Elemental Profiles Research Articles

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Multivariate Profiling of Rare Earth Elements in Coffee

A rapid and efficient ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) procedure followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed for the determination of 14 rare earth elements (REEs) (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu), along with yttrium (Y) and scandium (Sc), in coffee samples. The method was validated using certified reference material (NIST SRM 1547), recovery tests at four fortification levels, and comparisons with microwave-assisted digestion (MAD). Excellent accuracy and precision were achieved, with recovery rates ranging from 80.1% to 112% and relative standard deviations (RSD%) below 14%. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.2 ng/kg (Yb) to 0.16 µg/kg (Nd). Total REE concentrations varied between 8.3 µg/kg and 1.1 mg/kg, with the highest individual mean concentrations (µg/kg) observed for Ce (11.7), La (6.0), and Sc (4.7). The lowest individual mean concentrations (µg/kg) were for Ho (0.16), Lu (0.066), and Tm (0.063). Multivariate analysis of REE profiles from 92 coffee samples collected in Serbia revealed clear distinctions between ground roasted and instant coffees, as well as between different surrogate blends. This study indicated that the determination of coffee’s geographical origin was not possible due to the diverse types, blends, and additives. However, differences in REE profiles suggest potential classification based on variety. REEs pose a negligible health risk to coffee consumers, with HI values ranging from 4.7 × 10−8 to 6.3 × 10−6 and TCR ranging from 2.6 × 10−14 to 3.5 × 10−12.

Impact of Organic Agriculture on the Quality of Grapes (Syrah and Tempranillo) Harvested in Guanajuato, Mexico: Relationship Between Soil Elemental Profile and Grape Bioactive Properties

Viticulture has migrated to organic management to reduce environmental impact. Grapes harvested in organic vineyards (ORGs) could have a better polyphenol profile than conventional vineyards (CONs). The objective was to evaluate the relationship between agricultural management, elemental soil profile, and grape bioactive compounds (var. Syrah and Tempranillo). Soil components were determined from CON and ORG vineyards; they were correlated with bioactive compounds in grape skin and seed through principal component analysis (PCA). The ORG vineyard presented higher moisture (4.50–5.72%), clay (31.70–40.55%), organic matter (OM) (9.44–11.01%), P (108.72–122.16 mg/kg), N (0.27 mg/kg), and oxides (Fe2O3, SiO2, MnO, TiO2) in soil and phenolic compounds (myricetin, quercetin, resveratrol, ellagic acid, others) and antioxidant capacity in grape skin and seed. Regarding PCA (>74.20% of variance), the first component showed positive correlations (>0.60) between pH, moisture, clay, and soil oxides (MgO, K2O, Al2O3), which favored biosynthesis in grape skin and seed phenols (catechin, gallic acid, vanillic acid, and rutin). The second component showed positive correlations between OM, silt, soil oxides, antioxidant capacity, and phenols in grape skin and seed. Finally, the edaphic conditions of the ORG vineyard allowed for one to obtain optimal grapes for winemaking due to their higher phenol content.

The effect of semi-cured elements on the quality of integrated composite structures

Abstract There is a demand to ramp up the rate of production of primary aerostructures and as such new processing methods are required. This study investigates a two-stage process for integrating composite structures. In Stage 1, a series of doublers are infused and semi-cured to a target degree of cure (α). In Stage 2, these doublers are integrated into a preformed stiffened panel, to increase thickness locally, followed by infusion. The impact of this integration on quality in terms of thickness and void content of the semi-cured doublers is assessed through the processing stages. The results indicate that semi-curing elements to a higher degree of cure (α = 0.74) around the gel point (α = 0.70) of the epoxy matrix have minimal impact on the relative quality of the final structure. However, at a lower semi-cure (α = 0.47), the void (> 100 µm) content increased from 0.8 to 1.92% during the secondary stage. Tracking the thermal profile of the semi-cured elements through the stages combined with a Cure-Temperature-Transition diagram shows that at a lower degree of cure, the resin in the semi-cured doublers will be in a liquid phase during Stage 2 leading to the potential for resin reflow.

A Novel Approach to Research Synthesis with the Distillation and Matching Model: Application to the Prevention of Youth Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems.

It is difficult for consumers to access the evidence base for prevention programs to determine which models or practices have the strongest empirical support for improving youth social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) outcomes within their specific service contexts. Researchers can address this evidence-to-practice gap through innovations in research synthesis. The Distillation and Matching Model (Chorpita et al., 2005), an approach to research synthesis developed for the mental health field, is designed to identify what works for whom and under what conditions via three steps. In this paper, we describe the Distillation and Matching Model and suggest that applying this approach to the prevention literature for youth SEB problems may help bridge the evidence-to-practice gap. The first step, distillation, involves identifying "practice elements," defined as the goal or general principle guiding a discrete practice (e.g., praise) targeting a specific domain of SEB outcomes. This step produces a standard set of terms for the individual practices used across the literature that are studied in isolation and comprise comprehensive intervention models. The second step involves identifying "common elements," or the practice elements found in studies that meet standards of methodological rigor and report significant improvements in youth SEB outcomes. The third step, "matching," is a method for matching common element profiles (combinations of common elements) to intervention and personal characteristics to identify what combinations of common elements work for whom and under what conditions. The Distillation and Matching Model can provide a method for researchers to generate actionable information about common elements that can be used to develop and evaluate tailored interventions.

Reshaping the Battlefield: A Decade of Clonal Wars Among Staphylococcus aureus in China

BackgroundLong-term comprehensive studies on the genomic epidemiology of both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates are limited in China. Here, we aimed to assess the genomic epidemiological characteristics and population dynamics of S. aureus in China. MethodsWe performed whole-genome sequencing and resistance phenotyping on 3,848 S. aureus isolates from bloodstream infections across 72 hospitals in 22 provinces, from 2011 to 2020 in China. We explored the dynamic trends in the resistance/virulence genes and mobile genetic element profiles across lineages, and conducted time-scaled phylogenetic investigation for prevalent lineages. FindingsThe results revealed 315 different sequence types (STs) among all strains, 205 of which were novel. Significant shifts in MRSA population structure were observed, with ST59 replacing ST239 as the dominant lineage, exhibiting widespread inter-hospital transmission and increasing lineage diversity. In contrast, the composition of predominant MSSA lineages, ST188 (11.21%), ST7 (9.79%), ST22 (9.10%), ST5 (8.56%) and ST398 (7.91%), remained relatively stable over time, with the diversity among MSSA strains consistently preserved at the population level. Phylogenetic reconstruction showed that ST59, ST398, ST22 and ST188 MSSA could evolve into corresponding MRSA lineages through the acquisition of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) elements. Moreover, the distribution patterns of resistance and virulence genes closely correlated with different lineages, where the proportion of PVL+ isolates in MRSA is rising. Concurrently, changes in the MRSA population structure led to an overall decrease in the number of resistance and virulence genes, significantly increased antimicrobial sensitivity. InterpretationThe shifting genomic landscape of S. aureus in China underscores the need for tailored antimicrobial stewardship and enhances understanding of its epidemiological trends over the past decade.

Elemental Profile of Selected Plant Species used for the Treatment of Epilepsy in Idah Local Government, Kogi State, Nigeria

Epilepsy is a disorder in the brain, in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, occasionally signal abnormally and cause strange emotions, sensations, and behavior, or sometimes muscle spasms, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. The study was conducted to identify the effect of medicinal plants used for the treatment of epilepsy in Idah LGA of Kogi State. To determine the mode of treatment, their mode of treatments, plant parts used for treatments, and the appropriate dosage, as well as to analyze the phytochemical constituents of the plants and the demographic status of the respondents indicated that Twenty (20) herbal practitioners were interviewed. The male respondents were 13 while the women were 7. The disease was more prevalent among the males than in females in the study area, only a few of the respondents (3) acquired tertiary education. Most of the respondents (15) were rural residents. Majority of the respondents (10) were Muslims, while only 2 were Christians. Four (4) plants (Ocimum gratissimum, Solanum physalifolium, Asplenium scolopendrium and Spathodea companulata) were identified. Only the leaves of the plants were used for the treatment of epilepsy. The best mode of treatment was established to be boiling and compressing to extract the liquid (juice) from the leaves across the plant tested. The phytochemical constituents of the plants studied revealed the presence of alkaloids recorded the highest phytochemical constituents (9.250), followed by saponin (2.370) while tannins recorded the lowest (0.528). It can be concluded that Idah LGA has a diverse plant species with antiepileptic properties that could be used holistically for the treatment of several diseases notably epilepsy. The various methods of administration of these plants for possible treatment of epilepsy will be discussed.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF IRON, COPPER AND COBALT CONTENT IN HAIR, BLOOD SERUM AND URINE OF STUDENTS FROM CENTRAL ASIA, MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL RUSSIA DURING THE PERIOD OF ADAPTATION TO STUDY

Introduction. The most popular education in Russian higher education institutions is enjoyed by immigrants from Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. They account for more than half of all foreign citizens studying in Russian universities. Changed environmental conditions lead to the development of stressful situations, decreased learning ability and, in the future, the possible development of a number of diseases closely associated with the presence of various elementoses. In this regard, in addition to the socio-cultural adaptation of students, it is very important to pay attention to the study of the elemental status of students in the process of their further adaptation to the changed living conditions. The purpose of the study – comparative analysis of iron, copper, cobalt content in hair, blood serum and urine of students from Central Asian countries, the Middle East and Central Russian regions during the adaptation period to study. Material and methods. In the period from September 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023, a study of the elemental composition of hair was conducted using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 180 first-year students of RUDN University, who previously lived in the countries of Central Asia (170 people), the Middle East (60 people) and in the regions of Central Russia (120 people) aged 18–26 years. The average age of the subjects was 22.7 ± 4 years. Gender differences in the comparison groups were not taken into account. Differences in samples were determined using the Mann–Whitney test for independent samples (significance level p < 0.05). Results. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the content of iron, copper, chromium in the hair, urine and blood serum of students who arrived from the countries of the Middle East, Central Asia and the regions of Central Russia during the adaptation period to study in 2023. Features of the elemental profiles of students were established. Conclusions. It is shown that the hair of the subjects reflects the territorial climatic and geographical features of the region of residence of the examined persons. Despite statistically significant differences in the content of iron, copper, chromium in the examined students of different regions, their elemental profile did not affect the objective medical indicators (heart rate, saturation level, hemoglobin index).

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ZINC, MOLYBDENUM, MANGANESE, CHROMIUMI CONTENT IN HAIR, BLOOD SERUM AND URINE OF STUDENTS FROM CENTRAL ASIA, MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL RUSSIA DURING THE PERIOD OF ADAPTATION TO STUDY

Introduction. The most popular education in Russian higher education institutions is among applicants from Central Asian countries, including Ka-zakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Students from this region make up more than half of all foreign citizens studying in Russian universities. Changed environmental conditions lead to the development of stressful situations, decreased learning ability and, in the future, the possible development of a number of diseases closely related to the presence of various elementoses. In this regard, in addition to the socio-cultural adaptation of students, it is very important to pay attention to the study of the elemental status of students in the process of their further adaptation to the changed living conditions. The aim of the study – a comparative analysis of the elemental status of first-year students from different climatic and geographical regions of the world who arrived to study in the Russian Federation and students living in the territory of the Russian Federation. Material and methods. From September 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023, a study of the elemental composition of hair was conducted using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 180 first-year students of RUDN University who had previously lived in the Middle East (60 people) and in the Moscow region (120 people). The age of the subjects was 18–26 years, the average age was 22.7 ± 4 years. Gender differences in the comparison groups were not taken into account. Differences in samples were determined using the Mann–Whitney test for independent samples (significance level p < 0.05). Results. The presented results of a comparative analysis of the content of Zn, Mo, Mn, Cr elements in the hair of students who arrived from the coun-tries of the Middle East, Central Asia and regions of Central Russia during the adaptation period to training in 2023 are characterized by reliable differ-ences in the content of essential microelements in various biosubstrates. Conclusion. The established features of the elemental profiles of students showed that the hair of the subjects reflects the territorial climatic and ge-ographical features of the region of residence of the examined persons.

IONIC HAIR PROFILES OF STUDENTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND MOSCOW REGION

Introduction. In previous years, RUDN University conducted a comparative analysis of the ionomic profiles of first-year students from Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, China and others, but a comparison of the elemental status of first-year RUDN University students from the Middle East and the Moscow region has not been described in the literature. The purpose of the study is to study the relationship between the ionomic profile of hair of first-year RUDN University students from the Middle East and the Moscow region with the natural and climatic conditions of the living environment. Material and methods. In the period from September 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023, a study of the elemental composition of hair was carried out using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 180 first-year RUDN University students who previously lived in the ME countries (60 people) and in the MR (120 people) aged 18–26 years. The average age of the subjects was 22.7 ± 4 years. Gender differences in the comparison groups were not taken into account. Results. It was found that in the ionic profile of the hair of students who arrived from the Moscow region, the predominant macroelements are calci-um, magnesium, essential microelements manganese, cobalt, iron, toxic microelement mercury, and potentially toxic microelement tin. In the ionic profile of the hair of students who arrived from the Middle East, the predominant elements are sodium, essential microelements molybdenum, silicon, toxic microelements thallium, cesium, antimony, tungsten, beryllium, conditionally essential and potentially toxic microelements arsenic, rubidium, nickel. Conclusions. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the content of 22 elements in the hair of first-year RUDN students from the Middle East and the Moscow region during the adaptation period to study in 2023. The features of the elemental profiles of students were established, it was shown that the hair of the subjects reflects the territorial climatic and geographical features of the region of residence of the subject.

Essential and Nonessential Elements, Lipids and Volatile Compounds in Coffee and Transfer to Coffee Brews: Assessment of the Benefits and Potential Risks for Human Health.

Coffee is a popular beverage with significant commercial and social importance. The study aimed to determine the fatty acids profile, volatile compounds, and concentration of major and trace elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca, P, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cd, and Pb) in the two most important varieties of coffee, namely arabica and robusta. The leaching percentages of mineral elements and the effect of boiling time on the transfer of elements to aqueous extracts were also determined. In terms of fatty acids profile, the robusta variety was found to have a higher content of saturated fatty acids (46.68%) compared to the arabica variety (44.38%), whereas arabica contained a higher amount of omega-6. Regarding the volatile compounds, arabica contained higher amounts of pyrazines (36%), ketones (5.4%), and furans (37.8%). The average contents of the major elements in roasted coffee (arabica and robusta) decreased in the order K > P > S > Mg > Ca > Na, while the trace elements content exhibited a decrease in the order Fe > Mn > B > Cu > Zn > Ni > Pb > Cd ≈ Cr. In coffee brews, the contents of elements have a similar decreasing trend, although variations in leaching percentages were observed. The health risk was assessed considering the concentrations of potentially toxic elements in coffee brews, and no health risks were indicated by the obtained scores. The contribution of coffee brews to the recommended dietary daily intake of essential elements is low. However, it can be significant considering that this beverage is consumed on a daily basis.

Role of urinary trace elements in diabetic kidney disease: a cross-sectional analysis

IntroductionThe balance of trace elements plays an important role in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients. However, studies on the differences in urinary trace elements across different DKD stages are scarce....

Research on roll profile thermal-force driving characteristics and joint control strategy in the multi-zone roll profile electromagnetic control technology

Roll profile electromagnetic control technology (RPECT) is a new roll gap shape control technology that can flexibly control the roll profile to meet the flatness control requirements of cold rolling mill. As basic control elements, electromagnetic sticks (ES) can drive the local zone bulging of electromagnetic control roll (ECR) to generate thermal-force contribution roll profiles. Due to the high order profile defects in the thin-gauge strip rolling process, the requirement of roll gap shape control in cold rolling mills is usually characterized by multi-zone and micro-scale. Therefore, a multi-zone roll profile electromagnetic control technology is proposed in this paper, which includes a multi-zone joint control strategy and a parameter preset method for basic control elements targeting roll profile. To conduct the parameterized impact analysis of stick distance and multi-stick control modes, a multi-zone joint control simulation model is established. Through the simulation analysis, the results show that it is feasible to use multiple basic control elements to adjust the multi-zone roll profile in the mechanism of action, and the total roll profile curve can be equivalent to the superposition of the individual bulging curve of different basic control elements with different space-time parameters. Meanwhile, the reasonable distance setting can effectively avoid the instability of thermal contribution roll profile control caused by too small distance between sticks and too strong thermal bulging driving. For the double-stick control mode or the three-stick control mode, using different temperature control method can assist ECR to realize the roll profile control goal that the low-order roll profile of the basic control element is superimposed to construct the high-order roll profile curve. According to strip flatness electromagnetic control experiment, the multi-zone joint control of RPECT can adjust the flatness defects above 100 IU to flat state, and can flexibly regulate local shape problems and control local buckling.

Convective mixing in distant and close-in giant planets. Dependences on the initial composition, luminosity, bloating, and semi-convection

Recent structure models of Jupiter suggest the existence of an extended region in the deep interior with a high heavy element abundance, referred to as a dilute core. This finding has led to increased interest in modelling the formation and evolution processes with the goal of understanding how and under what circumstances such a structure is formed and retained, to in turn better understand the relation between atmospheric and bulk metallicity. We modelled the evolution of giant planets, varying various parameters relevant for the convective mixing process, such as the mixing length parameter and the size of the mesh, and parameters related to the general evolution, such as the orbital distance and the initial luminosity. We in particular studied hot Jupiters and find that the effect of bloating on the mixing process is small but can in some cases inhibit convective mixing by lowering the intrinsic luminosity for a given entropy. Semi-convection can significantly lower the extent of a dilute core if it is strong enough. We find that dilute cores are unable to persist for initial luminosities much higher than $ 10^3$ L$_J$ for a Jupiter-like planet for the initial heavy element profiles we studied. From this we conclude that, based on our model, it is unlikely that a large number of giant planets retain a dilute core throughout their evolution, although this is dependent on the assumptions and limitations of our method. Future work should focus on improving the link between formation and evolution models so that the mixing process is accurately modelled throughout a planet's lifetime and on improving the understanding of how to model convection near radiative-convective boundaries.

Association of commingled human skeletal remains by their elemental profile using handheld laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

When multiple sets of skeletonized human remains exist in the same context, they can become commingled due to multifactorial circumstances that affect the postmortem environment. Numerous techniques exist for reassociating commingled skeletal remains (e.g., visual pair-matching, and osteometric pair-matching); however, the scale of commingled skeletal assemblages influences the effectiveness of these approaches. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has recently been proposed as a rapid technique for obtaining elemental signatures from skeletal elements of multiple individuals and then reassociating those elements with their correct individual. This study evaluates the potential of portable LIBS as a useful tool for reassociating commingled human skeletal remains in forensic contexts. In this study six skeletons drawn from the donated skeletal collection at the Florida Institute for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Science, at the University of South Florida, were used to assess whether LIBS data could be used to reassociate multiple skeletal elements from the same individual. LIBS data were collected at 206 anatomical locations from 28 individual bones across each skeleton in the sample. LIBS data were reassigned to their individual with an accuracy of 91 % using quadratic discriminant analysis of dimensionally reduced data (via principal component analysis). The study demonstrates that portable LIBS has potential for reassociating commingled human skeletal remains from forensic contexts.

Persistent legacy effects on soil microbiota facilitate plant adaptive responses to drought.

Both chronic and acute drought alter the composition and physiology of the soil microbiota, favoring the selection of microbes with functional traits that preserve fitness in these challenging conditions 1 . This drought-adapted microbiota may influence water-use efficiency mechanisms in host plants. Currently, it is largely unknown how this soil microbial drought legacy manifests at the molecular and physiological levels and how it influences microbe-dependent plant responses to drought in diverse natural soils. Here, to infer how drought legacy affects soil microbiota composition and function, we collected soils spanning two distinct and geographically distant precipitation gradients. By controlling for variation in numerous other soil properties including porosity and elemental profiles, we identified a group of bacterial taxa that are highly sensitive to water availability and critical for the formation of soil drought memory. Next, by imposing an acute experimental drought we show that this microbial drought legacy is robust to short-term perturbations. Furthermore, we reveal that soil microbiota from historically dry climates buffered a wild grass species native to the precipitation gradient, but not the domesticated crop species maize, from the negative effects of subsequent acute drought. In particular, microbiota with a legacy of chronic water limitation altered the expression of a small subset of host genes that mediate the effect of acute drought on transpiration and intrinsic water use efficiency. Our results reveal how long-term exposure to water stress alters soil microbial communities and demonstrate the resulting "legacy effects" on the drought responses of neighboring plants.

Recent depositional history of noble and critical elements in sediments from a wastewater-impacted bay (Vidy Bay, Lake Geneva, Switzerland)

Opposing trends in environmental pollution have been observed in recent years, with a growing awareness of the need to reduce emissions to the environment being accompanied by a concomitant increase in the use of polluting substances, which can potentially end up in the environment and harm humans and ecosystems. In order to assess the temporal evolution of loadings of seldom monitored trace elements, including noble metals and some technology critical elements, we analyzed a sediment core taken from the Bay of Vidy (Lake Geneva), impacted by the effluent of an urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The temporal profiles of the chemical elements show essentially two patterns linked to the implementation of the WWTP, with some elements increasing sharply (e.g. Au, In, Ba, Sb, Sn, platinum group elements), while others (e.g. Ga, Ge, rare earth elements) show decreasing concentrations due to dilution by additional effluent particle loads. The origin of the elements showing a marked increase is attributed to local sources (photographic industry and municipal incinerator). There is (still?) no evidence in the sedimentary record of concentration increases linked to the growing use of technologically critical elements by industry.

Unlocking synergies: Enhancing bioremediation, growth, and physiological responses of Penaeus vannamei co-cultured with seaweed

Seaweeds, an inorganic extractive species in the Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system, offer the potential for mitigating coastal pollution and a source of nutrition aligning with Sustainable Development Goals. A co-culture strategy was hypothesized to address rising concerns over intensive shrimp farming, limited suitable seaweed cultivation areas, and production optimization. Initially, locally available seaweeds along the Maharashtra coast were screened, followed by co-culture with P. vannamei with selected seaweed to evaluate production performance and physiological responses in zero-water exchange system. The first four-week study was conducted in shrimp wastewater with six different seaweeds, where Gracilaria foliifera performed best with significant (p < 0.05) improvement in nutrient uptake efficiency (Total ammoniacal nitrogen- 64 %, Phosphate- 99.87 %, Nitrite-32 %, Nitrate-13 %) and yield (4.56 kg m−3), enhanced elemental profile, biochemical composition, and pigments. A further optimization study of G. foliifera in shrimp wastewater for 96 h identified the optimal stocking density of 1–3.5 gL−1, based on nutrient uptake efficiency (TAN- 61 %, PO4–72 %, NO2–48 %, NO3–27 %). In the second experiment, considering the highest uptake, G. foliifera stocking density was maintained at 3.5 gL−1, and different stocking densities of P. vannamei (20, 40, 60, 80, 100 nos. m−2) were assessed with two controls, shrimp monoculture and Gracilaria monoculture. Results showed that co-culturing P. vannamei at 20 nos.m−2 followed by 60 nos.m−2 with G. foliifera at 3.5 gL−1 yielded the highest mean weight gain, specific growth rate, and production with low feed conversion ratio, while also improving water quality. The co-culture system also led to lower stress enzyme levels, reduced serum glucose and cholesterol, and normal histological observations in the hepatopancreas compared to monoculture. This study suggests that the co-culture of P. vannamei at 60 nos.m−2 with G. foliifera at 1–3.5 gL−1 proved superior without compromising productivity and physiological responses over monoculture in a sustainable manner.

An Orthogonal Approach of Corrosion Resistance Performance Evaluation for Passive Layer on Aluminium Alloy Deploying Electrochemistry and GDOES Analysis

The integrity and quality of the passive layer is key to the overall performance for corrosion resistance of a coated surface.The evaluation of a Cr-based chemical conversion coating applied on an aluminium alloy has been conducted deploying an electrochemical method (EIS - Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy) and a spectroscopical method (GDOES - Glow Discharge Optical Emission Specstropscopy) for the depth profile and distribution of elements on the surface.The complementarity of the two techniques confirm and justify the obtained performance.

Li Concentration Change Around Cu/Lipon Interface Measured By Time of Flight Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis

All-solid-state rechargeable lithium (Li) batteries (ASSBs) utilizing inorganic lithium-ion (Li+) conductive solid electrolytes (SEs) are gathering significant interest as a next-generation battery. To enhance the energy density of ASSBs, employing a Li metal anode is crucial due to its substantially higher capacity (3860 mAh g-1) compared to conventional graphite anodes (372 mAh g-1). Among various SEs compatible with Li metal anodes, lithium phosphorus oxynitride glass electrolyte (LiPON) stands out as an especially promising material for stabilizing the Li/SE interface [1]. This is evidenced by the fact that thin-film-type ASSBs employing LiPON and Li metal anodes demonstrate stable charge-discharge cycles over ten thousand cycles without capacity degradation [2].Regarding the Li/LiPON interface in thin-film ASSBs, it is observed that Li plating-stripping reactions occur stably. Yet, advanced analyses indicate the formation of a reaction layer at this interface. Cheng et al. utilized Cryo-STEM analysis to investigate the Li/LiPON interface, revealing the generation of by-products like Li2O, Li3N, and Li3P within an 80 nm thickness range from the interface [3]. Similarly, Sicolo et al. conducted XPS measurements on the LiPON surface before and after Li deposition, confirming the formation of a reaction layer immediately following Li layer deposition [4]. Theoretical calculations have suggested that LiPON reacts with Li metal and the thermodynamical stability of LiPON is estimated to be 0.68 V vs. Li/Li+ [5]. On the other hand, Schwietert et al. have reported that LiPON does not undergo reductive decomposition less than 0.68 V by taking a metastable state because an activation barrier for the decomposition can retard reductive decomposition [6]. Clarifying this interphase phenomenon is essential for the development of ASSBs with Li metal anodes.In this study, focusing on the increase in Li content with the reductive decomposition of LiPON, we investigate Li concentration changes around the Cu/LiPON interface by time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis (TOF-ERDA) [7]. TOF-ERDA needs no sample pretreatment for the detection of Li and then it can effectively observe Li concentration changes induced by electrochemical reactions around the interface. We confirmed that Li concentration increased around the interface within 30 nm thickness when maintained at 0.006 V vs. Li/Li+ before the Li plating voltage at 0 V vs. Li/Li+. This means that a decomposed region of LiPON forms around the interface within 30 nm thickness in this situation. Electrochemical analysis suggests one of the decomposed materials to be Li3P [4]. These findings basically align with TEM-EELS data, underscoring the utility of TOF-ERDA in analyzing Li concentration changes around interfaces.Reference Chung K, Kim WS, Choi YK (2004) Lithium phosphorous oxynitride as a passive layer for anodes in lithium secondary batteries. J Electroanal Chem 566:263-267 Wang B, Bates JB, Hart FX, Sales BC, Zuhr RA, Robertson JD (1996) Characterization of thin‐film rechargeable lithium batteries with lithium cobalt oxide cathodes. J Electrochem Soc 143:3203-3213 Cheng D, Wynn TA, Wang X, Wang S, Zhang M, Shimizu R, Bai S, Nguyen H, Fang C, Kim M, Li W, Lu B, Kim SJ, Meng YS (2020) Unveiling the stable nature of the solid electrolyte interphase between lithium metal and LiPON via cryogenic electron microscopy. Joule 4:2484-2500 Sicolo S, Fingerle M, Hausbrand R, Albe K (2017) Interfacial instability of amorphous LiPON against lithium: A combined Density Functional Theory and spectroscopic study. J Power Sources 354:124-133 Zhu Y, He X, Mo Y (2015) Origin of outstanding stability in the lithium solid electrolyte materials: insights from thermodynamic analyses based on first-principles calculations. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 7:23685-23693 Schwietert TK, Vasileiadis A, Wagemaker M (2021) First-Principles prediction of the electrochemical stability and reaction mechanisms of solid-state electrolytes. JACS Au 1:1488-1496 Yasuda K (2020) Time-Of-Flight ERDA for depth profiling of light elements. Quantum Beam Sci 4:40 AcknowledgementThis work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI “Interface IONICS” (JP19H05813, 20H05293, and 22H04617) and by JST GteX, JPMJGX23S2.

Formation of Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide with a Thick Barrier Layer and High Porosity By Anodizing Aluminum in Sodium Metaborate Solutions

Porous-type anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) can be fabricated by anodizing an aluminum substrate in suitable aqueous electrolyte solutions. The morphological properties of the AAO, including the interpore distance, pore size, and thickness, are controlled by various operating parameters, such as the applied voltage, temperature, and anodizing time. However, their structural controllability is limited because the fabrication process is based on the typical anodizing method in acidic solutions. The authors previously found that AAO with a novel nanostructure can be fabricated by anodizing using alkaline ammonium carbonate and sodium tetraborate. Therefore, further research on aluminum anodizing using various alkaline solutions opens the possibility of novel AAO fabrication. Herein, we report the fabrication of a new AAO film, which is different from the typical nanostructure formed in acidic solutions, by anodizing in alkaline sodium metaborate (NaBO2).Electropolished aluminum specimens were anodized at a constant voltage of 0.1-200 V in a 0.3 M sodium metaborate electrolyte solution (pH = 11.9) at 278 K. The surface and cross-section of the anodized specimens were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The elemental depth profile of the specimens was analyzed by radiofrequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (rf-GDOES).An AAO film consisting of an outer porous layer and an inner hemispherical cap barrier layer, similar to typical AAO films formed in acidic solutions, was formed at lower voltages below 50 V. In contrast, an AAO film with a flat barrier layer, deviating from the typical Keller-Hunter-Robinson model, was obtained at voltages above 100 V. The porosities of the porous layer obtained above 20 V were almost constant (0.16-0.19). However, there was a significant increase in the porosity at lower voltages (0.93 at 0.1 V). The AAO formed in sodium metaborate was composed of amorphous, anion-free aluminum oxide. Figure 1