Acetic Research Articles

Hybrid Mn Atomic Clusters/Single-Dispersed Atoms with Dual Antioxidant Activities for a Chemiluminescent Immunoassay.

Single-dispersed atoms (SDAs) as catalysts have drawn extensive attention due to their ultimate atom utilization efficiency and desirable catalytic capability. Atomic clusters (ACs) with potential multiple enzyme-like activities also display great practicability in catalysis-based biosensing. In this work, hybrid Mn ACs/SDAs were implanted in the frameworks of defect-engineered MIL 101(Cr) modulated by excess acetic acid, with a high loading capability of 13.9 wt %. Distinctively, Mn SDAs display weak superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity for specifically eliminating superoxide anion (O2•-), while Mn ACs/SDAs display both catalase-like and SOD-like activities for remarkable elimination of total reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the cooperative effect of the two atom-scale catalytic sites. Thus, Mn ACs/SDAs can efficiently inhibit the chemiluminescent (CL) emission of multiple ROS-mediated luminol systems with a superior quenching rate of 85.5%. To validate the practicability of Mn ACs/SDAs for a sensitive CL assay, an immunoassay method was established to detect acetamiprid by using Mn ACs/SDAs as signal quenchers, which displayed a quantification range of 10 pg mL-1-25 ng mL-1 and a detection limit of 3.3 pg mL-1. This study paves an avenue for developing ACs/SDAs with multiple antioxidant activities that are suitable for application in biosensing.

The ability of photochemical decomposition products of the Roundup to induce oxidative stress in bacterial cells

BACKGROUND: A common non-selective systemic herbicide Roundup (Glyphosate, active ingredient N-phosphonomethylglycine, N-PMG) is used to control perennial weeds. It is necessary to assess the hazard of the products of photochemical decomposition of N-FMG formed under the influence of solar UV and ozone. AIM: Using lux-biosensors based on Escherichia coli, studying the ability of N-FMG photochemical degradation products to induce oxidative stress in bacterial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The work used the active substance of the herbicide Roundup N-phosphonomethylglycine (N-PMG), biosensors E. coli (pSoxS-lux), E. coli (pKatG-lux). UV radiation, Mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Using biosensors, it was shown that the products of photochemical decomposition of N-PMG (2-(N-hydroxymethyl-hydroxyamine) ethanoic acid) cause an increase in the concentration of superoxide anion radical and H2O2 in E. coli cells, which induces oxidative stress in the bacterial cell. CONCLUSIONS: The photochemical decomposition product of N-PMG (2-(N-hydroxymethyl-hydroxyamine) ethanoic acid) induces the formation of superoxide anion radical and H2O2 in bacterial cells.

Optimising the hygiene of a liquid feeding system to improve the quality of liquid feed for pigs

Poor feeding system hygiene may contribute to uncontrolled spontaneous fermentation in liquid pig feed and its associated undesirable effects. This study aimed to determine the effects of an intensive sanitisation programme in a grow-finisher liquid feeding system by monitoring microbiological and physico-chemical parameters of liquid feed and microbial colonisation of the feeding system surfaces. The sanitisation programme involved a combination of physical and chemical cleaning between batches of grow-finisher pigs, combined with nightly rinsing of the system with an organic acid blend. Improved hygiene of the internal surfaces of the mixing tank and feed pipeline, particularly until week 5 post-cleaning, was evidenced by reduced counts of lactic acid bacteria, total aerobes, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and moulds and decreased adenosine triphosphate concentrations. Enterobacteriaceae and moulds remained undetectable on pipeline surfaces for 10 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy of the feed pipelines confirmed these findings. Conversely, the impact on liquid feed microbiology was minimal and short-lived. However, acetic acid, ethanol and biogenic amine concentrations decreased in the feed post-cleaning and no gross energy losses were observed. Therefore, by controlling surface microbial communities on liquid feeding systems via implementation of the sanitisation programme developed in the current study, on-farm liquid feed quality should be improved.

Optimising butyric and lactic acid yield from xylose by adjusting pH

This work studies the pH effect in xylose mixed culture fermentation, focusing on lactic and butyric acid production. Batch tests showed a complete substrate consumption at slightly acidic (pH 6) and alkaline conditions (pH 8), but a great inhibition of xylose conversion was observed at pH 4. Acetic acid was the only product at pH 8, while at pH 6, butyric and propionic acids were quantified as well with a large proportion of unidentified compounds. Continuous reactor operation showed that changes within the acidic pH range (pH 4.5 to pH 6) affect the acidification degree but not the product distribution, reaching the maximum butyric acid yield (0.38 Cmol/Cmol-s) at pH 5, while lactic acid was only detected when xylose conversion or butyric acid concentration dropped. Batch tests demonstrated that butyric acid was not inhibitory for xylose or lactic acid conversion and that the main product of lactic acid fermentation was butyric acid. Although pH is an essential variable steering the fermentation yield and selectivity, this study demonstrates that it must be combined with other operational conditions in order to obtain a stable production of lactic and butyric acids.

A greener method to recover critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs): Synergistic leaching without reducing agents

Efficient recycling of critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries is vital for clean energy and sustainable industry growth. Conventional methods often fail to manage large waste volumes, leading to hazardous gas emissions and dangerous materials. This study investigates innovative methods for recovering critical metals from spent LIBs using synergistic leaching. The first step optimized thermal treatment conditions (570 °C for 2 h in air) to remove binder materials while maintaining cathode material crystallinity, confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Next, response surface methodology (RSM), I-optimal, was used to examine the synergistic effects of sulfuric acid (SA) and organic acids (Org, citric and acetic acids) and their concentrations (SA: 0.5–2 M and Org: 0.1–2 M) on metal leaching for an eco-friendlier process. Results showed that adding citric acid to SA was more effective, especially at lower concentrations, than using acetic acid. The medium was tested to evaluate the impact of reductant addition. Remarkably, it was discovered that the optimized leaching mixture (1.25 M SA and 0.55 M citric acid) efficiently extracted metals without the need for any reductant like H2O2, highlighting its potential for a simpler and more eco-friendly recycling process. Further optimization identified the ideal solid-to-liquid ratio (62.5 g/L) to minimize acid use. Finally, RSM (D-optimal) was used to investigate the effects of time and temperature on leaching, achieving remarkable recovery rates of 99% ± 0.7 for Li, 98% ± 0.0 for Co, 90% ± 6.6 for Ni, and 92% ± 0.4 for Mn under optimized conditions at 189 min and 95 °C. Chemical cost analysis revealed this method is about 25% more cost-effective than conventional methods.

Quality of Red Clover Forage in Different Organic Production Systems

The aim of this study was to determine the quality of organically grown red clover herbage and silage after being influenced by supplementary mineral fertilization. The experimental treatments were as follows: control treatment without fertilization (group C), treatment where kalimagnesia (Patentkali) was applied (group P), and treatment where potassium sulfate (SOP) was applied (group S). In each year of the experiment, first-cut herbage was harvested at the beginning of flowering and ensiled. The year of the study had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) influence on the analyzed parameters of herbage and silage, excluding the content of calcium (Ca), acetic acid (AA), and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3). The organic production system exerted a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on the concentrations of crude protein (CP), acid detergent lignin (ADL), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), minerals (P, K, Ca, Na), lactic acid (LA), ethanol, and N-NH3. The pattern of fermentation was affected by both experimental factors. True protein (TP) content was determined at 70–84% CP in herbage and 53–65% CP in silages. The energy value and the protein value of herbage varied significantly across years of the study and in response to the combined effects of both experimental factors (p ≤ 0.05). Red clover grown in organic production systems supplied high-quality forage.

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics provide insights into the biosynthesis of militarine in the cell suspension culture system of Bletilla striata

Militarine is a monomer molecule with abundant and distinctive biological properties, also the lead member of secondary metabolites in Bletilla striata, while its biosynthesis mechanism is still unknown. To improve the production efficiency of militarine, sodium acetate and salicylic acid (SA) were introduced as elicitors into the suspension-cultured callus of B. striata. Subsequently, samples were taken from callus at different culturing stages to investigate the synthesis mechanisms of militarine in B. striata through integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics. Metabolomics analysis revealed that acetate ions promoted militarine synthesis, while SA had an inhibitory effect. Additionally, regulators such as ferulic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionic acid, and cis-beta-D-Glucosyl-2-hydroxycinnamate were identified as influencing militarine synthesis. Transcriptomics analysis indicated that the expression levels of genes involved in phenylalanine metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and tyrosine metabolism were correlated with militarine content. This study sheds light on the regulatory mechanism of militarine biosynthesis in plants. The results suggested that acetate ions and SA impact militarine synthesis through specific metabolic pathways and gene expression changes. This knowledge serves as a foundation for future research on militarine biosynthesis and its industrial production.

Microfluidic Chip Coupled with MALDI-TOF MS for Multitarget Detection of Allergens in Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus).

The goal of the present study was to establish a rapid, simple method for simultaneous allergy testing of sera from multiple fish-allergic patients. Sera from fish-allergic patients were pooled and used for capturing allergens in fish muscle of crucian carp (Carassius auratus), which was studied as a fish model. Sarcoplasmic proteins of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) were extracted for the analysis of allergens. Anti-human IgE antibody-functionalized magnetic beads were utilized to collect IgE antibodies from human pooled sera. The isolation of allergenic proteins was immunomagnetically performed in microfluidic channels, and the elution of the captured allergenic proteins was done with 5% (v/v) acetic acid aqueous solution. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and peptide mass fingerprinting were used for the analysis of tryptic digests of eluted proteins. Ten potential allergenic proteins were identified from crucian carp (Carassius auratus). The present protocol provides a rapid, efficient, and simple method for simultaneous detection of multiple allergens, based on multitargeted antibodies from pooled sera of allergic patients. The constructed multiple antibody-modified MBs can be applied for the deallergenicity of food matrices. The efficiency of allergen detection can be greatly improved, with promising application in allergen discovery and filtration for other muscle-based foods.

Study on the Effect of a Sudden Jump in Wettability on Two-Component Liquid Flow in Sudden Contraction Devices.

This study experimentally investigated the effect of wettability and sudden changes in flow area on liquid-liquid extraction operation. The wall surface wettability has been altered by connecting the glass capillary (hydrophilic) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE)-coated capillary (hydrophobic) together in four different arrangements. In all of the arrangements, a 2 mm inner diameter tube of 35 cm length is used upstream, while a 1 mm inner diameter tube of 35 cm length is used downstream. Acetic acid mixed with toluene and water is used as a test fluid. Various flow patterns are observed: slug, droplet, slug with the droplet, and encapsulated drop in slug. The extraction efficiency is observed to be the maximum when the hydrophobic tube is used upstream, followed by a hydrophilic tube downstream. Due to the contraction effect, the specific surface area of the slug increases from 1.6 to 2.7 times. Further numerical simulations have been run using open CFD software OpenFoam to see the inner flow physics at the maximum efficiency due to a sudden jump in wettability. The presence of a recirculating zone downstream just after the plane of area change leads to the formation of encapsulated drop and enhances circulation within the slug.

Effect of pyrite on the treatment of chlorophenolic compounds with zero-valent iron-Fenton process under uncontrolled pH conditions: reaction mechanism and biodegradability.

This current study explored the effect of pyrite on the treatment of chlorophenolic compounds (CP) by Fenton process with micron-sized zero-valent iron (ZVI) as the catalyst. The experiments were conducted in batch reactors with 100mg L-1 CP, 0-0.02M H2O2, and variable pyrite and ZVI doses (0-1g L-1). Our findings show that while the reactor with 1g L-1 ZVI as the only catalyst achieved only 10% CP removal efficiency due to rapid ZVI surface passivation and ZVI particle aggregation, the CP removal efficiency increased with increasing pyrite dose and reached 100% within couple of minutes in reactors with 0.8g L-1 pyrite and 0.2g L-1 ZVI. The CP removal was mainly driven by the oxidative treatment of CPs with some strong radicals such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH) while the adsorption onto the catalyst surface was only responsible for 10 to 25% of CP removals, depending on the type of CP studied. The positive impact of pyrite on CP removal by the ZVI/H2O2 system could be attributed to the ability of pyrite to (1) create an acidic environment for optimum Fenton process, (2) provide support material for ZVI to minimize ZVI particle agglomeration, and (3) stimulate iron redox cycling for improved surface site generation. Following oxidative Fenton treatment, the degradation intermediate products of CPs, including some aromatic compounds (benzoquinone, hydroquinone, etc.) and organic acids (e.g., acetic acid), became more biodegradable in comparison to their mother compounds. Overall, the treatment systems with a mixture of ZVI and pyrite as catalyst materials could offer a suitable cost-effective technology for the treatment of wastewater containing biologically non- or low-degradable toxic compounds such as chlorophenols.

Production of triacetin from industrially derived purified glycerol: Experimental proof of concept, kinetic model derivation and validation

This study illustrates the purification of end-of-life crude glycerol from a real biodiesel production process and its conversion into triacetin via esterification with acetic acid. Crude glycerol of 50.9 wt% purity was physicochemically treated to 74.3 wt% reducing the content of ashes (16.1 to 9.8 wt%), matter organic non-glycerol (25.6 to 9.8 wt%) and water (7.4 to 6.1 wt%). For esterification, catalyst screening with commercial ion exchange resins and zeolites showed that Amberlyst 36 attained a triacetin yield of 30.1 % and stability after 5 cycles. An increase of temperature, molar ratio, and catalyst loading positively affected the reaction rates and equilibrium, whereas increasing water content in the feedstock only showed effect on the equilibrium leading to lower triacetin yields. After dismissing mass transfer limitations, a thorough study on the reaction kinetics analysed the effect of temperature (100–130 °C), molar excess of acetic acid (6–12) and catalyst loading (2.5–7.5 wt%) on the concentration profiles. Kinetic models based on Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson and Eley-Rideal equations were formulated to fit the experimental data, where an Eley-Rideal model accounting only for water adsorption fitted best. Deactivation was also contemplated considering the ash content in the substrate, yet the model does not correlate with a loss of catalytic activity. The activation energies for the forward and backward reactions of the in-series esterification reactions are 38.2 – 45.8 kJ mol–1 and 47.0 – 50.3 kJ mol–1, respectively, and the enthalpy for water adsorption is 28.2 kJ mol–1.

CuO nanoparticles elicit intestinal immunotoxicity in zebrafish based on intestinal microbiota dysbiosis.

Copper II oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), a kind of widely used nanomaterial, have been detected in food and the environment, which has aroused widespread public concern. Recently, increasing data have suggested that intestinal microecology is closely related to immune homeostasis. However, the intestinal immunotoxicity induced by CuO NPs through intestinal microbiota is still unknown. Therefore, in this study, zebrafish were exposed to CuO NPs to explore intestinal immunotoxicity by evaluating physiological indicators, intestinal tissue injury, antioxidant enzyme activities, gene expression of immune factors, and changes in intestinal microbiota and its metabolites (short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS)). The results revealed that the intestinal immunotoxicity of CuO NPs was mediated by the impact on intestinal microbiota and its metabolite levels. Specifically, changes were observed in the abundance of microbes that participated in the metabolism of SCFAs and LPS. The reduction in acetic acid, propionic acid and valeric acid upregulated GPR84 expression, and the decline in LPS levels further resulted in the suppression of the key immune regulatory pathways TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB, ultimately leading to intestinal immunotoxicity. This study would provide a scientific basis for the risk assessment of CuO NPs and a new perspective for research on the immunotoxicity of nanoparticles.

Refermentation with yeast and lactic acid bacteria isolates: a strategy to improve the flavor of green coffee beans.

Yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play an important part in the post-harvest fermentation of coffee. This study applied lab-scale fermentation to commercial green coffee beans using dry coffee pulp as the substrate, with the aim of modifying coffee-bean flavor. In addition to spontaneous fermentation, yeast and LAB isolated from coffee beans and dried coffee pulp were added during fermentation. Co-inoculation of yeast and LAB showed a significant effect on the chlorogenic acid content after between 24 and 72 h of fermentation. Acetic, citric, malic, lactic, and quinic acids were shown to be affected significantly (P < 0.05) by fermentation and inoculation. Gas chromatography detected that esters, alcohols, aldehydes, furans, and pyrazines were the primary compounds in the coffee beans. Certain volatile groups were present in greater concentrations and broader varieties within the inoculated beans. The highest cupping scores were given to beans that had been co-inoculated with yeast and LAB. Overall, the use of yeasts and LAB starters showed potential to create coffee beverages with desirable characteristics by standardized fermentation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

6-shogaol against 3-Nitropropionic acid-induced Huntington's disease in rodents: Based on molecular docking/targeting pro-inflammatory cytokines/NF-κB-BDNF-Nrf2 pathway.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an extremely harmful autosomal inherited neurodegenerative disease. Motor dysfunction, mental disorder, and cognitive deficits are the characteristic features of this disease. The current study examined whether 6-shogaol has a protective effect against 3-Nitropropionic Acid (3-NPA)-induced HD in rats. A total of thirty male Wistar rats received 6-shogaol (10 and 20 mg/kg, per oral) an hour before injection of 3-NPA (10 mg/kg i.p.) for 15 days. Behavioral tests were performed, including narrow beam walk, rotarod test, and grip strength test. Biochemical tests promoting oxidative stress were evaluated [superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA)], including changes to neurotransmitters serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), homovanillic acid (HVA), (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid (5-HIAA), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). The 6-shogaol was docked to the active site of TNF-α (2AZ5), NF-κB (1SVC), BDNF) [1B8M], and Nrf2 [5FZN] proteins using AutoDock tools. The 6-shogaol group significantly improved behavioral activity over the 3-NPA-injected control rats. Moreover, 3-NPA-induced significantly altered neurotransmitters, biochemical and neuroinflammatory indices, which could efficiently be reversed by 6-shogaol. The 6-shogaol showed favorable negative binding energies at -9.271 (BDNF) kcal/mol. The present investigation demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of 6-shogaol in an experimental animal paradigm against 3-NPA-induced HD in rats. The suggested mechanism is supported by immunohistochemical analysis and western blots, although more research is necessary for definite confirmation.

Greener and Sustainable Production: Production of Industrial Zinc (II) Acetate Solution and Recovery of Some Metals (Zn, Pb, Ag) from Zinc Plant Residue by Ultrasound-Assisted Leaching

AbstractZinc plant residue (ZPR) contains significant amounts of valuable metal (Zn, Pb, Ag, etc.) compounds, as well as various heavy metals and harmful compounds that pollute the environment. Processing such residues allows for the recovery and reuse of valuable metals, which is crucial for sustainable resource management. This study investigated a two-stage leaching process of Zn, Pb, and Ag recovery from ZPR. The first stage of ultrasonic-assisted leaching of ZPR was applied to produce an industrial selective zinc acetate solution. Leaching experiments were carried out with an ultrasonic device in the presence of acetic acid, known as organic acid. Under optimum leaching conditions, the extraction of Zn and Fe metals was obtained as 76.13% and 1.32% Fe, respectively. According to the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis results on the original sample and ultrasonic leaching residue (ULR), the BET surface area and micropore area increased. However, the mean adsorption pore width decreased. In the second stage, conventional sodium chloride leaching was applied to recover lead and silver from the remaining solid after the first stage. Under the optimum conditions in this stage, 80.12% of Pb and 96.2% of Ag were extracted. The presence of coordination between Zn2+/AcO− (acetate) and Pb2+/Cl− complexes in the leaching solution was revealed by Raman spectroscopy. Finally, according to the characterization analysis of the final leaching residue, it was determined that iron oxides and silicate species accumulated in the solid. In conclusion, a significant reduction in the rate of pollution and toxic metals in ZPR was noticed. Graphical Abstract

Preparation of MAZ-Type Zeolite with High Silica

The Si/Al molar ratio of MAZ aluminosilicate zeolite prepared by the direct hydrothermal method is generally less than five, thus giving rise to poor thermal and hydrothermal stability for this low-silica zeolite. With the purpose of enhancing the Si/Al molar ratio of MAZ zeolite, post-synthesized methods including acetic acid treatment and steaming treatment, as well as interzeolite transformation from FAU zeolite, were employed to prepare MAZ zeolite with high silica. It was found that steaming treatment was more effective in increasing the Si/Al molar ratio in comparison with acetic acid treatment, affording a maximum Si/Al molar ratio of 16.9 along with a preserved crystallinity of approximately 75%. Additionally, high-silica MAZ zeolite with a Si/Al molar ratio of up to 7.3 was also capable of being directly hydrothermally synthesized using interzeolite transformation from FAU zeolite.

Tissue-Specific Natural Synthesis of Galanthaminein Zephyranthes Species and Its Accumulation in Different In Vitro-Grown Organs Following Methyl Jasmonate Treatment

Galanthamine is an immensely valuable alkaloid exhibiting anti-cancer and antiviral activity. The cultivation of plant tissues in in vitro conditions is a good source for the synthesis and enrichment of secondary metabolites of commercial interest. In this study, the Amaryllidaceae alkaloid galanthamine was quantified in three Zephyranthes species, such as Zephyranthes candida, Zephyranthes grandiflora, and Zephyranthes citrina, and the impact of the methyl jasmonate (MJ) signaling molecule on galanthamine accumulation was monitored in in vitro-derived plant tissues. This is the first ever study of the MJ-regulated accumulation of galanthamine in in vitro-grown Zephyranthes tissues. Shoot regeneration was obtained in all three Zephyranthes species on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2.0 mgL−1benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.5 mgL−1 naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The regenerated shoots were rooted on a medium containing 2.0 mgL−1 indole butyric acid (IBA). A GC-MS study of Zephyranthes extracts revealed the presence of 34 phyto-compounds of varied levels with therapeutic activities against diseases. The galanthamine content was quantified in plant parts of the three Zephyranthes species using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC); the maximum was found in Z. candida bulb (2.41 µg g−1 dry wt.), followed by Z. grandiflora (2.13 µg g−1 dry wt.), and then Z. citrina (2.02 µg g−1 dry wt.). The galanthamine content showed bulb &gt; leaf &gt; root source order. The in vitro-generated plantlets were treated with different MJ concentrations, and the galanthamine yield was measured in bulb, leaf, and root tissues. The highest galanthamine content was recorded in bulbs of Z. candida (3.97 µg g−1 dry wt.) treated with 150 µM MJ, showing an increase of 64.73% compared to the control. This accumulation may be attributed to MJ-induced stress, highlighting the potential commercial synthesis of galanthamine in vitro.

Effect of cordyceps militaris on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal epithelium functions in weaned pigs.

To explore the effects of cordyceps militaris (CM) on growth performance and intestinal epithelium functions, 180 weaned pigs were randomly assigned into 5 treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment (6 pigs per pen). Pigs were fed with basal diet (control) or basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, 400, and 800mg/kg CM. The trial lasted for 42 d, and pigs from the control and optimal-dose groups (based on growth performance) were picked for blood and tissue collection (n=6). Results showed that CM elevated the average daily gain (ADG) and decreased the ratio of feed intake to gain (F:G) in the weaned pigs (P < 0.05). CM supplementation at 100mg/kg improved the digestibilities of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and gross energy (GE) (P < 0.05). CM not only increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT), but also increased the concentration of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in serum (P < 0.05). The serum concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), D-lactate, and diamine oxidase (DAO) were reduced by CM (P < 0.05). Interestingly, CM elevated the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum and increased the activities of duodenal sucrase and maltase (P < 0.05). Moreover, CM elevated the expression levels of tight-junction proteins ZO-1, claudin-1, and occluding, as well as critical functional genes such as the fatty acid transport protein (FATP1), cationic amino acid transporter 1 (CAT1), and NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.05). Importantly, CM increased the concentrations of acetic acid and butyric acid, and elevated the abundances of Bacillus and Lactobacillus in the cecum and colon, respectively (P < 0.05). These results indicated potential benefits of CM in improving the growth of weaned pigs, and such effect may be tightly associated with improvement in antioxidant capacity and intestinal epithelium functions.

A Comprehensive Approach Combining Short-Chain Polyphosphate and Bacterial Biostimulants for Effective Nutrient Solubilization and Enhanced Wheat Growth

Phosphorus constitutes a crucial macronutrient for crop growth, yet its availability often limits food production. Efficient phosphorus management is crucial for enhancing crop yields and ensuring food security. This study aimed to enhance the efficiency of a short-chain polyphosphate (PolyP) fertilizer by integrating it with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to improve nutrient solubilization and wheat growth. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of various bacterial strains on wheat germination and growth when used in conjunction with PolyP. To achieve this, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in which the wheat rhizosphere was amended with a short-chain PolyP fertilizer. Based on the morphological aspect, eight bacteria, designated P1 to P8, were isolated and further characterized. Plant growth-promoting traits were observed in all bacterial strains, as they presented the ability to produce Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) in significant amounts ranging from 7.5 ± 0.3 µg/mL to 44.1 ± 2 µg/mL, expressed by B. tropicus P4 and P. soyae P1, respectively. They also produced ammonia, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and siderophores. Their effect against the plant pathogen Fusarium culmorum was also assessed, with P. reinekei P2 demonstrating the highest biocontrol activity as it presented a total inhibitory effect. Additionally, some strains exhibited the ability to solubilize/hydrolyze phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. In vivo, the initial growth potential of wheat seeds indicated that those inoculated with the isolated strains exhibited elevated germination rates and enhanced root growth. Based on their plant growth-promoting traits and performance in the germination assay, three strains were selected for producing the best results, specifically phosphorus hydrolyzation/solubilization, zinc solubilization, IAA production, HCN, and siderophores production. Wheat seeds were inoculated by drenching in a bacterial suspension containing 1010 CFU/mL of log phase culture, and an in planta bioassay was conducted in a growth chamber using three selected strains (Pseudomonas soyae P1, Pseudomonas reinekei P2, and Bacillus tropicus P4), applied either individually or with PolyP on a P-deficient soil (28 mg/kg of P Olsen). Our findings demonstrated that the combination of Pseudomonas soyae P1 and PolyP achieved the highest shoot biomass, averaging 41.99 ± 0.87 g. Notably, applying P. soyae P1 or Bacillus tropicus P4 alone yielded similar results to the use of PolyP alone. At the heading growth stage, the combination of Bacillus tropicus P4 and PolyP significantly increased the Chlorophyll Content Index (CCI) to 37.02 µmol/m2, outperforming both PolyP alone (24.07 µmol/m2) and the control (23.06 µmol/m2). This study presents an innovative approach combining short-chain PolyP with bacterial biostimulants to enhance nutrient availability and plant growth. By identifying and characterizing effective bacterial strains, it offers a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilizers.

The effects of drag models and operating condition on the simulation of photocatalytic degradation of pesticides in a fluidized bed reactor.

Fluidized bed reactor can enhance mass transfer and increase reaction rate. Numerical simulation helps to optimize fluidized bed reactors. The present paper models the photocatalytic oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid in a fluidized bed reactor using the Eulerian-Eulerian model. The drag models have influences on the distribution of catalysts particles. The bed expands under the fluid flow and reaches a quasi-steady height at approximately 3s. The asymmetric distribution of catalysts with respect to the axis plane is predicted. The Gidaspow model predicts the nearly same bed expansion with the experimental data, whereas the Syamlal-O Brien model overestimates it. The simulation results at two pH values are in accordance with the experimental data. The removal in the continuous stirred tank reactor decreases with the increase in flow rate.