Hot Water Washing Research Articles

Single-step pyrolysis of Stipa Tenacissima fibers to hard carbon: A potential route for sodium-ion battery anodes

Hard Carbon (HC) has emerged as a viable candidate for the negative electrode material in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). This study focuses on the development of a novel HC-negative electrode derived from the pyrolysis of Stipa tenacissima fibers (STF). Prior to pyrolysis, STF underwent a hot water wash pre-treatment, and various pyrolysis temperatures (800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1300 °C) were investigated to elucidate their influence on HC properties and performance. Structural analysis revealed significant differences in the HC structure, highlighting a direct correlation between capacity improvement and the size of accessible micropores for sodium insertion. Composite electrodes were assembled and evaluated in non-aqueous sodium half-cells to assess HC's performance. Notably, increasing the pyrolysis temperature resulted in higher reversible capacity (RC). Specifically, HC prepared at 1300 °C exhibited an RC of 270 mAh g−1, initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of approximately 60 %, and exceptional reversibility with 99 % capacity retention after 90 cycles at a 25 mA g−1 of current density (CD). These results surpassed those obtained with HC prepared at 800 °C and 1000 °C. Moreover, this study explores the biological, biochemical, biophysical, and structural advantages conferred by STF, making it a promising component in SIBs, with the ultimate goal of establishing long-lasting, high-performance battery systems.

Utilizing Nano-Adsorbents and Electrostatic Field Treatment for Sustainable Refinement of Crude Canola Oil.

Removal of polar impurities, such as phospholipids, free fatty acids (FFA), and peroxides, can be challenging during the refining of crude canola oil. Current conventional refining methods are energy-intensive (e.g., hot water washes) and can generate significant waste (e.g., wastewater effluent) and neutral oil loss. This study investigated the joint use of nano-adsorbents and electrostatic field (E-field) treatment as a potential and sustainable alternative in removing these impurities during the oil refining process. Specifically, aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles were employed to neutralize FFAs, achieving a 62.4% reduction in acid value while preserving the fatty acid profile of the oil. After refining, E-field treatment was successful in removing the spent nano-adsorbent from solution (up to 72.3% by weight), demonstrating enhanced efficiency compared to conventional methods (e.g., gravitational settling, filtration, and centrifugation). The neutral oil loss using Al2O3 nano-adsorbents was also comparable to conventional refining methods, with a 4.38% (by weight) loss. After E-field treatment, the Al2O3 nano-adsorbent was then calcined to assess reusability. The Al2O3 nano-adsorbent was effectively recycled for three refining cycles. the methods do not use of large amounts of water and generate minimal waste byproducts (e.g., effluent). Nonetheless, while the nano-adsorbents demonstrated promising results in FFA removal, they were less effective in eliminating peroxides and pigments. E-field techniques were also effective in removing spent nano-adsorbent; although, optimization of E-field parameters could further improve its binding capacity. Finally, future studies could potentially focus on the physicochemical modifications of the nano-adsorbent material to enhance their refining capacity and reusability. Overall, this study presents a sustainable alternative or addition to conventional refining methods and lays the groundwork for future research.

Impact of Washing and Fermentation on the Concentration of Pesticide Residues in Nigerian Staple Foods By IJISRT

The use of pesticides in agriculture is linked to accumulation of toxic compounds in the soil, in food, and its accumulation in animal and human tissues. Pesticide residues are deposits of pesticides that remain on or in agricultural produce after harvest or during storage. This work examined the effects various processing steps on the levels of methoxychlor, dieldrin, p,p’-DDE and α- chlordane residues in common staples; maize, rice, beans and cassava. The treatments administered included cold water washing, hot water washing, and fermentation for 3 and 5 days. The Quick, Effective, Cheap, Easy, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) technique was adopted for extraction of pesticide residues while gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used for quantification of the residues in the samples. The processing steps applied had various effects on the level of residues ranging from - 149% to 100% reduction in level of pesticide; in rice processing, washing with hot water had the greatest impact in reducing methoxychlor (55.5-97.1%) and α- chlordane (95.5%). Fermentation for 5 days had the greatest impact in reducing methoxychlor residue from cassava (13.6-26.3%), while fermentation of maize for 3 or 5 days had similar impact in reduction of the level of methoxychlor (35.5-79.5% and 39.1-78.4% respectively) and α-chlordane (100% and 100% respectively). Hot water washing of beans was most effective in eliminating methoxychlor (98.4%), p,p’-DDE (100%), α-chlordane (100%) and dieldrin (100%). Reduction in hazard index was also observed with processing, as a result of reduction in amount of pesticide going into the diet.

Industrialized fine physical regeneration process and economic benefit assessment for recycling waste HDPE containers

The production of waste HDPE containers is enormous, and its recycling and utilization is an inevitable trend to achieve sustainable social development. However, the engineering practice of recycling waste HDPE containers is still lacking. This study provides a detailed explanation of the principles of fine recycling for waste HDPE containers, and develops a set of physical regeneration processes. By combining visual recognition assisted sorting, alkali hot water washing, physical sorting, and regranulation processes, high-quality regenerated HDPE particles are prepared. Meanwhile, various real data (sample size 50–100) of the production line and products are tracked, statistically analyzed. The results show that regenerated HDPE particles have good physical properties, the ratio of HDPE particles containing aluminum foil and multicolored impurities are extremely low, and the ratio of HDPE particles containing black spots (d＞0.1 mm) is less than 1.61 × 10−2 wt% (mean). Economic benefit analysis shows that the gross profit of recycled HDPE particles is USD $312.05 per ton. The above conclusions prove the feasibility and progressiveness of this process for the regeneration of waste HDPE containers. Meanwhile, this study provides engineering technical guidance for the large-scale fine recycling and regeneration of waste HDPE containers.

Changes in the devolatization kinetics induced by washing pretreatments of short- and long-aged food crop residues

Thermogravimetric curves are measured and modeled to quantify the changes induced by dilute acid or hot water washing on the devolatilization of short- and long-aged potato crop residues. The pretreatments cause more similar behaviors. A six-step devolatilization mechanism for four pseudo-components, previously developed for raw materials, is still applicable. The activation energies remain unvaried whereas small changes in the pre-exponential factors describe the displacement of the devolatilization process at higher temperatures. Instead, the nature and amounts of pseudo-components are significantly modified, especially for dilute acid washing and the short-aged sample. The pseudo-components pectin-hemicellulose and cellulose-starch are enriched in hemicellulose and cellulose, respectively. The corresponding total amounts of volatile generated increase from 19 up to 23–26wt% and from 19–26 up to 37–45wt%, in the same order. The volatile product yields released from the pseudo-component lignin-protein are practically unaltered, but lignin is likely to become largely predominant.

Hot Water Washing Pre-Treatment Effects on Hot Air-Drying Process of Food Waste

The study aims to determine the effects of pre-treatment and temperature on the drying behavior of food waste. The collected food waste was pre-treated by soaking in warm distilled water at 50°C for 10 minutes before the hot air-drying process at 70°C and 85°C. A hot air dryer at different drying times and temperatures were used to measure the food waste until no noticeable weight loss. In the beginning, the moisture content fell quickly, and then progressively decreased with increasing drying time. Food waste at 85°C recorded the shortest drying time of 121 minutes to reach equilibrium compared to another drying parameter 70 °C. The equilibrium moisture content of pre-treated food waste with hot distilled water at a temperature of 70 ˚C was 0.609g H2O g-1 dry solid since the non-pre-treated food waste was 0.767 g H2O g-1 dry solid. The equilibrium moisture content of pre-treated food waste at 85˚C was 0.489 g H2O g-1 dry solid. In conclusion, washing pretreatment has a significant impact on the drying process because pretreated samples reach equilibrium faster than non-washed ones. Overall, Drying technologies are essential for reducing the moisture content of food waste, which is required for environmental sustainability and safety.

Devolatilization characteristics of a bio-residue (potato stems) with high contents of alkali metals and non-structural components – Influences of the washing pretreatment severity

A bio-residue (potato stems), rich in alkali metals and non-structural components, is subjected to hot (353 K) or acidic (0.1 mol/L hydrochloric acid) water washing. The acidic pretreatment is more effective for the demineralization, with alkalis reduced by 99 (powders) or 90 (particles) %, corresponding to organic matter dissolution around 35 or 17 wt%, respectively. The latter figures remain approximately the same for hot water washing (38 and 19 wt%) but alkalis are reduced only by 78 or 64 %. The leachate properties are significantly dependent on the solvent type and the residue granulometry, as indicated by thermogravimetric and SEM-EDX analysis. Washed bio-residues decompose at temperatures and with rates progressively increasing as the pretreatment becomes more severe (fine granulometry and acidic water washing). Multi-step global kinetics, previously developed for the untreated material and properly revisited to incorporate washing effects, reveals trends with important compositional changes. Despite starch dissolution, volatile product yields for the absolute peak rate zone increase by about 40–65 %, testifying augmented cellulose contents. The pectin compounds are almost eliminated, to the advantage of the shoulder rate zone, representing hemicellulose decomposition, with an increase in the volatile product yields around 22–78 %.

A review on plasma-activated water and its application in the meat industry.

Meat is a nutritious food with a short shelf life, making it challenging to ensure safety, quality, and nutritional value. Foodborne pathogens and oxidation are the main concerns that lead to health risks and economic losses. Conventional approaches like hot water, steam pasteurization, and chemical washes for meat decontamination improve safety but cause nutritional and quality issues. Plasma-activated water (PAW) is a potential alternative to thermal treatment that can reduce oxidation and microbial growth, an essential factor in ensuring safety, quality, and nutritional value. This review explores the different types of PAW and their physiochemical properties. It also outlines the reaction pathways involved in the generation of short-lived and long-lived reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RONS) in PAW, which contribute to its antimicrobial abilities. The review also highlights current studies on PAW inactivation against various planktonic bacteria, as well as critical processing parameters that can improve PAW inactivation efficacy. Promising applications of PAW for meat curing, thawing, and decontamination are discussed, with emphasis on the need to understand how RONS in PAW affect meat quality. Recent reports on combining PAW with ultrasound, mild heating, and non-thermal plasma to improve inactivation efficacy are also presented. Finally, the need to develop energy-efficient systems for the production and scalability of PAW is discussed for its use as a potential meat disinfectant without compromising meat quality.

Suitability of silver birch bark as a natural source for cotton dyeing

Suitability of silver birch bark as a natural source for dyeing cotton. The study was carried out on dyeing cotton fabric with silver birch bark extract without a mordant and with the use of mordants - oxalic acid and inorganic salts of aluminum, tin, iron and copper. The color of the fabric was determined in the CIE L*a*b* system. Pale orange to salmon shades were obtained. In the case of iron and copper, a significantly different color was obtained, dark grayish and rusty, respectively. Color fastness tests were carried out using hot water, mineral acid, mild and hot washing, dry cleaning and natural exposure to sunlight. Excellent resistance to dry cleaning and mild and hot washing was found, as well as good resistance to mineral acid. The dyed fabric had the weakest, although still quite good, resistance to sunlight.

Hot water washing processing technology of Euodiae Fructus based on change laws of active components and tastes

In order to establish the standardized processing technology of the hot water washing of Euodiae Fructus, this study, based on the traditional processing method of hot water washing of Euodiae Fructus recorded in ancient works and modern processing specifications of traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces, took the yield of decoction pieces and the content of main components as the indicators and optimized the processing conditions by orthogonal test based on the results of single factor investigation. At the same time, electronic tongue technology was used to analyze the change law of the taste index of Euodiae Fructus during the hot water washing. The results of the single factor investigation showed that the content of the main components in Euodiae Fructus showed some regular changes during the processing. Specifically, the content of chlorogenic acid, hyperin, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-galactoside, and dehydroevodiamine decreased significantly, with average decreases of-23.75%,-27.80%,-14.04%,-14.03%, and-13.11%, respectively. The content of limonin increased significantly with an average increase of 19.83%. The content of evodiamine, rutaecarpine, evocarpine, and dihydroevocarpine showed fluctuating changes and generally increased, with average variation amplitudes of 0.54%,-3.78%, 2.69%, and 5.13%, respectively. The orthogonal test results showed that the optimum processing parameters for the hot water washing of Euodiae Fructus were as follows: washing time of 2 min, the solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶10 g·mL~(-1), washing temperature of 80 ℃, washing once, and drying at 50 ℃. After the hot water washing processing, the average yield of Euodiae Fructus pieces was 94.80%. The content of limonin, evodiamine, and rutaecarpine was higher than those of raw pro-ducts, and the average transfer rates were 102.56%, 103.15%, and 105.16%, respectively. The content of dehydroevodiamine was lower than that of the raw products, and the average transfer rate was 83.04%. The results of taste analysis showed that the hot water washing could significantly reduce the salty, astringent, and bitter tastes of Euodiae Fructus. This study revealed the influence of the hot water washing on the content of main components and taste of Euodiae Fructus, and the processing technology of the hot water was-hing of Euodiae Fructus established in this study was stable, feasible, and suitable for industrial production, which laid a foundation for clarifying its processing principle and improving the quality standard and clinical application value of decoction pieces.

Removal of triazole and pyrethroid pesticides from wheat grain by water treatment and ultrasound-supported processes

A simple way to reduce pesticides in cereal grains is to use washing methods. The challenge of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of reduction of 3 triazole fungicides (difenoconazole, tebuconazole, tetraconazole) and 3 pyrethroid insecticides (beta-cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin) commonly used in wheat protection. Four different pre-washing methods (hot and cold water washing, twice water, and ultrasound-supported washing) were evaluated. The processing factor (PF) was calculated based on the concentration of pesticides determined by LC–MS/MS in the samples of cereal grains before and after the washing process. PFs were within the range 0.01–0.97. Time, teperature and ultrasound were factors influencing the efficiency of water treatment. The study showed that ultrasound-supported washing eliminated pesticide residues to a greater extent than ordinary washing. This process significantly affected or completely reduced concentrations of triazoles in wheat grains. The highest reduction of residues (99%) was received for tebuconazole and ultrasound washing with heating temperature of 60 °C for a total of 10 min. In all washing processes, pyrethroids were removed with lower efficiency than triazoles. The lowest residue reduction was obtained for cypermethrin and washing under cold water for 5 min (3%; PF = 0.97). Beta-Cyfluthrin showed only a 6–27% reduction regardless of the process (PF: 0.73–0.95). Using static analysis, the relationship between the properties of pesticides and the reduction of their concentration in cereals was clarified and showed a strong correlation.

Review on Mechanism, Prediction, and Remediation of Salt Deposition in Gas Production Wells

Abstract During the gas production process, the evaporation of formation water leads to an increase in the water content of the gas and increases the salinity of the remaining formation water. Salt deposition generally occurs near the wellbore and in the wellbore. When the wellbore is clogged with salt deposition, it will lead to a rapid decrease in gas well pressure and production. This work analyzes the effects of formation water evaporation, temperature, and pressure on salt deposition in gas wellbore. And the salt deposition mechanism in the wellbore was summarized. This work presented a technical review on the salt deposition prediction in the gas wellbore. Finally, this work summarizes three different techniques for salt deposition remediation in gas wells, including cold-water removal, hot-water washing, and chemical salt prevention. This work can provide a reference for salt deposition prevention and remediation in the underground gas storage.

Effect of boron species on carbon surface on oxidative dehydrogenation of propane

Carbon catalysts for propane oxidative dehydrogenation (PODH) can potentially replace metal oxide catalysts due to their environmental friendliness (greenness) and excellent catalytic performance. Biomass carbon materials have the advantages of being abundant in variety, inexpensive, and easily available, but their catalytic selectivity is relatively poor in PODH. Therefore, we report here on a boron-doped sisal fiber carbon catalyst, which showed excellent selectivity of propylene in PODH, excluding the effect of surface-covered B2O3 on the catalytic performance by hot water washing. The carbon material exhibited the best catalytic performance with a load of 2% (mass) and a calcination temperature of 1100 °C. At a reaction temperature of 400 °C, the conversion rate of propane was 2.0%, and the selectivity toward propylene reached 88.6%. The new chemical bonds formed by boron on the surface of the carbon materials had an important effect on the catalytic performance, as determined by XPS characterization. The BO groups affected the catalytic activity by inhibiting the generation of electrophilic oxygen species, while the BC content improved the selectivity toward propylene by changing the electron cloud density.

Enhancing economic and environmental friendliness of xylonic acid bioproduction from corncob hydrolysate by the combined recycling-technology of detoxifying-resin and catalyzing-cell

The bioproduction of xylonic acid (XA) from acidic lignocellulosic hydrolysate presents a potential booming research area, that XA serves as an important building block of biomass-based chemicals for biomass valorization. However, the existence of inhibiting compounds such as acetic acid in hydrolysate greatly influences bacterial cell metabolism and catalysis, as well as the following electrodialysis separation for XA purification. Therefore, the removal of inhibitors including acetic acid is an essential issue in the industrial bioproduction of XA. In this study, five polymer resins were evaluated on their ability to remove acetic acid and other inhibitors from acidic hydrolysate of corncob (AHC). By comparison, anion exchange resin 335 performed the best on the removal of acetic acid in the model solution and AHC at 100 % and 80 %, respectively, while the sugar loss was also confined within 10 %. Finally, 208.6 g XA was obtained with a productivity of 5.8 g/L/h by 6 rounds of cell-recycling bioconversion. Moreover, recycled resin kept at least 80% toxic removal efficiency after 4 renewed rounds with hot water washing. The combined recycling-technology of detoxifying-resin and catalyzing-cell greatly facilitate economic and environmental bioproduction of XA from lignocellulosic biomass.

Suitability of apple tree bark as a natural source for cotton dyeing

Suitability of apple tree bark as a natural source for cotton dyeing. The study of dyeing cotton fabric with apple bark extract with the use of mortars - inorganic aluminum, tin, iron and copper salts, moreover oxalic acid and without mortar. The color of the fabric was determined using the CIE L*a*b* system. The result was a yellow color of varying shades, ranging from lemon to warm, intense yellow. In the case of iron and copper, a significantly different color was obtained, dark khaki and rusty brown respectively. Color fastness tests were carried out using hot water, mineral acid, mild and hot washing, dry cleaning and natural exposure to sunlight. It has been found to have excellent resistance to dry cleaning and good to a gentle wash. Dyed fabric showed the weakest resistance to sunlight and to mineral acid.

Torrefaction Upgrading of Heterogenous Wastes Containing Cork and Chlorinated Polymers

Torrefaction of two mixed wastes composed of cork and chlorinated polymers was studied at temperatures from 200 to 350 °C, for residence times of 30 and 60 min. These wastes were recovered from sandwich panels with cork core, have different contents of cork biomass and chlorinated polymers and present poor fuel properties for energy recovery applications. The raw wastes and the produced biochars were characterized for proximate and ultimate analysis, chlorine content, mineral composition, calorific value, mass yield, energy density, particle size distribution, and adsorption capacity towards cationic and anionic dyes. Torrefaction enabled the production of biochars with mass yields from 97.2 to 54.5%, with an increase in 12.1 to 37.9% in apparent density relative to the raw wastes, and HHV from 18.2 to 20.7 MJ/kg. Nevertheless, the chlorine content of the biochars was increased to values higher than 5%, inadequate for solid fuels. Dechlorination of the biochars by washing with hot water enabled 84 to 91% removal of the chlorine species achieving final concentrations lower than 1%, without significant reduction in the biochars calorific values. For the waste with higher polymer and ash content, the torrefaction process reduced the heating value; therefore, energy valorization was not adequate. Both the raw wastes and the biochars were tested as adsorbents for cationic and anionic dyes. After activation with KOH, both the raw materials and the biochars had removal efficiencies higher than 90% for methylene blue, a cationic dye often found in industrial effluents. The results showed that torrefaction combined with hot water washing converted these wastes to biochars with the potential for energy or material valorization contributing to a circular economy in the cork industrial sector.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Interventions Applied during Primary Processing to Reduce Microbial Contamination on Pig Carcasses.

Interventions from lairage to the chilling stage of the pig slaughter process are important to reduce microbial contamination of carcasses. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of abattoir interventions in reducing aerobic colony count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae, generic Escherichia coli, and Yersinia spp. on pig carcasses. The database searches spanned a 30 year period from 1990 to 2021. Following a structured, predefined protocol, 22 articles, which were judged as having a low risk of bias, were used for detailed data extraction and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis included data on lairage interventions for live pigs, standard processing procedures for pig carcasses, prechilling interventions, multiple carcass interventions, and carcass chilling. Risk ratios (RRs) for prevalence studies and mean log differences (MDs) for concentration outcomes were calculated using random effects models. The meta-analysis found that scalding under commercial abattoir conditions effectively reduced the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae (RR: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.12, I2 = 87%) and ACC (MD: −2.84, 95% CI: −3.50 to −2.18, I2 = 99%) on pig carcasses. Similarly, significant reductions of these two groups of bacteria on carcasses were also found after singeing (RR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.44, I2 = 90% and MD: −1.95, 95% CI: −2.40 to −1.50, I2 = 96%, respectively). Rectum sealing effectively reduces the prevalence of Y. enterocolitica on pig carcasses (RR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.89, I2 = 0%). Under commercial abattoir conditions, hot water washing significantly reduced ACC (MD: −1.32, 95% CI: −1.93 to −0.71, I2 = 93%) and generic E. coli counts (MD: −1.23, 95% CI: −1.89 to −0.57, I2 = 61%) on pig carcasses. Conventional dry chilling reduced Enterobacteriaceae prevalence on pig carcasses (RR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.48, I2 = 81%). Multiple carcass interventions significantly reduced Enterobacteriaceae prevalence (RR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.23, I2 = 94%) and ACC on carcasses (MD: −2.85, 95% CI: −3.33 to −2.37, I2 = 97%). The results clearly show that standard processing procedures of scalding and singeing and the hazard-based intervention of hot water washing are effective in reducing indicator bacteria on pig carcasses. The prevalence of Y. enterocolitica on pig carcasses was effectively reduced by the standard procedure of rectum sealing; nevertheless, this was the only intervention for Yersinia investigated under commercial conditions. High heterogeneity among studies and trials investigating interventions and overall lack of large, controlled trials conducted under commercial conditions suggest that more in-depth research is needed.

Demonstration of microbiological status of fresh fruits and determining the efficiency of different decontaminating agents against the isolated bacteria

Consumption of fresh fruits increases along with the promotion of healthier lifestyles. However, many foodborne illnesses have been reported due to the consumption of contaminated fruits. Fresh produces are subjected to various treatments for minimizing these outbreaks. The present study demonstrates the role of various simple household methods including water washing and some other common chemical treatments for the removal of bacterial load. By performing the spread plate technique, total heterotrophic bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. were determined in 60 samples of 6 categories including Apple (Malus domestica); Grape (Vitis vinifera); Guava (Psidium guajava); Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa); Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana); Malabar plum (Syzygium cumini) before and after washing with tap water, hot water, 100 mg/L sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 50 mg/L calcium lactate, 4% acetic acid and 2 mL/L CleanAva for 20 mins at room temperature. All the tested solutions were found to be effective and reduced bacterial loads in fruits compared to the unwashed fruits samples (P<0.01). Treatment with NaOCl, calcium lactate, acetic acid and CleanAva was the more effective washing technique rather than hot water wash. Two to three log of the bacterial load was reduced when samples were subjected to treatment with chemical decontaminating agents. The efficiency of washing depends on the purity of water, and the types and concentration of the disinfectant solutions. An appropriate washing technique needs to implicate to diminish bacterial load and the risk of foodborne infections caused by fruits.

Survey evaluation of dog owners' feeding practices and dog bowls' hygiene assessment in domestic settings.

In-home pet food handling and food dish hygiene practices can have adverse health impacts for both humans and pets. Safe food and dish handling guidelines are not easily evidenced for pet owners. The study was designed to investigate dog owners' feeding habits and evaluate the impact of the Food and Drug Association (FDA) hygiene protocols on dog food dish contamination. Procedures and surveys were approved by North Carolina State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Institutional Review Board. Pet feeding and food dish hygiene data were collected from 417 dog owner surveys and 68 food dish swabs. Total aerobic plate counts (APC) were performed on 68 dishes and randomly assigned into Group A (FDA pet food handling and dish hygiene guidelines), Group B (FDA pet and human food handling and dish hygiene guidelines), or Group C (no guidelines). Hygiene protocols were instituted in-home for 1 week, followed by a second APC and follow-up survey. Survey from dog owners-households indicated: 4.7% were aware of FDA pet food handling and dish hygiene guidelines; 36% have individuals ≤ 13 years old and/or immunocompromised; 43% stored dog food 0-5 feet from human food; 34% washed their hands after feeding; and 33% prepared their dog food on human food preparation surfaces. The hygiene protocols followed by Groups A and B resulted in significant decreases in food dish APC (p<0.001; 1.4; (0.9, 2.0); p<0.05; 0.604 (0.02, 1.2), respectively), as compared to Group C (p≥0.05). Hot water (>160° F or 71.1°C) washing decreased APC (p<0.01; 1.5 (0.4, 2.6)) over cold/lukewarm water. In the follow-up survey, 8% of Group A and B respondents reported likely to adhere to protocols long-term. This study suggests a need for pet food handling and dish hygiene guideline education to minimize bacterial contamination of dishes, especially for high-risk populations.

Preparation of Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate with Lithium-Containing Desorption Solution

In this study, a process for preparing battery-grade lithium carbonate with lithium-rich solution obtained from the low lithium leaching solution of fly ash by adsorption method was proposed. A carbonization-decomposition process was carried out to remove impurities such as iron and aluminum. First, primary Li2CO3 was treated by CO2 to get the more soluble bicarbonates. The decomposition of LiHCO3 produced insoluble Li2CO3 at 90 °C And Li2CO3 was smashed by air stream pulverization. The final precipitation yielded a high purity (99.6%) and homogeneous Li2CO3. Some factors affecting production efficiency were investigated. The results showed that a liquid-solid ratio of 25:1, a carbonization temperature of 25 °C, an air velocity of 2 L/min, and a stirring speed of 400 rpm; a decomposition temperature of 90 °C and a stirring speed of 400 rpm, a molar ratio of EDTA to Ca 2:1; an air pressure of 0.3 MPa and hot water washing precipitate (L/S mass ratio 2:1) promoted ions removal.