Application Of Ultrasonication Research Articles

Extraction of indium-tin oxide from end-of-life LCD panels using ultrasound assisted acid leaching

In this report, indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-layer extraction from end-of-life (EOL) Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) was discussed by sulfuric acid leaching with simultaneous application of ultrasonication on the ITO-side of glass/ITO panels, exhibiting various dimensions. Applying this technique presents several advantages compared to the traditional leaching process such as fast and controllable kinetics, high extraction yield of indium and tin, selective recovery of these two metals possible, and the opportunity to recycle the neat glass separately avoiding additional separation processes. ITO-dissolution kinetics from EOL LCD panels were investigated as function of leaching time and acidity of sulfuric acid. At a temperature of 60°C, a nearly quantitative indium yield was obtained using an acid concentration of 18mol/L by simultaneous application of ultrasonication, whereas only 70% were recovered in the absence of ultrasound. Results from ICP-AES agreed well with SEM/BSE observations demonstrating the high efficiency of the ultrasound assisted process since only 3–4min were required to obtain maximum ITO recovery.

Suspension Stability of Nano-Au and Nano-Ag Colloids Prepared by Electrical Spark Discharge Method

In this study, the electrical spark discharge method (ESDM) was used to prepare nano-Au and -Ag colloids. Magnetic stirring and ultrasonication methods were applied to explore the influence of preparation methods on the suspension stability of nano-metal particles. The ESDM was applied under standardized conditions. No chemical substance was added other than deionized water and metals. During the comparison experiment, the nano-characteristics, namely the surface plasmon resonance, absorbance, and zeta potential, of the nano-Au and -Ag colloids prepared using ultrasonication were all found to be superior to those of analogous colloids prepared using magnetic stirring. In addition, the SEM images indicated that the colloids were all nano-scale products. A number of days after the precipitation experiment, irrespective of the application of magnetic stirring or ultrasonication, the SPR for the nano-Au colloids all stabilized at approximately 520 nm, and the values for the nano-Ag stabilized at approximately 392 nm. Additionally, the peak SPR values of nano-Au and -Ag prepared with ultrasonication were higher than the values for the same colloids prepared with magnetic stirring. Regarding absorbance, the values for the nano-Au and -Ag colloids prepared with ultrasonication were higher, suggesting that the products prepared with ultrasonication tend to have higher concentrations.

Particle Engineering of an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient for Improved Micromeritic Properties

AbstractA range of particle‐engineering techniques were applied to modify unfavorable bulk solid properties of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), with the solid‐state form of the compound remaining constant. The compound under investigation has been crystallized as needle‐like particles, which lead to poor powder‐flow properties, ineffective processing, and problematic formulation behavior. The results show that design and optimization of a cooling crystallization procedure as well as application of alternative approaches, i.e., spherical agglomeration, additive‐controlled crystallization, or ultrasonication, can improve the solid‐state properties of the studied compound. The improvements were quantified by measuring bulk density and flowability, and by comparing the jet‐milling behavior.

Optimizing the removal of pharmaceutical drugs Carbamazepine and Dorzolamide from aqueous solutions using mesoporous activated carbons and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Several experiments were carried out to study the efficiency of mesoporous activated carbons (Meso-AC) and as-synthetized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (intermittently MWCNTs or CNTs) to remove two pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), Carbamazepine (CZ) and Dorzolamide (DA), from artificially contaminated waters. In order to optimize the removal efficiency of the tested carbonaceous materials, the influence of varying key parameters was evaluated, including exposure time (up to 30h), temperature (15–45°C), solution pH (2−10), as well as the application of ultrasonication (0–120min). The efficiency of the adsorption process was linked to the porous structure of the materials (pore volumes of 0.438, 0.062 and 0.423cm3/g, respectively for Meso-AC 1 and 2, and CNT). Optimum removal capacities were recorded at pH between 6 and 8 for both adsorbents and PhACs. The application of ultrasound helped enhancing the removal capacities of CZ and DA for the case of MWCNTs (21 and 30% improvement). However, the impact on the activated carbons was unfavorable. The Brouers-Sotolongo equation was the best fitting isotherm model (99.5–99.9% correlation coefficients). The highest removal capacities were registered using MWCNT (224.6mg/g for CZ and 78.8mg/g for DA), which are highly efficient performances, when compared with other adsorbents reported in the literature.

Studies on browning inhibition technology and mechanisms of fresh-cut potato

Potato is rich in nutrition and easily gets surface browning in short term after fresh-cut processing, significantly reducing its commercial value. In this article, fresh-cut potatoes were treated with L-cysteine (L-cys), citric acid (CA), ascorbic acid (AA), and ultrasonication. The response surface analysis was used to determine the best browning-inhibiting treatment. The optimum condition to inhibit browning was the solution containing 0.06% L-cys, 0.19% CA, and 0.09% AA plus with 130 W ultrasonication. Under this condition, the browning degree (BD) of fresh-cut potato after 15 days storage was 3.32 ± 0.06, which was closed to the predicted value. Moreover, the BD, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase activities of treated potatoes were significantly lower than those of untreated potatoes. In summary, the browning process of fresh-cut potatoes was inhibited, and the sensory quality was improved with the optimal antibrowning treatment. Practical applications The optimal browning-inhibiting formula was determined by the response surface method. The application of antibrowning agents and ultrasonication efficiently inhibited the activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, increasing shelf life and consumers' acceptability during the process of raw potato products. The optimized antibrowning treatment is safe, economic and applicable, which can be used to slow down the browning of fresh-cut potato theoretically and technically.

Effect of Ultra-sonication Treatment on the Quality Characteristics of Baked Eggs.

The effect of ultra-sonication on quality characteristics and flavor of baked eggs was studied. One hundred and twenty eggs were cooked and assigned to six treatments groups (n=20 each) that were then soaked in saline solution at various concentrations (5, 10 and 18%) with/or without further ultra-sonication treatment at 35 kHz for 1 h. The pH values were lower in the ultra-sonicated samples in comparison with the non-ultra-sonicated samples (p<0.05). The values for texture traits were higher in the samples soaked in 10% saline solution with ultra-sonication in comparison with other remaining treatments or control (p<0.05). The sodium content in samples soaked in 10% saline solution with ultra-sonication was similar to that of the ones soaked in 18% saline solution without ultra-sonication. The higher flavor scores were also given for the ultra-sonicated samples in comparison with the control or non-ultra-sonicated ones. These results suggest that the application of ultra-sonication may produce a faster sodium penetration into baked eggs, simultaneously improves some textural traits (e.g., hardness) as well as flavor of the products.

Application of Ultrasonication and Hybrid Bioreactor for Treatment of Synthetic Textile Wastewater

AbstractThis study explores the influence of ultrasonic pretreatment on the performance of a hybrid bioreactor treating synthetic textile wastewater. The study primarily focuses on assessing the decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction efficiency of a hybrid bioreactor. The hybrid bioreactor provided anaerobic-aerobic sequential treatment to the ultrasonically pretreated textile wastewater containing two new generation diazo dyes namely, reactive black 5 (RB5) and reactive red (RR120), along with other chemical constituents. Ultrasonic pretreatment produced approximately 52% color and 48% COD reduction efficiency at an optimized power of 200 W and 180 min sonication time. For the hybrid reactor treating ultrasonically pretreated textile wastewater, a maximum of 98% COD and 92% color removal efficiencies were obtained at an HRT of 32 h [organic loading rate (OLR)=0.74 kg COD m−3d−1] and 24 h (OLR=1.0 kg COD m−3 d−1), respectively. Significant levels of aromatic amines formation were obse...

High yield ultrasonication extraction method for Undaria pinnatifida sporophyll and its anti-inflammatory properties associated with AP-1 pathway suppression

Developing efficient and eco-friendly extraction methods is a major goal of the functional food industry. We developed an ultrasonication extraction method for Undaria pinnatifida sporophyll requiring 6 h extraction time at 80% amplitude. This application of ultrasonication increases yield by 25% and decreases extraction time by approximately 18 h. Additionally, we investigated the effect of the ultrasonicated sporophyll from Undaria pinnatifida extract (UPE) on LPS-induced inflammation. Following ultrasonication, the average molecular weight decreases in comparison to conventional methods, in a similar manner to commercial fucoidan. UPE significantly suppresses lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitrite and PGE2 production and subsequently suppresses inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression in Raw 264.7 cells. Western blot assay results also demonstrate that UPE strongly suppresses LPS-induced c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2/MKK 4 and p38/MKK3/6 phosphorylation in Raw 264.7 cells. SR11302, an AP-1 specific inhibitor, suppressed LPS-induced iNOS and COX-2 expression. In addition, SiMLK3 strongly suppressed LPS-induced iNOS and COX-2 expression, as well as JNK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation in Raw 264.7 cells.Taken together, these results suggest that this ultrasonication extraction method is more efficient for extracting sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida extract, which has potent anti-inflammatory properties.

A Biofilm Pocket Model to Evaluate Different Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment Modalities in Terms of Biofilm Removal and Reformation, Surface Alterations and Attachment of Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts.

Background and AimThere is a lack of suitable in vitro models to evaluate various treatment modalities intending to remove subgingival bacterial biofilm. Consequently, the aims of this in vitro-study were: a) to establish a pocket model enabling mechanical removal of biofilm and b) to evaluate repeated non-surgical periodontal treatment with respect to biofilm removal and reformation, surface alterations, tooth hard-substance-loss, and attachment of periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts.Material and MethodsStandardized human dentin specimens were colonized by multi-species biofilms for 3.5 days and subsequently placed into artificially created pockets. Non-surgical periodontal treatment was performed as follows: a) hand-instrumentation with curettes (CUR), b) ultrasonication (US), c) subgingival air-polishing using erythritol (EAP) and d) subgingival air-polishing using erythritol combined with chlorhexidine digluconate (EAP-CHX). The reduction and recolonization of bacterial counts, surface roughness (Ra and Rz), the caused tooth substance-loss (thickness) as well as the attachment of PDL fibroblasts were evaluated and statistically analyzed by means of ANOVA with Post-Hoc LSD.ResultsAfter 5 treatments, bacterial reduction in biofilms was highest when applying EAP-CHX (4 log10). The lowest reduction was found after CUR (2 log10). Additionally, substance-loss was the highest when using CUR (128±40 µm) in comparison with US (14±12 µm), EAP (6±7 µm) and EAP-CHX (11±10) µm). Surface was roughened when using CUR and US. Surfaces exposed to US and to EAP attracted the highest numbers of PDL fibroblasts.ConclusionThe established biofilm model simulating a periodontal pocket combined with interchangeable placements of test specimens with multi-species biofilms enables the evaluation of different non-surgical treatment modalities on biofilm removal and surface alterations. Compared to hand instrumentation the application of ultrasonication and of air-polishing with erythritol prevents from substance-loss and results in a smooth surface with nearly no residual biofilm that promotes the reattachment of PDL fibroblasts.

Application of ultra-sonication, acid precipitation and membrane filtration for co-recovery of protein and humic acid from sewage sludge

A novel method was applied to co-recover proteins and humic acid from the dewatered sewage sludge for liquid fertilizer and animal feed. The proteins in sewage sludge were first extracted using the processes of ultrasonication and acid precipitation, and then the humic acid was recovered via membrane filtration. The extraction efficiency was 125.9 mg humic acid·g−1VSS volatile suspended solids (VSS) and 123.9 mg proteins·g−1 VSS at the optimal ultrasonic density of 1.5W·mL−1. FT-IR spectrum results indicated that the recovered proteins and humic acid showed similar chemical characteristic to the natural proteins and humic acid. The acidic solution (pH 2) could be recycled and used more than 10 times during the co-recovery processes. In addition, the dewatered sludge could be easily biodegraded when the humic acid and proteins are extracted, which was essential for further utilization. These findings are of great significance for recovering valuable nutrient from sewage sludge.

Optimizing Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Prodigiosin by Response Surface Methodology

Prodigiosin extraction from dried Serratia marcescens jx1 cells using ultrasound-assisted extraction was optimized. The experiment was carried out in accordance with a central composite design (CCD) three-level and single-variable approach. The extraction time, extraction temperature, and solute to solvent ratio with the application of ultrasonication were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to maximize the extraction of prodigiosin from dried S. marcescens jx1 cells. The response of prodigiosin was determined using spectrophotometry. A quadratic model was established to predict the prodigiosin extraction yield. The analysis of variance showed that the quadratic model significantly contributed to the response of prodigiosin. The optimal extraction parameters were an extraction time of 17.5 min, an extraction temperature of 23.4°C, and a solvent-to-solute ratio of 1:27.2. Under these optimum conditions, the average prodigiosin yield was 4.3 g ± 0.02 g from 100 g of dried cells, which matches the predicted values. The obtained optimum conditions for prodigiosin extraction provide a scientific basis for the economical large-scale production of prodigiosin.

Application and optimization of electric field-assisted ultrasonication for disintegration of waste activated sludge using response surface methodology with a Box–Behnken design

In the present study, an electric field is applied in order to disintegrate waste activated sludge (WAS). As a preliminary step, feasibility tests are investigated using different applied voltages of 10–100V for 60min. As the applied voltage increases, the disintegration degrees (DD) are gradually enhanced, and thereby the soluble N, P, and carbohydrate concentrations increase simultaneously due to the WAS decomposition. Subsequently, an optimization process is conducted using a response surface methodology with a Box–Behnken design (BBD). The total solid concentration, applied voltage, and reaction time are selected as independent variables, while the DD is selected as the response variable. The overall results demonstrate that the BBD with an experimental design can be used effectively in the optimization of the electric field treatment of WAS. In the confirmation test, a DD of 10.26±0.14% is recorded, which corresponds to 99.1% of the predicted response value under the statistically optimized conditions. Finally, the statistic optimization of the combined treatment (electric field+ultrasonication) demonstrated that even though this method is limited to highly disintegrated WAS when it is applied individually, a high DD of 47.28±0.20% was recorded where the TS concentration was 6780mg/l, the strength of ultrasonication was 8.0W, the applied voltage was 68.4V, and the reaction time was 44min. E-SEM images clearly revealed that the application of the electric field is a significant alternative method for the combined treatment of WAS. This study was the first attempt to increase disintegration using the electric field for a combined treatment with ultrasonication.

Composite Semiconductor Material of Carbon Nanotubes and Poly[5,5′-bis(3-dodecyl-2-thienyl)-2,2′-bithiophene] for High-Performance Organic Thin-Film Transistors

A nonpercolating network of non-covalently functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes was embedded within air-stable poly[5,5′-bis(3-dodecyl-2-thienyl)-2,2′-bithiophene] (PQT-12) thin films for the purpose of enhancing the field-effect mobility in thin-film transistors. The host polymer was used to stabilize the nanotubes in suspension through π-orbital overlap caused by simple application of ultrasonication. The stable nanotube suspension was cast into two different device architectures, both of which exhibited excellent on/off ratios ranging from 105 to 106 and dramatically improved mobilities compared with pristine PQT-12 semiconductor. A single-layer film with nanotubes embedded throughout was easy to fabricate and had mobility up to 0.34 cm2/Vs, an enhancement of over 3× compared with PQT-12. Placing the nanotubes closer to the dielectric surface in a dual-layer approach resulted in a mobility improvement of up to six times (0.58 cm2/Vs). The effects of the nanotube content on the polymer interaction within the suspension, film morphology, and electrical properties were investigated as well.

Application of low-strength ultrasonication to the continuous anaerobic digestion processes: UASBr and dry digester

In this study, the positive effects of low-strength ultrasonication (LS-ultrasonication) on the anaerobic digestion (AD) performance were investigated by continuously operating an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBr) and a dry digester. In the ultrasonicated UASBr system (1 s per min, 0.05 W/mL), ultrasonication enhanced the CH₄ production by 38% and 19% in an ambient and a mesophilic condition, respectively. In addition, a different sludge yield and a changed electron flow were observed after ultrasonication. In the ultrasonicated dry digestion system (2 s per 30 s, 0.0025 W/mL), a 40% increase in the production of CH₄ was observed after lowering the total solid content of the reactor from 12% to 10%, implying that a high solid content diminished the ultrasonic stimulation effect. Moreover, the ultrasonication strength itself appeared to be a more crucial factor than the ultrasonication density during the application of LS-ultrasonication in the AD system.

Bio-inspired ultrasound assisted construction of synthetic sponges

A porous material with a system of cavities can be considered as a sponge. The amazing mechanical, optical, electrical and sorption properties of sponge-like silicon-, carbon- and metal-based materials arose interest in novel synthetic pathways of formation of the sponges which in addition gained value in many energy and climate related issues. Here, we present a prospective bio-inspired approach to fabricate synthetic sponges via intensive ultrasonication. Ultrasound of high intensity triggers formation of cavitation bubbles in liquid in a controlled way. Cavitation happens when a rapid change in pressure occurs. Cavitation in nature occurs in fast streams, produced by some shrimps, and in the xylem of plants. Ultrasonically induced cavitation bubbles can be considered as chemical microreactors providing high temperature and pressure at the microscopic scale and trigger formation of active species (including free radicals) from dissolved molecules. In the context of chemistry, cavitation has the unique potential of locally catalyzing high-temperature (up to 5000 K) and high-pressure (several hundreds of bars) reactions, while the system remains macroscopically near room temperature and ambient pressure. Ultrasound of high intensity has already been applied for the synthesis of structured organic and inorganic materials and composites. In this review we summarize the latest achievements in the application of ultrasonication for the formation of hierarchically ordered 3-D networks (sponges). The prospects of applications of sonochemically formed composites in catalysis, optics, hydrogen storage and corrosion protection are highlighted.

폐신문지(廢新聞紙)(ONP)로부터 부유선별(浮遊選別)을 이용한 잉크분리(分離)시 초음파처리(超音波處理) 효과(效果)

재생률이 높은 폐신문지(old newspaper, ONP)를 부유선별법을 이용하여 탈묵을 진행하였을 시, 해리시간, 초음파처리에 따른 백색도, 잔류잉크농도(effective residual ink concentration, ERIC), 수율의 효과를 규명하였다. 또한 부유선별시 pH, 포수제에 따른 백색도, ERIC과 수율의 효과도 규명하였다. 해리시간이 증가할수록 백색도와 ERIC이 증가함을 보였으나 수율의 차이는 없었다. 해리시간이 30분일 때 백색도 58% ERIC 182.9 ppm이였고, 해리를 더 진행하더라도 백색도의 증가를 볼 수 없었다. 단 해리 된 ONP를 초음파발생장치를 이용하여 초음파처리를 했을 경우 단 2분의 해리시간으로도 58%이상의 백색도를 얻을 수 있었다. 초음파처리를 20분간하고, pH 11에서 포수제로 등유을 사용했을 때 백색도가 59.32%로 가장 높았다. In this study, the sonication method was applied to remove ink from old newspaper(ONP) using flotation. Results indicated increased whiteness and effective residual ink concentration (ERIC) with longer disintegration. Therefore 58% of whiteness and 182.9 ppm ERIC were obtained for 30 minutes of disintegration time without the change in yield. Longer disintegration than 30 minutes had no effects on whiteness without the application of ultra-sonication. On the other hand, higher than 58% of whiteness was achieved in 2 minutes of disintegration when the ultra-sonication was applied. The highest whiteness (59.32 %) was obtained by applying sonication for 20 minutes and froth flotation with kerosene as a collector under the alkaline condition (pH 11).

Application of Ultrasonication to High Strength Organic Wastes for Hydrogen and Methane Production

Application of Ultrasonication to High Strength Organic Wastes for Hydrogen and Methane Production

Preparation of thalidomide nano-flakes by supercritical antisolvent with enhanced mass transfer

Thalidomide treats multiple myeloma and protracts life-span of patient, but its bioavailability is limited as it is poorly water soluble. Thalidomide nano-flakes are produced to improve the drug dissolution rate. Two nanoflake production methods are utilized for a comparative study: a supercritical antisolvent (SAS) method and a supercritical antisolvent with enhanced mass transfer (SAS-EM). SAS-EM utilizes ultrasonication to improve dispersion upon injection within the supercritical carbon dioxide. Comparative study of SAS and SAS-EM thalidomide confirmed that the application of ultrasonication improved the micro/nano particles produced by SAS. The effects of ultrasound power on the formation of thalidomide particles are examined. The particle size and morphology were characterized by SEM. The thalidomide nano-flakes produced by SAS-EM were smaller than the particles produced by SAS. Dissolution rates of the produced particles, evaluated by HPLC, demonstrated an increase in the thalidomide dissolution rate for the SAS-EM produced particles. The polymorphs and crystallinity of thalidomide particles (flakes) were observed by FTIR and XRD. In this research, the supercritical processing significantly modified the crystal formation of thalidomide from an original state of a β-polymorph to the amorphous state α-polymorph after supercritical processing.

Ultrasound-assisted hydrolysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometric determination of phenolic compounds in cranberry products

An ultrasound-assisted hydrolysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometric (GC–MS) method has been developed for determination of phenolics in cranberry products. Prior to GC–MS separation and characterisation, the phenolics in samples were hydrolysed by hydrochloric acid with ultrasound-assistance, extracted with ethyl acetate, and derivatised with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA)+1% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) reagents. The application of ultrasonication significantly accelerated the acidic hydrolysation of the conjugated phenolics. A baseline separation of the 20 phenolics and internal standard was achieved in 25min. Standard calibration curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.0–50μg/mL and detection limits were 0.06–0.70μg/mL. Twenty phenolics were identified in cranberry samples and all of them occurred mainly in conjugated forms. Of those, the benzoic acid, quercetin, and myricetin were most abundant phenolics. The total phenolics were 12.4mg/g in cranberry fruits, 9.1mg/mL in 100% cranberry juice, and 11.1mg/g in cranberry sauces, respectively.

Novel Application of Ultrasonication for Enhancement of Biohydrogen and Biomethane Production from Food Waste

Novel Application of Ultrasonication for Enhancement of Biohydrogen and Biomethane Production from Food Waste