Favorable pH Research Articles

(Invited) Electrified Resource Recovery Via Nutrient Reduction from Wastewater

Significant anthropogenic activity has been crucial in maintaining global population growth by fixing macronutrients required for crop growth into the soil. Two of these macronutrients – nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) – are also responsible for detrimental environmental impact via eutrophication. This eutrophication is driven by excess application of inorganic fertilizer products and organic animal waste from animal feeding operations; components that eventually end up in natural bodies of water due to erosion and leaching. Furthermore, in digester-equipped municipal wastewater treatment facilities, elevated N and P levels in the liquid stream recycled to the head of the facility drives increased resource consumption for nutrient reduction: chemicals for P management and energy for N management. Therefore, opportunities exist to simultaneously minimize environmental impact and energy consumption through improved nutrient management techniques, thus addressing issues at the Food-Energy-Water nexus.Various electrochemical techniques are in early-stage development for an electrified approach to recovering these nutrients and reducing their environmental impact including bio-electrochemical1, electro-deionization2 and electrocoagulation3 approaches. This talk will focus on the indirect electrochemical approach: oxygen/water reduction to promote favorable pH conditions at the electrode surface for nutrient precipitation. Preliminary work4,5 has shown the viability and utility of this approach for nitrogen and phosphorus reduction in synthetic wastewater simulating animal waste. Additional findings describing the impact of competing ions, mass transport and electrolyte thermodynamics on nutrient reduction and recovery will be presented at the conference. An outlook on how this approach impacts energy consumption within the context of decarbonization of the manufacturing sector will also be discussed.References Y. Lei et al., ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., 7, 8860–8867 (2019).Y. Bian, X. Chen, L. Lu, P. Liang, and Z. J. Ren, ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., 7, 7844–7850 (2019).L. Kékedy-Nagy et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 142, 18844–18858 (2020).Z. Belarbi and J. P. Trembly, J. Electrochem. Soc., 165, E685–E693 (2018).Z. Belarbi, D. A. Daramola, and J. P. Trembly, J. Electrochem. Soc., 167, 155524 (2020).

Activated peracetic acid by Mn3O4 for sulfamethoxazole degradation: A novel heterogeneous advanced oxidation process

In this study, a novel peracetic acid (PAA)-based advanced oxidation process using Mn3O4 as a catalyst was proposed. A thorough sulfamethoxazole (SMX) removal could be achieved within 12 min in Mn3O4/PAA system at neutral pH. The characterization results of fresh and used Mn3O4 suggested that ≡Mn(II), ≡Mn(III) and ≡Mn(IV) on Mn3O4 were the Mn species for PAA activation, constituting the redox cycles of ≡Mn(II)/≡Mn(III) and ≡Mn(III)/≡Mn(IV) simultaneously. Organic radicals (i.e., CH3C(O)O• and CH3C(O)OO•) were verified to be the dominant reactive species responsible for SMX degradation in Mn3O4/PAA system by radical scavenging experiments. The neutral condition was the most favorable pH for SMX removal in Mn3O4/PAA system and the increase of PAA or Mn3O4 dosage could enhance SMX degradation. Presence of HCO3− and natural organic matter (NOM) could inhibit SMX degradation, while Cl−, NO3− and SO42− had a negligible effect on SMX removal. The thorough SMX removal in successive experiments and characterization results of used Mn3O4 suggested the good reusability and stability of Mn3O4 for PAA activation. Based on six detected transformation products of SMX, hydroxylation, nitration, bond cleavage and coupling reaction were proposed to be its degradation pathways in Mn3O4/PAA system.

Based on lapatinib innovative near-infrared fluorescent probes targeting HER1/HER2 for in vivo tumors imaging

Human epidermal growth factor receptors HER1 and HER2, overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, are key regulators of tumor cells proliferation, invasion and survival. Many antibody- or peptide-based fluorescent probes targeted to HER1/HER2 are under active clinical evaluation. However, the effective small-molecule near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes are still lacking. Herein, with the strategy of drug repurposing, we developed a series of HER1/HER2-targeted probes YQ-H (01–07) composed of fluorophore (a cyanine dye, MPA), linker unit and targeted unit (lapatinib, LAP). The synthesized probes were evaluated in vitro and in vivo tumor specificity/affinity. Specially, the probe YQ-H-06 exhibited optimal pharmacokinetic property and tumor/normal tissue ratio (T/N) in tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, we evaluated the targeting capability of YQ-H-06 in orthotopic colorectal cancer and orthotopic hepatic carcinoma mice. It was indicated that YQ-H-06 had the characteristic of great biosafety, favorable pH and chemical stability, as well as provided excellent tumor contrast in orthotopic murine tumor models. The NIR fluorescent probe YQ-H-06 will shed light on tumor detection and fluorescence-guided surgery.

Folic acid-mediated MSNs@Ag@Geb multifunctional nanocomposite heterogeneous platform for combined therapy of non-small cell lung cancer

Molecularly targeted drugs are flourishing in the clinical treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the treatment of a single drug (such as Gefitinib (Geb)) had defects such as poor pharmacokinetics, insufficient drug delivery, and considerable toxic side effects, which greatly affect its therapeutic efficacy against NSCLC. To solve these issues, this study developed a new nanocomposite heterogeneous platform (MSNs@Ag@Geb-FA) that combined photothermal therapy and molecular targeted therapy. The high specific surface area empowered mesoporous silicon dioxide (SiO2) heterostructure the ability to efficiently load Ag photothermal agents and anti-tumor drug Geb. Meanwhile, a favorable pH response (degradation of residual MnO2) achieved the controlled release of Ag and Geb. Besides, the targeting and endocytosis properties of nano drugs were greatly improved through the modification of folic acid (FA). Both in vivo and in vitro experiments authenticated that this nanocomposite heterogeneous platform could effectively integrate the multiple tumor suppressor properties of Ag nanoparticles and cooperate with Geb to hasten A549 cell apoptosis, thereby achieving a favorable anti-tumor effect. This heterogeneous structure of the nanocomposite heterogeneous platform could provide an effective strategy for the treatment of NSCLC.

Vascular rinsing and chilling carcasses improves meat quality and food safety: a review.

Rinse & Chill® technology (RCT) entails rinsing the vasculature using a chilled isotonic solution (3°C; 98.5% water and a blend of dextrose, maltose, and sodium phosphates) to rinse out the residual blood from the carcass. Infusion of pre-chilled solutions into intact animal carcasses immediately upon exsanguination is advantageous in terms of lowering the internal muscle temperature and accelerating chilling. This technology is primarily used for purposes of effective blood removal, favorable pH decline, and efficient carcass chilling, all of which improve meat quality and safety. Although RCT solution contains some substrates, the pre-rigor muscle is still physiologically active at the time of early postmortem and vascular rinsing. Consequently, these substrates are fully metabolized by the muscle, leaving no detectable residues in meat. The technology has been commercially approved and in continuous use since 2000 in the United States and since 1997 in Australia. As of January 2022, 23 plants have implemented RCT among the 5 countries (Australia, US, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan) that have evaluated and approved RCT. All plants are operating under sound Sanitation Standard Operation Procedures (SSOP) and a sound Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. No food safety issues have been reported associated with the use of this technology. RCT has been adapted by the meat industry to improve product safety and meat quality while improving economic performance. Therefore, this review summarizes highlights of how RCT technically works on a variety of animal types (beef, bison, pork, and lamb).

A novel lysin Ply1228 provides efficient protection against Streptococcus suis type 2 infection in a murine bacteremia model

Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen that is difficult to control with antibiotics due to the widespread development of multidrug-resistant strains. Phage lysin is considered a potential therapeutic agent to combat S. suis. In this study, the novel lysin Ply1228 derived from the prophage of S. suis type 12 was identified. Bioinformatics analysis showed that Ply1228 contains a CHAP catalytic domain, which is a binding domain composed of a CW-7 binding motif and an amidase-2 catalytic domain. The CHAP catalytic domain is essential for the bactericidal function of lysin Ply1228 and does not depend on the presence of Ca2+. C34 and H99 of the CHAP domain were identified as the key active sites. The CW-7 binding motif plays a key binding role in Ply1228. Ply1228 can specifically lyse S. suis, including types 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 27. Within 10 min, Ply1228 killed 4 log of the S. suis population, which had a starting concentration of approximately 107 CFU/mL. In addition, Ply1228 showed favourable thermal and pH stability. The therapeutic effect of Ply1228 was further investigated in a mouse model of S. suis bacteremia. The administration of the lysin Ply1228 (200 μg/mouse) 1 h after the intraperitoneal injection of 2 × MLD of SS2 strain SC225 was sufficient to protect the mice (P < 0.0001) and significantly reduced the bacterial loads in the blood and organs (livers, spleens, lungs and kidneys). The levels of inflammation and histopathological damage in infected mice were effectively relieved after the Ply1228 treatment. These results indicate that Ply1228 might represent a new enzybiotic candidate for S. suis infection.

Adsorption behavior and performance of ammonium onto sorghum straw biochar from water

Sorghum has been widely used for liquor production and brewing, but how to make efficiently utilize sorghum straw (SS) has become an urgent problem. Meanwhile, the wastewater produced by winemaking is typical organic wastewater with a high ammonium concentration. To solve the problem of resource utilization of SS and remove ammonium from water, SS was used to prepare biochar as an adsorbent for ammonium adsorption. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to study the influencing factors and adsorption mechanisms of ammonium onto sorghum straw biochar (SSB). The results showed that the adsorption capacity of SSB was much higher than that of SS. The SSB pyrolyzed at 300 °C had the highest adsorption capacity. The favorable pH was 6–10, and the optimal dosage was 2.5 g/L. The adsorption process and behavior conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm adsorption models. The maximum ammonium adsorption capacity of SSB at 45 °C was 7.09 mg/g, which was equivalent to 7.60 times of SS. The ammonium adsorption of SS and SSB was mainly chemical adsorption. The regeneration test indicated that SSB had good regeneration performance after three adsorption-regeneration cycles. This work suggests that SSB could be potentially applied to sewage treatment containing ammonium to achieve the purpose of resource recycling.

Morphological and Phylogenetic Resolution of Diplodia neojuniperi Emerging Diplodia Top Dieback of Pinus thunbergii Parl. in China

In Bazhong City, Sichuan Province, China, top dieback symptoms were found on many pine trees (Pinus thunbergii Parl). The tips of old needles first turned grayish-green and then developed into brown bands in the field. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated ITS and EF1-α indicated the pathogen of this dieback disease as Diplodia neojuniperi. Additionally, effects of temperature, pH and medium on the mycelial growth were also characterized. The most favorable temperature and pH level for mycelial growth are 25°C and 8, respectively. The optimal medium for mycelial growth is PDA medium. To our knowledge, this is the first report of D. neojuniperi causes Diplodia top dieback on Pinus thunbergii. Our results provide fundamental information for monitoring and preventing such disease in the future.

Multifunctional Fe3O4/TiO2/NH2–UiO–66 with integrated interfacial features for favorable phosphate adsorption

Synergistic interface integration of ternary Fe3O4/TiO2/NH2–UiO–66, which possesses favourable thermal stability, pH adaptability, and efficient capability for phosphate capture from aqueous systems, was designed.

EVALUATION OF MICRONUTRIENT STATUS WITH PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME AGRICULTURAL SOILS OF SELECTED AREAS OF PENDURTHI MANDAL, VISAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH

Soil Sustainability is influenced by different soil parameters among which soil pH and Micronutrients are considered to be very important. The study was conducted in Cheemalapalli village in Pendurthi Mandal of Vishakapatnam district to establish a relationship between Boron, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, and Copper and soil pH. Almost 15 fields were selected from which samples were collected from different points at approximately 15 cm depth and were analyzed by standard methods. This process of sample collection and analysis was done for two consecutive years. The results revealed that maintaining of most favourable pH conditions is the major thing to deal with. The Soil samples were sandy textured with pH ranging from 7.0 – 8.3, and electrical conductivity ranging from 0.0–0.44 dsm1 , showing that the soil samples were non-saline. SOM ranged from 1.034 to 2.758 these values show that the soils have a medium amount of SOM. The available micronutrient values show that copper, iron, and zinc were sufficient to high in concentration, and manganese was deficient in a few areas and sufficient in a few areas. Available boron was found to be insufficient in a few areas and high in a few areas.

Graphene oxide mediated enhanced cellulase production using pomegranate waste following co-cultured condition with improved pH and thermal stability

High production cost of cellulase enzyme is one of the major hurdles in economic biomass to biofuel production process at industrial scale. In this context, development of advanced approaches to produce low-cost commercial cellulase is highly demanding. Therefore, in the present study, simultaneous effect of pomegranate waste (PW) and graphene oxide (GO) has been studied to improve the cellulase production along with improved stability towards the incubation temperature and different pH environment. Crude cellulase production has been achieved at high substrate concentration of PW using co-culturing of strains Cladosporium cladosporioides NS2 and Rhizopus oryzae NS5 under the solid-state fermentation (SSF) while using GO as the nanocatalyst. At a substrate concentration of 7.0 g of PW, highest enzymatic activity of 42 IU/gds FP, 271 IU/gds EG and 422 IU/gds BGL have been achieved by mean of 1.5% GO after 72 h. In addition, crude enzyme exhibits 45–55 °C and 3.5–6.5 as the most favorable incubation temperature and pH range, respectively in presence of 1.5% GO. This study reports a potential strategy to improve the production of crude enzyme along with enhanced thermal and pH stability with the implementation of GO as a nanocatalyst. Thus, the present approach offers a sustainable way to produce crude enzyme that can have numerous industrial applications along with economic biomass to biofuels production technology by providing easy, as well as high yield of sugar production via enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass. Nevertheless, recycling of GO when employed as catalyst during the entire process remains to be challenging, and therefore efforts should made to overcome this issue.

Coconut flower sheath derived activated charcoal as efficient and cost effective adsorbent for crystal violet dye removal

In this study, the ability of acid-activated charcoal derived from coconut flower sheath is investigated as an efficient and low-cost adsorbent for hazardous cationic dye removal. The crystal violet dye used in the current study is an extensively used industrial dye and its adsorption studies conducted by using activated charcoal exhibit efficient dye removability. The results obtained from dye adsorption studies illustrate a favorable pH value ∼ 9 with a 1.5 g/250 ml adsorbent dosage. The adsorption studies also demonstrate contact time around 40 min for maximum dye removal with an efficiency of 94%. The hydrochloric acid-activated charcoal adsorbed 35 mg/L of dye whereas the phosphoric acid activated charcoal adsorbed 55.55 mg/L respectively. The adsorption mechanism observed for both activated charcoals fits well with Langmuir isotherm and kinetic data followed pseudo second-order model.

Chitosan/β-glycerophosphate in situ forming thermo-sensitive hydrogel for improved ocular delivery of moxifloxacin hydrochloride

The aim of the current work is to develop a thermo-sensitive hydrogel system of moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MOX) for improved ocular delivery. Fifteen formulations were prepared at different concentrations of β-glycerophosphate disodium salt (β-GP) 12–20% (w/v) and chitosan (CS) 1.7–1.9% (w/v). The optimized MOX loaded thermo-sensitive hydrogel system (F8), consisting of CS (1.8%, w/v) and β-GP (16%, w/v), showed optimum gelation temperature (35 °C) and gelation time (2 min), thus was selected for further investigations. It showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the zeta potential value compared to CS solution with a favorable pH value (7.1) and confirmed thermoreversible behavior. MOX loaded F8 displayed a porous structure under scanning electron microscopy. Rheological investigation of MOX loaded F8 revealed the presence of a strong hydrogel network with high elasticity along with a small loss factor of 0.08 indicating a great ease of gel formation. The release of MOX from F8 was found to be governed by a combined mechanism of diffusion and relaxation. Biological assessment of two concentrations of MOX loaded F8 (0.25 and 0.5%) was conducted using healthy and infected male albino New Zealand rabbits, where an improved and prolonged antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus compared to plain MOX (0.5%), marketed MOX eye drops (0.5%), was shown. Moreover, histopathological examination of ocular tissues confirmed the antibacterial efficacy of the optimized formulation eight days post topical therapy. Consequently, the developed CS/β-GP thermo-sensitive hydrogel system (F8) reveals a promising potential for enhancing the ocular delivery of MOX for treatment of bacterial infections.

Chitosan magnetic graphene grafted polyaniline doped with cobalt oxide for removal of Arsenic(V) from water

The present study reports the successful functionalization/magnetization of bio-polymer to produce chitosan-magnetic graphene oxide grafted polyaniline doped with cobalt oxide (ChMGOP-Co3O4). Analytical techniques furrier transform infra-red (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to confirm the formation of ChMGOP-Co3O4. The effects of several experimental factors (solution pH, adsorbent dosage and coexisting ions) on the uptake of As(V) ions using ChMGOP-Co3O4 were examined through batch experiments. As(V) removal process was validated by experimentally and theoretically investigating the adsorption capacity, rate, and thermal effects. Thermodynamic parameters such as free energy (ΔG°), entropy (ΔS°) and enthalpy (ΔH°) were also calculated and were used to explain the mechanism of adsorption. Based on the results, the sorbent showed a high adsorption capacities (90.91 mg/g) at favorable neutral pH and superior removal efficiencies as high as 89% within 50 min. In addition, the adsorption isotherm followed the Langmuir isotherm in compare to the Freundlich, due to its higher R2 value (0.992 < 0.941). Meanwhile, the kinetic data revealed that the of As(V) adsorption was controlled by pseudo-second-order. Overall, the adsorption mechanism studies revealed a spontaneous endothermic nature with predominance of physisorption over chemisorption. This study indicated that ChMGOP-Co3O4 is an exceptional novel adsorbent material for the efficient isolation of As(V) from aqueous media.

The Influence of Proteolytic Malt Modification on the Aging Potential of Final Wort.

The dynamic changes in beer flavor are determined by its aging potential, which comprises of present free and bound-state aldehydes and their precursors. Rising flavor-active aging compounds cause sensory deterioration (flavor instability). These compounds are mainly formed upstream in the brewing process through the Maillard reaction, the Strecker degradation, or lipid oxidation. Wort boiling is an especially critical production step for important reactions due to its high temperature and favorable pH value. Amino acid concentration, as an important aging-relevant precursor, is variable at the beginning of wort boiling, mainly caused by the malt modification level, and can further influence the aging potential aging formation during wort boiling. This study investigated the effect of the proteolytic malt modification level on the formation of precursors (amino acids and dicarbonyls) and free and bound-state aldehydes during wort boiling. Six worts (malt of two malting barley varieties at three proteolytic malt modification levels) were produced. Regarding precursors, especially Strecker, relevant amino acids and dicarbonyls increased significantly with an enhanced malt modification level. Concentrations of free and bound aldehydes were highest at the beginning of boiling and decreased toward the end. A dependency of malt modification level and the degree of free and bound aldehydes was observed for 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, and 3-methylbutanal. Generally, a higher proteolytic malt modification level tended to increase free and bound aldehyde content at the end of wort boiling. Conclusively, the aging potential formation during boiling was increased by an intensified malt modification level.

Process conditions optimization and study of pH and thermal stability of free and immobilized gutaminase-free recombinant L-asparaginase II of Pactobacterium carotovorum MTCC 1428 from Escherichia coli

L-asparaginase (EC 3.5.1.1) is used for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia and food processing of starch rich foods for reducing the acrylamide formation. In our current efforts, we have immobilized the purified glutaminase-free recombinant Lasparaginase II of Pectobacterium carotovorum MTCC 1428 from Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) on glutaraldehyde activated chitosan beads. The purified recombinant L-asparaginase II has no partial glutaminase activity which is a pre-requisite to reduce the possibility of side effects during the course of anticancer therapy. In order to study the best conditions for the performance of free enzymes and immobilized enzymes, response surface methodology was used to optimize the pH and temperature of the process conditions. It was found that the most favorable pH and temperature for the free enzyme were pH 7.83 and 47.64°C while for the immobilized enzyme, the optimum pH and temperature levels were found to be 7.88 and 48.07 °C. Furthermore, the thermal and pH studies of free and immobilized enzymes were studied under various combinations of pH and temperature and finally the thermodynamic parameters of free and immobilized glutaminase-free recombinant asparaginase were evaluated.

STOP1 activates NRT1.1-mediated nitrate uptake to create a favorable rhizospheric pH for plant adaptation to acidity.

Protons (H+) in acidic soils arrest plant growth. However, the mechanisms by which plants optimize their biological processes to diminish the unfavorable effects of H+ stress remain largely unclear. Here, we showed that in the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana, the C2H2-type transcription factor STOP1 in the nucleus was enriched by low pH in a nitrate-independent manner, with the spatial expression pattern of NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1.1 (NRT1.1) established by low pH required the action of STOP1. Additionally, the nrt1.1 and stop1 mutants, as well as the nrt1.1 stop1 double mutant, had a similar hypersensitive phenotype to low pH, indicating that STOP1 and NRT1.1 function in the same pathway for H+ tolerance. Molecular assays revealed that STOP1 directly bound to the promoter of NRT1.1 to activate its transcription in response to low pH, thus upregulating its nitrate uptake. This action improved the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of plants and created a favorable rhizospheric pH for root growth by enhancing H+ depletion in the rhizosphere. Consequently, the constitutive expression of NRT1.1 in stop1 mutants abolished the hypersensitive phenotype to low pH. These results demonstrate that STOP1-NRT1.1 is a key module for plants to optimize NUE and ensure better plant growth in acidic media.

Formulation, Evaluation and Comparison of the Polyherbal Shampoo with the Commercial Shampoos

&lt;p&gt;The present study investigated the effect of Liquid Polyherbal shampoo prepared using herbal extracts with a prominence on safety and efficacy. Polyherbal shampoos prepared using the natural extracts like Pomegranate peel, Reetha, Amla &amp;amp; Hibiscus in different concentrations. Physico-chemical properties and its stability evaluated for manufactured Polyherbal shampoos. Statistical software used to optimize the formulations and to understand main &amp;amp; interaction effects on the shampoo properties along with comparison with commercial products. Prepared Liquid Polyherbal shampoos pH values are nearer to the skin pH. The shampoos containing higher level of Pomegranate content revealed higher detergency and anti-dandruff effect, Amla as well as Reetha showed significant effect on the foaming capacity and cleaning action and similar to commercial formulations. Higher quantity of Hibiscus concentration shown better conditioning behaviour. The manufactured shampoos were stable, unvarying, thicker and comparable as that of commercially marketed shampoos. Based on the Design expert statistical evaluation of results, liquid shampoo formulations containing 1%-3% w/w of Amla, 6%-10% w/w of Pomegranate, 10%-15% w/w Reetha and 11.25%–15% w/w of Hibiscus Polyherbal shampoos exhibited superior performance compared with marketed formulations. LS6, LS16, LS17 &amp;amp; LS20 preparations were identified as the greatest and optimum formulations based on physico-chemical related properties. The identified Polyherbal shampoos have an excellent cleansing, detergency, anti-dandruff effect, conditioning and foaming ability and is ideal for normal hair and has favourable pH with stable organoleptic features. Selected formulations stability results found satisfactory up to 6 months. &lt;/p&gt;

Soil washing of total petroleum and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from crude oil-contaminated ultisol using aqueous extracts of waterleaf

ABSTRACT Ultisols are acidic soils found in humid climates and are known for poor fertility. Crude oil impacted ultisols, therefore, require special treatment measures to account for nutrient loss during treatment. In this paper, we report the utilization of a food waste, aqueous extracts of waterleaf (Talinum triangulare), as a plant-derived surfactant to wash simulated crude oil-contaminated soils. The soils before and after washing were monitored for microbial loads, nutrient parameters, physicochemical characteristics, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Although higher amounts of PAHs (up to 100%) were removed compared to TPHs (up to 95.7%), the results revealed that the efficiency of the waterleaf extracts was comparable to that of a commercial surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate. However, soils washed with the waterleaf extracts retained some significant amounts of nutrients and favourable pH moderation. In both surfactants, soil microbial loads reduced significantly. Overall, the aqueous waterleaf extracts showed potential as ecofriendly surfactants and nutrients retainer during soil washing of contaminated ultisols.

Potential for Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Mineralization at the A6 Anomaly, North-West British Columbia, Canada: Stratigraphy, Lithogeochemistry, and Alteration Mineralogy and Chemistry

The Middle Jurassic A6 Anomaly is located 30 km southeast of Eskay Creek, north-central British Columbia and consists of thick, altered felsic igneous rocks overlain by a mafic volcano-sedimentary package. Lithogeochemistry on igneous rocks, X-ray diffraction on altered felsic units, and electron probe microanalysis and secondary ion mass spectrometry on illite and quartz were applied to explore the volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) potential, characterize alteration, and determine fluid conditions at the A6 Anomaly. Lithogeochemistry revealed calc-alkaline rhyodacite to trachyte of predominantly FII type, tholeiitic basalts with Nb/Yb &lt; 1.6 (i.e., Group A), and transitional to calc-alkaline basalts and andesites with Nb/Yb &gt; 2.2 (i.e., Group B). The felsic units showed weakly to moderately phyllic alteration (quartz–illite with minor orthoclase and trace chlorite–pyrite–calcite–barite–rutile). Illite ranged in composition from illite/smectite (K = 0.5–0.69 apfu) to almost endmember illite (K = 0.69–0.8 apfu), and formed from feldspar destruction by mildly acidic, relatively low temperature, oxidized hydrothermal fluids. The average δ18O composition was 10.7 ± 3.0‰ and 13.4 ± 1.3‰ relative to Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water for illite and quartz, respectively. Geothermometry involving illite composition and oxygen isotope composition on illite and quartz yielded average fluid temperatures of predominantly 200–250 °C. Lithogeochemical results showed that the A6 Anomaly occurred in a late-Early to Middle Jurassic evolving back-arc basin, further east then previously recognized and in which transitional to calc-alkaline units formed by crustal assimilation to enriched Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt (EMORB) (i.e., felsic units, Group B), followed by thinning of the crust resulting in tholeiitic normalized MORB basalts (i.e., Group A) with a minor crustal component. The alteration assemblage is representative of distal footwall alteration, and metal transport in this zone was limited despite favorable temperature, pH, and redox state, indicating a metal depleted source (i.e., felsic units).