Clean Fresh Water Research Articles

Fabrication of a Composite Paper-Based Material for Fog Collection and Purification Enabled by Passive Radiative Cooling and Wettability Regulation.

Obtaining clean freshwater resources with high efficiency is a global concern and plays a vital role in the sustainable development of human society. In this study, purified freshwater was obtained via condensation and collection of water and organic fog using a composite paper-based material with spectral selectivity and proper wettability. By reflecting ∼91% of sunlight and radiating >96% of thermal infrared rays, the composite paper-based material can reach a daytime maximum temperature drop of 5.2 °C compared to pristine paper and 6.7 °C compared to environmental temperature. Furthermore, surface wettability can be easily adjusted by optimizing the wettability of the nanoparticles. Under the combined effect of excellent passive daytime radiative cooling performance and an appropriate wettability range, a maximum water collection rate of 332.09 mg/cm2·h under dynamic vapor atmosphere and 245.10 mg/cm2·h under static vapor atmosphere were obtained. Even for mixed organic fogs, purified water can be collected after organic fog condensation because of its high selectivity for different liquids. In addition, the composite paper-based material exhibited excellent abrasion resistance and has great potential for long-term use and reuse. This composite paper-based material can obtain freshwater via water and organic fog condensation and collection under direct sunlight, which is helpful in alleviating freshwater shortages.

The Israeli Water Policy and Its Challenges During Times of Emergency

In a time of growing climate crisis, and despite the global warming trend, Israeli citizens routinely enjoy a regular constant supply of clean fresh water thanks to local desalination plants. Establishment of the desalination plants has become a model of water management for many countries in an era of growing climate crisis. At the same time, Israel’s water sector is faced with challenges and threats related to earthquakes, various states of warfare, and security confrontations. In such times of emergency, Israel’s water sector is particularly vulnerable to disruptions of the water infrastructure and its adequate operation by both contamination of the water sources and damage to the desalination plants. This study examines the challenges of the Israeli water sector that require it to contend with these emergency situations in an era of reliance on desalination plants. The research findings lead to the conclusion that public policy on managing the water sector, manifested in the development and establishment of water desalination plants, has resolved Israel’s water crisis, put an end to its dependency on the amount of precipitation and on natural water sources, and allowed for an increase in water production to match the rise in consumption. Nonetheless, as successful as this public policy may be, it does not consider the possibility of extreme scenarios and does not develop the entire range of steps necessary to confront them, and thus it undermines the ability of the Israeli water sector to provide its citizens with water in times of emergency.

Bifunctional Photothermal Evaporator Based on an MXene/Fe-MOF Collaborative Effect toward Efficient Solar Steam Generation and Simultaneous VOC Removal.

Solar-driven interfacial water evaporation has become one of the most promising approaches to effectively harvesting freshwater, yet the fabrication of high-performance and multifunctional solar interfacial evaporators (SIEs) still remains a huge challenge to date. In this study, a multifunctional MXene and Fe-MOF@cellulose acetate/polyvinylpyrrolidone (MXM@CP) SIE was prepared via a facile "electrospinning and suction filtration deposition" coupling strategy. Thanks to the incorporation of MXene, MXM@CP displayed excellent photothermal conversion performance. Together with the fast water transport channel provided by the porous cellulose acetate electrospinning substrate, a remarkable solar-driven water evaporation property was achieved for MXM@CP, showing a higher water evaporation rate of 1.1 kg m-2 h-1 under one sun irradiation. Moreover, the resultant composite film also exhibited excellent Fenton catalytic activity to effectively degrade volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to the synergistic effect of the MXene and Fe-based MOF (Fe-MOF). Particularly, a relatively higher degradation rate of 82.8% was acquired for the resulting evaporator toward the benzene contaminant. These results provide new insights into the construction of high-performance and multifunctional SIEs toward clean freshwater collection from the VOC-contaminated water system.

Biofilms on RO membranes treating tap water harbour diverse bacteria with opposing salinity optima

The escalating scarcity of clean freshwater, a crucial global economic asset, demands advancements in water purification technologies. Reverse osmosis (RO) stands out as an effective method for removing contaminants, yet biofouling of RO membranes poses a significant challenge, lowering the operational and energy efficiency. Through DNA sequencing, we identified a small set of abundant core bacterial species common to the biofilm in the three RO modules treating tap water. The core species are closely related to heterotrophic taxa from soil and groundwater systems and are likely important for the RO membrane biofouling. The community compositions of the RO-biofilms were system-specific. Within a given RO module, the biofilm community composition was uniform across the various sections of the membrane module. We established a method to efficiently extract live cells from the membranes and determined their salinity tolerance. Growth was mainly aerobic and was only inhibited at salinities above 3 to 5 %, i.e. exceeding those that can be reached in the specific RO modules. The species composition of the growing community changed discretely with the salinity level, indicating that salinity fluctuations may have an important role in shaping RO biofilm communities. Our findings highlight a complex interplay between microbial communities, salinity, and growth conditions in RO modules.

The Effect of Adhatoda Vasica as A Herbal Supplement on The Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Blood Profile of Weaned Pigs

A 60-day trial was carried out to determine the impact of Adhatoda vasica as an herbal supplement on the performance, nutrient digestibility and blood profile of weaned pigs. 40 crossbred male pigs (Yorkshire × Landrace) with initial body weight of 10.21 ± 0.03 kg was distributed into 4 treatment consisting of 10 pigs each. On arrival, animals were quarantined for two weeks and fed basal diet which is adequate in all nutrients according to NRC (2012). Pigs in treatment 1 was fed basal diet without Adhatoda vasica leaf powder while those in treatment 2, 3 and 4 were fed same diet supplemented with Adhatoda vasica leaf powder at 200 g, 400 g and 600 g/kg respectively. A completely randomized design technique was adopted and the animals had unrestricted access to clean fresh water and feed. Quantification of phyto-constituents in Adhatoda vasica leaf powder showed that it contained higher concentration of flavonoids (102.1 mg/g) while steroids had the lowest concentration of 30.41 mg/g. Average daily weight gain was higher among pigs fed treatment 3 and 4, intermediate in treatment 2 and lowest in treatment 1. Average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the treatment. Dry matter, ether extract, crude protein and crude fibre digestibility were influenced (P<0.05) by the treatment. Red blood cell, pack cell volume, mean platelet volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, white blood cell, total protein was significantly (P<0.05) different among the treatment except for aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase (P>0.05). However, all values were within the established range for healthy pigs. In conclusion, Adhatoda vasica leaf powder can be supplemented in the diet of pigs without compromising their growth and health status.

A self-floating and windproof Janus biomass composite hydrogel with magnetic controllability and salt rejection for polluted seawater desalination

To alleviate the global freshwater crisis, a self-floating magnetic Janus biomass composite hydrogel has been fabricated through a rational asymmetric bilayer structure design, which exhibits many merits such as remarkable light-absorption, photothermal conversion, water-evaporation, salt rejection, wind-resistant, etc. Specifically, sodium alginate, cellulose nanofibrils (from corn straw), and acrylic acid were crosslinked by triple interpenetrating networks (chemical cross-linking, ionic cross-linking and hydrogen bonding). Janus hydrogel evaporator was constructed by incorporating the top layer containing light-absorbing core–shell magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@PDA NPs), and the bottom layer composed of self-floating foam gel due to the addition of foaming agent. Under one solar irradiation, the average evaporation rate and photothermal conversion efficiency of Janus biomass composite hydrogel reached 2.89 ± 0.09 kg·m−2·h−1 and 95.66 ± 2.68 %, respectively. Its evaporation stability and salt tolerance capability have been demonstrated by extended period of simulated desalination. Furthermore, Janus biomass composite hydrogel also had excellent mechanical property (ultimate stress of 1.6 MPa) and magnetic performance, which can not only effectively resist the stress induced by wind and waves, but also enable the magnetic maneuvering and wind-resistance floating on the sea. When the input voltage of electromagnet was 24 V, the furtherest response displacement and maximum resisted wind speed were 9 cm and 7.2 m/s, respectively. Therefore, such magnetic self-floating Janus biomass composite hydrogel serving as interfacial solar-driven evaporator system offers a green, efficient and sustainable solution for clean freshwater production.

Selectivity Study of Anodic Seawater Electrolysis Catalysts Using the Rotating Ring-Disc Electrode Method

Water electrolysis generating green hydrogen will play a vital role in achieving the net-zero 2050 goal; however, freshwater electrolysis will further strain an already strained supply of clean freshwater.1 If seawater electrolysis can be scaled successfully, it would provide an important source of green hydrogen. Current research on untreated, direct seawater electrolysis is limited, and only recently have studies emerged analyzing catalyst performance at near-neutral pH.2 At industrially-relevant current densities, the formation of corrosive hypochlorite must be considered as a secondary reaction.3 Hypochlorite forms through the chloride oxidation reaction (ClOR), which competes with the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in seawater electrolysis.2 In this work, we discuss the limitations of the current methods for determining anodic catalyst selectivity between OER and ClOR. The short lifetime of hypochlorite can cause faradaic efficiency measurement methods such as titration or oxygen gas capture to become unreliable, as these tests require that the hypochlorite remain stable. Using a rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE), we measure the selectivity of common OER catalysts in-situ (Figure 1a). Real-time hypochlorite sensing overcomes the challenge of measuring catalyst selectivity posed by the short lifetime of hypochlorite. Remarkably, a PtRu catalyst outperformed more common OER catalysts with the best in OER selectivity and low overpotential, a novel development in the field of near-neutral water electrolysis. We also determine that elevated heat and low chlorine concentration are conducive to improved OER selectivity on an IrO2 catalyst (Figure 1b). We hope this work will set the standard in catalyst benchmarking for seawater electrolysis catalysts and could lead to the development of catalysts for efficient, scalable, and sustainable hydrogen production from seawater. H. Jin et al., Sci Adv, 9, eadi7755 (2023) https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi7755.F. Dionigi, T. Reier, Z. Pawolek, M. Gliech, and P. Strasser, ChemSusChem, 9, 962–972 (2016) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cssc.201501581.J. Guo et al., Nature Energy 2023, 1–9 (2023) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-023-01195-x. Figure 1. a) LSV profiles of common OER catalysts (solid line) and the corresponding faradaic efficiency (dashed line) for the OER, measured using the ring current of the rotating ring-disc electrode. Catalysts were tested in 0.5 M NaCl and buffered with KHCO3 to pH 8.5. b) A ternary plot depicting the effect of varying Cl concentrations and temperatures on the selectivity of an IrO2 catalyst at pH 8.5. Figure 1

MnO2-modified PEEK membrane for efficient oil-water separation and solar-assisted seawater desalination

Economic and efficient routes to achieve clean freshwater from oil-water mixtures and seawater have gained special attention to reduce the current water crisis, but still a challenge unsolved. Herein, poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK) membrane, modified with MnO2 layer, has been prepared by facile hydrothermal method to address this issue aforementioned. Given the existence of PEEK and underwater superoleophobicity/underoil superhydrophilicity of MnO2, the composite membrane exhibits strong mechanic properties (tensile stress: 110.2 MPa) and high separation efficiencies (99.9 %) for different oil–water mixtures under gravity. Additionally, our membrane could also effectively separate immiscible oil mixtures according to the dipole–dipole interaction. Furthermore, firm chemical stability against dichloromethane, N, N-Dimethylformamide, 1 M NaOH, 1 M HCl, and 1 M NaCl has been achieved. Most importantly, our membrane displays durable evaporation efficiency (2.63 kg m-2h−1), high energy efficiency (85.9 %), and super salt tolerance under 1 sun irradiation, for solar-assisted seawater desalination.

Cordyline fruticosa leaf powder supplemented in the diet of weaned pigs: effect on growth performance, heamatological and serum biochemical indices

In Sumitra Research Institute, Gujarat, a total of 50 cross-bred male piglets (Yorkshire × Landrace) with an initial body weight of 9.77 ± 0.06 kg weaned at 28 days were randomly distributed 5 treatments of 10 replicates containing 1 animal each in 60 days’ trial. According to the Nutritional Research Council’s recommendation in 2012, a basal diet was adequate in all nutrients. Pigs in treatment 1 were fed a basal diet without C. fruticosa leaf powder while treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5 were fed the same diet supplemented with C. fruticosa leaf powder at 20 g, 40 g, 60 g, and 80 g respectively. Animals were given unrestricted access to fresh clean water and a completely randomized design was adopted. The experimental result showed that average daily weight gains and average daily feed intake which took the form of 0.29-0.46 kg and 0.68-0.77 kg were higher in the C. fruticosa leaf powder-supplemented group relative to the control (p < 0.05). The treatments significantly influenced the best feed conversion ratio and mortality rate from 1.73-2.34 to 1.0-3.0% (p < 0.05). Haemoglobin, red blood cell, pack cell volume, total platelet count, mean platelet volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell, lymphocytes, and monocytes count follow a similar trend as values were greater in treatment 3, 4 and 5, an intermediary in treatment 2 and lower in treatment 1 (p < 0.05). The treatment significantly influenced total protein, glucose, cholesterol, Calcium, and Phosphorus values (p < 0.05). In contrast, bilirubin, urea, creatinine, sodium, chloride, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase values were similar among the treatments (p > 0.05). In conclusion, Cordyline fruticosa leaf powder can be supplemented in the diet of weaned pigs without causing any negative effect on the growth and health status of weaned pigs.

Методика оценки экономического ущерба подземным водам при эксплуатации гидротехнических сооружений

Introduction. The problem is that currently there are no standard indicators for the degree of groundwater contamination. As a rule, standard indicators for surface waters are taken as a criterion for assessing their pollution. However, as is known, the underground hydrosphere is a separate environment, and groundwater is a separate component of the environment. In addition, groundwater is a strategic reserve of clean fresh water for the population of the Russian Federation. Therefore, it is clear that the regulation of maximum permissible harmful effects on groundwater and maximum permissible discharges of harmful substances into groundwater bodies is currently extremely necessary. Due to the fact that there are no standard indicators, there is no economic regulation of the negative impact of economic activities on groundwater. And this impact is very significant. This has been proven by numerous long-term monitoring studies of the underground hydrosphere, which is under the influence, for example, of mining enterprises in the Urals Federal District. Materials and methods. This work uses hydrogeological (deposit groundwater regime and balance monitoring), geochemical, and geo-ecological (groundwater quality and pollution monitoring) research methods, as well as observation and statistical and cartographic data processing methods. The research is based on a large amount of accumulated data and signature fieldwork. Results and discussion. As is known, in 1998, Guidelines were developed for the development of standards for maximum permissible harmful effects on groundwater bodies and maximum permissible discharges of harmful substances into groundwater bodies. However, this technique did not find its application, either because of its imperfection, or because it was believed that groundwater is sufficiently protected from negative technogenic and anthropogenic influences, in comparison with other components of the environment and, therefore, is not regulated need. Now it is obvious that groundwater, just like other components (atmospheric air, soil, surface water) experience intense negative impact from human economic activity and they require their own standards and, of course, economic regulation of such impact. The authors of this article have significantly improved the methodology for developing standards for maximum permissible harmful effects (MPH) on groundwater bodies and maximum permissible discharges of harmful substances (MPD) into groundwater bodies. This method has been patented and on its basis, the article presents a new method for calculating economic damage to groundwater, developed and tested on the basis of our own research on two unique largest technogenic-mineral formations in the Middle and Southern Urals. Conclusion. The hydrodynamic method for calculating groundwater pollution and normatively permissible discharge underlies the methodology for assessing natural damage to groundwater from pollutants of technogenic-mineral formations. The methodology for assessing economic damage to the underground hydrosphere from sources of surface pollution is based on calculating fees for the discharge of pollutants within the limit and above the limit. Resume. Technogenic mineral formations intensively affect groundwater, which is an important resource in human life in the present and especially in the future. Therefore, their uncontrolled pollution is unacceptable, which predetermines the development of a methodology for assessing damage to groundwater. Suggestions for practical applications and directions for future research. The application of a methodology for assessing economic damage to groundwater during the operation of hydraulic structures initiates the development of effective measures for higher and more comprehensive extraction of minerals, treatment of industrial wastewater, and more careful design and construction of hydraulic structures.

Construction of magnetic and photothermal wood membrane with asymmetric wettabilities and wind drift resistance for solar-driven seawater desalination and purification

To generate clean freshwater controllably and efficiently, Fe3O4/CNT nanomaterials and hydrophobic PVDF were introduced to delignified wood with man-made-cutting structure (D-Wood) in simple brushing method for constructing the magnetic and photothermal wood evaporator with asymmetric wettabilities and wind drift resistance. Such method could endow wood with various shapes design, outstanding magnetically sensitivity, remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency (129.08 %), high evaporation rate (1.92 kg·m−2·h−1), good dye degradability (97.23 %), and excellent wind resistance (6.6 m/s). The superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic bottom of Fe3O4/CNT/PVDF@D-Wood evaporator accelerated the bulk seawater transport during its evaporation procedure, but prevented the oil pollutants blocking the microchannels of evaporator during the long periods of flotation at sea. Meantime, its hydrophobic top could effectively reduce the downward diffusion of heat, and improve the salt tolerance. After 10 cycles of acid-base, ultrasound treatments and evaporating experiments, Fe3O4/CNT/PVDF@D-Wood evaporator still exhibited excellent evaporation rate and conversion efficiency, displaying remarkable repeatability and long-term durability. In weak magnetic field (3 V), its furthest response displacement and time were 5 cm and 41 s, respectively. After prolonged evaporation procedure, the magnetic responsivity of Fe3O4/CNT/PVDF@D-Wood evaporator could be in almost constant level, which offers a promising biomass product for seawater desalination and polluted-water purification.

Symbiotic defect-reinforced bimetallic MOF-derived fiber components for solar-assisted atmospheric water collection

Conversion of atmospheric water to sustainable and clean freshwater resources through MOF-based adsorbent has great potential for the renewable environmental industry. However, its daily water production is hampered by susceptibility to agglomeration, slow water evaporation efficiency, and limited water-harvesting capacity. Herein, a solar-assisted bimetallic MOF (BMOF)-derived fiber component that surmounts these limitations and exhibits both optimized water-collect capacity and short adsorption-desorption period is proposed. The proposed strategy involves utilizing bottom-up interface-induced assembly between carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube and hygroscopic BMOF on a multi-ply glass fiber support. The designed BMOF (MIL-100(Fe,Al)-3) skeleton constructed using bimetallic-node defect engineering exhibits a high specific surface area (1,535.28 m2/g) and pore volume (0.76 cm3/g), thereby surpassing the parent MOFs and other reported MOFs in capturing moisture. Benefiting from the hierarchical structure of fiber rods and the solar-driven self-heating interface of photothermal layer, the customized BMOF crystals realize efficient loading and optimized water adsorption-desorption kinetics. As a result, the resultant fiber components achieve six adsorption-desorption cycles per day and an impressive water collection of 1.45 g/g/day under medium-high humidity outdoor conditions. Therefore, this work will provide new ideas for optimizing the daily yield of atmospheric water harvesting techniques.

Effect of coconut shell extract on the growth performance and some haemato-biochemical parameters of broiler chicken

This experiment was carried out at Sumitra Research Institute, Gujarat, India to evaluate the effect of coconut shell extract on the growth performance and some haemato-biochemical parameters of broiler chicken. 240 – 1 day old Hubbard broiler chicks of mixed sex were randomly distributed to six treatments with six replicates containing ten birds each in a completely randomized design. Birds in treatment 1(T1) was fed standard diet with no coconut shell extract; T2: standard diet with 1.0 mL coconut shell extract per liter of water; T3: standard diet with 2.0 mL coconut shell extract per liter of water and T4: standard diet with 3.0 mL coconut shell extract per liter of water. Standard diet was formulated according to the nutritional needs of broilers. The study lasted for fifty-six day and birds were offered fresh clean water and feed ad libitum. Phenols (410.3 mg/g-1), tannins (98.21 mg/g-1), alkaloids (100.6 mg/g-1), flavonoids (309.5 mg/g-1), saponins (71.4 mg/g-1) and steroids (28.7 mg/g-1) were identified coconut shell extract. Overall weight gains of birds fed T3 (2506.3 g) and T4 (2527.6 g) had a numerical and a remarkable significant improvement if feed conversion ratio from 1.92 to 1.59 compared to T2 (2210.0 g) and T1 (1996.1 g). Mortality was only recorded among birds in T1 (2.00 %) (p < 0.05). Pack cell volume, red blood cell, white blood cell, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations were influenced (p < 0.05) by the treatments. However, values were within the normal range for healthy birds. Total protein, albumin and globulin values were higher in T2, T3 and T4 except for alanine phosphatase, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase values which were not significantly (p > 0.05) different among the treatment. Total cholesterol was higher (p < 0.05) in T1 relative to the other treatments. It was concluded that coconut shell extract can be fed to broilers up to 3.0 mL without causing any negative effect on the health status of animals.

Effect on performance, serum biochemistry and haematological components of feeding “japanese quails” phytogenic feed additions comprising Megaphrynium macrostachyum leaves

This experiment was carried out to examine the effect on performance, serum biochemistry and haematological components of feeding quails phytogenic feed additions comprising Megaphrynium macrostachyum leaves. A total of 400-1 day old “japanese quails” were randomly distributed into five treatments and each treatment had four replicates (20 birds per replicate) in a completely randomized design. Basal diets were adequate in all nutrients and quails in treatment 1 was fed basal diet with no antibiotics, treatment 2 was fed basal diet supplemented with neomycin at 0.2 g/kg-1 while treatment 3, 4 and 5 were fed basal diet supplemented with M. macrostachyum leaf meal (MML) at 2 g, 4 g and 6 g/kg-1 respectively. The experiment lasted for 42 days, feed and fresh clean water were offered ad libitum. Experimental result showed that MML contained several phyto-constituents viz: tannins (318.62 mg/g-1), terpenoids (620.11 mg/g-1), flavonoids (1205.3 mg/g-1), steroids (51.79 mg/g-1), glycosides (42.55 mg/g1-), alkaloids (200.8 mg/g-1) and phenols (1402.4 mg/g-1). Average daily weight gain was higher (P < 0.05) in treatment 4 (3.00 g/bird-1) and 5 (3.02 g/bird-1) relative to the other treatments. Similarly, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were higher (P < 0.05) in treatment 4 and 5, intermediate in treatment 2 and lowest in treatment 1 and 2. Mortality was recorded only among birds in treatment 1 (2.56%) and 2 (1.16%) (P < 0.05). Red blood cell, white blood cell, haemoglobin, pack cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, lymphocytes and heterophil values were influenced (P < 0.05) by the treatments except for monocyte count (P > 0.05). Total protein, Creatinine, alanine phosphatase, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase were not significantly (P > 0.05) influenced by the diet. However, all values were within the established ranges for healthy quails. In conclusion, MML can be supplemented up to 6 g/kg-1 in the diet of quails without causing any deleterious effect on the health status and performance of birds.

Growth performance, haemato-biochemical indices of broiler chicken fed Aristolochia indica as a phytogenic feed additive

This experiment was carried out to examine the growth performance and some heamato-biochemical indices of broiler chicken fed Aristolochia indica (ALM) as a phytogenic feed additive. A total of 500 – 1-day old (Vencobb 450) with initial body weight of 48.0 ± 0.02 g were randomly divided to 5 groups with 5 replicates for each group. Basal diet (a corn-soya meal based diet) was sufficient in all nutrients (NRC, 1994). Birds in group 1 was fed basal diet without A. indica leaf meal, those in group 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed basal diet with supplemented with A. indica leaf meal at 100 g, 200 g, 300 g and 400 g per 100 kg-1 respectively. Fresh clean water and feed were offered ad libitum. Results on phyto-constituents of Aristolochia indica leaf meal showed that it contained flavonoids (996.05 mg/100 g-1), tannins (609.7 mg/100 g-1), phenols (1341.8 mg/100 g-1), steroids (206.17 mg/100 g-1), alkaloids (151.8 mg/100g) and saponins (91.21 mg/100g). Average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were higher in group 4 and 5, intermediate in group 3 and lower in group 1 and 2 (P < 0.05). Mortality of 2.20 % was recorded in group 1 while none was recorded in the other treatment (P < 0.05). Pack cell volume, red blood cell, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell, lymphocytes and monocyte values were significantly (P < 0.05) different among the groups except for basophil values (P > 0.05). Total protein, albumin/globulin ratio, urea, creatinine, glucose and cholesterol were influenced (P < 0.05) by the treatment except for alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase values (P > 0.05). In conclusion, ALM can be fed up to 400 g in the diet of broilers without compromising their performance and health status.

Cellulose‐Based Aerogels with Photocatalytic Function for Solar Steam Generation

Solar steam generation is considered an efficient, renewable, and environmentally friendly technology for clean freshwater production, offering the potential to alleviate the growing global water scarcity issue. Herein, the commercial cellulose is used as raw material and water transport matrix, and silver phosphate particles are used as difunctional light‐absorbing matters and photocatalyst to prepare cellulose‐based composite material (silver‐plated cellulose aerogel [CAAg]). The resulting CAAg possesses superhydrophilicity, intrinsic network structure, high porosity (89.88%), and low thermal conductivity (0.091 W m−1 K−1). As a result, the CAAg exhibits an evaporation rate of nearly 1.55 kg m−2 h−1 in simulated seawater under a light intensity of 1 kW m−2. Furthermore, due to the excellent photocatalytic properties of silver phosphate particles, the CAAg can simultaneously achieve high degradation rates toward various dye molecules including methylene blue, rhodamine B, and methyl orange in water, making it show tremendous potential applications for clean freshwater production and organic wastewater treatment.

Synthesis and characterization of Ni@UiO-66 Metal-Organic Framework for fluorescence detection of heavy metal ions in the aqueous phase

The toxicity of clean fresh water has become a major concern in the 21st century. The pollution of fresh and marine water bodies via anthropogenic activities introduces fatal chemicals like heavy metal ions into the environment causing disastrous impacts on human life as well as floral-faunal biota. Hence, it is crucial to develop a nanomaterial that can probe on these lethal heavy metal ions feasibly as well as with low detection limits. Metal-Organic Frameworks are frequently employed in optics as fluorescence sensors for detecting heavy metal ions. Therefore, in this study, Ni(II) was doped into the UiO-66 network, and the fluorescent characteristics of the obtained MOF structure were observed. The morphological characterizations were conducted via PXRD and SEM while the optical tests based on fluorescent spectroscopy were given more attention. The as synthesized MOF i.e., Ni@UiO-66 gave excellent fluorescent detection exhibiting “Turn-Off” for Hg(II) and Fe(III), while “Turn On” for Cr(VI), and Al(III) analytes. In aqueous phase, the lowest detection limit values of 7.98 x 10−7 M for Hg(II) ions is observed. The former's sensing mechanism was attributed to the inner filter effect (IFE), while the latter's mechanism could potentially be linked to the chelation-enhanced fluorescent (CHEF) effect. These findings imply that the Ni@UiO-66 metal-organic framework has the potential to be used for the detection for minute quantities of Hg(II), Al(III), Cr(VI), and Fe(III) ions.

All-in-one chitosan-based aerogel with a semi-clad structure for solar-driven interfacial evaporation

Solar-driven interfacial water evaporation is a promising technique for recovering clean fresh water and alleviating water scarcity. In this work, an all-in-one chitosan-based composite aerogel with a highly porous semi-clad structure was fabricated. In the process of interfacial water evaporation, the hydrophilic outer layer of the aerogel efficiently transported water to the upper surface through two-dimensional transport channels. Simultaneously, it rapidly converted absorbed sunlight into heat, demonstrating excellent photothermal conversion capabilities for efficient water evaporation. The hydrophobic inner core enabled the aerogel to float stably on the water surface, and had a low thermal conductivity to reduce heat dissipation into the water body. Under 1 sun illumination (1 kW m−2), the composite aerogel showed an evaporation rate of up to 1.547 kg m−2 h−1, corresponding to an evaporation efficiency of 91.47 %. Notably, the composite aerogel demonstrated high stability and recyclability in desalination and heavy metal wastewater treatment, which had great potential in recovering both clean water and heavy metal salts. The evaporator with a semi-clad structure had practical applications in solar desalination and sewage treatment due to its stable and efficient evaporation performance and simple preparation method.

Energy and exergy analysis of a novel advanced adiabatic compressed air energy storage hybridized with reverse osmosis system

Providing sustainable energy and ensuring a reliable supply of clean freshwater are two critical and interconnected challenges. This paper introduces an innovative approach that combines an advanced adiabatic compressed air energy storage system with a reverse osmosis system to enhance energy storage efficiency and freshwater production. During the charging phase, compressed air is injected into a tank filled with saltwater. Simultaneously, the high-pressure compressed air forces saltwater into the reverse osmosis modules. In the discharge phase, water is pumped into the compressed air storage tank to maintain a nearly constant tank pressure. The results demonstrate the advantages of this hybrid system over separate adiabatic compressed air energy storage and reverse osmosis systems producing the same amount of fresh water. Specifically, the proposed hybrid system achieves an 11.3 % increase in generated power during discharge and a 1.2 % improvement in round-trip efficiency. Reducing the compressed air tank capacity from 1200 to 800 m3 accentuates the hybrid system's superiority, increasing the round-trip efficiency difference between the hybrid and separated systems to 5.6 %. By selecting an appropriate compression ratio, a round-trip efficiency of 61.9 % can be achieved. Furthermore, an exergy analysis highlights the compressed air storage tank and turbines as the most exergy-destructive components of the system.

Low-Tech, Energy-Free Tool Collects and Cleans Fog Water

A new fog harvester could benefit communities that lack access to clean freshwater.