Increased Surface Activity Research Articles

Synergistic effects of alkaline and heat treatments on structural and functional properties of mung bean protein isolate: improving physicochemical stability of plant‐based emulsions

SummaryPlant‐based meat alternatives often require fat replacers to mimic the texture of traditional products. This study aimed to develop plant‐based emulsion gels using mung bean protein isolate (MBPI) as a potential fat substitute. However, creating these gels via heat setting requires a high protein concentration, which demands modification of the MBPI structure to enhance emulsifying properties. This study investigated synergistic effects of alkaline treatment (0.3 or 3.5% Na2CO3) and heat treatments (40 or 70 °C) on the functional properties of MBPI at high protein levels, for potential application as a plant‐based emulsion. The combined treatments reduced the zeta potential of protein suspensions from −9 to −19 mV and altered the protein conformation to form smaller particles (from 426 to 166 μm) with increased β‐sheet content. These treatments improved dispersibility of 8% MBPI suspension (58 to 86%), emulsifying activity index (6.34–10.89 m2 g−1), and stability coefficient (43 to 96%). Notably, MBPI samples treated with 0.3% Na2CO3 at 40 and 70 °C exhibited excellent emulsifying properties, forming stable monolayers at the oil–water interface, likely due to the increased surface activity of MBPI. Increasing protein concentration to 11% facilitated heat‐set gel formation; however, addition of 3.5%‐Na2CO3 induced premature gelation, limiting its application in emulsions. At 0.3%‐Na2CO3, increasing the protein content from 8% to 11% and the oil content from 10% to 30% further reduced emulsion droplet size, especially for MBPI treated with 0.3% Na2CO3 at 70 °C (MB‐0.3%‐70 °C) from 5.10 to 2.61 μm, likely due to decreased coalescence. This treatment yielded superior MBPI‐stabilised emulsion gels with enhanced penetration, fluid retention, and stability by possibly reducing protein aggregation. These findings demonstrate the potential of MBPI modified by combined addition of 0.3% Na2CO3 and heat treatment, particularly MB‐0.3%‐70 °C, as a promising ingredient for producing plant‐based emulsions.

MOF Nanosheet-Functionalized Poly(lactic acid) Meta-membranes for Long-Term Air Purification and Intelligent Monitoring.

The wide use of conventional polymeric air filters is causing a dramatically increasing accumulation of plastic and microplastic pollution. The development of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibrous membranes for efficient air purification is of important significance but frequently challenged by the rapid decay of filtration performance due to the intrinsically poor electret properties of PLA. Here, we propose an electroactivity promotion methodology, involving the one-step synthesis and homogeneous incorporation of high-dielectric ZIF-8 nanosheets (ZIFNSs), to facilitate interfacial polarization and fiber refinement during electrospinning of PLA nanofibers. The preparative electrospun PLA/ZIFNS meta-membranes exhibited an unusual combination of significantly reduced nanofiber diameter (∼462 nm), enhanced surface potential (approaching 10 kV), and increased surface activity and facilitated the formation of electroactive phases. With well-controlled morphological features, the highly electroactive PLA/ZIFNS meta-membranes exhibited exceptional filtration efficiencies for PM2.5 and PM0.3 (99.2 and 96.0%, respectively) even at the highest airflow rate of 85 L/min, in clear contrast to that of its pure PLA counterpart (only 79.3 and 74.6%). Arising from the increased electroactivity and active contact sites, remarkable triboelectric performance and self-charging mechanisms were demonstrated for the PLA/ZIFNS meta-membranes, contributing to long-term efficient PM0.3 filtration (97.5% for over 360 min). Moreover, as triggered by physiological activities like respiration and speaking, the electroactive PLA/ZIFNS meta-membranes enabled real-time monitoring with high sensitivity and specificity. The proposed strategy affords significant promotion of electroactivity and triboelectric performance for PLA nanofibers, which may motivate the development of ecofriendly protective membranes for respiratory healthcare and real-time monitoring.

Stability mechanism of viscoelastically enhanced surfactant air foam for low permeability reservoir

Polymer has been widely studied as an effective means to improve foam stability in reservoir exploitation. Nevertheless, the deployment of this technology in low-permeability reservoirs may prove challenging and could potentially result in formation damage. The innovation of this study is the utilization of viscoelastic surfactants to create enhanced air foam with wormlike micelles and three-dimensional network structures. This can result in a synergy between the properties of fluidity control and oil washing efficiency, thereby enhancing the strength of the foam. The supramolecular self-assembly property facilitates the injection of the foam into the formation while preserving its original structure and properties, thereby enhancing the stability of the foam and markedly improving the recovery of low permeability reservoirs. The viscoelastically enhanced air foam system is composed of the zwitterionic surfactant erucylamido propyl betaine (EHSB) and the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), which has been designated EHSB-SDS. The foam performance was evaluated using the Waring Blender method and rheological behavior, with foam fluid viscosity, initial foam volume (V0), half-life for drainage (td) and foam half-life (tf) serving as the evaluation indicators. The influence of temperature, salinity and oil content on foam performance is considered to explore the reservoir adaptability. The dynamic/micro stability, macro rheological properties, interfacial viscoelasticity and Zeta potential of the enhanced air foam system were further studied to clarify the stability mechanism of enhanced air foam system. The td, tf and composite index of EHSB-SDS is 56.6 min, 36 h and 648000 mL·min, respectively. The viscoelastic surfactants form wormlike micelles, which increase the foam solution viscosity. This results in a slow drainage speed and the rupture of the bubbles. The adsorption of surfactant at the gas/liquid interface results in an increase in surface activity, interfacial expansion modulus and zeta potential, which serves to enhance the strength of the liquid film and the electrostatic repulsion among bubbles. These three factors are primarily responsible for the stability of the foam. The research establishes a theoretical basis for the effective development of low permeability reservoirs and new foam flooding technology.

Enhanced removal of hazardous organic contaminants with advanced visible light-active F-doped TiO2/rGO/PVDF photocatalytic membranes

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes and composite variants with x% FGT/PVDF photocatalytic membranes were prepared at different concentrations (x = 1 %, 5 %, and 10 %) using the phase inversion technique. The synthesized photocatalysts and the membrane materials were thoroughly characterized using different analytical methods. The focus was on determining the photocatalytic efficiency of these materials in degrading two important harmful dyes, namely methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV), under visible light irradiation. High degradation percentages of MB (96 %) and CV (92 %) at 90 minutes were observed with 5 % F-TiO2/rGO (named as 5 %FGT). Similarly, the 5 % F-TiO2/rGO/PVDF (5 %FGT/PVDF) photocatalytic membranes showed 98 % and 93 % degradation of MB and CV, respectively. Kinetic studies revealed that the photocatalytic degradation reaction followed a pseudo-first-order mechanism. The total organic carbon (TOC) analysis of the treated MB and CV dyes showed a degradation of 78 % and 71 %, respectively. Recycling of the most active 5 % FGT/PVDF composite membrane exhibited very high stability of 800 min. The composite material utilizes the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 and the stimulating transport properties of rGO. Additionally, fluorine doping enhances charge carrier separation, tunes the bandgap for visible light response, and increases surface activity, thereby improving the overall degradation of organic pollutants. These properties make the composite material promising for various applications in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment.

Glucose-induced glycation enhances the foaming properties of Trichosanthes kirilowii seed protein isolate: Insights into structure, interfacial behavior, and proteomics

Improving the foaming properties of plant proteins has recently attracted particular interest. The foaming properties of Trichosanthes kirilowii seed protein isolate (TPI) after glucose glycation (wet heating) were investigated by structural characterization, interfacial behavior evaluation, and quantitative proteomics analysis. The results showed that the highest degree of grafting of TPI (45.54%) with glucose was observed at a reaction time of 2 h. Grafting with glucose unfolded the structure of TPI, which was confirmed by increased molecular flexibility, loss of α-helices, and exposure of hydrophobic groups. The foaming capacity and foaming stability of the TPI was greatly improved after glycation. The bubbles in the TPI–glucose conjugate foams were smaller in size, more uniform, and denser than those in the TPI foams. Moreover, the deterioration rate of the conjugate foams was significantly slower than that of the TPI foams. Mechanistically, the improved foam properties were mainly attributed to increased surface activity, accelerated air/water interfacial adsorption, and enhanced interfacial film thickness. The results of quantitative proteomics indicated that several proteins involved in foam stability and elasticity were upregulated in the initial foams of the conjugates, which partly explains the improved foam properties. Overall, G2 showed the most superior foam properties and interfacial behavior among all the samples. This study offers further insights into the mechanisms by which glycation improves the foaming properties of plant proteins and will be useful for the development of foamed foods from TPI.

Enhancing electrochemical hydrogen evolution efficiency via UV ozone treatment: 3D electrode carbon cloths with defect-enriched MoS2

Electrochemical water splitting, a key process for extracting hydrogen energy from water, is recognized as a promising eco-friendly technology. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), especially when possessing abundant defects, emerges as a cost-effective and efficient catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), presenting a viable alternative to noble metals such as platinum (Pt). However, the impact of UV-Ozone (UVO) in generating defects in bulk 2H-MoS2 remains underexplored. Here, we successfully synthesized 2H-MoS2 using the hydrothermal method on a 3D conductive carbon cloth. Subsequently, the sample underwent UVO treatment for three different durations of 10, 30, and 50 min. Our results demonstrate that a 50-minute exposure to UVO yields the most effective HER performance, with a significant decrease in the onset potential from 189 mV to 116 mV and a low Tafel slope of 64 mV/decade. This enhancement is attributed to increased surface activity, evident in a more than fourfold increase in double-layer capacitance (Cdl). Importantly, the 50-minute UVO treatment not only significantly improves the purity of MoS2 and increases the number of edge sites, but also lead to an increase in sulfur vacancies and the formation of amorphous oxygen-incorporated MoSx. These edge sites, along with sulfur vacancies and oxygens incorporation, are considered ideal for hydrogen binding, enhancing electron transport, and improving HER activity.

“Negative” Impact: The Role of Payload Charge in the Physicochemical Stability of Auristatin Antibody–Drug Conjugates

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) tend to be less stable than their parent antibodies, which is often attributed to the hydrophobic nature of their drug payloads. This study investigated how the payload charge affects ADC stability by comparing two interchain cysteine ADCs that had matched drug-to-antibody ratios and identical linkers but differently charged auristatin payloads, vcMMAE (neutral) and vcMMAF (negative). Both ADCs exhibited higher aggregation than their parent antibody under shaking stress and thermal stress conditions. However, conjugation with vcMMAF increased the aggregation rates to a greater extent than conjugation with uncharged but more hydrophobic vcMMAE. Consistent with the payload logD values, ADC-vcMMAE showed the greatest increase in hydrophobicity but minor changes in charge compared with the parent antibody, as indicated by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and capillary electrophoresis data. In contrast, ADC-vcMMAF showed a decrease in net charge and isoelectric point along with an increase in charge heterogeneity. This charge alteration likely contributed to a reduced electrostatic repulsion and increased surface activity in ADC-vcMMAF, thus affecting its aggregation propensity. These findings suggest that not only the hydrophobicity of the payload, but also its charge should be considered as a critical factor affecting the stability of ADCs.

The key factors of solid nanodispersion for promoting the bioactivity of abamectin

Solid nanodispersion (SND) is an important variety of nanopesticides which have been extensively studied in recent years. However, the key influencing factors for bioactivity enhancement of nanopesticides remain unclear, which not only limits the exploration of relevant mechanisms, but also hinders the precise design and development of nanopesticides. In this study, we explored the potential of SND in enhancing the bioactivity of nanopesticides, specifically focusing on abamectin SND prepared using a self-emulsifying-carrier solidifying technique combined with parameter optimization. Our formulation, consisting of 8% abamectin, 1% antioxidant BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol), 12% complex surfactants, and 79% sodium benzoate, significantly increased the pseudo-solubility of abamectin by at least 3300 times and reduced its particle size to a mere 15 nm, much smaller than traditional emulsion in water (EW) and water-dispersible granule (WDG) forms. This reduction in particle size and increase in surface activity resulted in improved foliar adhesion and retention, enabling a more efficient application without the need for organic solvents. The inclusion of antioxidants also enhanced photostability compared to EW, and overall stability tests confirmed SND's resilience under various storage conditions. Bioactivity tests demonstrated a marked increase in toxicity against diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella L.) with abamectin SND, which exhibited 3.7 and 7.6 times greater efficacy compared to EW and WDG, respectively. These findings underscore the critical role of small particle size, high surface activity, and strong antioxidant properties in improving the performance and bioactivity of abamectin SND, highlighting its significance in the design and development of high-efficiency, eco-friendly nanopesticides and contributing valuably to sustainable agricultural practices.

Boosting Potassium Adsorption and Diffusion Performance of Carbon Anodes for Potassium-Ion Batteries via Topology and Curvature Engineering: From KT-Graphene to KT-CNTs.

We propose a two-dimensional carbon allotrope (named KT-graphene) by incorporating kagome and tetragonal lattices consisting of trigonal, quadrilateral, octagonal, and dodecagonal rings. The introduction of non-hexagonal rings can give rise to the localized electronic states that improve the chemical reactivity toward potassium, making KT-graphene a high-performance anode material for potassium-ion batteries. It shows a high theoretical capacity (892 mAh g-1), a low diffusion barrier (0.33 eV), and a low average open-circuit voltage (0.51 V). The presence of electrolyte solvents is propitious to boost the K-ion adsorption and diffusion capabilities. Moreover, one-dimensional nanotubes (KT-CNTs), rolled up by the KT-graphene sheet, are metallic regardless of the tube diameter. As the curvature increases, KT-CNTs exhibit significantly increased surface activity, which can promote the electron-donating ability of K. Furthermore, the curvature effect greatly enhances the efficiency of K diffusion on the inner surface compared to that on the outer surface.

Correlation among molecular structure, air/water interfacial behavior and foam properties of naringin-treated chickpea protein isolates

The effects of naringin treatment on molecular structure, interfacial adsorption behavior and foam properties of chickpea protein isolate (CPI) were investigated in this study. Exploration of intermolecular interactions shows that naringin and CPI can form complex through non-covalent interactions. The addition of naringin reduces the electrostatic repulsion on the protein surface and decreases the content of α-helices in the protein by about 1.98%, which may be closely related to the improvement of foaming properties. An in-depth investigation into the behavior of air/water interface reveals that the complex improves the foaming capacity of system by increasing surface activity and accelerating interfacial adsorption process. The system endows nanoparticles with excellent foaming stability by increasing the viscoelastic modulus of the interfacial film and reducing bubble size. In addition, the interfacial adsorption layer of complex is predominantly elastic. The foaming capacity of the system is the strongest when the mass ratio of CPI and naringin is 1:0.1 (88.01%), and the foaming stability is also improved (66.51%). Meanwhile, the system is also endowed with a higher antioxidant capacity. When naringin is added in excess (>0.4% w/v), insoluble substances successively appear in solution, the foaming capacity of the system and the viscoelasticity of the interfacial film show a decreasing trend. The results of this work suggest that the addition of naringin may be a potential strategy to enhance the foaming properties of proteins, and this work provides better insight into the foaming mechanism of small-molecule polyphenol-treated protein complexes.

Weighting the role of specific nitrogen and oxygen functionalities on porous carbons in formaldehyde removal: Combining surface chemistry analysis and factorial dimensionally reduction method

Two activated carbons (phosphoric acid activated, CG, and steam activated, SX) of marked differences in porosity and surface chemistry were modified by an introduction of oxygen, nitrogen or both heteroatoms and used as formaldehyde removal media at room temperature. Sorption of nitrogen, XPS, FTIR, thermal analysis and potentiometric titration were used to characterize the samples’ porosity and chemistry. Heating at 450, 600 and 950 °C affected the content and speciation of groups on the surface and led to complex porosity alterations. CG was more susceptible to changes in porosity and its surface accepted twice more nitrogen than that of SX. Pyridines and pyrroles were in majority, regardless the treatment. When in a high density in supermicropores and mesopores, they were found responsible for an increased surface activity for HCHO removal due to specific interactions. It increased up to an order of magnitude adding to the complex role of ultramicropores, and thus markedly enhanced the effective utilization of the carbon surface. CG, with more nitrogen overperformed the SX series. Even though pyridines and pyrroles were found active, the results suggested that quaternary nitrogen is an important specific center for HCHO adsorption and this finding was supported by a factorial dimensionally reduction method.

Promoting the catalytic activity and SO2 resistance of CeO2 by Ti-doping for low-temperature NH3-SCR: Increasing surface activity and constructing Ce3+ sites

CeO2-based oxides are promising catalysts for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3-SCR), but the poor SO2 poisoning resistance hampers its further application. Herein, we developed a Ti-doped CeO2 (Ti-CeO2) catalyst with high specific surface area by calcining TiSO4-doped Ce-MOF precursor for NO removal. On Ti-CeO2, abundant Ti3+ sites are generated by the thermally reducing carbon in the organic ligand during calcination, the electronic interaction between Ti3+ and Ce4+ leads to the generation of many more exposed Ce3+ sites, effectively preventing the sulphuration of surface Ce species to Ce2(SO4)3. Besides, the residual sulfate species provides plentiful Brønsted acid sites for NH3 adsorption. Therefore, both the catalytic performance and SO2 resistance of CeO2 are significantly enhanced after Ti-doping. Remarkably, above 80% NO conversion is obtained between 220 and 450 °C on Ti0.10-CeO2 (the molar ratio of Ti:Ce is 0.10 in the synthesis process), and the NO conversion maintains around 76.0% for 170 h in the presence of 100 ppm SO2 and 5 vol% H2O at 250 °C. The reaction on CeO2 and Ti-CeO2 follow the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism, but abundant Ce4+ in CeO2 having high oxidation ability leads to the generation of plentiful stable nitrate or nitrite to occupy the active sites. In contrast, the over oxidation of NO and SO2 adsorption are inhibited because of Ti-doping, resulting in superior catalytic performance in the SCR reaction.

Synthesis and physicochemical properties of sodium oleyl sulfate

Abstract In this paper, sodium oleyl sulphate (SOS) was successfully synthesised by reacting octyl alcohol (OA) with gaseous sulphur trioxide (SO3) as a sulphating reagent in a falling film reactor. The structure was determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) spectroscopy. The dynamic adsorption and aggregation behaviour of SOS was systematically investigated to reveal the relationship between the structure and properties of SOS. The physicochemical properties of SOS were determined by measuring the equilibrium surface tension, dynamic surface tension and dynamic contact angle, respectively. A laser particle size analyser and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to analyse the aggregation behaviour of SOS. Compared to sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sodium n-octadecyl sulphate (C18H37OSO3Na), which have a similar structure to SOS, the increase in hydrophobic chain size and tighter molecular packing enabled by the polar head conformation caused a decrease in CMC and an increase in surface activity. The efficiency of the surface activity was controlled by a mixed diffusion kinetic adsorption mechanism. Moreover, SOS in aqueous solution showed efficient wettability on the surface of the low-energy paraffin film at concentration above the CMC. In addition, SOS molecules can spontaneously form spheroidal aggregates with increasing concentration, and the size of the aggregates increased with the concentration.

Survival and establishment of captive‐reared and translocated giant gartersnakes after release

AbstractMany imperiled species face increasing extinction risk that requires interventional management like translocation or captive rearing. The use of translocations to successfully restore or create populations requires that animals survive at recipient sites, information that is often lacking for imperiled species and that can be risky to acquire if not obtained before a species has dwindled in number. The giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas), a semiaquatic snake endemic to the Central Valley in California, USA, has declined after losing >90% of its historical habitat and may benefit from successful translocations to protected habitat. We released adult and captive‐reared juvenile snakes from 2 donor sites into a recently restored wetland in 2019 and 2020 and compared their survival, movement, and activity using radio‐telemetry through 2021. We monitored juvenile survival for 2 years in captivity after birth and then estimated post‐release survival at the recipient site using radio‐telemetry. Just 8% of translocated adult snakes survived >801 days (95% CI = 1–64%) compared with 39% of resident snakes at the donor sites surviving >1,154 days (95% CI = 23–68%). This equated to annualized survival rates of translocated adults ( = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.12–0.82) that were roughly half that of resident snakes ( = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.63–0.89). Translocation was negatively correlated with survival, but movement and activity received little support in models. Seventy‐six percent of juvenile snakes survived captivity and, once released, juvenile survival was 60% (95% CI = 38–94%) for the 4‐month monitoring period before winter. It is unclear why survival of translocated adult snakes was lower than that of resident snakes, but there was little evidence for differences in behavior (e.g., increased surface activity, average distance moved, emigration from the translocation site) that are commonly cited causes of mortality in other translocation studies. Our results suggest that, in the absence of a clear understanding as to what contributes to adult survival after release to a new site, future work using captive‐rearing and juvenile translocation may be more promising for establishing and recovering populations than just translocating adults given the high survival of juveniles.

Post-functionalization of graphitic carbon nitride for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

In this work we report the feasible modification of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) polymer through a post-functionalization progress. The resultant photocatalyst exhibits boron doping and mesoporous structure with a high surface area of 125 m2/g, leading in an increased surface activity for photocatalytic water splitting reaction. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, PL emission spectra and UV-Vis spectra were used to detect the properties of as-prepared samples. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, boron is proposed to dope in the g-C3N4 lattice. Optical studies indicated that boron doped g-C3N4 exhibits enhanced and extended light absorbance in the visible-light region and a much lower intensity of PL emission spectra compared to pure g-C3N4. As a result, boron doped g-C3N4 shows activity of 10.2 times higher than the pristine g-C3N4 for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This work may provide a way to design efficient and mesoporous photocatalysts through post modification.

Trace ppb-level NH3 sensor based on single petal-like Ce-doped SnO2

Gas sensors have been broadly researched for room temperature (RT) and real-time applications. However, it has been discovered that humidity affects the sensing and the sensor's lifespan at RT. Thus, we must develop new sensing materials with high sensitivity and stability at RT. During this research, the Ce–SnO2 gas sensor was produced by the one-pot hydrothermal method. As fully confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, Ce doping changes the morphology of the original SnO2 nanoarray and generated large oxygen vacancies. The sensor of Ce–SnO2-5(Ce wt% = 5 wt%) has a higher sensing performance for NH3 at RT and high humidity (ΔR/R0 = 33.62% at 30 ppb, 4.4 s/12.8s), and the limit of detection (LOD) reaches 780 ppt, which exceeds most of the recently reported similar metal oxides. Besides, the sensor also has an apparent anti-interference ability to some reduced gases and has better stability and repeatability. The sensing process improvement is explained as follows: the oxygen vacancy, large specific surface area, and redox cycling of Ce ions between the two valence states increase surface activity and charge transfer efficiency.

A spherical fountain prototype photoreactor operated under natural sunlight: Mechanism, toxicology assessment, and economics

Many investigations have reported the study of dispersed nanoparticle photocatalysts on a laboratory scale. Herein, we present a working spherical fountain prototype photoreactor spray-coated with galvanic sludge to prevent agglomeration and increase surface activity. The degradation process was performed under natural sunlight to make the process sustainable. This photocatalytic reactor exhibited an efficiency of 90.4 % during the photodegradation of 4-Nitrophenol at the optimal conditions of a pollutant concentration of 25 ppm with a photocatalyst loading of 5 g at a natural pH for an operating volume of 7 L with an addition of 0.7 mL of H2O2. Detailed specific surface area, pore volume, pore diameter, shape, and agglomeration were studied by BET and HRTEM. There was a significant change observed in the morphology and crystallinity of the recycled photocatalyst, which could be due to photo-corrosion, as shown in the FESEM and XRD analyses. Moreover, a detailed mechanism was elucidated to understand the fate of 4-Nitrophenol during photodegradation. Furthermore, a toxicology assessment was conducted for the pollutant before and after degradation using Escherichia coli, which showed a decrease in the toxicity. Lastly, an economic evaluation was carried out to deduce the cost of treating 1 m3 of wastewater, which was determined to be USD 10.8/m3 for this photoreactor model.

Investigation of mechanical activation of steelmaking slag and obtaining fine filler

The article presents the results of the mechanical activation of steel-smelting slag affecting the properties of the gypsum composition. As a result of the study, parameters were identified that characterize the reactivity of the slag during mechanical activation. It was established that the increase in the number of Bronsted active adsorption centers on the surface of the formed powders is responsible for their reactivity. However, the maximum increase in surface activity leads to a large percentage of residue on the sieve. Also, polynomial models were obtained that adequately describe the entire process of mechanical activation of waste from metallurgical production.

The impact of heating and freeze or spray drying on the interface and foam stabilising properties of pea protein extracts: Explained by aggregation and protein composition

The processing of plant protein extracts can affect the protein structure, leading to altered functional properties. In this work, we evaluated the impact of two common processes in pea protein extraction: heating and drying. Non-heated and heated (5 min at 95 °C) samples were compared, which were either freeze- or spray-dried. These processes led to alterations of the proteins, and resulted in changes of their interface and foam-stabilising properties. A mild protein extraction method was used to preserve the native protein structure during aqueous extraction, allowing the extraction of both albumin and globulin proteins. Spray-drying of these fractions led to higher surface hydrophobicity, which resulted in increased surface activity and stiffer interfacial layers at pH 3.8 and 7.0. The heating step induced aggregation of the globulins, while albumins remained soluble. Here, we demonstrated that the albumins had a dominant effect on the interfacial (rheology and ellipsometry) and foaming properties after heating, as the globulin aggregates were too large for effective interface stabilisation. A similar mechanism was also shown at pH 3.8, where the globulins precipitated, as the pH was close to their pI, while albumins remained soluble. Again, the albumins dictated the interfacial properties, leading to highly stable foams after removing the insoluble globulins. We have shown marginal differences in protein functionality after freeze- or spray-drying. More importantly, the changes in soluble protein composition dictate the protein functionality after heating or pH shifts.

Targeted hydrolysis of native potato protein: A novel workflow for obtaining hydrolysates with improved interfacial properties

Peptides and protein hydrolysates are promising alternatives to substitute chemical additives as functional food ingredients. In this study, we present a novel workflow for producing a potato protein hydrolysate with improved emulsifying and foaming properties using quantitative proteomics and bioinformatic prediction to facilitate targeted hydrolysis design. Based on previous studies, we selected 15 potent emulsifier peptides derived from abundant potato proteins as targets. Through in silico analysis, we determined that from a range of industrial proteases (Neutrase (Neut), Alcalase (Alc), Flavourzyme (Flav) and Trypsin (Tryp)), Tryp was found more likely to release peptides resembling the targets. After applying all proteases individually, hydrolysates were assayed for in vitro emulsifying and foaming properties. No direct correlation between degree of hydrolysis and interfacial properties was found. Tryp (E/S = 3%) produced a hydrolysate (DH = 5.4%) with high aqueous solubility and the highest (P < 0.05) emulsifying and foaming abilities, validating the hypothesis. Using LC-MS/MS, we identified >10,000 peptides in each hydrolysate. Peptide mapping revealed that random overlapping with known peptide emulsifiers is not sufficient to quantitatively describe hydrolysate functionality. However, validated release of targeted peptides by 3% Tryp appears to increase surface activity of the hydrolysate. Our data also suggest that terminal hydrophobic anchor domains may be important for high interfacial partitioning and activity. While modest yields and residual unhydrolyzed protein indicate room for process improvement, this work shows that bioinformatics-guided and data-driven targeted hydrolysis is a promising, interdisciplinary approach to facilitate process design for production of functional hydrolysates from alternative protein sources.