The current crisis of plastic pollution urges the development of high-performance and biodegradable packaging alternatives. This brings into focus the use of biopolymers like rice starch for the development of active food packaging. Accordingly, this study aimed at the development and characterization of rice starch films incorporated with lemon essential oil using nanoemulsion technology and comparing their performances with those of bulk emulsion and control films. The LEO nanoemulsion had a significantly smaller mean particle size (87.3 ± 56 nm) and a higher colloidal stability, as depicted by a high zeta potential (-62.8 mV) and low polydispersity index of 0.24, than the bulk emulsion, which had particle sizes in the range of 4251.2 ± 1297 nm. The nanoemulsion-based films in this study, RS+LEONE, depicted enhanced physical properties comprising improved mechanical strength of about 16.8 ± 1.1 MPa and better transparency of about 76.8 ± 2.5% transmittance, and also enhanced water resistance, depicted by a lower moisture content and lower solubility of 9.0 ± 0.7% and 21.1 ± 2.0%, respectively. As such, RS+LEONE film also illustrated better functional efficacy, showing higher antioxidant activity of 99.03 ± 0.94% and higher antimicrobial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with 11.0 ± 0.7 and 13.0 ± 0.8 mm, respectively. In general, the nanoemulsion film outperformed its bulk emulsion and control film counterparts for all the evaluated parameters. The rice starch-LEO nanoemulsion film developed herein, therefore, remains highly promising and functional for active biodegradable food packaging applications.

To improve the performance of bulk emulsion explosives, a coal powder water slurry (CPWS) was prepared and introduced to partially replace ammonium nitrate. The microstructure, particle size distribution, and thermal decomposition behavior of emulsified matrices with different CPWS contents were investigated using optical microscopy, laser particle size analysis, and thermogravimetry. The Kissinger method was applied to calculate activation energy, while detonation velocity and brisance were measured. Results show that both viscosity and explosive performance first increased and then decreased with rising CPWS content. The 6% CPWS formulation exhibited the highest detonation velocity (4103.88 m·s− 1) and brisance (11.51 cm), along with the lowest activation energy (118.67 kJ·mol− 1). In contrast, 12% CPWS led to the highest activation energy (172.46 kJ·mol− 1). Overall, the 6% CPWS composition provided the best balance of viscosity, explosive power, and thermal behavior, demonstrating its potential for practical application.

ABSTRACT Microfluidic droplet generation enables the rapid and efficient production of large quantities of droplets to be used in various fields such as medical science and biology. While polydisperse droplets are inherent in bulk emulsion production, which can be potentially used for combinatorial experimentation in addition to monodisperse droplets, microfluidic chip platforms offer superior control for post‐processing applications and are better suited for integration within miniaturized systems. In this study, we present a simple yet robust method for generating droplet aggregation, which could be used for applications where the polydisperse droplets are advantageous in the context of microfluidics. This approach offers a significantly shorter timescale (in a fraction of a second) compared to existing methods in the literature. The generated droplets rely on the hydrodynamic instability of an aqueous interface within the framework of the pressure barrier principle. This approach requires adjustments to geometry and surface wettability properties, resulting in a distinct mode of droplet generation. This approach not only leads to a platform for the water‐in‐air microfluidics systems but also facilitates the integration of water‐in‐oil emulsion into microfluidic devices as a subsequent step. It was also observed that the polydisperse droplets are only generated in Glass‐PDMS chips, not PDMS‐PDMS chips, and the main channel height should be critically narrow (below 10 μm in our method) to allow the system to generate droplets. The generated droplets have diameters between 1 and 7 μm, with the majority concentrated in the 2–3 μm size band.

Minimum burning pressure test of bulk emulsion for the purpose of introducing UN test into JIS

ABSTRACT Bulk emulsion explosives became the most widely used industrial explosives because of their improved operational safety, on‐site manufacturing, and easy handling. However, its lower strength limits its application as compared to package emulsion explosives. This study aims to investigate the effect of low‐density ammonium nitrate (LDAN) prills, used as additives in bulk emulsion explosive to enhance its detonation performance. In‐depth analysis of detonation behaviour was performed to understand the impact of the LDAN prill content on the bulk emulsion explosives. Moreover, the stability of the prepared bulk explosives with various LDAN prill content was studied under normal air and water in a hole condition. Further, to comprehend the effect of LDAN content on bulk emulsion explosives, a viscosity analysis of the prepared explosives was conducted at various temperatures. Importantly, the propagation of shock waves produced by detonation was monitored using high‐speed recording. Furthermore, the speed of the shock wave was evaluated using an image analysis method. Additionally, a study focused on quantitatively measuring air pressure over time caused by detonation was performed. Results indicated that optimal LDAN prill content (i.e. ≤15% by wt.) was found to increase detonation performance significantly without compromising the safety and handling properties of the bulk emulsion explosive. However, excessive LDAN prill content led to a reduction in detonation efficiency.

PT. Semen Tonasa conducts blasting using two explosives, Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) and Dahana Bulk Emulsion Explosives (DABEX), each with unique specifications that will affect fragmentation quality and blasting costs. This research evaluates the performance of ANFO and DABEX based on fragmentation quality (optimal recovery rate), which will influence blasting cost. It analyzes the best practices for each explosive in different areas. It uses photographic methods to collect fragmentation samples, which will then be analyzed to obtain optimal recovery rates and blasting costs, using rock factor data and deviation of analysis results, the best practice of each explosive can be determined. Based on the result of the analysis, in terms of fragmentation quality, DABEX explosives outperform ANFO with an optimal recovery rate of DABEX reaching 95.6% while ANFO is 89.3%, however, DABEX takes an average of Rp. 4,583 to blast one ton of limestone with a recovery rate of 95.6% while ANFO with a 89.3% recovery rate costs Rp. 3,369. It was found that better fragmentation quality results in lower costs, and vice versa. This is demonstrated by the linear regression analysis, which reveals a very strong negative correlation (R = 0.9819 for DABEX and R = 0.8917) in the relationship between the high level of recovery and the high cost of dismantling one ton of limestone. Both ANFO and DABEX can reach their maximum performance on area B8. Where the optimal recovery rate for DABEX is 95.31% with a cost/ton of Rp 4,622.75, while the optimal recovery for ANFO is 90.16% with a cost/ton of Rp 3,744.62. Meanwhile, the worst performance is predicted to occur on the northern B9 area, with the optimal recovery rate for DABEX is 94.66% with a cost/ton of Rp 4,703.06, while for ANFO the optimal recovery is 89.18% with a cost/ton of Rp 3,785.95

ABSTRACT Bulk emulsion explosives are commonly used explosives in mining applications. The performance of the bulk emulsion explosives is highly dependent on its compositions, charge diameter, confinement and local environments. This study aims to investigate the performance of the explosives under critical conditions, such as under water and hydrostatic pressure conditions. The detonation velocity was studied under different critical conditions to comprehend the influence on the detonation behaviour of the explosives. Moreover, the detonation‐induced air overpressure was monitored at different distances to understand the effect of the critical condition on the explosive performance. Importantly, numerical simulations were conducted to estimate the air overpressure on a glass plane after the detonation of explosives under different conditions. The simulation results revealed that less severe damage occurs under the hydrostatic pressure condition as compared with normal air conditions. Additionally, the findings of the study provide insight for understanding the effect of detonation performance under water and hydrostatic pressure conditions. Moreover, the study quantitatively evaluates detonation behaviour and detonation‐induced pressure damage profiles under various critical conditions.

Palmitoylspermine: A potent antioxidant in bulk oil and emulsion.

Functional and chemical composition of yellow and white cassava flour was studied. The cassava flours were labeled CW (white cassava flour) and CY (yellow cassava flour). The functional and chemical composition of the cassava flours were evaluated using standard analytical methods. The functional properties result of the cassava flours showed that bulk density ranged from 0.78-0.81 g/ml, water absorption capacity ranged from 8.33 to 8.50 g/g, oil absorption capacity from 8.20-8.43 g/g, emulsion capacity from 47.22-52.73 g/g, emulsion stability from 45.12-48.58 %, foaming capacity 11.48-14.27 %, foaming stability 45.55-49.73 %, swelling capacity 1.87-1.91 %, swelling index 1.46-1.51 %, dispersibility index 86.00-87.00 % and gelatinization temperature ranged from 64.00-71.00 oC. The chemical composition result of the cassava flour samples showed that total starch ranged from 59.63-60.76 %, amylose from 13.48-17.03 % and total carbohydrate from 79.37-82.44 %. The white cassava flour had better functional properties in respect to water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, foaming capacity, swelling capacity and swelling index while yellow cassava flour had good bulk density, emulsion capacity and stability, dispersibility and gelatinization temperature. In respect to chemical composition, yellow cassava flour had better total starch and total carbohydrate while amylose content was higher in white cassava flour. White cassava flour had better functional properties while yellow cassava flour had better chemical composition.

Advancements in bulk and microfluidic emulsion methodologies have enabled highly efficient, high-throughput implementations of biochemical assays. Spray-based techniques offer rapid generation, droplet immobilization, and accessibility, but remain relatively underutilized, likely because they result in random and polydisperse droplets. However, the polydisperse characteristic can be leveraged; at sufficiently high droplet numbers, sequential sprays will generate mixed droplets which effectively populate a combinatorial space. In this paper, we present a method involving the sequential spraying and mixing of solutions encoded with fluorophores. This generates combinatorial droplets with quantifiable concentrations that can be imaged over time. To demonstrate the method's performance and utility, we use it to investigate synergistic and antagonistic pairwise antibiotic interactions.

Abstract Blasting in mining industry, including the blasting pattern (burden and spacing) and explosive selection, is substantial to retrieve the desired mining products. This study aims to identify the comparisons of economic calculations and fragmentation between ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil) and Bulk Emulsion explosives (BEE). The economic calculation measured the cost of explosives per unit of blasted material and the fragmentation result. The bulk emulsion cost equals the ANFO cost by extending the burden and spacing from 7 m to 8.33 m. The predicted average fragmentation of blasting using ANFO and BEE was 47 cm and 51 cm, respectively, so the percentage of fragmentation under 100 cm was 81.52% and 78.48%, respectively. Conclusively, blasting with BEE with an extended blasting pattern has demonstrated similar fragmentation distribution to that of ANFO.

Abstract Bulk emulsion explosives are widely used industrial explosives for mining and civil infrastructure work. Ammonium nitrate is an important ingredient for bulk emulsion explosives and plays an important role in the detonation behaviour. Considering the growing demand for bulk emulsion explosives, an in‐depth investigation is necessary to understand how the impurities in ammonium nitrate can affect the detonation behaviour and safe handling of bulk emulsion explosives. Herein, we have demonstrated the influence of contaminated ammonium nitrate on the detonation behaviour and characteristics of bulk emulsion explosive. Furthermore, the particle size of the internal phase of the all prepared bulk emulsion explosives was analyzed using optical microscopy to confirm the effect of contaminated ammonium nitrate. Time dependent chemical‐induced gassing behaviour and detonation velocity of prepared bulk explosive samples were also studied. Importantly, numerical modeling was used to stimulate the detonation‐induced rock damage zone and assess the impact of ammonium nitrate contamination. Additionally, a real‐time rock damage pattern of different prepared samples was further investigated to understand the impact of contamination on the detonation induced crack development phenomena of different bulk emulsion samples.

ABSTRACTAs a widely occurring natural product, alkaloids have garnered increasing attention in drug research and development. The efficient, convenient, and environmentally friendly separation and detection of alkaloid compounds from diverse natural products has garnered increasing attention in recent research. Molecular imprinting technology (MIT) is recognized as an effective method for the selective extraction and separation of alkaloids from complex samples due to its capacity for specific recognition. To date, no comprehensive review has been published on the separation and purification of alkaloids using MIT, particularly regarding the sustainability aspects of this technology. In this paper, we review the general preparation methods of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for alkaloids, including bulk polymerization, precipitation polymerization, magnetic polymerization, and emulsion polymerization. Additionally, we summarize various applications of MIPs for alkaloids, such as different forms of MIP‐based solid phase extraction (MISPE) and MIP‐based sensors for alkaloids detection. Finally, we address some unresolved issues and anticipate future developments in the field.

The study was conducted to analyze the mineral composition, safety ratio and functional properties of the cephalothorax and abdomen (fillet) of the stomatopod shrimp, Squilla aculeata. The mineral content, expressed in mg 100g-1, revealed distinctive patterns in the two body parts. The cephalothorax exhibited higher concentrations of Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, and Mn compared to the abdomen. Notably, the mineral safety index (MSI) calculated for each mineral indicated potential mineral overload in both body parts, excluding sodium. The MSI values for Ca, Mg, P, and Na were compared against standard values. All minerals, except sodium, exhibited negative percentage differences, suggesting elevated concentrations beyond the recommended levels. The extent of these differences ranged from -1250.27 to 60.29 for cephalothorax and -706.2 to 82.82 for the abdomen, emphasizing the potential health risks associated with the consumption of S. aculeata. Furthermore, the functional properties of the stomatopod shrimp, revealing significant variations between the cephalothorax and abdomen. The cephalothorax demonstrated higher values in water absorption capacity (WAC), oil absorption capacity (OAC), emulsion stability, foam stability, solubility, packed bulk density, loose bulk density, specific gravity, and emulsion capacity. Conversely, the abdomen exhibited superior foam capacity, swelling power, and dispersibility. In conclusion, this study contributes valuable insights into the mineral safety/composition and functional properties of different body parts of S. aculeata. The findings underscore the importance of considering both nutritional content and functional characteristics when evaluating the suitability of stomatopod shrimp for consumption and industrial applications.

Using the pH sensitivity of switchable surfactants to understand the role of the alkyl tail conformation and hydrogen bonding at a molecular level in elucidating emulsion stability

This research attempts to provide a better method, examine more effective temperatures for testing emulsifiers, and determine the demulsification limit that indicates emulsifier durability. This experiment was conducted by varying the temperature (40, 60, 80, and 100 °C) for heating the product with a test time of 1, 2, 4, and 6 h, then detected using formaldehyde titration to determine the highest level of demulsification of ammonium nitrate (AN) salt at each temperature in the product. The results showed that 100 °C was the most effective and representative temperature for testing the durability of the emulsifier with the highest level of demulsification from the other temperatures. This was indicated by the weight of AN salt that came out of the emulsion reaching 2.05 g from 20 g of emulsion or about 10.25% of the total weight of the product within 6 h. Emulsifiers with AN levels below 2.05 g (10.25%) were considered to pass the test and could be used for further production or analysis. This new test method was expected that bulk emulsion manufacturers would be faster in eliminating PIBSA-base (Polyisobutylene succinic anhydride-base) emulsifier products widely used by emulsifier manufacturers in manufacturing BE. This was due to it only focusing on the ability of emulsifiers to hold the product in high-temperature exposure so that it remained unified and not demulsified.

HypothesisUnderstanding the digestion of lipid-based pharmaceutical formulations and food systems is necessary for optimising drug and nutrient delivery and has been extensively studied in bulk emulsion systems using the pH-stat method [1]. However, this approach is not suitable for investigation of individual lipid droplets, in particular the interface where the lipase acts. Microfluidic approaches to study digestion at lipid-water interfaces using droplet trapping have been proposed, however the aqueous phase in that case washes over the interface presenting uncertainty over the stoichiometry of interactions [2]. The internal interface of a Janus-like droplet, containing distinct aqueous and lipid compartments, mimics the interface of a lipid droplet in aqueous solution with controlled stoichiometry [3]. Hence, it was hypothesised that the internal interface of Janus droplets can offer a precise way to study the enzymatic digestion of lipids formulations. ExperimentsUsing microfluidic methods, Janus-like droplets were formed by coalescing emulsion droplets containing lipid formulation and pancreatic lipase. Polarised light microscopy (PLM) and in-situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were used to investigate the droplets. FindingsPLM revealed the growth of an aligned inverse hexagonal phase (H2), and with SAXS showed that this phase transformation and alignment resulted from enzymatic digestion. A subsequent partial transformation from H2 to inverse bicontinuous cubic phase occurred when simulated intestinal fluid was used instead of Tris buffer. Suggesting that phospholipids and bile salts could diffuse across the internal interface to locally affect their surroundings.

Parameter’s control of explosives used in open pit mining operations have become more relevant over the years, bringing a better understanding of detonation performance. Giving into consideration that bulk emulsion density reflects on blasting results due to its importance in product sensitivity and velocity of detonation (VOD), blast designs are conducted assuming that cup density measurements are reliable and explosives gassing agents will perform as per specifications. Nevertheless, confinement conditions in boreholes are often neglected on predictive modelling. This paper describes the assembly of a device equipped with pressure sensors and its utilization in confined boreholes, obtaining in situ monitoring of density variation in explosive columns. The results enabled a comparison between bulk emulsion density variation when acting in different environments, providing detailed insights into how chemically sensitized explosives behave into different circumstances, giving the opportunity to re-evaluate blast design.

Silicone-based elastomers (SEs) have been extensively applied in numerous cutting-edge areas, including flexible electronics, biomedicine, 5G smart devices, mechanics, optics, soft robotics, etc. However, traditional strategies for the synthesis of polymer elastomers, such as bulk polymerization, suspension polymerization, solution polymerization, and emulsion polymerization, are inevitably restricted by long-time usage, organic solvent additives, high energy consumption, and environmental pollution. Here, we propose a Joule heating chemistry method for ultrafast universal fabrication of SEs with configurable porous structures and tunable components (e.g., graphene, Ag, graphene oxide, TiO2, ZnO, Fe3O4, V2O5, MoS2, BN, g-C3N4, BaCO3, CuI, BaTiO3, polyvinylidene fluoride, cellulose, styrene-butadiene rubber, montmorillonite, and EuDySrAlSiOx) within seconds by only employing H2O as the solvent. The intrinsic dynamics of the in situ polymerization and porosity creation of these SEs have been widely investigated. Notably, a flexible capacitive sensor made from as-fabricated silicone-based elastomers exhibits a wide pressure range, fast responses, long-term durability, extreme operating temperatures, and outstanding applicability in various media, and a wireless human-machine interaction system used for rescue activities in extreme conditions is established, which paves the way for more polymer-based material synthesis and wider applications.

Combining multiple displacement amplification (MDA) with metagenomics enables the analysis of samples with extremely low DNA concentrations, making them suitable for high-throughput sequencing. Although amplification bias and nonspecific amplification have been reported from MDA-amplified samples, the impact of MDA on metagenomic datasets is not well understood. We compared three MDA methods (i.e. bulk MDA, emulsion MDA, and primase MDA) for metagenomic analysis of two DNA template concentrations (approx. 1 and 100 pg) derived from a microbial community standard “mock community” and two low biomass environmental samples (i.e. borehole fluid and groundwater). We assessed the impact of MDA on metagenome-based community composition, assembly quality, functional profiles, and binning. We found amplification bias against high GC content genomes but relatively low nonspecific amplification such as chimeras, artifacts, or contamination for all MDA methods. We observed MDA-associated representational bias for microbial community profiles, especially for low-input DNA and with the primase MDA method. Nevertheless, similar taxa were represented in MDA-amplified libraries to those of unamplified samples. The MDA libraries were highly fragmented, but similar functional profiles to the unamplified libraries were obtained for bulk MDA and emulsion MDA at higher DNA input and across these MDA libraries for the groundwater sample. Medium to low-quality bins were possible for the high input bulk MDA metagenomes for the most simple microbial communities, borehole fluid, and mock community. Although MDA-based amplification should be avoided, it can still reveal meaningful taxonomic and functional information from samples with extremely low DNA concentration where direct metagenomics is otherwise impossible.