Fe Content Research Articles

Combined Application of Biochar and Silicon Fertilizer for Improved Soil Properties and Maize Growth

Biochar can be a good soil amendment to reduce the soil pH, increase crop growth rate, and improve the efficient use of fertilizer. Other than that, silicon fertilizer also would promote photosynthetic ability on plant development that would help to produce high yield. In this work, a series of experiments was conducted to observe the effect of rice husk biochar and silicon fertilizer on the maize growth rate and soil pH. A 45-day pot experiment in the greenhouse with three replicates of 9 experimental treatment combinations of RHB at two rates (5 and 2.5 t.ha-1) with silicon fertilizer at three rates (125%, 100%, 75%), sole biochar (10 t.ha-1), sole silicon fertilizer (100%) and control (NPK) to observe the best rate and combination to improve growth rate and change in soil chemical in acid soil. The result showed that the co-application of sole biochar and biochar with Silicon significantly improved growth development, increased photosynthesis rate, altered soil pH, and reduced Fe concentration compared to control. The plant height increased 88.35% from T4 (5 t.ha-1 RHB + 100% Si) compared to the control and the conductance was higher in T4 (0.53) followed by T8 (0.438) while T1 (0.071) recorded the lowest conductance. The shoot fresh weight was higher in T4 (127.83 g) followed by T8 (57.14 g). However, the weight increased by 343.7% at T4 followed by T8 (2.5 t.ha-1 RHB + 75% Si) at 98.33%. The highest pH increment of 1.24 units (T1 = 5.53, T4 = 6.77) of soil pH was noted from T4 (5 t.ha-1 RHB + 100% Si) compared to control (NPK), and the highest total Fe in soil was observed from T1 (442.30 mg.kg-1). The current study results showed that T4 (50% RHB + 100% Silicon) was the best treatment over the other rates of RHB and silicon increased plant height, photosynthetic rate, and biomass.

Effects of pH on coprecipitation of As(III) with biogenic synthesized schwertmannite and jarosite

ABSTRACT Secondary iron minerals play significant roles in the immobilization of As under acidic conditions, such as acid mine drainage. However, previous research works have not clarified the effect of pH on As(III) removal through coprecipitation with secondary minerals. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the discrepancy in As(III) coprecipitation with biogenic synthesized schwertmannite (Sch) and jarosite (Jar) at different pH values. For this, concentrations of Fe2+, TFe, S O 4 2 − , and As(III) in shake flasks were monitored during an overall incubation period of 83 h at initial pH of 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5. In addition, the physicochemical properties of collected minerals after incubation were identified using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, pore size distribution, and Brunauer – Emmett – Teller surface area analyses. Our results showed that almost no mineral synthesis and no As(III) removal were detected in coprecipitated schwertmannite (Co-Sch) system and coprecipitated jarosite (Co-Jar) system at an initial pH of 1.5. The TFe precipitation efficiencies and As(III) removal efficiencies increased considerably and morphologies of Co-Sch and Co-Jar improved significantly when the initial pH value increased from 2.0–2.5. The maximum TFe precipitation efficiency and As(III) removal efficiency reached 30.8% and 89.6%, respectively, for the Co-Sch system, and were 47.5% and 37.4%, respectively, for the Co-Jar system. The overall results show that pH significantly affects the formation of Co-Sch and Co-Jar and the behaviour of As(III) coprecipitation.

COMPARISON OF OZONATION (O3) AND AOPS (O3/H2O2) IN PURIFICATION OF WELL WATER IN KLUMPRIT VILLAGE, CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA

Water is a very important need for human life. The need for clean water has increased due to changes in people's behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the increasing need for clean water during the pandemic, access to it remains unequal. One of the areas with poor water sources is Klumprit Village, Nusawungu, Cilacap, Central Java, where the water is cloudy, yellow in color, and a rustic smell. According to the Regulation of Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 32 of 2017, water that is suitable for sanitation needs is water that is odorless, tasteless, not cloudy or has a low level of turbidity. Ozone is an environmentally friendly technology because it does not produce harmful by-products. In addition to ozone, the production of clean water can use Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) with (O3/H2O2). The existence of H2O2 will increase the ability of ozone in the production of clean water or water purification. In this study, ozonation and AOPs (O3/H2O2) were carried out to purify the yellow and cloudy well water in Klumprit Village, Cilacap, Central Java as an effort to improve public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research method was to compare ozonation and AOPs (O3/H2O2). The study will include variations in pH levels, specifically neutral pH (untreated sample) and alkaline, as well as different concentrations of H2O2. The experimental data included Fe and Mn content in water before and after the treatment process. Based on the results of this study, it was found that the yellow color of the groundwater in Klumprit village is caused by high levels of manganese (Mn). The lowest concentration of Mn was achieved after 60 minutes of ozonation at an alkaline pH of 9, with a concentration of 0.266 mg/L. The iron (Fe) content showed fluctuation for both treatment methods, ozonation (O3) and advanced oxidation processes (O3/H2O2).

Iron extraction from copper slag by additive-free activation roasting-magnetic separation

Iron grain growth during deep reduction roasting is important for iron enrichment from copper slag (CS) through magnetic separation. In this work, a novel method of additive-free activation roasting, including oxidation and subsequent reduction roasting, was proposed to increase the iron grain size, then the iron was extracted by magnetic separation. The phase transformation of CS during activation roasting was studied by TG, XRD, SEM, and EDS. Results showed that the main mineral of fayalite in CS was decomposed into iron oxides and silica during oxidation roasting, and the thickness of iron oxide layer on the particle surface increased with the oxidation temperature. During reduction roasting, the CS and oxidized copper slag (OCS) were ultimately converted into metallic iron and cristobalite solid solution. In the reduced product obtained at 1150 °C, the iron grain sizes were 6.42 μm and 16.62 μm from CS and OCS-1100 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the Fe content in the magnetic concentrate was 72.86 % in the reduced product of CS while that was 87.85 % in the reduced product of OCS-1100 °C with an Fe recovery of ∼ 85 %. This study opens a new direction for iron enrichment from copper slag.

Experimental investigation of comprehensive performance by tailoring the proportion of late transition metals in quinary Fe-Co-Ni-Si-B amorphous alloys

We fabricated the Fe-Co-Ni-Si-B multi-principal element alloys by vacuum melt-spinning method. The effects of late transition metals proportion in quinary alloy ribbons on the formation, phase structure, thermal stability, microhardness, corrosion resistance and soft magnetic properties were investigated. The melt-spun structure consists of an amorphous single phase for all the specimens. The surfaces of glassy ribbons are rather flat and flawless and the average surface roughness is 0.351 nm or below. The initial crystallization temperature (Tx) and supercooled liquid region (ΔTx) of alloy system decrease by degrees with increasing Co and Ni content, showing the maximum values of 753.0 K and 60.0 K for Fe60Co10Ni10Si6B14 alloy. But the glass transition temperature (Tg) seems to barely change and maintain approximately 692.0 K. All the as-received alloy ribbons exhibit good bending ductility and acceptable Vickers microhardness ranging from 671 to 785 HV0.5. The amorphous alloy ribbons present a gradually wide passive potential range (ΔE) with the decrease of Fe content, but the corrosion current density (Icorr) becomes larger. The smallest Icorr value is 1.785 μA·cm-2 for Fe60Co10Ni10Si6B14 alloy and the widest ΔE value is about 0.272 V for Fe26Co27Ni27Si6B14 alloy. The saturation magnetization of these glassy alloys reduces from 165.0 to 112.0 emu/g as the Fe content decreases. Meanwhile, the coercivity also changes from 14.25 to 6.70 A/m. This paper offers a brand-new perspective to understand the role of late transition metals on the various physicochemical properties of quinary Fe-Co-Ni-Si-B amorphous alloys.

A semi-industrial investigation about the use of iron-steel production by-products in reactive coke production

This study investigates the utilization of by-products from iron-steel integrated plants in the production of reactive coke. Various by-products were evaluated, and blast furnace flue dust with high iron (Fe) content was incorporated into the coal blend through the briquetting of highly volatile coal. The blend consisted of 10 % briquette coal comprise 1 % blast furnace flue dust. The addition of blast furnace flue dust with briquettes aimed to mitigate the reduction in coke strength caused by increased reactivity. Reactive coke was successfully produced through the evaluation of blast furnace flue dust, a by-product of iron and steel plants. The resulting reactive coke exhibited a reactivity value approximately 20 % higher than coke produced without the addition of blast furnace flue dust while maintaining its strength. By re-evaluating blast furnace flue dust as a by-product of the iron and steel process, the reactivity of coke increased without compromising its strength.

Valorizing Tea Waste: Green Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles for Efficient Dye Removal from Water.

This study explores the valorization of tea leaf waste by extracting polyphenols through reflux extraction, subsequently using them to synthesize zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI). The in situ generated nanoparticles, when combined with fixed amounts of hydrogen peroxide, facilitated the removal of various dyes (methylene blue, methyl orange, and orange G) via a hetero-catalytic Fenton process. The iron nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by gas adsorption of N2 at 77 K, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal analysis, including thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). A statistical design of experiments and response surface methodology were employed to analyze the influence of polyphenol, Fe(III), and H2O2 concentrations on dye removal efficiency. The results demonstrated that optimizing the operational conditions could achieve 100% dye removal efficiency. This study highlights the potential of nZVI synthesized through eco-friendly methods as a promising solution for water decontamination involving diverse model dyes, thus contributing to sustainable waste management and environmental protection.

Investigation of the concentration and isotopic composition of Cu, Fe and Zn in human biofluids in the context of Alzheimer’s disease via tandem and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Studies on essential trace elements in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) concluded that Cu, Fe and Zn interact with amyloid-β, accelerating plaque formation in the brain. Additionally, Cu and Fe in the vicinity of plaques produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in oxidative stress, whereas Zn plays a role in the antioxidant defence as a co-factor for antioxidants. In this work, the Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations and isotope ratios were determined in whole blood, blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid of 10 patients diagnosed with AD and 8 control individuals, using tandem (ICP-MS/MS) and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), respectively. In whole blood and blood serum of AD patients, a heavier Cu isotopic composition was observed (significant for whole blood only) compared to controls. Albumin levels in cerebrospinal fluid tend to increase with age, which could indicate an increased leakiness of the blood-brain barrier. In cerebrospinal fluid, a large variability was observed for the Cu and Fe isotope ratios, potentially resulting from that leakiness at the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, potential effects of AD on the concentration and isotopic composition of essential elements in cerebrospinal fluid related to amyloid-β formation could be hidden. Finally, in blood serum, Zn, urea and creatinine concentrations showed an increase with age and showed a significant difference between sexes.

Medium optimization to improve growth and iron uptake by Bacillus tequilensis ASFS1 using fractional factorial designs

Many notable applications have been described for magnetic nanoparticles in delivery of diverse drugs and bioactive compounds into cells, magnetofection for the treatment of cancer, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and magnetic particle imaging (MPI). In response to the growing demand for magnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery or biomedical imaging applications, more effective and eco-friendly methodologies are required for large-scale biosynthesis of this nanoparticles. The major challenge in the large-scale biomedical application of magnetic nanoparticles lies in its low efficiency and optimization of nanoparticle production can address this issue. In the current study, a prediction model is suggested by the fractional factorial designs. The present study aims to optimize culture media components for improved growth and iron uptake of this strain. The result of optimization for iron uptake by the strain ASFS1 is to increase the production of magnetic nanoparticles by this strain for biomedical applications in the future. In the present study, design of experiment method was used to probe the effects of some key medium components (yeast extract, tryptone, FeSO4, Na2-EDTA, and FeCl3) on Fe content in biomass and dried biomass of strain ASFS1. A 25−1 fractional factorial design showed that Na2-EDTA, FeCl3, yeast extract-tryptone interaction, and FeSO4-Na2-EDTA interaction were the most parameters on Fe content in biomass within the experimented levels (p < 0.05), while yeast extract, FeCl3, and yeast extract-tryptone interaction were the most significant factors within the experimented levels (p < 0.05) to effect on dried biomass of strain ASFS1. The optimum culture media components for the magnetic nanoparticles production by strain ASFS1 was reported to be 7.95 g L−1 of yeast extract, 5 g L−1 of tryptone, 75 μg mL−1 of FeSO4, 192.3 μg mL−1 of Na2-EDTA and 150 μg mL−1 of FeCl3 which was theoretically able to produce Fe content in biomass (158 μg mL−1) and dried biomass (2.59 mg mL−1) based on the obtained for medium optimization. Using these culture media components an experimental maximum Fe content in biomass (139 ± 13 μg mL−1) and dried biomass (2.2 ± 0.2 mg mL−1) was obtained, confirming the efficiency of the used method.

Formation conditions and geochemistry of the Tütün Tepeleri (Baskil-Elazig/Türkiye) Fe-oxide-Cu-Au (IOCG) mineralization

The Tütün Tepeleri Fe-Oxide-Cu-Au (IOCG) mineralization is located in the Eastern Taurus Mountains (Baskil-Elazığ/Turkey) and it is associated with Baskil magmatites (diorite, gabbro and tonalite) cut by Late Cretaceous Bilaser Tepe magmatites (quartized diorite, granite, granodiorite, tonalite porphyry, monzosyenite, monzonite, aplite and diorite porphyry). Baskil Magmatites are Coniacian-Santonian (82–86 Ma), calc-alkaline in character and I-type. Bilaser Tepe Magmatics are Campanian (73–74 Ma) and represent an extensional environment after the collision of oceanic arc and the Taurus platform. In this study, the Sodic-calcic alteration zone in the Tütün Tepeleri region, which was determined as Porphyry type mineralization by different researchers, was determined for the first time and the mineralizations were evaluated in terms of Fe-Oxide-Cu-Au (IOCG) deposits. Three types of alteration zones have been identified in the region, including the sodic-calcic alteration zone. These are sodic-calcic (tremolite-actinolite, albite, epidote, chlorite, magnetite), potassic (biotite, quartz, chlorite, K-feldspar, anhydrite) and sericitic (sericite, carbonate, quartz, chlorite, illite) alterations. Sodic-calcic alteration is more widespread in the region than >1 km2, reaches thicknesses of 500 m, and is occasionally overlain by potassic alterations, just like similar Fe-Oxide-Cu-Au (IOCG) deposits in the world. Tütün Tepeleri mineralizations are in the form of rare magnetite veins with intense magnetite dispersion within the sodic-calcic alteration developed in diorites. Mineral paragenesis is in the form of magnetite, molybdenite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, hematite, malachite and azurite, and Ti content in magnetites is determined as 0.13–0.64%. Fe content is 20.13% on average. Formation temperatures in fluid inclusions measured in ore-bearing quartz veins are 320.3 °C on average and salinity is 11.32% NaCl equivalent on average. Isotope analysis results of these mineralizations show δ34Spyrite = 6–8.9; δ34Sc.pyrite = 3.8–5.5; δ18Oquartz was determined in the range of 10.8–13.2 and δD = (−37) – (−53). When the alteration types determined with isotope analysis results showing that the mineralization occurred in a magmatic-hydrothermal system, the low Ti content in the magnetites, the formation temperature and salinity values are evaluated together, it was anticipated that Tütün Tepeleri mineralization is an example of Fe-Oxide-Cu-Au (IOCG) deposits formed in a hydrothermal-magmatic system.

Natural background level, source apportionment and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in multi-layer aquifers of arid area in Northwest China

Groundwater contaminated by potentially toxic elements has become an increasing global concern for human health. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the sources and health risks of potentially toxic elements, especially in arid areas. Despite the necessity, there is a notable research gap concerning the sources and risks of these elements within multi-layer aquifers in such regions. To address this gap, 54 phreatic and 24 confined groundwater samples were collected from an arid area in Northwest China. This study aimed to trace the sources and evaluate the human health risks of potentially toxic elements by natural background level (NBL), positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, and health risk model. Findings revealed exceeding levels of potentially toxic elements existed in phreatic and confined aquifers. Source apportionment and NBL results indicated that mineral dissolution, evaporation, redox reactions, and human activities were the main factors for elevated concentrations of potentially toxic elements. High Fe and Mn concentrations were attributed to reduction environments, while F accumulation resulted from slow runoff, and irrigation from the Yellow River. Due to high F levels, more than one-third of groundwater samples (phreatic: 33.14 %, confined: 56.22 %) posed non-carcinogenic health risks to population groups. Adults displayed higher carcinogenic risks (phreatic: 19.47 %, confined: 34.16 %) than infants (phreatic: 0 %, confined: 0 %) and children (phreatic: 1.26 %, confined: 7.97 %) owing to the toxic elements of Cr. The confined aquifer presented greater health risks than the phreatic aquifer. Consequently, controlling the levels of F and Cr in multi-layered aquifers is key to reducing health risks. These findings provide valuable insights into protecting groundwater from contamination by potentially toxic elements in multi-layered aquifers worldwide.

Study of gradient eutectic structure changes and mechanical-corrosion properties of Zr–Fe binary alloys

In order to create a cost-effective Zr alloy with superior overall characteristics, Zr-xFe (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 at.%) binary alloys were prepared by a vacuum arc furnace system. The microstructure of these alloys was examined utilizing various techniques such as optical microscope, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the addition of Fe effectively refined α-Zr slats, and the Zr3Fe compound phase was dispersed throughout the alloy. However, the composition line of the alloying elements in the phase diagram intersected with the Zr2Fe and β-Zr eutectic lines when the Fe content exceeded 6 at.%. Zr–Fe alloys were transformed from monocrystalline-eutectoid to eutectic-eutectoid reactions. The Zr3Fe compound phase accumulated inside the grain and at the grain boundary as a result of the eutectic reaction, which stabilized the microstructure of the Zr–Fe alloys. This seriously affected the mechanical and corrosion properties of the alloys. The mechanical and corrosion properties of the alloys were assessed by universal testing machine, dynamic microhardness tester, Vickers hardness tester, and electrochemical workstation. The mechanical and corrosion properties of Zr–2Fe were excellent due to the coupling effect of Zr3Fe and grain refinement. The surface of the Zr–Fe alloy was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, revealing the presence of passivation film components ZrO2 and Fe2O3.

Pengaruh Suhu dan Waktu Penyeduhan Teh Daun Kelakai (Stenochlarna Palutris) Dengan Treatmen Asam Lemon (Citrus Limon) Terhadap Kadar Besi (Fe)

Iron (Fe) is one of the many nutrients found in kelakai. Lemon acid treatment (Citrus lemonade) is used in the processing of kelakai tea powder as an effort to increase the nutritional value of the plant. The aim of this research is to determine how temperature and brewing time affect the iron (Fe) content in kelakai leaf tea (Stenochlarna palutris) prepared with lemon acid (Citrus lemonade). This research used a 2 factorial completely randomized design (CRD) and was experimental. There are two factors: the first is the temperature at which the brewing is done (40, 50 and 60 degrees Celsius), and the second is the brewing time (1, 5 and 10 minutes) with three repetitions. Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in data analysis, along with an additional 5% Honestly Significant Difference (BNJ) test. These findings show a very significant influence of brewing temperature, brewing time, and the combination of temperature and brewing time. The results of the research show that moderate temperatures produce high iron (Fe) levels, moderate brewing results in high iron (Fe) levels. The brewing temperature treatment T2 (50oC) had the highest amount of calcium at 2.73778 ppm. Iron (Fe) levels are low at temperature T1 (400C) of 1.42000 ppm. The effect of brewing time on high iron (Fe) levels at F2 time (5 minutes) is 2.73778 ppm. The lowest iron (Fe) content was located at the longest brewing time, namely F3 (10 minutes) at 1.12267 ppm. T3F2 (600C, 5 Minutes) with iron (Fe) content of 3,707 ppm. The treatment that produces the lowest iron (Fe) content is T2F3 (500C, 10 minutes) with a value of 0.702 ppm

Exploring the role of Fe in the wear and corrosion resistance of Ti-based alloys produced with conventional powder metallurgy

In this study, the Ti-6Al-XFe alloy was produced by conventional powder metallurgy at varying Fe contents (3.5, 7.0, 10.5, 14.0, 17.5, and 21.0 wt%) to investigate its potential as a substitute for Nb and V. The primary aim was to assess the impact of Fe content on the mechanical, tribological, and electrochemical properties of the alloys, focusing on their suitability for biomedical implants. XRD and SEM analyses revealed a decrease in the α-Ti phase and an increase in the β-Ti and FeTi phases with higher Fe content. The lowest porosity (0.8 %) and highest hardness (348.4 Hv0.2) were observed in the Ti-6Al-17.5Fe alloy. Tensile and flexural strengths peaked at 238.3 MPa and 680 MPa, respectively, in the 17.5Fe alloy. The Ti-6Al-14.0Fe alloy showed the smallest change in specific wear rate (0.274 × 10−6 mm3/N·m) under dry conditions, while the Ti-6Al-7.0Fe alloy had the smallest change (0.565 × 10−6 mm3/N·m) under wet conditions. The 7.0Fe alloy demonstrated the highest corrosion resistance, with the lowest Icorr (1.02 × 10−8 mm3/N·m) and corrosion rate (14.02 × 10−3 mpy), and the highest charge transfer resistance in EIS analysis.

Study on the Effects of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound and Iron Ions for Proliferation and Differentiation of Osteoblasts

ObjectiveThis study involved the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts treated with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and iron (Fe3+) ions, respectively. The biological effects of LIPUS and Fe3+ ions on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts were also evaluated. MethodsMC3T3-E1 cells were seeded in six-well plates with the medium, which contained different concentrations of Fe3+ (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 μg L-1, respectively). LIPUS treatment was directed at the bottom of the plate for 20 min at an intensity of 80 mW cm-2 every day. ResultsViability results showed that a dose of 400 μg L-1 Fe3+ ions had the best effect at promoting osteogenic proliferation in cell culture. The results of alkaline phosphatase staining and mineralization indicated that the differentiation of osteoblasts was promoted by LIPUS and Fe3+ ions. Fluorescence staining results showed that the number of cell nuclei in the LIPUS, Fe3+ and LIPUS-Fe groups increased by 37.20%, 55.81% and 89.76%, respectively. Migration data indicated that migration and proliferation rates were increased by LIPUS and Fe3+, and the results of protein expression indicated that LIPUS and Fe3+ may increase the expression of Wnt, β-catenin, and Runx2, hence promoting normal bone regeneration and development. ConclusionThe combination of LIPUS (1.5 MHz, 80 mW cm-2) and Fe3+ accelerates the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts significantly compared with single-factor treatment (stimulated by LIPUS and Fe3+ ions, respectively). This study could establish a foundation for LIPUS-responsive biomaterials in the repair and regeneration of bone tissues.

Quantitative analysis of soil quality around brick kilns using pollution indices and ANOVA in Jammu district of Jammu and Kashmir, India

The study investigated soil quality around brick kilns in the Jammu district of Jammu and Kashmir, analyzing 200 samples from 50 sites for selected parameters such as pH, electrical conductiv1ity, soil temperature, organic carbon content, organic matter, macronutrients, and heavy metals. The findings revealed that soil electrical conductivity ranged from 0.33 to 0.63 dS/m, with significant differences observed at varying distances from the kilns. Copper concentrations were highest at 5.32 mg/kg near the kilns, while iron and lead levels also varied significantly, indicating potential contamination. The mean soil temperature was recorded to be 27.69°C.The pH values ranged from 6.5 to 7.8, and the average pH of 8.22 indicated the slightly alkaline nature of the soil around the brick kilns. The organic carbon ranged from 0.34% to 1.02%.Soil temperature and electrical conductivity decreased with increasing distance from the kilns, with temperature showing positive correlations with organic carbon, organic matter, nitrogen, potassium, manganese, and iron and negative correlations with pH, phosphorus, zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium. A perfect positive correlation was noted among nitrogen, organic carbon, and organic matter. Heavy metals, except for zinc and manganese, showed positive correlations with each other. The average Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Pb and Cd concentration was recorded as 1.07, 1.03, 6.71, 10.30, 37.04 and 1.91 ppm, respectively. The contamination factor indicated moderate contamination with lead and cadmium, while the geo-accumulation index also suggested moderate contamination. The pollution load index reflected unpolluted soil and enrichment factor values for heavy metals ranked as Cd > Pb > Cu > Zn > Mn > Fe.ANOVA results revealed significant variations in electrical conductivity, copper, iron, and lead, underscoring the potential environmental impacts at different distances from the kilns. However, no significant differences were found between agricultural and non-agricultural sites in other physicochemical parameters. These variations highlight the considerable impact of brick kilns on soil health, emphasizing the need for enhanced environmental management and further research to mitigate these effects.

Iron recovery from bauxite residue (BR) through magnetic separation; Effect of endogenous properties and processing conditions

Bauxite residue (BR) is major by-product of the Bayer process for aluminium production, and its accumulation confers environmental risk due to its high alkalinity and fineness. The high Fe content and the BR abundance render it an attractive secondary source of iron, with magnetic separation being the preferable beneficiation technique applied for quality upgrade.In this study, the recovery of Fe-rich concentrate was investigated, using Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separator (WHIMS) under weak magnetic induction ranging between 70 and 2000 Gs. Aiming to enhance the susceptibility of ferrous phase, a hydrothermal treatment of BR was applied under alkaline conditions in the presence of Fe2+ towards the reduction of antiferromagnetic hematite forming ferromagnetic magnetite of considerable magnetic susceptibility compared to the former ferrous phase. Under processing time of 3 h at 250 °C, the hematite conversion degree and Al dissolution reached ≃ approx. 50 % and 72 %, respectively. As for material conditioning prior to magnetic separation, sole agitation, and agitation in combination with ultrasounds were tested aiming the homogeneous dispersion of particles.After hydrothermal treatment, Fe grade increased by 7.7 % (from 35 to 42.7 wt%), while combined use of agitation and ultrasounds increased Fe grade but decreased recovery. The extended investigation of BR granulometry and minerals liberation revealed that the efficiency of the magnetic separation is radically hindered by these endogenous characteristics.

A chemometric study comparing nutritional profiles and functional attributes of two botanical forms of Lablab Bean (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet)

Growing health awareness has stimulated a focus on natural immune enhancement. Lablab beans {Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet}, abundant in bioactive compounds, were investigated for protein, mineral, and vitamin profiles. This research specifically conducted a comparative analysis between two distinct botanical forms: Lablab purpureus var. typicus L. and L. purpureus var. lignosus L, focusing on their nutritional profiles. Among L. purpureus var. typicus L. genotypes, RCPD-6 exhibited the highest protein content (25.46 ± 0.29 g/100 g) followed by RCPD-1 (23.74 ± 0.26 g/100 g). In contrast, L. purpureus var. lignosus L., L. purpureus var. lignosus L. particularly genotype RCPD-22, had lower protein content (19 ± 0.15 g/100 g). Significant variations in Fe content were observed within L. purpureus var. typicus L., ranging from 5.97 ± 0.01 to 10.5 ± 0.02 mg/100 g, with RCPD-2 reported the highest. Zn content ranged from 1.7 ± 0.01 to 3.65 ± 0.02 mg/100 g in both forms. The calcium content in L. purpureus var. typicus L. genotypes are found to be high, ranging from 372.72 ± 0.02 mg/100 g to 458.75 ± 0.03 mg/100 g, suggesting that var. typicus holds promise as a significant dietary source of Ca. P content exhibited variability, ranging from 317.12 ± 0.01 to 460.07 ± 0.06 mg/100 g. L. purpureus var. typicus L. shows correlated levels of protein/Zn, vitamins A/C, and antioxidant activities (DPPH/ABTS) suggesting targeted breeding for co-improved health benefits. It is noteworthy that L. purpureus var. typicus L., whose pods are consumed as vegetables, exhibits higher nutritional content in terms of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin A. This clearly suggests that L. purpureus var. typicus L. surpasses L. purpureus var. lignosus L. in nutritional value. To strengthen findings, chemometric techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) were employed for differentiation between the two botanical forms. These methods highlight the disparities in their nutritional profiles and functional characteristics. PCA analysis demonstrated that the first three components encapsulated 80.67 % of the overall variability. Meanwhile, AHC grouped cultivars into two major clusters which can be divided into two sub-groups based on the evaluated parameters. The data obtained provide a significant contribution to the scientific evaluation of the two botanical forms of lablab bean, particularly in terms of their nutritional profiles and functional attributes.

Quantitative Analysis of Iron Activity in Agricultural Soils Using X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry: Comparative Study with an Undisturbed Reference Site in Niankhene, Senegal

An essential micronutrient for plant growth and development, iron (Fe) affects a number of physiological processes, including respiration and photosynthesis. This study compare the amounts of iron in agricultural zones and reference zones, describe the geographic distribution of iron, and assess its accessibility to cultures. The aim is to assess the deficiencies and excess soil disturbance in the Niankhène agricultural site while maintaining a stable site. Soil samples were taken at 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm depths from 47 agricultural stations and three reference points using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. Significant variation in Fe concentrations was found by the research, with an average of roughly 3310.95 ppm and moderate variation between samples. An analysis conducted in comparison with reference locations revealed a widespread lack of Fe in the research area, with 85.71% of samples displaying depletion and only 14.29% displaying accumulation of Fe. This discrepancy emphasizes the necessity of focused soil management techniques to raise Niankhene&amp;apos;s agricultural output. The results highlight how crucial it is to use site-specific soil management strategies in order to overcome Fe deficits and raise crop yields. This research highlights the possibility for establishing targeted fertilization and corrective procedures to maximize Fe availability by utilizing XRF technology for reliable soil nutrient monitoring. The study&amp;apos;s findings offer insightful information for enhancing fertilization techniques and improving soil management techniques, which will support sustainable farming methods and increased crop yield in the area.

Transformer for low concentration image denoising in magnetic particle imaging.

Objective.Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging tracer-basedin vivoimaging technology. The use of MPI at low superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle concentrations has the potential to be a promising area of clinical application due to the inherent safety for humans. However, low tracer concentrations reduce the signal-to-noise ratio of the magnetization signal, leading to severe noise artifacts in the reconstructed MPI images. Hardware improvements have high complexity, while traditional methods lack robustness to different noise levels, making it difficult to improve the quality of low concentration MPI images.Approach.Here, we propose a novel deep learning method for MPI image denoising and quality enhancing based on a sparse lightweight transformer model. The proposed residual-local transformer structure reduces model complexity to avoid overfitting, in which an information retention block facilitates feature extraction capabilities for the image details. Besides, we design a noisy concentration dataset to train our model. Then, we evaluate our method with both simulated and real MPI image data.Main results.Simulation experiment results show that our method can achieve the best performance compared with the existing deep learning methods for MPI image denoising. More importantly, our method is effectively performed on the real MPI image of samples with an Fe concentration down to 67μgFeml-1.Significance.Our method provides great potential for obtaining high quality MPI images at low concentrations.