Hybridization Efficiency Research Articles

A few-minute, simple, and affordable route to functionalized electrodes with DNA

A key challenge in developing DNA-based electrochemical sensors is the rapid and easy immobilization of DNA on different electrode surfaces. The current methods are often laborious and time-consuming. Here, we present a cost-effective and easy-to-perform method for efficiently functionalizing electrode surfaces with DNA in just a few minutes. Our strategy operates in two simple and rapid steps, regardless of the type of electrode, and avoids complicated and time-consuming procedures. The method uses phosphorothioate (PS) modification as an anchoring agent, which is a more cost-effective alternative to thiol (SH) modification, and eliminates the need for complex pretreatment processes. Additionally, a low-pH DNA loading method was used to quickly bind PS DNA to the gold surface without the need for surface-covering agents. We attributed the effect of low pH to the protonation of adenine (A), which leads to the formation of a parallel poly-A duplex (A motif) and facilitates vertical PS-DNA attachment to the electrode surface. Electrochemical techniques were used to confirm the vertical attachment of DNA to the electrode surface, and evaluation of the adsorption stability and hybridization efficiency confirmed the effectiveness of the method. The simplicity and efficiency of this method make it an ideal solution for researchers who require a fast and reliable method for DNA functionalization of electrode surfaces.

Enhanced triolein and ethyl ferulate interesterification performance by CRL-AuNPs

This study established a Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) system to catalyze triolein and ethyl ferulate interesterification. The products were identified, and the binding mode between the substrates and CRL was predicted through molecular docking. Three methods for preparing CRL-AuNPs were proposed and characterized. It was found that the addition of 40 mL of 15 nm gold nanoparticles increased the CRL activity from 3.05 U/mg to 4.75 U/mg, but the hybridization efficiency was only 32.7 %. By using 4 mL of 0.1 mg/mL chloroauric acid, the hybridization efficiency was improved to 50.7 %, but the enzyme activity was sharply decreased. However, when the molar ratio of Mb to HAuCl4 was 0.2, the hybridization efficiency increased to 71.8 %, and the CRL activity was also enhanced to 5.98 U/mg. Under optimal conditions, the enzyme activity of CRL-AuNPs③ was maintained at 95 % after 6 repetitions and 85.6 % after 30 days at room temperature.

Green synthesis of hybrids of zinc oxide, titanium oxide, and calcium oxide nanoparticles from Foeniculum vulgare: an assessment of biological activity

The increased prominence in the use of nanoparticles has made it important to employ synergy between nanoparticles while harnessing individual metallic and biological properties to improve and modify the surface, the versatility, and efficiency of nanoparticle hybrid. This study aims to conduct a bio-assessment assay of nanoparticle hybrid systems within an in-vitro set-up and improve the surface modifications of these systems. The hybrid surfaces are characterized using a scanning electron microscope, dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR reveals the presence of functional groups like phenols, carboxylic acids, and esters. The XRD confirms the hexagonal crystalline phase of Fe-NZnO, the cubic lattice of Fe-NCaO, and the rutile phase of TiO2. The hydrodynamic diameter of Fe-NZnO-NCaO, Fe-NTiO2-NCaO, and Fe-NTiO2-NZnO are shown to be 163.2, 164.6, and 219.4 nm, respectively, using DLS analysis. Turbidity analysis indicates that Fe-NZnO-NCaO is the least aggregated particle following a 14-day observation period, meaning that it is the most stable over that period. Anti-hemolytic erythrocyte assay demonstrates the relative biocompatibility and ability of the hybrids to enhance cell protein protection. Fe-NZnO-NCaO and Fe-NTiO2-NCaO exhibit higher post-treatment cytotoxicity across the concentrations than Fe-NTiO2-NZnO.

Establishment of a rapid counting method for lactic acid bacteria and yeast in dairy products

The plate count agar (PCA) method is a common technique used to count microorganisms in dairy products, but this method is time‐consuming and highly selective by the medium. This study adopted Lab158 and PF2 as the universal probes for hybridising lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, respectively, and investigated the effects of fixation time, hybridisation time, hybridisation temperature, probe concentration and propidium iodide (PI) concentration on hybridisation efficiency in the samples. The results showed that the highest hybridisation efficiency for lactic acid bacteria and yeast, along with the best double staining results, was observed under the following conditions: a fixation time of 80 min, a hybridisation time of 180 min, a hybridisation temperature of 48°C, a probe volume of 5 μL for lactic acid bacteria and 3 μL for yeast, and a PI volume of 5 μL for lactic acid bacteria and 3 μL for yeast. The fluorescence in situ hybridisation‐flow cytometry (FISH‐FCM) and PCA counting results showed a significant positive correlation (r > 0.9). The FISH‐FCM and PCA counting results showed a significant positive correlation (r > 0.9). The FISH‐FCM counting method can serve as a quick and accurate method for the counting of lactic acid bacteria and yeast in dairy products.

Spacer-Programmed Two-Dimensional DNA Origami Assembly.

Two-dimensional (2D) DNA origami assembly represents a powerful approach to the programmable design and construction of advanced 2D materials. Within the context of hybridization-mediated 2D DNA origami assembly, DNA spacers play a pivotal role as essential connectors between sticky-end regions and DNA origami units. Here, we demonstrated that programming the spacer length, which determines the binding radius of DNA origami units, could effectively tune sticky-end hybridization reactions to produce distinct 2D DNA origami arrays. Using DNA-PAINT super-resolution imaging, we unveiled the significant impact of spacer length on the hybridization efficiency of sticky ends for assembling square DNA origami (SDO) units. We also found that the assembly efficiency and pattern diversity of 2D DNA origami assemblies were critically dependent on the spacer length. Remarkably, we realized a near-unity yield of ∼98% for the assembly of SDO trimers and tetramers via this spacer-programmed strategy. At last, we revealed that spacer lengths and thermodynamic fluctuations of SDO are positively correlated, using molecular dynamics simulations. Our study thus paves the way for the precision assembly of DNA nanostructures toward higher complexity.

Tuning Chemoenzymatic Pd/Laccase Conformation Toward Optimized Heterogeneous Aerobic Oxidation.

Heterogeneous chemoenzymatic catalysts differing in their spatial organization and relative orientation of their enzymatic laccase and Pd units confined into macrocellular silica foams were tested on veratryl alcohol oxidation. When operating under continuous flow, we show that the catalytic efficiency of hybrids is significantly enhanced when the Pd(II) complex is combined with a laccase exhibiting a surface located lysine next to the T1 oxidation site of the enzyme.

An Empirical Analysis of a Set of Hybrid Heuristics for the Solution of the Resource Leveling Problem

Consideration is given to the heuristic solution of the resource leveling problem (RLP) in project scheduling with limited resources. The objective is to minimize the changes in the level of resource usage from period to period over the planning horizon of the project while keeping the project duration fixed. First, we present two novel greedy schedule algorithms for the RLP solution. The performance of the proposed algorithms is investigated as low-level hybrids in the context of three famous population-based heuristics, namely differential evolution (DE), genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Then, we additionally present two new high-level hybridization schemes (HS), referred to herein as parallel and serial HS, respectively, which combine DE, GA, and PSO in a single hybrid solution algorithm. Detailed experimentation over known complex datasets measures the efficiency of the new hybrids. Statistical analysis employed rank the hybrids according to their solution efficiency. Moreover, comparisons between the developed best hybrid and commercial project management software show a substantial higher performance for the former over real-world construction projects.

Optimizing electrocoagulation pre-treatment efficiency during simultaneous treatment of different produced water streams in a FO-MD hybrid system

In this study, the electrocoagulation (EC) process was explored and optimized for the pre-treatment of key contaminants present in hyper-saline produced water (PW) streams before their treatment through forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) hybrid system. Due to their hyper-saline nature and the associated high temperatures, PW streams can be treated cost-effectively and sustainably using low-pressure dual membrane filtration systems like FO-MD hybrids. Desalter effluent (DE) stream was used as the FO feed solution, and WOSEP outlet (WO) stream served simultaneously as the FO draw solution and MD feed solution. The key foulants were identified in the WO and DE streams. Silicon, calcium, and sulfur were found as the key elements contributing towards FO and MD membrane fouling in the form of CaSO4, SiO2, and CaSiO3. Applying EC for 10 min with 100 mA current (7 mA/cm2 current density) at a neutral pH of 7 demonstrated the highest removal efficiencies for silicon (97 %), calcium (3.6 %), and sulfur (12.2 %) with only 0.023 kWh/m3 electric energy requirement. FO-MD hybrid efficiency was re-assessed with pre-treated WO and DE streams. The FO flux showed more stability and increased by 32.5 % and MD by 28.9 %, with a 10 % reduction in specific reverse solute flux. EC is thus a robust and effective process for hyper-saline hazardous PW pre-treatment and can substantially improve the FO-MD hybrid system efficiency.

Post-heading dry-matter transport and nutrient uptake differentiate hybrid and inbred indica rice in the double-cropping system in South China.

Hybrid rice demonstrated superior performance in enhancing yield and efficiency in rice production compared to inbred rice. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism responsible for the increased yield and efficiency of hybrid rice in South China's double-cropping rice region remains understudied. Field experiments over two consecutive years were conducted. Firstly, yield variations among 20 inbred and 15 hybrid rice cultivars prevalent in South China's double-cropping rice system were examined. Secondly, selecting representative hybrid and inbred rice cultivars with significant yield disparities were carried out on further analyzing dry-matter production, source-sink relationships, and nutrient absorption and utilization in both rice types. Hybrid rice displayed an average grain yield of 8.07 and 7.22t hm-2 in the early and late seasons, respectively, which corresponds to a 12.29% and 13.75% increase over inbred rice with statistically significant differences. In comparison to inbred rice, hybrid rice exhibited enhanced nitrogen concentration in leaves at the heading stage (15.48-16.20%), post-heading dry matter accumulation (52.62-73.21%), post-heading dry matter conversion rate (29.23-34.12%), and harvest index (17.31-18.37%). Additionally, grain nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in hybrid rice increased by 11.88-22.50% and 16.38-19.90%. Hybrid rice mainly improved post-heading nitrogen and phosphorus uptake and transport, while not total nitrogen and phosphorus uptake. Internal nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency enhanced by 9.83%-14.31% and 10.15%-13.66%, respectively. Post-heading dry matter accumulation, harvest index, grain nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, and internal nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency exhibited significant positive linear correlations with grain yield. The period from heading to maturity is critical for enhancing hybrid rice yield and efficiency. Improving photosynthetic capacity during this period and promoting nutrient transport to grains serve as crucial pathways for increasing grain yield and efficiency. This study is of great significance for further improvement grain yield and breeding rice cultivars with high-yield and high nutrients use efficiency for South China's double-cropped rice system.

Properties of phosphoramide benzoazole oligonucleotides (PABAOs). I. Structure and hybridization efficiency of N-benzimidazole derivatives

In this work, we for the first time conducted a detailed study on the structure, dynamics, and hybridization properties of N-benzimidazole group–bearing phosphoramide benzoazole oligonucleotides (PABAOs) that we developed recently. By circular dichroism we established that the introduction of the modifications does not disrupt the B conformation of the DNA double helix. The formation of complexes is approximated by a two-state model. Complexes of PABAOs with native oligodeoxriboynucleotides form efficiently, and the introduction of such modifications reduces thermal stability of short duplexes (8–10 bp) by ∼5°С per modification. Using UV-spectroscopy analysis, a neutral charge of the phosphate residue modified by the N-benzimidazole moiety in the pH range of 3–9.5 was found. The results confirm possible usefulness of PABAOs for both basic research and biomedical applications.

Interfacial engineering of 0D/2D Cd0.5Zn0.5S/Ti3C2 for efficient photocatalytic synergistic removal of antibiotics and Cr(VI)

The pollution of antibiotics and heavy metals in water environment is considered to be an urgent environmental problem. However, designing a photocatalyst that can simultaneously remove these contaminants remains a challenge. 0D/2D Cd0.5Zn0.5S/Ti3C2 (CZSMX) hybrids were fabricated by uniformly coating Cd0.5Zn0.5S (CZS) nanospheres on the surface of Ti3C2 nanosheets. The removal efficiency of the suitable CZSMX hybrid on tetracycline hydrochloride (100 mg/L), 7-amino-cephalosporin (100 mg/L), and Cr(VI) (50 mg/L) is 92%, 97%, and 72%, respectively. Meanwhile, it still exhibits excellent photocatalytic removal activity in the mixed contaminants solution. Additionally, CZSMX-3 exhibits outstanding physical and chemical stability after 5 cycles. Importantly, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of CZSMX is attributed to the accelerated charge carrier separation due to the excellent electrochemical and photochemical properties of Ti3C2. Overall, this study provides a strategy for the efficient collaborative removal of antibiotics and heavy metal from wastewater by photocatalysis of metal sulfide based photocatalysts.

BREEDING AND GENETIC FEATURES OF SOYBEAN VARIETIES BASED ON THE MANIFESTATION OF TRAITS IN F1 HYBRIDS IN TOPCROSSES

Further increase in gross soybean production requires the introduction of new varieties with an optimal combination of elements of the crop structure. Hybridization in soybeans is the main effective method of creating new varieties. Increasing the efficiency of hybridization in obtaining heterotic offspring is possible when using parental forms with high combinational ability in crosses. In the study, a two-tester analysis of topcrosses of soybean varieties differing in economically valuable traits was used. Based on the results of the combinational ability assessment, the value of soybean varieties was determined by the elements of the yield structure. Heterotic combinations in first-generation hybrids were identified, from which it is more likely to select highly productive forms in later hybrid populations F2-F4. The high effects of ZKZ and SCZ on plant height in varieties Medea, Kyivska 97, Sawyer 2-95 and KiVin tester; on the height of lower bean attachment in varieties Sawyer 2-95, Ustia, Kharkivska skoroglya and KiVin tester; on the number of productive nodes - in varieties Kyivska 97 and Goverla tester; by the number of beans per plant - in varieties Sawyer 2-95, Kyivska 97 and tester Goverla; by the number of seeds per plant - in varieties Medea, Kyivska 97 and tester KiVin; by the weight of 1000 seeds - in varieties Sawyer 2-95, Kyivska 97 and tester Goverla; by the weight of grain per plant - in varieties Sawyer 2-95, Kyivska 97 and tester Goverla. It was found that additive effects of genes were predominant in the genetic control of plant height and lower bean attachment, elements of yield structure and grain weight per plant, but there is a smaller influence of non-additive effects. The manifestation of true heterosis (dominance in 100% of cases) in hybrids (F1) was found in crosses with both testers for the number of productive nodes, number of beans and seeds per plant, and grain weight per plant.

Deep learning and optimization-based task scheduling algorithms for fog-cloud computing environment

Time-sensitive programs that are linked to smart services, such as smart healthcare as well as smart cities, are supported in large part by the fog computing domain. Due to the increased speed limitation of the cloud, Cloud Computing (CC) is a competent platform for fog in data processing, but it is unable to meet the demands of time-sensitive programs. The procedure of resource provisioning, as well as allocation in either a fog-cloud structure, takes into account dynamic changes in user requirements, and resources with limited access in fog devices are more difficult to manage. Due to the continual changes in user requirement factors, the deadline represents the biggest obstacle in the fog computing structure. Hence the objective is to minimize the total cost involved in scheduling by maximizing resource utilization. For dynamic scheduling in the fog-cloud computing model, the efficiency of hybridization of the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) and Lion Algorithm (LA) is developed in this study. In terms of energy costs, processing costs, and communication costs, the created GWOMLA-based Deep Belief Network (DBN) performed better and outruns the other traditional models.

Effect of Changing the Water Flow Rate on the Efficiency of Hybrid PV/T Uncovered Collectors without Glasses: Numerical Study

The flat-plate collector is one of the most frequent types of collectors because it is simple to manufacture and it is relatively inexpensive in comparison to other collectors. The primary objective of this work is to improve the collector's efficiency, which can be accomplished by increasing the heat transfer quantitatively. This can be accomplished by increasing the efficiency of the collector. In this research employs hybrid photovoltaic panels through electrical generation and, on the other hand, takes advantage of the lost heat, which has reduced efficiency to useful heat, by transporting them through fluid and benefiting from them through industrial and domestic applications. The model was studied numerically by ANSYS computational code, where simulations were carried out on CFD and steady state thermal, as well as the effect of solar radiation, at a value of 10, on the layer of photovoltaic cells. Besides, several values of flow rate (0.02, 0.025, and 0.03) were used and compared. The current findings show that the efficiency of the current panel under consideration increased significantly, and the value of flow of 0.03 was the optimal value that led to obtaining suitable efficiency and a relatively acceptable water temperature.

A comparative assessment of mono and hybrid magneto nanofluid flow over a stretching cylinder in a permeable medium with generalized Fourier’s law

This study investigates the flow and heat transfer of mono and hybrid nanofluids owing to a stretching cylinder in a porous medium under the influence of a magnetic field and convective boundary condition. The hybrid nanofluid is made up of copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles dispersed in a water-ethylene glycol mixture at a mass ratio of 50:50. The binary mixture of water and ethylene glycol is intermixed with spherical-shaped nanoparticles (copper) to create a mono nanofluid. The study considers the effects of generalized Fourier’s law and heat generation/absorption. The novelty of the study lies in considering the comparison of hybrid and mono nanofluid flows heat transfer efficiency with assumed effects and convective condition at the boundary of the cylinder. A system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) controlling the flow and heat transport are derived using similarity transformations and are solved numerically using the bvp4c program of MATLAB software. The work explores the ways in which different parameters, such as the shape of the nanoparticles and their volume percentage, affect the pertinent profiles and are depicted in the form of graphical illustrations and numerically tabulated values. The results demonstrate that, in comparison to mono nanofluids, hybrid nanofluids including spherical and blade nanoparticles have a higher heat transfer rate and reduced surface drag when the particle volume fraction is increased in a water-ethylene glycol combination. Furthermore, there is a 0.83% increase in the heat transfer rate for hybrid nanofluids in comparison to mono nanofluids. This is because compared to mono nanofluids, hybrid nanofluids have lower viscosity and better heat conductivity. The results obtained in this study are vetted by making a comparison with published works and an excellent agreement between the values is seen. The study may find use in solar thermal systems, electronic cooling, heat exchangers, and other areas.

Systematic Comparison of the Strategies for Oligonucleotide Immobilization on Ta2O5 Surface

AbstractThe immobilization of oligonucleotides is an essential step for the development of various biosensors and DNA microarrays. Different methods were developed for the immobilization of oligonucleotides. Here we report a systematic comparison of several popular approaches for oligonucleotide immobilization on Ta2O5 surface: Cu(I)‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition, amine‐to‐sulfhydryl coupling via asymmetric heterobifuctional spacer in two directions, amine‐to‐amine coupling via homobifunctional spacer and disulfide linkage. The performance of these methods was analyzed for the efficiency and specificity of DNA immobilization and subsequent complementary strand hybridization using fluorescent imaging and ELONA with the assistance of atomic force microscopy. Azide‐alkyne cycloaddition and disulfide linkage demonstrated the highest load of immobilized and hybridized DNA and low rate of non‐specific DNA attachment. Both procedures allow the retention of DNA functionality and thus can be applied for the development of oligonucleotide‐based biosensors and microarrays.

Comprehensive Regulation of Water–Nitrogen Coupling in Hybrid Seed Maize in the Hexi Oasis Irrigation Area Based on the Synergy of Multiple Indicators

Water scarcity and the excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer are key factors limiting the sustainable development of the hybrid seed maize industry in the oasis agricultural areas of the Hexi Corridor in China. To determine the optimal water–nitrogen management regime of hybrid seed maize, we established a field experiment in 2020–2021 with three irrigation quotas (W1, W2, and W3 were 60, 80, and 100% of the local conventional irrigation quota, respectively) and four nitrogen application levels (N0, N1, N2, and N3 were 0, 190, 285, 380 kg·hm−2). We analysed the influence of different water–nitrogen combinations on indices of seed vigour, yield, water use efficiency (WUE), irrigation water use efficiency (IUE), the partial productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (NFP), and the nitrogen fertilizer agronomic use efficiency (NFA) of hybrid seed maize. A comprehensive growth evaluation system for hybrid seed maize was established based on the AHP, entropy weight, and TOPSIS methods, and a coupled water–nitrogen response model for hybrid seed maize was established with the objectives of obtaining high-yield, efficient, and high-seed vigour. The results showed that the yield of hybrid seed maize, NFP, and NFA gradually increased with the increase in the irrigation amount, while IUE continuously decreased; the yield of hybrid seed maize, WUE, and NFA increased and then decreased, while NFP continuously decreased with an increase in the amount of nitrogen application. Further, treatment N2W3 had higher water and nitrogen use efficiency and the highest yield and seed viability with a yield of 9209.11 kg·hm−2 and germination percentage, germination index, and vigour index of 97.22, 58.91, and 1.55%, respectively. The model of the integrated growth response of hybrid seed maize to water–nitrogen showed that the combined benefits of the hybrid seed maize yield, WUE, and seed viability could be maximised in conjunction with the irrigation rate ranging from 3558.90 to 3971.64 m3·hm−2 and the fertiliser application rate of 262.20 to 320.53 kg·hm−2. This study can provide scientific guidance and act as a decision-making reference for the productive, efficient, and sustainable development of hybrid seed maize in the oasis agricultural area of the Hexi Corridor.

Selection of maize lines for estimating combining ability in topcrossings

Hybrid maize breeding is carried out based on interline hybridization using heterosis in the first generation. Hybridization efficiency can be increased using parental forms with high combining ability in crosses. The purpose of the study was to identify new self-pollinated lines of maize with high general and specific combining ability, to identify the impact on the accuracy of the estimation of related lines included in the study. The current study was carried out at the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy» in 2021 and 2022. The objects of the study were two testers PD 329, KV 399 and 10 self-pollinated lines, including two lines (KV 410 and DS 22/325) related to tester PD 329, twenty topcross maize hybrids. The method for estimating combining ability was complete topcrosses. Estimation of new self-pollinated lines by the topcross method made it possible to identify the lines ‘KV 498’ and ‘DS 498/203-3’ with a consistently high overall combining ability according to the trait ‘grain productivity’. The specific combining ability was characterized by variability depending on the year of study. Only the line ‘KV 401’ had a high SCR in all years of study. The inclusion of lines related to the testers in the set had no effect or only slightly affected the estimates of the TCS of the remaining unrelated lines. The effect on the SCS was not significant, however, the estimation of the SCS would be more accurate if related lines were excluded from the set. There have been identified such new testcross hybrids with large grain productivity as ‘PD 329 × KV 498’ (3.92 t/ha), ‘KV 399 × KV 498’ (4.71 t/ha),‘KV 399 × KV 401’ (4.80 t/ha), ‘KV 399 × DS 498/203-3’ (4.60 t/ha). They were obtained with the participation of new lines characterized by high general or specific combinative ability, which can be recommended to be included in crossbreeding programs to develop highly heterotic maize hybrids.

Adsorption of uranium (VI) from aqueous solutions using boron nitride/polyindole composite adsorbent

AbstractTurbostratic boron nitride (tBN) surface is modified with polyindole (PIn) by a facile polymerization technique and the uranyl adsorption efficiency of this mesoporous hybrid is investigated. The successful surface modification is confirmed by FT‐IR, Raman, XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, EDS mapping XPS, BET, and zeta potential techniques. The batch experiments are performed in various temperatures (T), contact times (t), pH, and initial solution concentrations (C0) to evaluate its adsorption performance. The optimum adsorption performance is achieved at pH = 5.0–5.5, T = 307 K, t = 10 min, C0 = 18 mg L−1. These experimental results are evaluated using Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, and Langmuir isotherm models, which presents equivalent regression coefficients. Maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of the nanoadsorbent (tBN/PIn), determined by the Langmuir isotherm, is 315.29 mg g−1. The adsorption kinetics of uranyl ions on tBN/PIn are in harmony with the pseudo‐second order model. tBN/PIn nanoadsorbent provides high adsorption efficiency even at exceptionally low UO22+ concentration range (4–40 mg L−1) and low adsorbent mass (0.005 g). XPS analysis results show that 0.05% of uranium is adsorbed on tBN/PIn via mainly U‐O coordination. The results of present study demonstrate that tBN/PIn can a potential adsorbent for removing uranium from aqueous solutions.

Comparative Performance Evaluation of PVT Assisted Dryer And Conventional Solar Thermal Dryer In Drying of Tomatoes (Lycopersicon Esculentum)

Drying is an essential post-harvest preservation method for agricultural produce. Since drying is an energy absorbing process, farmers need to have access to effective dying techniques in order to maintain the quality of the products and maximize their profit. Hence, A Solar hybrid (PV/T) assisted dryer was designed, constructed and evaluated for drying of Tomatoes (Lycopersicon Esculentum). The load test drying efficiency of Solar Hybrid (PV/T) dryer was compared to Conventional Solar Thermal Dryer. The daily average moisture content reduction of tomatoes was 0.47g±0.169 while Solar thermal showed average reduction of 0.437g±0.188 for 35 and 37 hours respectively. The result of- t-test revealed there was no significant difference in the daily average drying rate between the hybrid (PV/T) and Solar thermal dryer. The results from the three models indicated moisture content reduction on daily basis shows that polynomial model has the highest (R²=0.9937, R²=0.9975) value and this implies that the average daily moisture content reduction of tomatoes for hybrid (PV/T) and solar thermal dryer were best described by polynomial model. The result of the proximate analysis conducted for the dried tomatoes sample using (PV/T) hybrid dryer and Solar thermal dryer indicated that ash content (5.3%), moisture content (13.31%), lipid (0.87), protein (8.87%), fiber (5.48%) `was significantly lower in sample dried with solar thermal dryer, while the lipid content (0.64%) and available carbohydrates (62.3%) are lower in tomato dried with Solar thermal dryer. The mycology test conducted for the fresh and dried tomatoes samples revealed the presence of the following fungi; S. cireviceae, S. Pombe, F. oxyspurum and F. solani with highest frequency of occurrence of S. solani (28%) and S. Pombe with lowest (3.96%) respectively. The collection efficiency of the dryer on drying of 4kg tomato sample was 42.49 %, pickup efficiency 36.89% and System efficiency 5.63%. The result obtained showed that PVT hybrid dryer is better option for drying compared to solar thermal dryer.