Application Of Organic Materials Research Articles

Characterization of organic materials in regulating soil carbon sequestration of urban greenspaces: Links to microbial necromass and community composition

Application of organic material is a win-win strategy that effectively boosts soil carbon (C) storage and promotes organic waste recycling in urban ecosystems. However, the divergent responses of C sequestration to organic materials and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using molecular and litterbag methods, this study examined soil organic C (SOC) content, C sequestration efficiency of organic material (CSE-organic material), microbial necromass and community composition in urban greenspaces amended with different types of organic materials. The field experiment had seven treatments: addition of green waste (GreenWaste), green waste compost (GreenWasteCompost), biogas residue (BiogasResidue), biogas residue compost (BiogasResidueCompost), peat (PEAT), biochar (BioChar), and no organic material (Control). Organic materials after 16 months application increased SOC content by 34.1–87.0% compared with the Control and presented CSE-organic material in the order: BioChar > GreenWasteCompost > PEAT > BiogasResidueCompost > GreenWaste > BiogasResidue. Aromaticity index was positively correlated with CSE-organic material, indicating that aromatic C addition had a strong capacity to enhance C sequestration. Microbial necromass increased from 2.7 g C kg−1 in the Control to 3.9–5.0 g C kg−1 under organic materials addition. Bacterial necromass was enriched in the BiogasResidue and BiogasResidueCompost treatments, primarily because of sufficient substrate that facilitated the proliferation and activity of copiotrophic Firmicutes, whereas fungal necromass was 8.8–19.1% higher in the GreenWaste, GreenWasteCompost, and PEAT treatments than that in the BiogasResidue and BiogasResidueCompost treatments, accompanying by an increasing abundance of Ascomycota. However, the contribution of microbial necromass to the increased SOC was negatively correlated with CSE-organic material, suggesting that the input of recalcitrant C weakened the role of microbial necromass in C retention. Overall, this study reveals that the efficiency of organic materials application in promoting soil C accumulation depends largely on recalcitrant C rather than microbial necromass, which highlights the important role of organic waste acting as a C source in achieving urban sustainable development.

Variations in the level of available phosphorus with changes in the status of water-soluble organic matter derived from different organic materials in soil

The combined application of organic material and phosphorus fertilizer is an effective method to enhance phosphorus use efficiency for plant growth. This is partly because the presence of water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) derived from different organic materials can enhance the level of available phosphorus in the soil; however, it is poorly understood how this level varies with changes in the WSOM status (i.e., decomposed, dissolved, and retained) in the soil depending on WSOM types. This study aimed to (i) understand how changes in the WSOM status enhances the available phosphorus level in the soil, and (ii) determine the WSOM type that contributes to such enhancement. The incubation test showed that fractions of 73%–92% and 8%–27% of WSOM-derived organic carbon were retained and dissolved, respectively, at the beginning of incubation, while 31%–45% was decomposed during the incubation period. The WSOM derived from cattle manure compost (CM) and sewage sludge compost (SSC) that was initially retained was maintained until the late stage of the incubation test, whereas that derived from hydrothermal decomposed liquid fertilizer (HDLF) was rapidly desorbed during the first 14 days of the incubation period. The available phosphorus level was higher under the combined application of CM- and SSC-derived WSOM than under the single phosphorus application throughout the incubation period, while it was high only during the first 3 days of incubation under the application of HDLF-derived WSOM. The amounts of retained organic carbon at each sampling point during the incubation period compared to those at the beginning were positively and linearly correlated to the available phosphorus levels that were enhanced by the WSOM present in the soil. This study for the first time provides quantitative experimental evidence that 1) the longer the WSOM continues to be retained, the higher the amount of available phosphorus remaining in the soil, and 2) the available phosphorus level decreases with WSOM sorption or decomposition. Furthermore, it was shown that highly humified WSOM has a great potential for the maintenance of higher available phosphorus levels. This study provides the insight that a combined application of highly humified organic materials with a chemical fertilizer is necessary for not only cost effective but also sustainable fertilization design.

Biochar Regulates the Humification of Kitchen Waste and the Effects of the Humic Acid Structure of Products on Black Soil

Kitchen waste is a misplaced resource that is characterized by a high organic matter content, high water content, and a tendency to rot easily. Biochar is a black solid substance produced under high-temperature, anaerobic conditions using agricultural organic wastes as the raw material. It possesses a large specific surface area, a loose and porous structure, and functional groups, which confer high thermal stability and strong adsorption capabilities. However, little is known about how humic products made from biochar affect the composition and structure of soil humus. To solve the above problems, this study carried out a two-year outdoor field experiment by means of element analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and differential thermal analysis (0.4 kg/m2 (W4), 0.8 kg/m2 (W8), 1.2 kg/m2 (W12), 1.6 kg/m2 (W16), and 2.0 kg/m2 (W20)); CK was the blank control (no application). The samples were collected one year and two years after they returned to the field. The results showed that the application of organic materials facilitated the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and increased the total nitrogen (TN) content. The highest SOC content in the W20 treatment was 12.39 g/kg and 14.67 g/kg in one and two years, respectively. The maximum relative HA content in the W20 treatment was 22.99% one year after returning to the field. The PQ value (the ratio of HA/(fulvic acid (FA) + HA)) for the W20 treatment was 88.21%. The W20 treatment greatly increased the SOC and humus carbon contents. Compared with the CK treatment, all the organic materials applied for one year improved the structure of the humic acid to varying degrees, increased the degree of oxidation, reduced the degree of condensation and thermal stability of the HA in the soil, and gradually simplified the structure of the humic acid; among all the treatments, the W20 treatment had the greatest effect.

Rhizosphere microbial community assembly as influenced by reductive soil disinfestation to resist successive cropping obstacle.

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD), which involves creating anaerobic conditions and incorporating large amounts of organic materials into the soil, has been identified as a reliable strategy for reducing soilborne diseases in successive cropping systems. However, limited research exists on the connections between soil microorganism composition and plant diseases under various types of organic material applications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of distinct RSD strategies (control without soil amendment; RSD with 1500 kg ha-1 molasses powder; RSD with 3000 kg ha-1 molasses powder; RSD with 3000 kg ha-1 molasses powder and 37.5-41.3 kg ha-1 microbial agent) on the plant disease index, bacterial community composition and network structure in rhizosphere soil. RSD treatments significantly reduced the occurrence of black shank disease in tobacco and increased soil bacterial diversity. High amounts of molasses powder in RSD treatments further enhanced disease inhibition and reduced fungal abundance and Shannon index. RSD also increased the relative abundance of bacterial phylum Firmicutes and fungal phylum Ascomycota, while decreasing the relative abundance of bacterial phyla Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota and fungal phylum Basidiomycota in rhizosphere soil. A multiple regression model identified bacterial positive cohesion as the primary factor influencing the plant disease index, with a greater impact than bacterial negative cohesion and community stability. The competition among beneficial bacteria for creating a healthy rhizosphere environment is likely a key factor in the success of RSD in reducing plant disease risk. RSD, especially with higher rates of molasses powder, is a viable strategy for controlling black shank disease in tobacco and promoting soil health by fostering beneficial microbial communities. This study provides guidelines for soil management and plant disease prevention. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Regulating facility soil microbial community and reducing cadmium enrichment in lettuce by reductive soil disinfestation

The accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in facility soil is attracting increasing attention. Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an effective soil disinfection method, while also having a certain passivating effect on Cd. The application of organic matter is crucial for the success of RSD, but the reduction efficiencies of different organic materials vary. Here, five treatments, namely untreated soil (CK), bean dregs (BD), peanut dregs (PD), sesame dregs (SD), and apple dregs (AD) were applied, and their performances in Cd immobilization in Cd-contaminated soil were assessed. Changes in soil properties and microbial communities were monitored. The results showed that the overall soil pH following RSD treatment decreased significantly, while organic matter, hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, exchangeable calcium, and exchangeable magnesium increased significantly. Compared to CK, the exchangeable (EX)-Cd contents after treatments SD and AD significantly decreased by 25.4% and 23.7%, respectively. RSD led to significant changes in the composition of soil microbial communities. SD treatment significantly increased the number of soil fungal operational taxonomic units (OTU), while BD, PD, and SD significantly increased the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Deinococus Thermus, and Basidiomycota in bacterial communities. The Gemmatimonadetes phylum showed a highly significant negative correlation with EX-Cd, indicating that it might have a positive effect on the fixation of Cd in polluted soil. SD significantly reduced the Cd content in the above-ground parts of lettuce by 74.76%, and had the least impact on lettuce biomass. It can be inferred that RSD is an ecologically effective method for the remediation of Cd pollution in facility soil by improving soil characteristics and altering microbial community composition to reduce Cd activity. However, further in-depth research is needed to optimize the types and amounts of organic materials applied.

Photovoltaic Molecule-Based Phototheranostics With A-D-A Structure for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Synergetic Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapy of Tumors.

Phototheranostics with near-infrared fluorescence and reactive oxygen species generation ability and high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) plays a significant role in fluorescence imaging-guided synergetic photodynamic and photothermal therapy of tumors. Here, a star molecule in organic photovoltaic materials, NCBDT-4C with an A-D-A conjugated structure, was assembled with DSPE-PEG-NH2 to prepare water dispersive nanoparticles (NPs). The prepared NCBDT-4Cl NPs exhibited a maximum NIR absorption peak at 764 nm and a maximum fluorescence peak at 798 nm. These NPs could generate superoxide anion, singlet oxygen (1O2), and heat under 808 nm laser irradiation. The 1O2 generation quantum yield and PCE of the NPs were 37.5% and 53.6%, respectively. The combination of photodynamic and photothermal therapy of cancer was demonstrated invitro and invivo. This work presents the advanced application of organic photovoltaic materials in cancer phototherapy.

Singlet-Triplet Inversions in Through-Bond Charge-Transfer States.

Molecules where the lowest excited singlet state is lower in energy than the lowest triplet are highly promising for a number of organic materials applications as efficiency limitations stemming from spin statistics are overcome. All molecules known to possess such singlet-triplet inversions exhibit a pattern of spatially alternating but nonoverlapping HOMO and LUMO orbitals, meaning the lowest excited states are of a local character. Here, we demonstrate that derivatives of the bicyclic hydrocarbon calicene exhibit Hund's rule violations in charge-transfer (CT) states between its rings. These CT states can be tuned with substituents, so that the first excited singlet and triplet state are energetically inverted. This provides a conceptual connection between the emerging fields of inverted gap molecules and existing molecular design rules for state-of-the-art thermally activated delayed fluorescence materials.

An Overview of the Soil Acidity Causes in Ethiopia, Consequences, and Mitigation Strategies

Soil acidity is a serious land degradation problem and worldwide danger, impacting approximately 50% of the world's arable soils and limiting agricultural yield. Soil acidification is a complicated series of events that lead to the production of acidic soil. In its widest sense, it can be defined as the total of natural and human processes that reduce the pH of soil solutions. Soil acidity affects around 43% of agricultural land in Ethiopia's humid and sub humid highlands. The main objective of this seminar is to highlight different literatures on the concepts of soil acidity and to give a wealth of knowledge on the causes of soil acidity, the effects it has on agricultural production, and management strategies for reducing soil acidity and raising crop yield. Acid soils in western Ethiopia are mostly caused by topsoil erosion caused by heavy rains and high temperatures. This results in the loss of organic matter and the leaching of exchangeable basic cations (Ca<sup>2+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, Na<sup>+</sup>, and K<sup>+</sup>). Because ammonium-based fertilizers are easily converted to nitrate and hydrogen ions in the soil, they play a significant role in acidification. One of the reasons of soil acidity is inefficient nitrogen usage, which is followed by alkalinity exports in crops. Soil acidity in Ethiopian highlands is mostly caused by the clearance of crop residues, continuous crop harvest without sufficient fertilization, cation removal, and usage of acid-forming inorganic fertilizers. Acid soil reduces nutrient availability and produces Al and Mn toxicity. In addition to these effects, soil acidity may rapidly degrade soil physicochemical qualities such as organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil structure, porosity, and texture. Liming, the use of organic materials as ISFM, and the adoption of crop types that are resistant to Al toxicity are all alternatives for correcting acid soils. Liming can minimize toxicity by lowering concentrations, improving the availability of plant nutrients like P, Ca, Mg, and K in the soil, and reducing heavy metal solubility and leaching. Application of organic matter has a liming impact because of its abundance in alkaline cations (such Ca, Mg, and K) that were released from OM during mineralization. The pH of the soil is raised by soil organic matter, which helps with soil acidity supplements.

Organic waste recycling application increases N availability and mitigates N2O emission without crop yield penalty in the North China Plain.

Agricultural organic waste recycling can supply nutrients for crop production and partially replace chemical nitrogen fertilizers, which is beneficial for waste management and environmental protection. Nevertheless, comprehensive evaluation of the effects of different organic materials applications on crop yield and the environment is limited. Therefore, in this study, a comprehensive investigation of the synergistic effects of straw, pig manure, and biogas residue recycling on the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) systems was carried out in the North China Plain. Field experiments were conducted from 2019 to 2021, comprising five treatments: straw (ST), pig manure (PM), and biogas residue (BR) partially replacing chemical nitrogen fertilizer, sole application of chemical nitrogen fertilizer (CF), and a control with no nitrogen application (WN). The results showed that organic materials significantly increased soil total nitrogen (3.04%-9.10%) and N recovery efficiency (REN; 42.21%-44.99%), but pig manure was more beneficial in increasing crop yields (3.50%), especially wheat yields (8.72%), and REN was significantly higher than that of the other treatments. Organic materials performed differently in wheat and maize seasons, and wheat yield could be improved by organic materials return. Organic materials stimulated N2O emission in wheat season (4.28%-32.20%), while biogas residue inhibited the N2O emission in maize season (47.47%). The negative effect of straw and biogas residue on yield decreased with increasing years of return, and pig manure continued to contribute to yield. In conclusion, pig manure is the optimal alternative that can increase crop yield, soil N content, and REN without stimulating N2O emissions.

Distinction of facilitating effects between dissolved organic matter derived from corn straw and fulvic acid on transport of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in saturated sand: Dependent on the solution chemistry

The application of organic materials into agricultural soil introduces dissolved organic matter (DOM) into environment. The DOM derived from organic materials would significantly affect the environmental behaviors of nanoparticles. In this study, DOM extracted from corn straw (CSDOM) was characterized and its effects on the transport of titanium dioxides nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) in porous media were evaluated and compared with those of fulvic acid (FA). The characterization of DOMs indicated marked differences in molecular properties between CSDOM and FA. Weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of CSDOM was 3139 g/mol, higher than 1185 g/mol of FA, whereas CSDOM had a lower aromaticity than FA. Three distinct scenarios of nanoparticle mobility affected by CSDOM and FA were found. Under unfavorable conditions for nanoparticles mobility (pH 4.0 with/without electrolytes, pH 7.0 with electrolytes, and pH 10.0 with CaCl2), both DOMs facilitated TiO2 NPs mobility, and FA with higher aromaticity exerted stronger enhancing effects than CSDOM. However, the promoting effects of DOM on TiO2 NPs mobility were negligible under favorable conditions (pH 10.0 without electrolytes). Under the remaining conditions (pH 7.0 without electrolytes, and pH 10.0 with NaCl), DOM could facilitate the mobility of TiO2 NPs, while there was no difference in the facilitating effects between CSDOM and FA. It could be concluded that distinction of enhancing effects between CSDOM and FA on TiO2 NPs mobility was environmental chemistry-dependent. Furthermore, aromaticity rather than Mw would be a reasonable property determining the enhancing effects of DOM derived from distinct sources on nanoparticle mobility under unfavorable conditions.

KOH-Mediated Synthesis of Substituted Isothiazoles via Two-Component Annulation with Dithioate and Aryl Acetonitrile.

We report a simple synthetic method for obtaining 3-hydroxy-4,5-disubstituted isothiazoles utilizing dithioester and aryl acetonitrile. The isothiazoles obtained in this method involve the formation of new C-C, C-O, and N-S bonds in one step using a simple base such as KOH under aerial conditions. The 3-hydroxy-4,5-disubstituted isothiazole was successfully employed for further functionalization. The strategy provides high selectivity for the synthesis of isothiazoles, which may have applications in pharmaceuticals, organic materials, and agrochemicals in both academic and industrial settings.

CNTs/Gr composite sandwich layered rare earth phthalocyanines MPcs (M = Yb, La) used as improved energy storage behaviors for lithium-ion batteries

To address the problem of aggregation and low electrical conductivity of rare earth phthalocyanines MPc (M = Yb, La), four composites are obtained by applying a physical method to combine two rare earth phthalocyanines with Gr/CNTs. These composites of rare earth phthalocyanines with Gr/CNTs effectively reduce the aggregation of phthalocyanine conjugated units and enhance the electrical conductivity. The electrochemical testing exhibits that the YbPc/CNTs electrode delivers a specific capacity of 1447 mAh/g after 275 cycles at a current density of 100 mA/g, demonstrating a capacity retention of 157.5 %. Similarly, the primitive specific capacity of LaPc/CNTs electrode is increasing from 515 mAh/g to 753 mAh/g at 100 mA/g after 400 cycles. Likewise, YbPc/Gr and LaPc/Gr electrodes have specific capacity of 912 mAh/g and 667 mAh/g after 450 cycles and 356 cycles, revealing capacity retention of 152 % and 74 %. It can be noted that compounding with Gr/CNTs can successfully solve the problems of a few exposures of redox-active sites caused by the aggregation of phthalocyanine conjugate units and poor rate performance owing to the sluggish ion/electrons transport of phthalocyanine, which furnishes a promising perspective for practical research and application of new organic anode materials in the field of superior electrochemical performance lithium-ion batteries.

Long-term application of organic matter improves soil properties and plant growth-promoting bacteria in soil communities of oil palm plantation

ABSTRACT Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is a major contributor to global vegetable oil production; however, ensuring its sustainability remains a critical challenge, particularly concerning soil health. In this study, we investigated the impact of long-term organic matter application as part of good soil management (GSM) practices on oil palm plantations and compared it with poor soil management practices to determine the presence of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in soil communities. The ten-years regular application of organic matter to the soil in the GSM plots led to notable improvements in soil chemical properties, including total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and cation exchange capacity. Metagenomic analysis revealed a significantly higher abundance of beneficial microbial species exclusively found in GSM plots, supporting oil palm growth. Furthermore, a novel finding emerged from this study, as it successfully predicted the metabolic function of PGPB in soil communities using PICRUST2 provided by the soil microbiome. PICRUST2 analysis indicated that the long-term application of organic matter in GSM plots increased functional enzymes related to PGP activities, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, potassium solubilization, and phytohormone synthesis. This study underscores the significance of implementing GSM practices in oil palm plantations by incorporating eco-friendly materials, such as organic matter, to enhance soil health and fertility and ensure oil palm sustainability.

Lowering Chemical Fertilizers Rate in ‘Black Amber’ Plum Orchard for Improving Sustainable Resource Management: Effect on Soil Health and Fruit Quality

ABSTRACT The combined application of chemical fertilizers and organic material is a transitional approach toward more sustainable and productive farming. This study aimed to investigate the response of low chemical fertilizer rates and supplementing with organic materials on soil health and fruit quality. In plum orchard, combination of reduced chemical fertilizer rates (R80; R70; R60) with organic manures (F; V) at varying levels based the loss in nitrogen requirement and microbial inoculants (Bf; J) were studied over the conventional approach (R100) on soil health and fruit quality in a 2-year experiment. Soil analysis showed soil physico-chemical properties and enzymes activity with application of R70+V10+Bf. Compared to integrated treatments R100 saw highest availability of soil potassium and calcium. Application of R70+V10+J resulted in maximum improvement in fruit weight, TSS and soluble sugar content. Fruit set percentage was higher in treatment R70+V10+Bf. Fruit yield showed significant changes with treatments R70+V10+Bf and R70+V10+J having similar yield to R100. Our results suggest that by reducing the amount of chemical fertilizer by 30% and partially replacing it with organic materials had a positive effect on soil health without affecting the fruit production and quality.

Polymer Materials for Optoelectronics and Energy Applications.

This review comprehensively addresses the developments and applications of polymer materials in optoelectronics. Especially, this review introduces how the materials absorb, emit, and transfer charges, including the exciton-vibrational coupling, nonradiative and radiative processes, Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), and energy dynamics. Furthermore, it outlines charge trapping and recombination in the materials and draws the corresponding practical implications. The following section focuses on the practical application of organic materials in optoelectronics devices and highlights the detailed structure, operational principle, and performance metrics of organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photodetectors, and organic transistors in detail. Finally, this study underscores the transformative impact of organic materials on the evolution of optoelectronics, providing a comprehensive understanding of their properties, mechanisms, and diverse applications that contribute to advancing innovative technologies in the field.

Amended soils with weathered coal exhibited greater resistance to aggregate breakdown than those with biochar: From the viewpoint of soil internal forces

Soil erosion is the first threat to soil functions. Reducing the soil aggregate breakdown strength is a key step to improve the soil’s ability to resist rainfall splash erosion. Soil internal forces have been found to be the initial and important forces driving aggregate turnover. The application of exogenous organic materials can effectively improve soil aggregate stability and the resistance to rainfall erosion of agricultural soils. However, from the perspective of soil internal forces, information about the reduction effects of the exogenous organic materials application on soil aggregate breakdown is scarce, especially in comparing the effects of different materials. In this study, weathered coal and biochar were individually applied to loamy clay soil at rates of 0 %, 1 %, 2 %, and 3 % (w/w). Soil internal forces, aggregate breakdown strength, and splash erosion rate of different amended soils were then examined after four years. The results showed that compared with unamended soils (0 %), both weathered coal and biochar applications clearly increased the van der Waals attractive pressure and thus decreased the positive net pressure between soil particles. Additionally, these materials reduced soil aggregate breakdown strength and splash erosion rate. The application effects of the two materials were increased with their application rates. Under a lower electrolyte concentration in soil solution (0.0001 mol L−1), the aggregate breakdown strength in the soils amended with weathered coal was lower than that with biochar by 9.6 %, 23.2 %, and 17.7 % (when the diameter of broken aggregate was < 10 μm) and by 10.3 %, 20.8 %, and 17.5 % (when the diameter of broken aggregate was < 20 μm) at the 1 %, 2 %, and 3 % application rates, respectively (P < 0.05). Additionally, soils amended with weathered coal exhibited lower splash erosion rates compared to those amended with biochar, particularly at the higher application rate of 3 %. From the viewpoint of soil internal forces, weathered coal appears to be a suitable exogenous organic material for improving soil aggregate stability and anti-erosion ability during rainfall events. Our findings provide valuable insights into utilizing exogenous materials to improve soil resistance to rainfall splash erosion, assisting agricultural soil management in areas frequently affected by rainfall erosion.

Development of bacteria-based bioorganic phosphate fertilizer enriched with rock phosphate for sustainable wheat production.

Phosphorous (P) is a limiting macronutrient for crop growth. Its deficiency prevents plant development leading to an extensive use of phosphatic fertilizers globally. Bio-organic phosphate (BOP) fertilizer provides a sustainable approach to optimize nutrient availability, enhance crop yield, and mitigate the negative impacts of chemical fertilizers on the environment. Therefore, the present study integrates the application of heat-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, rock phosphate, and organic materials for the development of BOP. For this purpose, potential heat-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) were isolated from major wheat-growing areas of southern Punjab. Five isolates were the efficient phosphate solubilizers based on in vitro phosphate-solubilizing activity (291-454 μg ml-1 and 278-421 μg ml-1) with a concomitant decrease in pH (up to 4.5) at 45°C and 50°C, respectively. These PSB were used for the development of potential consortia that are compatible and showed high P solubilization. In planta evaluation of these PSB consortia in a pot experiment under net house conditions showed that consortium-2 had a favorable impact on growth parameter with enhanced grain yield (9.63 g plant-1) and soil available P (10 μg g-1) as compared with 80% uninoculated control. The microcosm study was conducted to evaluate PSB consortium-2 integrated with carrier material (plant material and filter mud) and rock phosphate as BOP increased total phosphorous (14%) as compared with uninoculated controls. Plant-based BOP showed higher viable count (3.5 × 108°CFU) as compared with filter mud-based BOP. Furthermore, the effect of BOP on wheat growth parameters revealed that BOP showed a promising influence on grain yield (4.5 g plant-1) and soil available P (10.7 μg g-1) as compared with uninoculated 80 and 100% controls. Principle component analysis (PCA) further validates a positive correlation between BOP with grain weight and plant height and soil available P as compared with both 80 and 100% controls. For the first time, this study reports the combined application of bio-organic phosphate fertilizer and heat-tolerant PSB, which offers an eco-friendly option to harvest better wheat yield with low fertilizer input.

Small-molecule organic electrode materials on carbon-coated aluminum foil for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Organic molecular electrode materials are promising candidates in batteries. However, direct application of small molecule materials usually suffers from drastic capacity decay and inefficient utilization of active materials because of their high solubility in organic electrolytes and low electrical conductivity. Herein, a simple strategy is found to address the above issues through coating the small-molecule organic materials on a commercialized carbon-coated aluminum foil (CCAF) as the enhanced electrode. Both the experimental and calculation results confirm that the relatively rough carbon coating on the aluminum foil not only exhibits superior adsorption capacity of small-molecule organic electrode materials with a tight contact interface but also provides continuous electronic conduction channels for the facilitated charge transfer and accelerated reaction kinetics. In addition, the carbon coating also inhibits Al corrosion in electrochemical process. As a result, by using the tetrahydroxy quinone-fused aza-phenazine (THQAP) molecule as an example, the THQAP-CCAF electrode exhibits an excellent rate performance with a high capacity of 220 and 180 mAh g−1 at 0.1 and 2 A/g, respectively, and also a remarkable cyclability with a capacity retention of 77.3% even after 1700 cycles in sodium-ion batteries. These performances are much more superior than that of batteries with the THQAP on bare aluminum foil (THQAP-AF). This work provides a substantial step in the practical application of the small-molecule organic electrode materials for future sustainable batteries.

Ecological justification for the effectiveness of recycling organic matter from waste to increase the primary production of cultivated plants

The article shows that the method of recycling liquid and solid organic substances obtained as a by-product during the production of biogas from organic waste and composting organic waste with the addition of liquid organic matter in the agroecosystem on ordinary chernozem in the Orenburg Oblast is effective. The standards for the application of liquid and solid organic substances were studied using an indicator culture. Data on the net primary productivity of the agroecosystem are presented. It was found that the reaction of the agroecosystem is more effective in the variant with liquid organic substances. Net primary productivity using the example of potatoes with a rate of application of liquid organic matter of 8 t/ha is 36,97% higher than with the background and application of solid organic matter, and amounted to 22,6 t/ha. They showed that the established standards for the utilization of liquid organic substances are 10 t/ha and solid organic substances are 5 t/ha.

Dual Roles of the Photooxidation of Organic Amines for Enhanced Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Upconversion in Nanoparticles.

Oxygen-mediated triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) quenching limits the application of such organic upconversion materials. Here, we report that the photooxidation of organic amines is an effective and versatile strategy to suppress oxygen-mediated upconversion quenching in both organic solvents and aqueous solutions. The strategy is based on the dual role of organic amines in photooxidation, i.e., as singlet oxygen scavengers and electron donors. Under photoexcitation, the photosensitizer sensitizes oxygen to produce singlet oxygen for the oxidation of alkylamine, reducing the oxygen concentration. However, photoinduced electron transfer among photosensitizers, organic amines, and oxygen leads to the production of superoxide anions that suppress TTA-UC. To observe oxygen-tolerating TTA-UC, we find that alkyl secondary amines can balance the production of singlet oxygen and superoxide anions. We then utilize polyethyleneimine (PEI) to synthesize amphiphilic polymers to encapsulate TTA-UC pairs for the formation of water-dispersible, ultrasmall, and multicolor-emitting TTA-UC nanoparticles.