Chemical Dosing Research Articles

In situ growing of zero-valent aluminium nanoparticles for the concurrent hydrogen production and chromium removal from artificial wastewater

The development of novel single-pot technologies to address multiple complications is always challenging in the contemporary world. The current research work intends to assess the hydrogen generation system along with the simultaneous chromium removal. The method of in-situ formation of zero-aluminium (Al(0)) nanoparticles is accomplished in an aqueous medium with the aid of aluminium salt and sodium borohydride. This multifunctional process can completely remove hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) along with concurrent maximum hydrogen generation rate of 550 mL/min at pH 3.0. The experimental analyses are done to scrutinize the effect of parameters such as reactant chemicals dosage, pH conditions, initial Cr(VI) concentration, temperature, presence of organic carbon as phenol, and water matrices on the reduction of Cr(VI) and hydrogen production. The results elucidate that the process can be widely utilized in the range of pH 3.0 – 11.0; the maximum hydrogen yield was improved from 150 to 570 mL/min and the Cr(VI) removal efficiency was improved from 94.8% to 100% by changing the quantity of aluminium salt from 0.1 to 0.6 g per 50 mL of Cr(VI) containing artificial wastewater. Cr(VI) in conjunction with phenol removal studies along with simultaneous hydrogen generation is also explored, featuring this technology as energy positive for the co-removal of pollutants.

Comparative Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Effects of Metal Oxide and Metalloid Oxide Nanoparticles: An Experimental Study.

Industrial production generates aerosols of complex composition, including an ultrafine fraction. This is typical for mining and metallurgical industries, welding processes, and the production and recycling of electronics, batteries, etc. Since nano-sized particles are the most dangerous component of inhaled air, in this study we aimed to establish the impact of the chemical nature and dose of nanoparticles on their cytotoxicity. Suspensions of CuO, PbO, CdO, Fe2O3, NiO, SiO2, Mn3O4, and SeO nanoparticles were obtained by laser ablation. The experiments were conducted on outbred female albino rats. We carried out four series of a single intratracheal instillation of nanoparticles of different chemical natures at doses ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 mg per animal. Bronchoalveolar lavage was taken 24 h after the injection to assess its cytological and biochemical parameters. At a dose of 0.5 mg per animal, cytotoxicity in the series of nanoparticles changed as follows (in decreasing order): CuO NPs > PbO NPs > CdO NPs > NiO NPs > SiO2 NPs > Fe2O3 NPs. At a lower dose of 0.25 mg per animal, we observed a different pattern of cytotoxicity of the element oxides under study: NiO NPs > Mn3O4 NPs > CuO NPs > SeO NPs. We established that the cytotoxicity increased non-linearly with the increase in the dose of nanoparticles of the same chemical element (from 0 to 0.5 mg per animal). An increase in the levels of intracellular enzymes (amylase, AST, ALT, LDH) in the supernatant of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid indicated a cytotoxic effect of nanoparticles. Thus, alterations in the cytological parameters of the bronchoalveolar lavage and the biochemical characteristics of the supernatant can be used to predict the danger of new nanomaterials based on their comparative assessment with the available tested samples of nanoparticles.

Radiation-Chemical Oxygen Depletion Depends on Chemical Environment and Dose Rate: Implications for the FLASH Effect

FLASH (dose rates >40 Gy/s) radiation therapy protects normal tissues from radiation damage, compared with conventional radiation therapy (∼Gy/m). Radiation-chemical oxygen depletion (ROD) occurs when oxygen reacts with radiation-induced free radicals, so a possible mechanism for FLASH involves radioprotection by the decreased oxygen as ROD occurs. High ROD rates would favor this mechanism, but prior studies have reported low ROD values (∼0.35 µM/Gy) in chemical environments such as water and protein/nutrient solutions. We proposed that intracellular ROD might be much larger, possibly promoted by its strongly reducing chemical environment. ROD was measured, using precision polarographic sensors, from ∼100 µM to zero in solutions containing intracellular reducing agents ± glycerol (1M), to simulate intracellular reducing and hydroxyl-radical-scavenging capacity. Cs irradiators and a research proton beamline allowed dose rates from 0.0085 to 100 Gy/s. Reducing agents significantly altered ROD values. Most greatly increased ROD but some (eg, ascorbate) actually decreased ROD and additionally imposed an oxygen dependence of ROD at low oxygen concentrations. The highest values of ROD were found at low dose rates, but these montonically decreased with increasing dose rate. ROD was greatly augmented by some intracellular reducing agents but others (eg, ascorbate) effectively reversed this effect. Ascorbate had its greatest effect at low oxygen concentrations. ROD decreased with increasing dose rate in most cases.

A dynamic inventory database for assessing age-, gender-, and route-specific chronic internal exposure to chemicals in support of human exposome research

In this study, we proposed a dynamic inventory database to evaluate chronic internal exposure to chemicals at a population level, which enables users to perform modeling exercises specific to a particular chemical, route of exposure, age group, and gender. The database was built based on the steady-state solution of physiologically based kinetic (PBK) models. The biotransfer factors [BTF, the steady-state ratio between the chemical concentration in human tissues and the average daily dose (ADD) of the chemical] of 931 organic chemicals in major organs and tissues were simulated for a total of 14 population age groups for males and females. The results indicated that infants and children had the highest simulated BTFs of chemicals, and middle-aged adults had the lowest simulated BTFs. The route-specific analysis of the simulated BTFs indicated that the biotransformation half-life and octanol-water partition coefficient of chemicals had a profound impact on the BTFs. Organ- and chemical-specific results indicated that the biotransfer potential of chemicals in human bodies was primarily determined by bio-thermodynamic variables (e.g., lipid contents). In conclusion, the proposed inventory database can be conveniently used to access chronic internal exposure doses of chemicals by multiplying the route-specific ADD values for different population groups. In future studies, we recommend incorporating human biotransformation data, partition coefficients of ionizable chemicals, age-specific vulnerable indicators (e.g., the degree of maturation of immune systems), physiological variations within the same age group (e.g., intensity of daily physical activities), growth rates (i.e., the dilution effect on chemical biotransfer), and all possible target organs of carcinogenicity (e.g., bladder) into the proposed dynamic inventory database to help promote human exposome research.

328 Incidence and Number of Missed Chemical Venous Thromboembolic Event Prophylactic Doses Predict the Development of Venous Thromboembolic Events in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

INTRODUCTION: Venous thromboembolic events (VTE) are a major concern in trauma and intensive care, with traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients at an elevated risk. Chemical VTE prophylaxis is used to prevent VTE development. Concerning TBI patients, achieving a fine balance between the risk of worsening hemorrhage and clot development is important. To date, there has been no correlation between the number of missed doses and VTE development in this population. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected among 818 TBI patients admitted to a level I trauma center between 2015-2020. RESULTS: Overall VTE incidence was 9% (7.6% DVT; 3.2% PE; 1.7% both). Median time to DVT and PE was 7 (IQR: 4-11) and 5 days (IQR: 3-12), respectively. VTE occurred in 37.8% of patients who missed prophylactic doses and 28.4% who did not (p = 0.089). In patients who experienced a VTE, compared to non-VTE patients, missed chemical prophylaxis dosing was primarily due to a pending invasive procedure (44.8% vs. 25.2%, p = 0.02) and the presence of additional bleeding (13.8% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.005). Non-VTE patients missed prophylactic dosing primarily from patient or family refusal (42.1% vs. 3.4%, p < 0.001). VTE incidence was higher in patients receiving invasive neurosurgery (45.9% vs. 30.5%, p = 0.007). Univariate analysis demonstrated 4-6 total missed doses as predicting the highest VTE risk (OR 4.08, 95% CI: 1.53-10.86, p = 0.005). No VTE were seen in >7 missed doses, presumably due to an overall high mortality rate of 13.5%. CONCLUSIONS: This study is novel in showing the incidence and number of missed chemical VTE prophylaxis to predict an increased VTE risk in TBI patients. Our study suggests a threshold of 4 missed doses to be particularly important in this critical patient population.

Mineral-Solubilizing Bacteria-Mediated Enzymatic Regulation and Nutrient Acquisition Benefit Cotton's (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Vegetative and Reproductive Growth.

Many farmers' incomes in developing countries depend on the cultivation of major crops grown in arid and semi-arid regions. The agricultural productivity of arid and semi-arid areas primarily relies on chemical fertilizers. The effectiveness of chemical fertilizers needs to improve by integration with other sources of nutrients. Plant growth-promoting bacteria can solubilize nutrients, increase plant nutrient uptake, and supplement chemical fertilizers. A pot experiment evaluated the promising plant growth-promoting bacterial strain's effectiveness in promoting cotton growth, antioxidant enzymes, yield, and nutrient uptake. Two phosphate solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis IA6 and Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7) and two zinc solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus sp. IA7 and Bacillus aryabhattai IA20) were coated on cotton seeds in a single as well as co-inoculation treatments. These treatments were compared with uninoculated controls in the presence and absence of recommended chemical fertilizer doses. The results showed the co-inoculation combination of Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7 and Bacillus aryabhattai IA20 significantly increased the number of bolls, seed cotton yield, lint yield, and antioxidants activities, including superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase. Co-inoculation combination of Bacillus subtilis IA6 and Bacillus sp. IA16 promoted growth attributes, including shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight, and root fresh weight. This co-inoculation combination also increased soil nutrient content. At the same time, Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7 + Bacillus aryabhattai IA20 increased nutrient uptake by plant shoots and roots compared.

Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis in Association with Rock Powder for the Initial Development of Maize Plants

Agricultural production currently faces many challenges worldwide, mainly due to its dependence on high amounts of input for food production, which may cause many environmental issues. The present study evaluated whether the inoculation of Bacillus subtilis, Trichoderma harzianum, and rock powder into the soil would benefit soil fertility and plant growth in vase conditions. The results showed that soil fertility for some nutrients increased, such as phosphorus, iron, sulfur, calcium, and potassium. The results also showed that plant parameters related to plant growth, such as plant height, leaf area, shoot dry matter (SDM), and root dry matter (RDM) increased with the inoculation of the microorganisms coupled with rock powder into the soil, even with 50% of the chemical fertilization dose compared to their control treatments. The findings showed potential benefits to soil fertility and plants with the inoculation of B. subtilis and the fungus T. harzianum in maize plants coupled with the application of rock powder to the soil. This study concludes that there is evidence that inoculating with microorganisms and applying rock powder could reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer needed. However, many years of field research are needed to verify the real contribution of this practice to sustainable agriculture.

Evaluation of different parameters affecting the performance of asphaltene controlling chemical additives in crude oils using multiple experimental approaches assisted with image processing technique

Asphaltene deposition problem in oil field is a major flow assurance problem which is affecting petroleum industry for decades. This issue not only affects sustainable production of crude oil but poses severe impacts to the integrity of production system. There are several methods available for the treatment of asphaltene problem. Among different treatment methods, chemical treatment is the most effective, reliable and flexible method. However, before implementation of this method in field conditions, this technique requires rigorous evaluation of chemical additives in lab environment for final selection of most efficient chemical additive. In this research work, we have applied simultaneous multiple experimented approaches namely; Asphaltene dispersant test and spot test to evaluate chemical additive tendency to reduce asphaltene deposition and enhance asphaltene precipitates dispersion respectively. To improve the interpretation and eliminate uncertainties associated with spot test results, the spot test results were analyzed by image processing tool and precipitation intensities were calculated. Generally, precipitation intensity represents the dispersion ability of chemical additive which in turn is inversely proportional to the deposition. Moreover, the impact of parameters like precipitant type (Molecular Weight of precipitant), volume percentage of precipitant in crude oil, chemical additive dosage and experimental time on precipitation intensities were determined using statistical metric namely relevancy factor. In this study, two precipitants namely; n-pentane and n-heptane were used in two different volume percentages i.e. 75 vol percent and 95 vol percent in three crude oil samples namely; crude oil 1 (CO1), crude oil 2 (CO2) and crude oil 3 (CO3). The final results concluded that chemical additive performance was poor in crude oil 1 as it unable to prevent deposition in most of the conditions. The chemical additive performs equally well for CO2 and CO3 having slightly better results obtained in CO2. Among all studied input parameters, precipitant to crude oil ratio was the most important parameter impacting the performance of chemical additive adversely. The performance of chemical additive was largely negatively affected when precipitant used in crude oil at higher proportion. Secondly, the effect of Molecular weight of precipitant found in strong positive relationship with precipitation intensity the case of CO1 while negligibly negative in case of CO2 and CO3. Precipitation intensities were found to decrease with increasing experimental time and chemical dosage in CO1. However, the positive trend was found in CO2 and CO3 between precipitation intensity with time and chemical dosage. These suggests that chemical additive depend upon the type of crude oil and the underlying operating conditions and cannot be applied for the equal and effective treatment of asphaltene precipitation problem in various crude oils.

Forecasting and Optimizing Dual Media Filter Performance via Machine Learning

Four different machine learning algorithms, including Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Multivariable Linear Regression (MLR), Support Vector Regressions (SVR), and Gaussian Process Regressions (GPR), were applied to predict the performance of a multi-media filter operating as a function of raw water quality and plant operating variables. The models were trained using data collected over a seven year period covering water quality and operating variables, including true colour, turbidity, plant flow, and chemical dose for chlorine, KMnO4, FeCl3, and Cationic Polymer (PolyDADMAC). The machine learning algorithms have shown that the best prediction is at a 1-day time lag between input variables and unit filter run volume (UFRV). Furthermore, the RF algorithm with grid search using the input metrics mentioned above with a 1-day time lag has provided the highest reliability in predicting UFRV with a RMSE and R2 of 31.58 and 0.98, respectively. Similarly, RF with grid search has shown the shortest training time, prediction accuracy, and forecasting events using a ROC-AUC curve analysis (AUC over 0.8) in extreme wet weather events. Therefore, Random Forest with grid search and a 1-day time lag is an effective and robust machine learning algorithm that can predict the filter performance to aid water treatment operators in their decision makings by providing real-time warning of the potential turbidity breakthrough from the filters.

Effects of Temperature and Water Types on the Decay of Coronavirus: A Review

The analysis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gene copy numbers in wastewater samples can provide quantitative information on Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) cases within a sewer catchment. However, many wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) studies have neglected virus decay during the wastewater transportation process in sewers while back-calculating COVID-19 prevalence. Among various sewer condition parameters, wastewater temperature and dilution by fresh/saltwater infiltration may result in a significant change to the virus decay, in terms of both infectivity and Ribonucleic Acid (RNA). This paper reviewed the literature to identify and discuss the effects of temperature and water types (i.e., wastewater, freshwater, and seawater) on coronavirus decay based on the decay rate constants that were collected from published papers. To evaluate the importance of virus decay, a sensitivity analysis was then conducted with decay rates of SARS-CoV-2 RNA based on a WBE back-calculation equation. Finally, the decay rates of coronavirus in wastewater were also compared with those of other viruses to further understand the difference among virus species. The decay of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found to be less impacted by temperature variation than viable coronaviruses. Nevertheless, WBE back-calculation was still sensitive to the RNA decay rates increased by warm wastewater (i.e., over 26 °C), which could lead to a two-times higher relative variance in estimated COVID-19 prevalence, considering the wastewater temperature variation between 4 and 37 °C in a sewer catchment with a 12-h hydraulic retention time. Comparatively, the sensitivity of the WBE estimation to the enveloped SARS-CoV-2 was greater than nonenveloped enteric viruses, which were less easily degradable in wastewater. In addition, wastewater dilution by stormwater inflow and accompanied cold weather might alleviate the decay of coronavirus infectivity, thus increasing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission through wastewater. Overall, this paper aims to better understand the impact of in-sewer processes on coronavirus decay and its potential implications for WBE. The outcome could quantitatively inform WBE and improve awareness of the increased risk of COVID-19 infection via wastewater during heavy rainfall events. Given the identified scarcity of data available for coronavirus decay in salt water or with chemical additions, future research on the fate of SARS-CoV-2 subjected to chemical dosing for sewer or wastewater treatment plant operations is recommended.

Towards detecting genotoxic chemicals in food packaging at thresholds of toxicological concern using bioassays with high-performance thin-layer chromatography

High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)-bioassays are promising new methods for detecting bioactive chemicals in food packaging. Here, we test whether direct-acting genotoxic chemicals are detectable in food contact materials (FCM) using HPTLC-bioassays. First, an interactive worksheet lays out steps to calculate needed detection limits in (bio)analytical methods from regulatory limits, including thresholds of toxicological concern (TTC). Second, we show that the sensitivity of a HPTLC-genotoxicity assay to low doses of chemicals, including food contact chemicals, is greater than a standardized microtiter plate version and in vitro assays already reported. Third, using HPTLC, we detected genotoxicity in extracts of FCM, and not in simulated migrates of FCM. Applying the worksheet to calculate needed detection limits in FCM migrates, we observed that seven of ten genotoxic chemicals would be detectable with HPTLC if present at the regulatory 10 ppb limit and two of ten at TTC for adults. With development, HPTLC-bioassays might become the best option for supporting safety assessment of genotoxicants in food packaging.

A Field Study of Corrosion and Its Control in an Oil Primary Distillation Unit

The internal corrosion process in refinery environments is one of the major problems faced by the hydrocarbon industry, where at least five types of internal corrosion are found in an oil primary distillation unit. This situation increases with the presence of high quantities of contaminants within the crude oil and the processed hydrocarbons. The best way to understand the internal corrosion is to know the parameters and components that affect it and apply protection to the metal exposed. This work offers alternatives on the knowledge of internal corrosion problems in refinery environments and highlight electrochemical treatments in oil primary distillation units, from materials selection to suitable chemical treatment dosage of corrosion inhibitors, neutralizers and other chemical compounds for materials protection.

Selenium-enriched plant foods: Selenium accumulation, speciation, and health functionality.

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for maintaining human health. The biological effects and toxicity of Se compounds in humans are related to their chemical forms and consumption doses. In general, organic Se species, including selenoamino acids such as selenomethionine (SeMet), selenocystine (SeCys2), and Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC), could provide greater bioactivities with less toxicity compared to those inorganics including selenite (Se IV) and selenate (Se VI). Plants are vital sources of organic Se because they can accumulate inorganic Se or metabolites and store them as organic Se forms. Therefore, Se-enriched plants could be applied as human food to reduce deficiency problems and deliver health benefits. This review describes the recent studies on the enrichment of Se-containing plants in particular Se accumulation and speciation, their functional properties related to human health, and future perspectives for developing Se-enriched foods. Generally, Se's concentration and chemical forms in plants are determined by the accumulation ability of plant species. Brassica family and cereal grains have excessive accumulation capacity and store major organic Se compounds in their cells compared to other plants. The biological properties of Se-enriched plants, including antioxidant, anti-diabetes, and anticancer activities, have significantly presented in both in vitro cell culture models and in vivo animal assays. Comparatively, fewer human clinical trials are available. Scientific investigations on the functional health properties of Se-enriched edible plants in humans are essential to achieve in-depth information supporting the value of Se-enriched food to humans.

Sterilization of Underwater Bacteria by Ozone Bubble Pulsed Discharge

Electric discharge is going to be applied to bactericidal inactivation in water without chemical dosing. In this article, the sterilization experiments of simulated reused water from an industrial washing machine were conducted by three different treatment methods: 1) air bubble pulsed discharge (ABPD); 2) O3 alone; and 3) ozone bubble pulsed discharge (OBPD). The results showed that: 1) the highest sterilization effect was obtained by OBPD treatment and 2) since the number of sterilized bacteria by OBPD treatment was larger than the sum of the number of sterilized bacteria by ABPD treatment and that of by O3 alone treatment, the synergistic effect by OBPD treatment exists. In order to clarify the decisive factor of synergistic effect by OBPD treatment, we measured dissolved O3 concentration, pH, <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathrm {NO}}_{\mathbf {3}}^{\mathbf {-}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> concentration, emission intensities of O radical, and H2O2 concentration. As a result, dissolved O3 concentrations were less than 0.02 mg/L in all conditions, there was no difference in pH from <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathrm {NO}}_{\mathbf {3}}^{\mathbf {-}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> between ABPD treatment and OBPD treatment, there was no difference between emission intensities from O radical generated by ABPD treatment and OBPD treatment, the highest H2O2 concentration was obtained by OBPD treatment, and the number of sterilized bacteria by H2O2 (5.82 mg/L) with O3 (100 ppm) bubble was larger than the sum of the number of sterilized bacteria by H2O2 (5.82 mg/L) with air bubble and O3 alone treatment. From these results, we conclude that the H2O2 concentration increase and the AOP by O3/H2O2 are the decisive factor of the synergistic effect by OBPD treatment.

Hyperspectral estimation of wheat stripe rust using fractional order differential equations and Gaussian process methods

Wheat stripe rust is the main cause of yield loss in winter wheat. For nondestructive monitoring of wheat stripe rust by remote sensing, a high-precision stripe rust monitoring model can be constructed so that field management can be performed rationally and environmental damage from large doses of pesticides and chemicals can be avoided. Fractional order differential (FOD) equations can be used to flexibly control the differential step size, which enhances the spectral information and reduces the background noise. In this study, the canopy hyperspectral data under the influence of wheat stripe rust were evaluated by FOD, and the disease severity level (SL) of stripe rust in the field was analyzed by evaluating the polar difference, coefficient of variation, and correlation coefficient. Subsequently, the spectral features associated with stripe rust were screened using significance tests and Gaussian process regression sigma (GPR sigma) analysis methods. Then, models for the various wheat stripe rust severity levels were established by Gaussian process regression (GPR) with different data inputs. The results showed that the 0.8–1.4 differential order could effectively improve the correlation between spectral bands and disease severity, and the optimal correlation between the 1.2 order differential spectra and wheat stripe rust severity improved by 15% compared with the original reflectance spectra. The GPR sigma band analysis method screens only 8 bands at order 1.2, the R2 between the model-predicted SL and the measured SL is improved by 13% compared to the original reflectance spectrum, and the RMSE and MAE are reduced by 34% and 39%, respectively. Compared with the significance test method, GPR sigma band analysis selected fewer bands, constructed models with higher accuracy and was more suitable for the construction of models for estimating the severity of wheat stripe rust disease.

Taurine protects against perfluorooctanoic acid-induced hepatotoxicity via inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways.

We are constantly encountering with low doses of chemicals in everyday life rather than toxic doses at a time. So, ongoing low-dose exposures of environmental chemicals commonly encountered are very likely to cause an adverse health effects. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is frequently used for production of an array of consumer products and industrial processes. The present study evaluated the underlying mechanisms of PFOA-induced liver damage and also potential protection by taurine. Male Wistar rats were exposed to PFOA alone and in combination with taurine (25, 50, and 100mg/kg/day) by gavage for 4weeks. Liver function tests as well as histopathological examinations were studied. Also, oxidative stress markers, mitochondrial function, and nitric oxide (NO) production in liver tissues were measured. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related genes (caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2), inflammation-associated genes (TNF-α, IL-6, NF-B), and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) were evaluated. Taurine significantly reversed serum biochemical and histopathological alterations in the liver tissue following exposure to PFOA (10mg/kg/day). Similarly, taurine alleviated mitochondrial oxidative damage-induced by PFOA in the liver tissue. An increased Bcl2: Bax ratio with decrees in the expression level of caspase-3, and decreased expression of inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-6), NF-B, and JNK were also observed following the administration of taurine. These findings suggest a protective role of taurine against PFOA-induced hepatotoxicity via the inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.

Kitchen Waste Biochar Reduces Inorganic Nourishments of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Preparation of biochar from kitchen waste could be a potential way of waste management. This research aimed to prepare biochar and compost from kitchen waste and test their effects on the yield and biomass production of maize. We separated kitchen waste from municipal waste to prepare biochar, compost and ComBio (co-composting with biochar). Four fertilizer combinations viz. T0 = Recommended doses of chemical fertilizer (RDF), T1= biochar (20 t ha-1) + RDF, T2= compost (15 t ha-1) + 75% RDF and T3= ComBio (15 t ha-1) + 50% RDF were used to grow maize. Maize biomass, yield attributing characters and basic soil properties after harvesting maize were measured. Data explored that up to 50% reduction of chemical fertilizer has an insignificant effect on the growth and biomass accumulation of maize. Similarly, yield and yield contributing characteristics of maize such as cob length, cob diameter, the weight of 1000-grains and yield did not vary among the treatments. Further, soil pH, EC, TDS and SOM contents were higher in biochar treated soil compared to other treatments. The results indicate that the application of biochar has the potential to reduce the chemical fertilizer dose of maize by improving soil properties, a prerequisite issue for sustainable crop production.

THE EFFECT OF CHEMICAL ADDITION FACTORS ON EXTERNAL WATER PURIFICATION WITH MICROSOFT EXCEL APPLICATION

&lt;em&gt;This study aims to see the influence of chemical addition factors such as Alum, Soda ash, and Flocculand in external water treatment on water purification that will be used in processing in palm oil mills does not form scale / sediment on the walls, especially at boiler stations / boilers. This study was conducted in the laboratory using jartes with each triplo experiment / 3 times with the addition of a predetermined chemical dose and seen the turbidity / level of clarity and recorded processed into data. Then the results of the recapitulation of the research data obtained will be processed using&lt;/em&gt; the &lt;em&gt; statistical analysis method using the complete random design (RAL) method of 3 factorials and continued with the results of the anova / fingerprint test table and the data processing will use the help of the Microsoft Excel application. From the results of the research obtained using the RAL (Complete Random Design) method 3 factorials the result that the influence of the addition of alum and flocculant chemicals will have a real effect on water purification which means &lt;/em&gt; that the &lt;em&gt;Fhitung &amp;gt; Ftabel &lt;/em&gt; value, &lt;em&gt;then Ho is rejected, alum and flocculants have the function of forming flocs that aim to precipitate dirt so that the water can be purified, it is very dominantly needed, While on the addition of chemical soda ash with the result of the decision obtained F count 0.186746989 &amp;lt; F table 3.168245967 So it can be concluded that Ho is accepted at the real level of ά. which means that the treatment has no real effect on the observed response. This is because soda ash has a function that can only be used as a pH regulator for the water to be purified in the palm oil mill.&lt;/em&gt;

Comparison of Alkaline Sulfite Pretreatment and Acid Sulfite Pretreatment with Low Chemical Loading in Saccharification of Poplar.

Sulfite pretreatment is a productive process for lignin dissolution in lignocelluloses and to reduce the hydrophobicity of lignin by sulfonation, thus promoting the hydrolyzability of the substrate. Previously, sulfite pretreatment needs high dosages of chemicals and thus results in the high cost of the pretreatment and the great pressure of environmental pollution. To overcome these problems, it was crucial to research whether alkaline sulfite pretreatment (ALS) and acid sulfite pretreatment (ACS) with low chemical loading could enhance the saccharification of poplar. In this work, the results indicated that with low loading of chemicals in sulfite pretreatment, ALS pretreatment (1.6% Na2SO3 and 0.5% NaOH) at 180°C removed more lignin, resulted in lower hydrophobicity and higher cellulase adsorption capacity of poplar than ACS pretreatment (1.6% Na2SO3 and 0.5% H2SO4) at 180°C. A satisfying glucose yield of 84.9% and a xylose yield of 76.0% were obtained from poplar after ALS pretreatment with 1.6% Na2SO3 and 0.5% NaOH at 180°C for 1h using 10 FPU cellulase/g dry matter, saving sodium sulfite by 60.0% compared to the loading of sulfite in traditional sulfite pretreatment. The strategy developed in this work reduced chemical loading and cellulase loading in alkali sulfite pretreatment for the saccharification of poplar.

Operational optimization at the Nenäinniemi wastewater treatment plant's tertiary disc filter phosphorus removal installation to reduce chemical consumption.

Instrumentation, automation and control in municipal wastewater treatment can result in large resource, cost and energy savings. Feedforward and feedback control algorithms were implemented together with turbidity and phosphorus analysers to control the chemical dose at the tertiary stage of the Nenäinniemi wastewater treatment plant, consisting of coagulation, flocculation and microsieve filtration. This optimization lowered the coagulant dose by 70% and the polymer dose by 36% compared to manual adjustments of the chemical dosing. Effluent total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations were lowered by 20-30%. With the control system in operation, the annual savings in coagulant and polymer were in the range of 100 and 1.4 tons, respectively. Conducting automated CIP on the media at an economical break-even interval of approximately 20 days was also important to further lower energy usage and operational costs.