solution pH values, while the process of heavy metal release from sediment to water is long and slow, and the maximum amount of Mn was only 7.50 μg/(g·d). Moreover, high-throughput sequencing technology was used in this study to investigate the microbial community diversity of collected sediments and experimental samples. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria and Nitrospirae were the main species for all samples. With the increasing of the flow rates, relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes gradually increased, while it formed uniformly negative associations with other microbial communities. When the solution pH increased from 6.0 to 9.0, it had a negative effect on the diversity of Proteobacteria and positive effect on other microorganisms. This research provides theoretical basis and microbiological data for in situ remediation of heavy metal-contaminated sediments in the future.

Diet Quality: A Neglected Parameter in Children With Food Allergies. A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background-Objective: With recent evidence suggesting that growth is no longer considered a major issue in children with food allergies (FA) on elimination diet, priority has shifted to diet quality to establish healthy eating patterns and prevent non-communicable diseases. The Diet Quality Index – International (DQI-I) could be useful for assessing the overall diet quality of FA-children. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of elimination diet on DQI-I in children with FA and the accuracy of DQI-I in reflecting nutrient intake.Materials-methods: In a prospective, cross-sectional, cohort study of FA-children (2–14 years), nutritional intake was evaluated using a 7-day food frequency questionnaire, 24-h dietary recall, and the DQI-I.Results: Of the 76 children recruited, 44.7% had multiple allergies. Mean overall DQI-I score was 52 points, with only 28% of participants having good overall DQI-I (≥60 points). DQI-I moderation and balance were the most affected domains. Participants with multiple allergies had higher DQI-I moderation and balance and lower vitamin D and Ca intake. Compared to toddlers, schoolchildren had higher DQI-I variety and lower moderation and received higher vitamin B2, vitamin B12, Ca, P, and Zn. The number of allergies, age, and milk avoidance were independently associated with adjusted DQI-I moderation and balance, energy, and certain micronutrient intake. Higher percentages of participants with good DQI-I received adequate amounts of Mn and vitamins A, B6, C, and folate than those with poor DQI-I.Conclusions: In children with FA on elimination diet, the DQI-I accurately captured the deflection of diet quality related to the development of chronic, non-communicable diseases through its moderation and balance components. This is DQI-I's main purpose as a healthy diet indicator and as such it would be a useful tool responding to the needs of the contemporary shifting of priorities in FA-children's diet from quantity to quality. Nevertheless, it does not accurately reflect the intake of certain micronutrients potentially compromised by elimination diets. Therefore, regular nutritional assessment utilizing both the DQI-I and tools assessing individual nutrient intakes along with professional nutrition counseling should be integral parts of the individualized management of children with FA to ensure adequate nutrient intake and establish healthy dietary patterns.

Innovating new methods for wastewater treatment in El-Dakhla Oasis in Upper Egypt from chemical and biological pollutants using modified Down Flow Hanging Sponge (DHS) reactor in presence of new environmental friendly chelator

Modified Down Flow Hanging Sponge (DHS) reactor will be a smart water treatment technology in the near future. It has advantages like low cost, ease of use and satisfaction level. One of the major geoenviromental problems in El-Dakhla region arises from the hazards exploitation of groundwater resources and sewage dumping which have resulted in waste water accumulation in the form of ponds. The most common pollutants are heavy metals, organic residue and microbes. The reactor was used for excellent removal of notorious heavy metals, organic pollutants and harmful microbes. In order to achieve these objectives, treatment scheme has been investigated. It consists of mixing new organic chelator with wastewater in different concentrations followed by a Down Flow Hanging Sponge (DHS) reactor. The residual values of heavy metals were (Mn) amount decreased from 1.00 ppm to zero ppm (100%) after 60 min.,(Fe) decreases from 0.997 ppm to zero ppm (100%) after 60 min. (Cd) decreased from 0.901 ppm to zero ppm (100%) after 60 min. (Cu) decreased from 1.1 ppm to zero ppm (100%) after 60 min. (Pb) decreases from 1.004 ppm to zero ppm (100%) after 60 min. (Ni) decreased from 0.922 ppm to 0 ppm (100%) after 60 min. The results show that removals of fecal coliforms were achieved. From the results of DHS effluent, fecal coliforms decreased from 5.2x106 to 200 and the overall removal efficiency of fecal coliforms was (99.99%) at 37Co.