Electron Beam Irradiation Research Articles

Isolation and characterization of coliphages from different water sources and their biocontrol application combined with electron beam irradiation for elimination of E. coli in domestic wastewater

BackgroundAntibiotic-resistant bacteria, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), are high-risk waterborne pathogens that pose a vital threat to the general public’s health. Therefore, this study aims to develop alternative and affordable treatment approaches. Coliphage treatment is an economically and environmentally sustainable method for eliminating pathogenic bacteria. A significant step toward improving germicidal effectiveness might be to combine coliphage with electron beam treatment.ResultsTwelve isolated E. coli were used as host bacteria. In addition, eleven coliphages were isolated and characterized to determine their suitable host range and lytic activities. Antibiotic resistance was tested to detect the most antimicrobial-resistant E. coli isolates. Results indicated that E. coli-2 and E. coli-10 were the most resistant bacterial isolates. Both somatic coliphage-3 (S3) and F-specific coliphage-3 (F3) were the most active lytic coliphages. Based on transmission electron microscope analysis, S3 was classified as a member of the Myoviridae family, while F3 belonged to the Leviviridae family. Genome types were detected; the S3 genome was a linear double-stranded DNA virus, while the F3 genome was a single-strand RNA virus. The adjustment of pH to 7 and temperature to 38 °C increased coliphage activity by 32.2% for S3 and 14% for F3. The optimum multiplicity of infection (MOI) for S3 was 1:1 and 2:1 for F3. From the one-step growth curve, both the latent periods of S3 and F3 were estimated to be 30 and 20 min, and the burst sizes showed 5.8 and 4.6 (PFU)/infected cells, respectively. The D10 values of the most two antimicrobial-resistant strains (E. coli-2 and E. coli-10) were calculated, showing nearly identical values (0.37 and 0.38 kGy), respectively. Both coliphages were used, either alone or in combination with electron beam irradiation (EBI), to eradicate the most multidrug-resistant E. coli in domestic wastewater. EBI reduced the counts of E. coli-2 and -10 by 59% and 65%, respectively. While the combination of coliphages and EBI completely eradicated these microbes.ConclusionsCombination of each individual coliphage and EBI decreased the growth of E. coli in domestic wastewater to an undetectable level.Graphical

Improvement of PLA-PVA/chitosan nanocomposite laminate film for packaging via crosslinking with electron beam irradiation: Mechanical, thermal and antimicrobial analysis

This research investigated and developed a laminate packaging film of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) containing modified chitosan nanoparticles (MCSNPs) treated with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate silane (TMSPM) which functioned both as a reinforcement and as an antimicrobial filler. Electron beam irradiation caused crosslink between the PVA and MCSNP molecules via the free radical of carbonyl in the methacrylate group of TMSPM-grafted chitosan nanoparticles and the free radical of hydroxyl group in poly(vinyl alcohol). This improved the PVA hydrophobicity. In addition, the laminate with PVA-g-MCSNPs film irradiated with a 30 kGy electron beam showed the best performance properties due to improved interfacial adhesion between PLA and PVA-g-MCSNPs. As a consequence, the mechanical and thermal properties improved. The 30 kGy irradiated film also had better antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Ecotoxicological assessment of metformin as an antidiabetic water residue treated by electron beam accelerator irradiation

Metformin (MET), an antidiabetic compound, has received increasing attention, as it cannot be effectively removed during conventional wastewater treatment processes and may act as an endocrine disruptor. Electron beam irradiation (EBI) is an eco-friendly process able to degrade and neutralize biohazardous pollution almost instantly. In this context, this study applied EBI to MET degradation and detoxification in aqueous solutions. A 98% MET degradation rate and TOC removal of 19.04 ± 1.20% at a 1.0 kGy EBI dose was obtained, with up to 65% mineralization reached at 5.0 kGy. Toxicity assays were performed with Vibrio fischeri, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Daphnia similis, and the findings indicate that generated byproducts were only more toxic to D. similis. This reveals the need to assess organisms belonging to different trophic levels. A cytotoxic assessment employing Allium cepa roots demonstrated no toxic effects concerning untreated and irradiated samples.

High adsorption capacity of Pb2+ by iminodiacetic acid functionalized ramie via radiation grafting

Wastewater containing heavy metal ions discharged from industries has caused serious pollution to water. As for how to use renewable resources as the substrate, green preparation of adsorbents through eco-friendly processes and effective disposal of metal ions has become urgent. In this work, the low-cost, environmentally-friendly and easily modified natural renewable biomass ramie was used as the substrate, and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) containing epoxy functional group was grafted onto ramie via electron beam irradiation (grafting rate up to 332.3 %). A ramie-poly-GMA-IDA (RGD) adsorbent was prepared by ring-opening reaction and grafted with iminodiacetic acid (IDA). The adsorption process was affected by pH, the RGD could effectively uptake Pb2+ when the pH = 5.0, and the adsorption equilibrium can be quickly reached within 50 min. Moreover, RGD possessed excellent uptake properties, and the Pb2+ adsorption capacity maximized to 225.71 mg/g. The adsorption procedure obeys a pseudo-2nd-order kinetic and Langmuir equation. The possible mechanisms for Pb2+ adsorption are complexation, electrostatic interaction and ion exchange. This study presents that IDA-functionalized ramie can be used as an efficient biomass-based adsorbent for Pb2+ uptake. Thus, a green, closed-loop utilization of agricultural and forestry wastes is achieved, which helps reduce heavy metal ion pollution and resource consumption and protect the environment.

Greenly and Efficiently Dyeing Cotton Fabric with Custom-Tailored Reactive Dyes via Electron Beam Irradiation

Greenly and Efficiently Dyeing Cotton Fabric with Custom-Tailored Reactive Dyes via Electron Beam Irradiation

Ultrashort large-bandwidth X-ray free-electron laser generation with a dielectric-lined waveguide.

Large-bandwidth pulses produced by cutting-edge X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) are of great importance in research fields like material science and biology. In this paper, a new method to generate high-power ultrashort FEL pulses with tunable spectral bandwidth with spectral coherence using a dielectric-lined waveguide without interfering operation of linacs is proposed. By exploiting the passive and dephasingless wakefield at terahertz frequency excited by the beam, stable energy modulation can be achieved in the electron beam and large-bandwidth high-intensity soft X-ray radiation can be generated. Three-dimensional start-to-end simulations have been carried out and the results show that coherent radiation pulses with duration of a few femtoseconds and bandwidths ranging from 1.01% to 2.16% can be achieved by changing the undulator taper profile.

Effect of bolus materials on dose deposition in deep tissues during electron beam radiotherapy.

Several materials are utilized in the production of bolus, which is essential for superficial tumor radiotherapy. This research aimed to compare the variations in dose deposition in deep tissues during electron beam radiotherapy when employing different bolus materials. Specifically, the study developed general superficial tumor models (S-T models) and postoperative breast cancer models (P-B models). Each model comprised a bolus made of water, polylactic acid (PLA), polystyrene, silica-gel or glycerol. Geant4 was employed to simulate the transportation of electron beams within the studied models, enabling the acquisition of dose distributions along the central axis of the field. A comparison was conducted to assess the dose distributions in deep tissues. In regions where the percentage depth dose (PDD) decreases rapidly, the relative doses (RDs) in the S-T models with silica-gel bolus exhibited the highest values. Subsequently, RDs for PLA, glycerol and polystyrene boluses followed in descending order. Notably, the RDs for glycerol and polystyrene boluses were consistently below 1. Within the P-B models, RDs for all four bolus materials are consistently below 1. Among them, the smallest RDs are observed with the glycerol bolus, followed by silica-gel, PLA and polystyrene bolus in ascending order. As PDDs are ~1-3% or smaller, the differences in RDs diminish rapidly until are only around 10%. For the S-T and P-B models, polystyrene and glycerol are the most suitable bolus materials, respectively. The choice of appropriate bolus materials, tailored to the specific treatment scenario, holds significant importance in safeguarding deep tissues during radiotherapy.

Normal and abnormal domains induced by electron-beam irradiation in Sr0·61Ba0·39Nb2O6 crystals

Ferroelectric domain structures induced by electron-beam irradiation of the polar surface of SBN (Sr0·61Ba0·39Nb2O6) crystals have been investigated. The domains were observed in the low-voltage SEM mode and by PFM. The effect of electron-beam irradiation at U = 25 kV and 10 kV on the growth of domains in polydomain (zero field-cooled) and monodomain (field-cooled) samples was compared. Stable electron-beam domains were formed after prolonged irradiations and in high intensity electric fields (Ez > > Ec). It was found that the time threshold for the formation of stable domains in monodomain samples was significantly higher than in polydomain ones. The increase in domain diameter (d) with irradiation time followed an exponential dependence in both types of samples. However, the parameters of the dependences were different. An abnormal PFM contrast was found in the domains of zero field-cooled samples after prolonged irradiation at U = 25 kV. The relationship between the size of the oval domains formed in different SBN samples and the embedded regions of space charge, as well as the distribution and magnitude of the generated electric field strength (Ez) was analyzed by computer simulation. The abnormal domain contrast observed in the experiment was attributed to the calculated inversion of the Ez field in the surface layer and the polydomain structure of the irradiated sample.

Degradation of cardiovascular drug furosemide in aqueous by electron beam irradiation: Mechanisms, degradation pathways and toxicity assessment

Furosemide (FRSM) is a cardiovascular drug with high concentration (up to μg L−1) in the surface water environment, which are not properly removed by traditional wastewater treatment plants, resulting in negative impact on organisms. In this study, the use of characteristic electron beam (EB) irradiation degraded FRSM with high efficiency. The degradation process precisely conformed to the pseudo first-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.99). The radical scavenger experiments indicated that •OH was the main free radical for the degradation of FRSM. Adding oxidants such as H2O2 (1 mM) had a positive effect on the degradation of 150 mg L−1 FRSM, while adding more than 10 mM H2O2 resulted in the negative effect. The addition of K2S2O8 enhanced the degradation and mineralization of FRSM, with a mineralization rate of 57.1% under 1.5 kGy, which was 2.14 times that of the control group. The degradation of FRSM by EB irradiation in actual water was studied, and the results showed that the presence of NO3− and CO32− (10 mM) inhibited the degradation of FRSM, while the presence of SO32−, SO42− and Cl− slightly accelerated the degradation. The degradation effect of adding tap water and river water was similar to that of the control group. Moreover, transformation products (TPs) were identified (11 types) and FRSM was mainly oxidized and ultimately converted into small molecule acids, inorganic ions and CO2. Based on toxicity assessment, most TPs have much lower acute and chronic toxicity than maternal FRSM, suggesting EB irradiation is an alternative advanced treatment process to degrade FRSM in wastewater.

Assessing Ionizing Radiation and Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) as Potential Aseptization Treatments for Yeast Recycling on Mixed Wort of Corn and Sugarcane in Brazil

Yeast recycling, which is a common practice in sugarcane ethanol plants, could be expanded if it could be successfully implemented in corn-based ethanol production. However, the process of recycling the yeast remaining after fermentation is hampered by contaminating microorganisms that reduce the fermentation efficiency and compete with the yeast for the fermentable sugars. Currently, antibiotics are used to control microbial contamination. This study proposes chlorine dioxide and electron beam irradiation as alternative control methods for completely inactivating contaminants and minimizing their effect on recycled yeast. For that, wort sterilization using electron radiation (20 kGy) and treatment with a chemical biocide, namely chlorine dioxide (125 mg kg−1), were compared with non-treated wort. Five fermentation cycles were performed using fed-batch systems with 300 g L−1 of fermentable sugars. The results obtained in this study showed the inactivation of contaminants under the effect of electron beam irradiation, which led to an increase in the productivity, yield, and efficiency of fermentation by 0.21 g L−1h−1, 2.6%, and 4.7%, respectively. However, ClO2 did not show promising results in reducing contamination or improving fermentative parameters. Thus, electron beam irradiation of contaminated wort may be a suitable alternative to chemical biocides and would allow the use of recycled yeast in corn-based ethanol plants.

Methodical tuning of NH3 gas sensing in WO3 thin films by electron beam irradiation

The present work focuses on the structure, morphology, optical and sensing analysis of Electron Beam Irradiation (EBI) treated WO3 films synthesized by the spray pyrolysis technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a slight shift in the 2θ position, indicating stress generated due to EBI process. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) morphographs presented well-defined grains at higher irradiation dosages. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) studies showed increased oxygen vacancy defects for the 5 kGy treated sample compared to unirradiated WO3. Sensing analysis of unirradiated and EBI-treated films was conducted towards ammonia (NH3) at an optimum operating temperature of 200 °C. Sensor response of 5 kGy treated film increased by − 4.5 fold compared to unirradiated film at 5 ppm NH3 concentration. The current study demonstrates the importance of EBI in tailoring the NH3 sensing properties of WO3 films.

Electron beam-induced white emission from iridium complexes-doped polymer dots

Radiation detection plays an important role in diverse applications, including medical imaging, security, and display technologies. Scintillators, materials that emit light upon exposure to radiation, have garnered significant attention due to their exceptional sensitivity. Previous research explored polymer dots (P-dots) doped with iridium complexes as nano-sized scintillators for radiation detection, but these were constrained to emitting specific colors like red, green, and blue, limiting their utility. Recently, there has been a breakthrough in the development of white light emitters stimulated by UV–visible light. These emitters exhibit a broad spectral range in the visible wavelength, enhancing contrast and simplifying detection by visible-light sensors. Consequently, the quest for white color scintillators in radiation detection has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing scintillation efficiency. In this study, we present a novel approach by applying P-dots doped with two iridium complexes to create white light-emitting nano-sized scintillators. These scintillators offer a wider spectral coverage within the visible-light wavelength range. Under UV light (365 nm) excitation, our synthesized P-dots exhibited remarkable white light emission. Moreover, when excited by electron beam irradiation, we observed the clear emission close to white emission which is valuable for improving the detection of radiation.

Structural evolution of PVP@Ag nanowires induced by focused electron beam irradiation: The passivation effect of PVP

To explore the passivation effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on Ag nanowires (NWs), the structural evolution of PVP@Ag NWs was in situ induced under focused electron beam (e-beam) irradiation using transmission electron microscopy. Notably, interesting phenomena, including multiple necking and axial elongation, were observed at room temperature. By establishing a kinetic relationship, the passivation effect of PVP on the radial shrinkage of Ag NW was confirmed, with a determined surface energy index (b) of 0.2. The presence of PVP not only weakened the surface nanocurvature effect of Ag NW but also retarded the athermal activation effect of energetic e-beam irradiation. By taking into account two new concepts of nanocurvature effect and athermal activation effect, the structure evolution of PVP@Ag NW was well restored by COMSOL simulation. Additionally, the radial shrinkage of Ag NWs with and without PVP coating was compared extensively. The simulation vividly illustrated the evaporation and diffusion processes of atoms, showcasing how PVP effectively mitigates material loss.

Electron beam radiation constructed and improved bone repairing performance based on hierarchical thermoplastic polyurethane/graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite hot melt adhesive with high flow ductility

AbstractThe aging population increased the demand for the development and utilization of bone filling materials. In this study, hydroxyapatite (HAP) and graphene oxide (GO) were introduced into thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by melt mixing and electron beam radiation to obtain the new hot melt adhesive (TPU/HAP/GO). The structures and morphologies of the TPU/HAP/GO were analyzed using FTIR, XRD, SEM, BET, DSC. The mechanical properties of the TPU/HAP/GO were evaluated using a universal testing machine. TPU/HAP/GO was demonstrated to have good bacterial inhibition by the zone of inhibition test and plate method. The good biocompatibility of the hot melt adhesive was demonstrated using the MTT method and the Hoechst 33342/PI double staining method. The osteogenic differentiation of mouse osteoblasts (MC3T3‐E1) treated with TPU/HAP/GO was detected by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining. ALP staining showed that the hot melt adhesive promoted the differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 cells into osteoblasts. This hot melt adhesive had great application potential in bone tissue engineering.Highlights Green electron beam radiation method for synthesizing hot melt adhesives. Enhanced mechanical properties of composites by incorporation of graphene oxide. Improvement of antimicrobial and osteogenic capacities for polyurethane.

In situ crystallization of amorphous Sb2Se3 films at electron beam irradiation

Amorphous films of Sb2Se3 were studied for crystallization under the action of electron irradiation. Electron microscopy studies demonstrated, that phase transformation is the island polymorphous crystallization mode with the relative length δ0≈ 183 for a film with a thickness 25 nm and δ0≈ 489 for a film with a thickness 40 nm. The dependence of the fraction of the crystalline phase on time has an exponential character, described by the JMAK formula. For films of both thicknesses numerical value of Avrami exponent nearest integer = 2.

Insights into the enhanced mechanism of electron beam pretreatment on application performance for poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/acetylated cellulose composite plastics

In this work, we developed a strategy to construct poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) composite plastics with excellent mechanical properties, superior thermal stability and enhanced biodegradability by combining acetylated celluloses (ECs) mediated by electron beam irradiation (EBI), which works as a toughening agent. With findings, the EBI pretreatment assisted with acetylation was applied to develop ECs materials with a higher degree of acetylation than acetylation alone. The pretreated ECs with increased hydrophobicity tended to decrease the chance of self-aggregation and enhanced the interfacial compatibility and adhesion with PBAT in PBAT/ECs composite plastics. Thus, PBAT/ECs composite plastics exhibited a smoother and more uniform surface structure during preparation and offered higher tensile strength, water vapor transmission rate, water absorption rate, thermal stability and degradation rate, and lower elongation at a break during application. On top of that, the PBAT/ECs composite plastics were characterized by a series of methods containing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, indicating that these properties are mainly caused by the acetylation of hydroxyl groups from cellulose and carboxyl groups of PBAT. The work is expected to expand the application scope of PBAT and cellulose and provide an attainable solution for a biodegradable substitute for traditional plastics.

β -rays induced displacement damage on epitaxial 4H-SiC revealed by exciton recombination

One of the most interesting wide-bandgap semiconductor is 4H-SiC that has an indirect wide-bandgap of 3.3 eV. This material holds great potential to develop power devices that find applications in the field of high-voltage and high-temperature electronics and harsh environments. In this study, we employed complementary noninvasive characterization techniques, including micro-Raman, optical absorption, steady-state, and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, to investigate the characteristics of a 12 μm thick epitaxial layer of 4H-SiC grown on 4H-SiC. Furthermore, we explored the impact of ionizing radiation on this material, utilizing β-rays and two x-ray sources. The doses are in the range of 1–100 kGy for electrons with energy of 2.5 MeV, 16 kGy for the first x-ray source (an x-ray tube with a W target operating at an anode bias voltage of 28 kV), and 100 kGy for the second x-ray source (an x-ray tube with a W target operating at an anode bias voltage of 100 kV). When exposed to the electron beam, the excitonic band at 3.2 eV exhibits a reduction in its lifetime as the deposited dose increases. In particular, in samples characterized by a greater amount of native defects, both extended and point defects, this effect becomes evident at lower deposited doses. Conversely, in the samples subjected to x-ray irradiation, these effects are not observed. These findings indicate that electron beam irradiation triggers the formation of defects associated with atomic displacement. Ultimately, we have examined the impact of thermal treatments in air, ranging from 100 to 900 °C, to investigate the recovery characteristics of 4H-SiC.

Electron beam irradiation induced aggregation, structural and functional changes of soybean 11S globulin

This study investigated the effects of different irradiation doses of an electron beam (e-beam) (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 kGy) on the structure, emulsification, foaming, and rheological and gel properties of soybean 11S globulin. The irradiation treatment at 4 and 6 kGy significantly increased the solubility, surface hydrophobicity, disulfide bonding, and ζ-potential of 11S globulin, decreased the particle size of the protein solution, and effectively improved the emulsifying activity and foaming stability of the protein solution. Moreover, irradiation induced moderate cross-linking and aggregation of the proteins, thereby increasing the apparent viscosity and shear stress of the protein solution. In addition, the low-field NMR and microstructure analysis results revealed that protein gels formed a dense and homogeneous three-dimensional mesh structure after irradiation (6 kGy), along with increased content of bound water (T2b) and water not readily flowable (T21) and a decrease content of free water (T22). Overall, our results confirmed that e-beam irradiation could significantly improve the physicochemical properties of soybean 11S globulin. Our study thus provides a new technical means for the application of electron beam irradiation technology toward protein modification and broadens the high-value utilization of soybean 11S globulin in the food processing industry.

Pretreatment of alkali/surfactant/polymer (ASP)-flooding produced wastewater by electron beam radiation to improve oil-water separation

The management of wastewater produced from alkali/surfactant/polymer (ASP) flooding, known for its considerable volume and high emulsion stability, poses a challenge in oilfields globally. This study has demonstrated that ionizing irradiation is a promising pretreatment method for ASP wastewater to improve oil-water separation. After a settling time of 1 h, approximately 69.5% of oil remained in the raw ASP wastewater, while only 20–29% of the oil persisted in the liquid phase following radiation at absorbed doses ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 kGy. A noticeable increase in the size of oil droplets and reduction in turbidity was observed after irradiation. Further analysis revealed that the combination of surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and alkali exhibits a synergistic impact, leading to a substantial reduction in interface tension of ASP wastewater. Notably, ionizing irradiation induces several key changes that are crucial for efficient demulsification. The transformation of the wastewater's rheological behavior from pseudoplastics to a Newtonian fluid accompanied by a reduction in viscosity, the increased interfacial tension at both liquid-air and liquid-oil interfaces, along with the degradation of organic components such as partly hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and SDS, all contribute to the coalescence and floatation of oil droplets.

Formulating Electron Beam-Induced Covalent Linkages for Stable and High-Energy-Density Silicon Microparticle Anode.

High-capacity silicon (Si) materials hold a position at the forefront of advanced lithium-ion batteries. The inherent potential offers considerable advantages for substantially increasing the energy density in batteries, capable of maximizing the benefit by changing the paradigm from nano- to micron-sized Si particles. Nevertheless, intrinsic structural instability remains a significant barrier to its practical application, especially for larger Si particles. Here, a covalently interconnected system is reported employing Si microparticles (5 µm) and a highly elastic gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) through electron beam irradiation. The integrated system mitigates the substantial volumetric expansion of pure Si, enhancing overall stability, while accelerating charge carrier kinetics due to the high ionic conductivity. Through the cost-effective but practical approach of electron beam technology, the resulting 500 mAh-pouch cell showed exceptional stability and high gravimetric/volumetric energy densities of 413 Wh kg-1, 1022 Wh L-1, highlighting the feasibility even in current battery production lines.