Average Recovery Research Articles

Absolute Quantification of Phenylbutanoids in Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. Rhizome by Quantitative 1H NMR.

Quantitative determination of pharmacologically active constituents in medicinal plants is critical for quality control. Due to the chemical complexity of the crude plant extracts, the presence of interfering compounds is often problematic for the unambiguous quantitation of the designed bioactive compounds. Considering the method of quantification, quantitative NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) has gained substantial popularity as a powerful and effective technique for both qualitative and quantitative analyses of natural products. The aim of this study is to develop a quantitative NMR method for quantifying the bioactive phenylbutanoids in Zingiber cassumunar rhizome crude extract. Quantitative 1H NMR (qHNMR) measurements were performed on a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer using an internal standard for the determination of the absolute quantities of four phenylbutanoids in Z. cassumunar rhizome crude extract. The direct quantification of four characteristic phenylbutanoids, i.e., (E)-1-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)butadiene (DMPBD), (E)-1-(2',4',5'-trimethoxyphenyl)butadiene (TMPBD), (E)-4-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-ol, and (E)-4-(3',4'-dimethoxyphenyl)but-3-en-1-yl acetate, in crude extract by qHNMR using an internal standard was achieved, with high specificity and sensitivity. The selected 1H NMR signals could unambiguously be assigned and did not overlap with other resonances, including the highly similar compounds DMPBD and TMPBD. The method is linear in the concentration range of 0.70-14.52 mg/mL, with a limit of quantification of 0.46-0.68 mg/mL. The RSD values of intraday and interday precisions are in the range of 0.23%-0.74% and 0.29%-0.52%, respectively. The average recoveries are 99.54%-100.18%. A rapid, accurate, and precise method using 1H NMR for the simultaneous quantitation of four phenylbutanoids in the crude extract of Z. cassumunar rhizome was developed and validated.

Simultaneous determination of ethylene oxide, 2-chloroethanol and ethylene glycol residues in medical device products by gas chromatography

A gas chromatography-based method was developed for the simultaneous and rapid determination of ethylene oxide (EO), 2-chloroethanol (ECH), and ethylene glycol (EG) residues in medical devices after EO sterilization. A sample weighing 2.5 g was added with 5 mL of ethanol as the extraction medium, and the residual substances in the sample were extracted at 40 ℃ for 4 h. The samples were separated on a DB-WAX capillary column (30 m×0.53 mm×1.0 μm) and determined using a hydrogen flame ionization detector. The temperature was maintained at 40 ℃ for 5 min, increased to 120 ℃ at a rate of 40 ℃/min, held for 5 min, and then increased to 200 ℃ at a rate of 6 ℃/min, held for 2 min. The flow rate of the nitrogen gas was 3 mL/min. The split ratio was 5∶1. The inlet and detector temperatures were 200 and 300 ℃, respectively. The changes in the chromatographic peak areas over time (0.5-10 h) under different temperatures (20, 30, 40, and 50 ℃) were investigated, and the optimal extraction condition was determined to be 40 ℃ for 4 h. In the experiments, quantification was performed using an external standard method. EO, ECH, and EG exhibited good peak shapes and separation effects as well as good linearity within their respective ranges. The linear correlation coefficients for EO, ECH, and EG were greater than 0.99. The limits of detection (LODs) for EO, ECH, and EG were in the range of 0.10-0.40 μg/g, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.30-1.20 μg/g. The average recoveries under different spiked levels were in the range of 91.08%-116.08%, and the relative standard deviations (n=6) were in the range of 0.56%-8.45%. EO, ECH, and EG residues were found to exist at different levels in the medical devices tested. In particular, disposable infusion sets must be paid careful attention. ECH and EG were not detected in disposable sterile medical devices made of non-polyvinyl chloride materials, which may be due to the fact that the products themselves did not contain chloride ions, they were not exposed to chlorine-containing substances during their production, sterilization, storage, transportation, use, etc. This study established a method to detect EO residues in disposable medical devices, and has the advantages of simple operation, excellent specificity, accurate quantification, and good reproducibility. It can simultaneously detect three residual substances in medical devices while meeting the actual detection requirements for EO, ECH, and EG residues. The method can be used to scientifically and effectively evaluate the risk of EO residues in single-use medical devices sterilized with EO, and will be helpful for improving the quality of medical devices, ensuring the safety of device use, and providing a reference for regulatory supervision and testing.

Stability indicating RP-HPLC method development and validation for quantification of impurities in gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Elagolix): Robustness study by quality by design.

The purpose of this research was to establish and validate a reverse phase HPLC method for the determination of Elagolix impurities in pharmaceutical dosage form. Mobile phase A, consisting of 10mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate (pH6.0) and acetonitrile in a 95:5v/v ratio, and mobile phase B, containing 85:10:5v/v/v of acetonitrile, Milli-Q water, and methanol, were used to achieve the method's specificity in the analytical column Kromasil 100-C18 (250 mm × 4.6mm, 5μm). The gradient program includes (%B/Time [min]: 36/0, 36/10, 38/15, 85/55, 85/65, 36/67, and 36/75). The flow rate is 0.8mL/min. The overall run duration is 75.0min, the injection volume is 10.0μL, and the detection is at 210 nm in UV. The samples were subjected to hydrolysis, oxidation, and heat conditions in order to facilitate their forced degradation. The procedure was validated and determined with the standards of ICH guidelines. From the LOQ to a concentration level of 200%, the linearity of the technique was ascertained. An accuracy range of LOQ to 150% was established for the method, and the average recovery was acceptable. Design of experiments, part of the quality by design idea, was used to prove the method's reliability.

Fabrication of a high-sensitivity electrochemical immunosensor by the oriented immobilization of engineered nanobody on nanofibrous membrane.

Anew type of label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the high-sensitivity determination of parathion was developed based on the oriented immobilization of nanobody (VHH9) on agold nanoparticle-loaded polyvinyl alcohol/citric acid nanofiber membrane-modified electrode. The morphology characterization and assembly process of the modified materials were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Under the optimum conditions, the label-free electrochemical immunosensor for parathion exhibited a linear range of 0.0015-6400ng/mL and a low detection limit of 0.48pg/mL, the signal response of which was 10 times higher than that of the randomly immobilized VHH9. The immunosensor possessed high selectivity, good repeatability and reusability (keeping above 90% of its initial activity after repeating 8 times), and stability (remaining 90% after 9weeks of storage). Finally, the average recoveries of parathion from food samples were 93.76-105.73% with the coefficient of variation being 2.65-6.85%, showing good correlation with UPLC (R2 = 0.9950). Therefore, our nanobody immobilization protocol is simple and effective and proves the potential to be utilized as a promising candidate for sensing platform.

Determinants of crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever (cchf) outbreaks: a retrospective analysis

Abstract Introduction Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), a viral tick-borne zoonotic disease with high mortality rates, poses a particular threat in Pakistan during religious event of Eid-ul-Azha as increased livestock contact. This study aims to analyze CCHF cases from three outbreaks, to identify transmission and disease patterns. Understanding these patterns can inform targeted interventions for future outbreaks. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to examine three CCHF outbreak investigations between July 2nd and August 12th, 2023 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Multisectoral teams, including human and animal health departments, investigated these outbreaks. Data was collected through semi-structured case investigation tools. The healthcare providers, patients and family were subjects. During active case surveillance, 41 probable contacts were traced. Results Among positive cases, male predominance (71.4%) was observed. The highest proportion of cases occurred in the 15-29 year age group (42.9%, n = 6). Individuals involved in animal handling professions had the highest prevalence (50%, n = 7), followed by students (21.4%, n = 3). Common clinical manifestations included high-grade fever (100%), muscle pain (92.9%), and bleeding symptoms (85.7%), with 64.3% of cases reporting vomiting blood. The average recovery time was 7.1 days, while fatal cases had an average of 6.8 days from symptom onset to death. Recovery was observed in 64.3% of cases, with a mortality rate of 35.7%. Chi-square analysis showed significant associations between gender, occupation, and disease outcome (p < 0.05). Conclusions This study identified a higher risk of CCHF in males, young adults, and individuals involved in animal handling during outbreaks. Public health interventions targeting occupations, demographics, particularly education and protective measures for animal handlers during Eid-ul-Azha days, are crucial to mitigate future outbreaks Key messages • Young male adults, and individuals involved in animal handling are on greater risk of higher risk of CCHF infections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. • One Health community can leverage these findings to develop better prevention and control strategies through collaboration between human and animal health sectors.

THE STUDY OF THE TECHNICAL CONDITION OF GONDOLA CARS

The article presents the results of the analysis of the technical condition of gondola cars owned by the transport operator BGS rail. The composition of the model range of the car fleet was analysed. It is shown that 14 % of gondola cars produced by Uralvagonzavod have an average service life of over thirty years and have exhausted their service life. Gondola cars of models 12-757 and 12-753 of Kryukov Carriage Works have also exhausted their service life. A positive factor is the presence of innovative cars model 12-7023 produced by KVSZ and 12-4106 model produced by PJSC Dneprovagonmash in the car fleet. Their average age is 6.5 years.An analysis of the main causes of failures that caused the car to uncouple from the train along the route was carried out. In the first place are damage to body elements. This is followed by failures of automatic brakes and wheel sets.Among the damage to gondola car bodies, the first place is taken by malfunctions of the locks on the unloading hatch covers, followed by cracks and breaks in the upper and vertical sheets of the frame cross beams. Broken weld seams of braces and broken linings also pose a serious danger.Failures of auto brakes are caused by loosening of air duct pipes, brake equipment and welded shoes. The main causes of damage to wheel pairs are unacceptable wear of the flange. Among axle box assemblies, the vast majority of failures are caused by excessive heating of the bearings.Failures of automatic coupling equipment are most often caused by fractures of the centering beam and breaks (cracks) of the pendulum suspension. Cracks and other malfunctions of the automatic coupling body are also observed.The bogies mostly have broken springs and mismatched sliding clearances. Also, a quarter of the uncoupled bogies have expired service life of their elements. The average recovery time for gondola cars was analyzed. Due to malfunctions of axlebox units, cars are under repair for more than 15 days, due to failures of wheel pairs - 11.55 days. The least time is spent on auto brakes – 4.2 days.An analysis of the damage to the bodies of various gondola cars models showed that gondola cars of models 12-9745 and 12-9790 are in the worst technical condition. The least susceptible to damage are the «innovative» gondola cars of models 12-7023 and 12-4106.

Eco-Friendly Analytical Approach for Sensitive Spectrofluorimetric Determination of the Flavonoid Chrysin in Capsules and Human Plasma.

Chrysin is a plant flavonoid that has different therapeutic effects as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and immune booster. Spectrofluorimetry has received a lot of interest lately because of itsecological greenness and analytical performance. This approach employed the native fluorescence of chrysin at 339nm following excitation at 231nm in distilled water. Modern advances in analytical chemistry have been used to lessen occupational and environmental concerns by employing distilled water as a dilution solvent throughmethod development and application. The approach was found to be excellent green supported byeco-scale score of 97and 0.94AGREErating, in addition to an overall whiteness score of 88.80. The design aimed to analyze chrysin in raw materials, Chrysin® capsules and human plasma. The method was linear over0.5-7.0ngmL⁻1 chrysin, with LOD of 0.06ngmL⁻1 and LOQ of 0.20ngmL⁻1. The offered methodwas effectively applied for determination of chrysin inthe commercial capsules Chrysin® and spiked human plasma samples with average recoveries of 99.76%and 99.98%, respectively for capsules andspiked human plasma. Up to date, no spectrofluorimetric method has been described for chrysin analysis, then, this presented an opportunity to develop a sensitive, quick, reliable, environmentally friendly, and valid fluorescence-based method.

Environmentally Benign Synthesis of Magnetic Fe3O4 Nanoparticle/Carbon Black/Copper‐Quercetin Rods for Sensitive, Disposable Electrochemical Sensor for Mitoxantrone

AbstractPhenolic compounds have a variety of activities but are most famous for their antioxidant and metal‐chelating properties. We explore the green synthesis and application of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, carbon black (CB), and copper‐quercetin (Cu−Q) composite for a disposable electrochemical sensor for mitoxantrone. Fe3O4 was synthesised using Camellia sinensis leaf extract. The copper‐quercetin was synthesised by titrating copper acetate solution with quercetin monohydrate solution at room temperature. Equal amounts of Fe3O4, CB, and Cu−Q were mixed to form Fe3O4‐CB/Cu−Q. The Fe3O4‐CB/Cu−Q/SPE has the lowest detection limit (55.47 pM) compared to previous mitoxantrone sensors. The average recovery was 102.2 %, with an RSD of 4.67 % in serum. The sensor maintained an average accuracy of 98.99 % in the presence of the interfering agent. The detection limit of the new sensor is about five times lower than that of the previous Fe3O4 and carbon black electrode. Therefore, it can be suggested that the Copper‐quercetin complex contributed significantly to the electrode's sensitivity. This research is the first to report the three oxidation potentials for mitoxantrone consistent with mitoxantrone's complex oxidation mechanism. Also, this is the first report on using copper‐quercetin as an electrode material for electrode chemical detection. Furthermore, this is the first green‐derived sensor for mitoxantrone.

Evaluation of some anions in groundwater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and human health risk assessment of nitrate and fluoride.

Groundwater is a vital source of water for human and agricultural use in many parts of the world. The purpose of this research was to establish the quality of groundwater in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as well as the human health concerns associated with it. We collected and examined groundwater samples for pH, EC, TDS, CaCO3, fluoride (F-), chloride (Cl-), sulfate (SO42-), and nitrate (NO3-). The ion chromatography conductometric detection method was constructed to determine fluoride, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate in groundwater. The suggested method worked well for the anions that were being studied; it had a high coefficient of determination (r2 > 0.998) and average recoveries for all analytes that were between 97.5% and 99.0%, with a range of error of 0.77 to 2.37%. Fluoride concentrations were detected between 0.001 and 0.14mg/L, which are within the acceptable limit by several organizations. Chloride was measured in the range of 17.1 to 966.5mg/L, with some samples above the limits. The influence on sulfate ranged from 2.0 to 1136.0mg/L, with several samples exceeding the limits. In contrast, with nitrate levels ranging from 1.4 to 5.0mg/L, the majority of the samples fall within the acceptable range. The overall intake of fluoride, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate is 0.00605, 138.911, 65.515, and 1.19, respectively, which is lower than the recommended daily consumption except for chloride. The groundwater sample contains fluoride and nitrate with HQ values less than one: 0.000064-0.0641 and 0.033654-0.120192. Humans in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, do not pose a health risk when digesting or absorbing groundwater fluoride or nitrate.

Fast Determination and Source Apportionment of Eight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in PM10 Using the Chemometric-Assisted HPLC-DAD Method

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic compounds that are both toxic and hazardous to human health and ecological systems. In recent work, a novel analytical strategy based on the chemometric-assisted HPLC-DAD method was proposed for the quantification and source apportionment of eight PAHs in PM10 samples. Compared to traditional chromatographic methods, this approach does not require the purification of complex PM10 samples. Instead, it utilizes a mathematical separation method to extract analytes’ profiles from overlapping chromatographic peaks, enabling precise quantification of PAHs in PM10. Firstly, 40 PM10 samples collected in Loudi city during two sampling periods were used for analysis. Subsequently, the second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) was employed to handle the three-way HPLC-DAD data. Finally, the pollution sources of PAHs were analyzed by the feature component analysis method according to the obtained relative concentration matrix. For the validation model, the average recoveries of eight PAHs were between (88.8 ± 7.6)% and (105.6 ± 7.5)%, and the root-mean-square errors of prediction ranged from 0.03 μg mL−1 to 0.47 μg mL−1. The obtained limits of quantification for eight PAHs were in the range of 0.0050 μg mL−1 to 0.079 μg mL−1. For actual PM10 samples, results of the feature component analysis indicated that the main source of PAHs in PM10 may be traffic emissions and coal combustion. In summary, the proposed method provided a new and rapid analysis method for the accurate determination and source apportionment of PAHs in atmospheric aerosols.

Unlocking the potential of eggplant peel: Powerful peroxidase nanozyme for l-cysteine determination in pharmaceutical supplements

For the first time, eggplant peel biowaste was upcycled through a very fast one-pot microwave synthesis to produce cost-effective and environmentally friendly blue-fluorescent carbon dots (EPE-CDs). The resulting EPE-CDs emitted fluorescence at 465 nm when excited at 400 nm and exhibited enhanced peroxidase-like behavior without metal doping requirement. They were able to oxidize o-phenylenediamine (OPD) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to generate 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP) leading to a new emission peak at 560 nm. Through the inner filter effect, DAP was able to quench the fluorescence of EPE-CDs, causing a change from colourless to yellow. By leveraging the fluorescence characteristics of EPE-CDs and DAP, dual-emission platform was established. This platform could be used for the catalytic detection of H2O2 within the 10–110 μM range. The introduction of L-Cysteine, containing reductive thiols that hinder DAP production, resulted in a reduction in the fluorescence intensity of DAP. The study demonstrated that fluorescence intensities ratio 465 nm / 560 nm (I465/I560) exhibited a linear relationship with L-Cysteine concentration between 4 and 60 μM, reaching detection limit as low as 0.69 μM. Furthermore, when applying the ratiometric fluorescence platform to quantify L-Cysteine in actual samples, the average recoveries ranged from 99.50 % to 101.40 %, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) not exceeding 2 %. Through the exploration of the fluorescence properties and nanozyme-like capabilities, this research offers a novel perspective on utilizing biowaste sources for CD synthesis and utilization of these CDs as nanozymes.

First fluorescence method for monitoring the doping stimulant drug solriamfetol in plasma and urine: A pharmacokinetic study in volunteers’ urine with greenness, whiteness, and blueness assessments

A green, sustainable, simple, and highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed to determine solriamfetol hydrochloride for the first time in biological fluids and dosage form. To the best of our knowledge, no Fluorimetric methods have been reported for solriamfetol determination in plasma and urine. The method is based on measuring the intrinsic fluorescence of solriamfetol hydrochloride at 522 nm after excitation at 260 nm in ammonium acetate buffer solution at pH 4. All factors influencing the response have been carefully investigated. The method was linear over a concentration range of 10 to 1800 ng/mL (r = 0.9998). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were found to be 3.2 and 9.8 ng/mL, respectively, indicating the excellent sensitivity of the proposed method. The pharmaceutical dosage form, spiked human plasma, and urine samples were successfully analyzed using the described method with average recoveries of 99.79 ± 0.739, 99.27 ± 1.885, and 99.57 ± 1.701, respectively. Plasma samples were first subjected to protein precipitation using 10 % perchloric acid, while urine samples were analyzed directly without any pretreatment. Furthermore, the suggested method was applied effectively on real human volunteers’ urine to measure renal clearance, the cumulative amount of solriamfetol excreted unchanged in the urine, and the percent of the dose recovered. The eco-friendly nature and sustainability of this work were evaluated using trending greenness, whiteness, and blueness assessment metrics. The greenness assessment tools, namely the Analytical GREEnness metric tool (AGREE), Analytical Eco-scale, and complementary green analytical procedure index (complex GAPI) were selected to prove the eco-friendly nature of the method. Additionally, whiteness and blueness assessments were conducted using the Red-Green-Blue model (RGB model), and high Blue Applicability Grade Index (BAGI), respectively. The proposed method is a promising analytical tool for routine analysis in quality control labs, therapeutic drug monitoring, and pharmacokinetics studies.

Oleo-extraction of microplastics using flotation plus sol-gel technique to confine small particles in silicon dioxide gel.

Extracting microplastics from natural sources is challenging, especially microplastics with sizes smaller than 100μm. The flotation method is the most common microplastic extraction, but it struggles with fine particles due to the difficulty in collecting floating plastic particles from the liquid during the separation process. This study proposes a new floating media, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), that could separate microplastics using its hydrophobic-oleophilic properties. Most interestingly, TEOS transformed from a liquid state to a solid state (gel) by hydrolysis and condensation reactions, thus safely capturing the separated microplastic particles after flotation and mitigating particle loss from scooping since its gel acted as a particle holder. The average recovery rates obtained were in the range of 95-100% for polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polytetrafluoroethylene, and aged tyre rubber. The recovery rates were slightly reduced for finer particles (sizes down to 40μm) at 82-98%. TEOS-based extraction provided a higher recovery rate for non-polar plastics than for polar or hydrophilic plastics. The separated microplastics maintained their characteristics for polymer identification, as proven by spectroscopic and thermal analysis techniques. Therefore, TEOS-based extraction could be a new approach to microplastic extraction, especially for preventing fine particle loss.

A Liquid Chromatography‐Tandem Mass Spectrometry Bioanalytical Method Development and Validation for the Determination of Pacritinib in Plasma

ABSTRACTThe primary objective of the current work is to establish and verify an accurate and linear liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry procedure for quantifying Pacritinib. An effective chromatographic resolution was obtained using the Hypersil Gold (50 × 4.6 mm, 2.1 µm) C18 column. The mobile phase is a mixture of methanol, 0.1% formic acid, and acetonitrile in the proportion of 20:15:65 (%v/v/v). The procedure involved closely monitoring executed ionic transitions of m/z 473.1/376.2 for Pacritinib and 584.26/101.1 for Brigatinib internal standard in multiple reaction monitoring mode. A strong correlation value (r2) of 0.9997 is associated with the linear plot regression line, which can be represented as y = 0.0001x − 0.0008. The relative standard deviation (RSD) results for the matrix effect were 3.63% and 3.57%, respectively, when the quality control (QC) level was low and high, respectively. Over the course of the study, the percentage average recoveries for Pacritinib were found to be 103.27% in high QC, 97.59% in medium QC, and 94.28% in low QC, respectively. The values that were obtained for the QC samples (0.378, 1.058, 7.56, and 11.34 µg/mL) varied from 2.00% to 4.03%. The developed method was useful for evaluating Pacritinib in biological samples for the purposes of QC, forensics, and bioavailability investigations for individuals.

A Comparative Study of Anionic and Cationic Collector in Microbubble-Assisted Flotation for Coarse Quartz Particle: Performance and Adsorption

Recent studies have suggested that using microbubbles to assist in coarse particle flotation has some advantages. However, how the type of collector affects the recovery of coarse particles under microbubbles still needs to be clarified. This study compared the performance and adsorption characteristics of anionic (sodium oleate - NaOL) and cationic (dodecylamine - DDA) collector environments for microbubble-assisted flotation of coarse quartz particles. A two-factorial level and Box-Behnken techniques were used for statistical design for screening and characterizing the performance. The flotation process utilizing NaOL and DDA was not significantly affected by froth depth. In the presence and absence of microbubbles, the performance of DDA surpassed that of NaOL; therefore, the average recovery of the cationic collector was more than 10% higher than that of the anionic collector. Contact angle analysis revealed that NaOL measured approximately 70° while DDA measured around 90°. DDA was adsorbed more significantly than NaOL at the same collector concentration. Zeta potential was more sensitive to DDA; increasing both collector concentrations also increased the value of zeta potential. FT-IR and EDX analyses showed that DDA and NaOL were chemically adsorbed onto quartz. Overall, this study demonstrates that DDA outperformed NaOL in the presence and absence of microbubbles during the flotation of coarse quartz particles.

Application of batch reverse osmosis as an appropriate technology for inland desalination: Design, modeling, and operating strategies

Despite the recent development of desalination, water scarcity problems in rural areas with insufficient infrastructure cannot be easily resolved. Although batch reverse osmosis (BRO), with its compact design and high second-law efficiency, presents a promising solution for low-energy desalination, the implementation of BRO in rural or energy-deficient regions remains challenging. This study suggests a novel concept of BRO as an appropriate technology (BRO-AT) powered by alternative energy sources, particularly livestock, aiming to achieve high recovery and permeate flux without external electricity. To effectively utilize the BRO-AT, two operating strategies, center supply and village-sharing, are proposed according to local livestock availability. Livestock working schedules were considered to analyze the performance of BRO-AT practically. In high recovery and large permeate flux cases, maximum recovery and permeate flux reached 0.9165 and 3.72 m3/d, respectively. Average recoveries of 0.8296 and 0.6937, and water production rates of 1.15 m3/d and 0.96 m3/d, were achieved using the center supply and village-sharing methods, respectively. This analysis demonstrates the feasibility of BRO-AT for rural regions and highlights the importance of understanding the dynamic characteristics of alternative power sources. The findings provide design and operation guidelines for BRO-AT, offering insights for future utilization and application in energy-limited areas.

Developing a sensitive electrochemical platform constructed with nanoparticles of dysprosium supported on graphene nanoplatelets for the determination of yohimbine

Yohimbine, an α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, is used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, it has various side effects such as tachycardia, arrhythmias, hypertension, dizziness, and poisoning. Some of its side effects are also manifested as anxiety, headaches and increased urinary output. Considering the consumption of yohimbine with dietary supplements and its side effects on the human system, the development of a novel, simple and sensitive method for the determination of yohimbine is significant. For this purpose, an electrochemical method was developed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3) and graphene nanoplatelets (GRNP). The electrochemical platform (GCE/GRNP@Dy2O3) possessed high electro-active surface area and lower value of charge transfer resistance (Rct). Yohimbine undergoes irreversible oxidation through a diffusion-controlled process. The observation of improved voltammetric behavior and enhanced peak response for yohimbine at GCE/GRNP@Dy2O3 could be attributed to the high synergistic effect between Dy2O3 and GRNP in addition to the increased surface area and electrocatalytic activity. The expected sensing mechanism of GCE/GRNP@Dy2O3 towards yohimbine might be attributed to the surface oxygen vacancies of Dy2O3 which are available on the surface of the nanocomposite. The oxygen atoms can interact with the functional groups of yohimbine and facilitate the oxidation of yohimbine. The peak response and concentration were found to be correlated over a range of 8.0 × 10−9–7.8 × 10−7 M. The GCE/GRNP@Dy2O3 system exhibited a detection limit (LOD) of 5.7 × 10−9 M for yohimbine. Average recovery values of 98.0 %–104.9 % with lower RSD values in yohimbine supplements and 101.0 %–103.0 % in artificial urine confirmed that GCE/GRNP@Dy2O3 provides reliable results for the determination of yohimbine.

Rapid separation of bile acid isomers via ion mobility mass spectrometry by complexing with spiramycin.

Bile acid (BA) is one of the main active components of bile and has multiple isomers, the structure or content of its isomers often changes due to diseases and other health problems; thus, the accurate detection of BA isomers is very important. In this study, two groups of BA isomers of glycine-conjugated BAs and taurine-conjugated BAs were simultaneously separated and quantitatively analyzed by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). Especially, baseline mobility separation between the isomers was achieved by the formation of binary complexes via simple interaction with spiramycin (SPM), for which a separation resolution (Rp-p) of 1.96was reached. Moreover, BA isomers were quantitatively analyzed, and the limit of detection (LOD) of absolute quantification for TCDCA/TUDCA and GUDCA/GCDCA/GHDCA was 0.514 and 0.611ng∙mL-1, respectively; the LODs for molar ratio ranges of relative quantification for TCDCA/TUDCA, GUDCA/GHDCA, and GCDCA/GHDCA were 1:18-30:1, 1:18-21:1, and 1:19-21:1, respectively. Additionally, BA isomers analyzed in pig bile powder and bear bile powder were measured, which were in good consistency with those labeled, revealing the differences in BA composition and content between the two powders. Finally, BA detection and recovery analyses were performed on serum samples, with a recovery rate of ≥73.69%, RSD of ≤6.8%, and SR (standard deviation of recoveries, the degree of difference between measured values and average recovery) of ≤1.27. Due to the simple, rapid, and lack of need for complex sample preparation and chromatographic separation, the proposed method can be an effective method for BA detection in practical samples.

Performance comparison of modified polyethersulfone membrane with graphene oxide and molybdenum disulfide for effective filtration of urban surface water

In the current water treatment scenario, membrane filtration is a crucial technology due to its ability to effectively remove pollutants, ensuring clean and safe water. However, a significant challenge to its widespread application is membrane fouling, which reduces membrane efficiency and service life. Various membrane modifications have been studied to enhance fouling resistance. In this work, the effect of adding graphene oxide (GO) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoparticles for the fabrication of mixed polyethersulfone (PES) membranes was evaluated. The modified membranes were evaluated for pollutant removal efficiency and fouling resistance using model humic acid solutions and surface water samples. The PES-GO membranes demonstrated significantly improved hydrophilicity, up to 43% reduction in protein deposition, and an average flux recovery ratio (FRR) of 63%, superior to the control PES membrane, resulting in reduced fouling and sustained high permeability. Nevertheless, although PES-MoS2 exhibited high rejection rates of dissolved organic matter and UV254, they also showed higher foulant adsorption and lower FRR, likely due to the development of a colloidal fouling when treating more complex water matrices. Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) analysis confirmed the deposition of organic foulants, with polysaccharides and proteins identified as major contributors to fouling. These findings suggest that while GO-enhanced PES membranes offer improved water treatment performance, modifications with MoS2 require careful consideration of feedwater composition. Future work should focus on optimizing nanoparticle integration and evaluating membrane effectiveness for diverse water sources.

Fast determination of organophosphate esters and their metabolites in human matrices by a straightforward cold-induced strategy coupled with HPLC-MS/MS.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are commonly used chemicals and are also regarded as emerging environmental pollutants. Recently, it has been proved that metabolites of OPEs (mOPEs) could also cause health concerns. However, analytical methods for the concurrent measurement of OPEs and mOPEs in human matrices are still complicated. In this study, a convenient and efficient analytical method combining a cold-induced strategy and HPLC-MS/MS was developed to simultaneously determine 18 OPEs and 10 mOPEs in human serum, urine, and human milk. In brief, after the sample was extracted with acetonitrile, a "one-step" treatment combining purification and enrichment was accomplished by cold-induced liquid-liquid extraction (CI-LLE), and analytes were then quantified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The ratio of acetonitrile/water, and the temperature and time set in the CI-LLE procedure were optimized for achieving the highest enrichment factors. Under thebest conditions, linearity, limits of detection (LODs), recovery, precision, and matrix effects of OPEs/mOPEs were verified. LODs of OPEs/mOPEs in serum, urine, and human milk were 0.1-113pg/mL, 0.1-22pg/mL, and 0.2-22pg/mL, respectively. Average recoveries ranged from 80 to 123%, with relative standard deviations lower than 15% for most analytes. The matrix effect test showed slight signal enhancement or inhibition, and the use of isotopically labeled internal standards (ISs) could compensate for the effects. In real sample analysis, both OPEs and mOPEs showed high detecting frequency, which indicated their ubiquity in humans.