Insoluble Particles Research Articles

Effects of fibre addition and processing on the stability, rheology and in vitro gastric digestion of whey protein-xanthan gum stabilised emulsions with high oil phase

The aim of work was to structure and characterise the high rapeseed oil emulsions stabilised by xanthan gum rich whey protein with an inclusion of commercially available added fibre (Vitacel HF0010 plus) as an additional stabiliser. The manufactured emulsions were also tested whether they can re-build the emulsion property after drying, water addition and re-emulsification. The emulsions with a ratio of 60/40 for rapeseed oil to water phase were obtained with a fibre inclusion at 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00% using a high shear homogenisation. Drying processing, rehydration and re-emulsification only led to re-build emulsion structure with 0.50 and 1.00% fibre. After re-emulsification, some fibre occurred as insoluble particles and were allocated at the oil-water interface or continuous phase of emulsion. Interestingly, processed sample with 1.00% fibre had the greatest instability when subjected to in vitro gastric digestion assay. All primary emulsions and processed emulsions with 0.50 and 1.00% fibre, were stable against coalescence with no oil loss and resulted in almost identical droplet size after a day 30 of storage at 4(±1)°C. All the structured emulsions showed shear-thinning behaviour. The fabricated emulsions showed a feature of regaining emulsion structure, which extend their applications in food formulation as clean label emulsions.

Thermomechanically micronized sugar beet pulp: Emulsification performance and the contribution of soluble elements and insoluble fibrous particles

In this work, thermomechanically micronized sugar beet pulp (MSBP), a micron-scaled plant-based byproduct comprised of soluble elements (∼40 wt%) and insoluble fibrous particles (IFPs, ∼60 wt%), was used as a sole stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsion fabrication. The influence of emulsification parameters on the emulsifying properties of MSBP was investigated, including emulsification techniques, MSBP concentration, and oil weight fraction. High-speed shearing (M1), ultrasonication (M2), and microfludization (M3) were used to fabricate oil-in-water emulsions (20% oil) with 0.60 wt% MSBP as stabilizer, in which the d4,3 value was 68.3, 31.5, and 18.2 μm, respectively. Emulsions fabricated by M2 and M3 (higher energy input) were more stable than M1 (lower energy input) during long-term storage (30 days) as no significant increase of d4,3. As compared to M1, the adsorption ratio of IFPs and protein was increased from ∼0.46 and ∼0.34 to ∼0.88 and ∼0.55 by M3. Fabricated by M3, the creaming behavior of emulsions was completely inhibited with 1.00 wt% MSBP (20% oil) and 40% oil (0.60 wt% MSBP), showing a flocculated state and could be disturbed by sodium dodecyl sulfate. The gel-like network formed by IFPs could be strengthened after storage as both viscosity and module were significantly increased. During emulsification, the co-stabilization effect of the soluble elements and IFPs enabled a compact and hybrid coverage onto the droplet surface, which acted as a physical barrier to endow the emulsion with robust steric repulsion. Altogether, these findings suggested the feasibility of using plant-based byproducts as oil-in-water emulsion stabilizers.

Synchronous stabilization of As, Cd, and Pb in soil by sustained-release of iron-phosphate

Anionic arsenic (As) exhibits geochemical behavior opposite to those of cationic cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb), which makes the synchronous remediation of As, Cd, and Pb challenging. The synchronous stabilization of As, Cd, and Pb to form Cd/Pb-phosphate and iron‑arsenic precipitates is a promising strategy. However, the effectiveness of soluble phosphate or iron-based materials is limited by the activation of Cd, Pb, or As, while low mobility hinders insoluble particles. In this study, we developed an amorphous structure that releases iron and phosphate at a sustained rate. Thus, the stabilization efficiencies of NaHCO3-extractable As, DTPA-extractable Cd and Pb reached 44.6 %, 40.8 %, and 48.1 %, respectively. The proportion of residual fraction of As, Cd, and Pb increased by 12.1 %, 14.5 %, and 36.4 %, respectively, after 28 d. Ferrihydrite was chosen as the soil component to monitor the chemical behavior and speciation transformation of As, Cd, and Pb in the reaction. During the process, the released iron directly reacted with dissolved As to form iron‑arsenic precipitation and phosphate directly reacted with Cd/Pb to form Cd/Pb-phosphate precipitation. Simultaneously, phosphate replaced the adsorbed As and transformed into a dissolved state, which could be re-precipitated with the released iron ions. Thus, this study provides a reliable strategy for the remediation of As, Cd, and Pb combined pollution in soil.

On the acoustic attenuation characteristics of sonar detection in the salt-cavern gas storage environment

Aiming at the acoustic attenuation in the salt-cavern environment, this paper established a theoretical relationship of the ultrasonic attenuation in the salt-cavern gas storage, based on the wave equation of the acoustic wave propagating in a non-ideal medium, and considering the specific environment of gas storage, and analyzes how the wall roughness of the gas storage affects the acoustic attenuation. The results show that the inner wall roughness of the salt-cavern gas storage has an effect on the acoustic attenuation. The inner wall surface is at the solid-liquid interface, where the change of the medium will affect the attenuation of the acoustic wave, and the effective reflection coefficient of the inner wall will cause the acoustic wave to attenuate at a lower frequency. On this basis, the characteristics of insoluble particles in the salt-cavern gas storage were also studied, and the main components of different media in salt-cavern cavities and the diameter distribution of different particles were obtained, and an experimental platform was established. According to the experimental results, the roughness of a reflective surface significantly affects the attenuation coefficient of the acoustic wave, and the acoustic wave will suffer two energy losses on a rough wall surface. In addition, the insoluble particles also affect the acoustic attenuation significantly, and scattering attenuation increases with the particle size. The research conclusions provide theoretical basis for the variation characteristics of ultrasonic attenuation with the environmental medium and ultrasonic excitation frequency of the salt-cavern gas storage.

Protein-induced delubrication: How plant-based and dairy proteins affect mouthfeel

Understanding how certain proteins cause astringency is necessary in order to improve the mouthfeel and popularity of plant-based foods. To this end, we studied protein interactions during oral processes using a PDMS-PDMS interface lubricated by ex-vivo human saliva. Friction measurements and in-contact imaging were implemented, while food consumption was simulated by introducing model plant and animal-based proteins. All but one of the protein samples caused an increase in measured friction and this correlated with astringency ratings from a human taste panel. This is attributed to delubrication as the salivary pellicle is removed, since food proteins interact with salivary proteins thus disrupting their adhesion. This interaction is shown to occur both on the surface and in the bulk of the fluid. However, the debonding of the pellicle requires frictional shear stress (i.e., rubbing) . Food proteins in isolation are themselves shown to be surface-active and form boundary films, which can adhere following removal of the pellicle. The mechanical action of protein particles in the delubrication process was isolated by filtering and shown to account for a moderate (<33%) increase in friction magnitude accompanied by a significant (>90%) increase in frictional noise. The flow and deformation of these particles was also visualised thus demonstrating how the microscale breakdown of food can be studied. • Tribological measurements combined with in-contact fluorescence imaging were used to study the breakdown of the salivary pellicle by food proteins within a simulated tongue-palate interface. • During salivary pellicle formation, salivary proteins agglomerations are trapped at the inlet and act to feed the contact. • Measured friction increase resulting from the introduction of food protein onto a saliva film on PDMS agreed with that from a biological tongue and correlated with astringency ratings from a human taste panel. • Both plant-based and dairy proteins can cause astringency by interacting with saliva proteins thus reducing their adhesion to the surface. This interaction is shown to occur both on the surface and in the bulk of the fluid. • Shear stress is required to remove the weakly bound saliva proteins to cause delubrication. • The role of insoluble food protein particles entrainment in astringency is to cause abrasive wear that increases the average friction coefficient and contributes to significant frictional noise.

Trace Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Snow Cover of the City of Nizhnevartovsk (Western Siberia, Russia).

The city of Nizhnevartovsk is one of the centers of oil production in Western Siberia (Russia). A survey of the contents of trace metals and metalloids (TMMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the snow cover was conducted there. It was aimed to study insoluble particles in the snow where the predominant fraction of pollutants in urban areas is concentrated. In contrast to the background area, the deposition of TMMs in Nizhnevartovsk increases by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The deposition of V and Mn increases by 37 and 88 times, respectively, and the deposition of W increases at most (by 98 times). Abrasion of spikes of winter tires, abrasion of metal parts of vehicles, and combustion of motor fuels cause the pollution with W, Co, and V, respectively. The total content of 12 EPA PAHs in the particulate fraction of snow in the urban area averaged 148.2ngl-1, and the deposition rate was 17.0μg/m2. In contrast to the background area, the fraction of high molecular weight 5-6-ring PAHs significantly increases in the city, especially dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DahA). The indicative ratios of PAHs showed that the snowpack composition was influenced by both petrogenic and pyrogenic sources. The proportion of pyrogenic sources is the highest in the low-rise residential area due to fuel combustion to produce heat and burning of household waste. The impact of motor transport is also major and is manifested in the maximum pollution in areas of heavy traffic. No emissions of PAHs from oil spills from the nearby Samotlor oil field have been identified. It is concluded that the hydrocarbon pollution of the atmosphere from the field weakens during the winter period compared to the warm season. Application of the integral TDF index characterizes the majority (72%) of the studied samples as lowly polluted, 24% of the observation sites are classified as moderately polluted, and one (4%), as highly polluted. The maximum TDF values are observed in the industrial area. The data obtained during the study allowed us to identify the central areas and sites along the roads with the heaviest traffic as the most contaminated areas of the city. This study can be a reference for air pollution monitoring in Nizhnevartovsk.

Wood lignocellulosic stabilizers: effect of their characteristics on stability and rheological properties of emulsions

Lignocellulosic materials from the forest industry have shown potential to be used as sustainable hydrocolloids to stabilize emulsions for many applications in life science and chemical industries. However, the effect of wood species and recovery method on the product’s properties and ability to stabilize emulsions of isolated lignocellulosic compounds is not well understood. Hemicelluloses, abundant lignocellulosic side stream, exhibit differences in their water solubility, anionic character, lignin content, and degree of acetylation. Here, we explored stability and rheological properties of model emulsions (5% hexadecane and 1% stabilizer, w/w) stabilized by different grades of sprucewood galactoglucomannan (GGM) and birchwood glucuronoxylan (GX) hemicelluloses. The results were compared to known soluble, insoluble, charged, and non-charged cellulosic stabilizers, namely methyl cellulose (MC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), anionic- and nonionic-cellulose nanocrystals (aCNC and dCNC). The results showed that GX emulsions were highly stable compared to GGM emulsions, and that deacetylation and lignin removal markedly reduced emulsion stability of GGM. Carboxymethylation to increase anionic characters enhanced the emulsion stabilization capacity of GGM, but not that of GX. Investigating flow behaviors of emulsions indicated that hemicelluloses primarily stabilize emulsions by adsorption of insoluble particles, as their flow behaviors were similar to those of cellulose nanocrystals rather than those of soluble celluloses. Understanding the impact of the variations in composition and properties of hemicellulose stabilizers to stabilize emulsions allows tailoring of their recovery processes to obtain desirable hydrocolloids for different applications.

New insight into oxidative roasting and leaching for NdFeB waste

NdFeB waste is an essential rare earth (RE) resource, which is the unique solid waste to realize large-scale RE recovery via HCl preferential dissolution method. However, the challenges of low oxidation efficiency and high acid consumption are seriously hindering RE efficient recovery. Herein, the mechanism between the phase structure transformation of roasting RE solid waste and RE elements' leaching behavior was first explored. The results showed the oxidation efficiency of NdFeB oil sludge (NOS) was improved from 2.5 % to 99.2 % with the temperature increasing. And a leaching model was proposed: Dense Layer Structure (≤400 ℃), Loose Layer Structure (400–600 ℃), and RE Insoluble Structure (≥600 ℃). The analysis of the leaching model indicates the dense oxide layer and the RE insoluble structure (RE insoluble NdFeO3 phase and particle adhesion) will affect the leaching efficiency of RE elements. Based on the oxidation efficiency, XPS, SEM, Raman, FTIR, and EDS-mapping analysis, an external oxide layer was verified on the microparticle of roasted NOS. Furthermore, the corresponding mechanism is discussed, and the improvement strategies are put forward. This study will supply a new insight into the theoretical basis for efficient and low HCl consumption recycling of NdFeB waste.

Affinity and Petrogenesis of the Huzyk Creek Metal-Enriched Graphite Deposit: A Metamorphosed Metalliferous Black Shale in the Trans-Hudson Orogen Of Manitoba, Canada

ABSTRACT The Huzyk Creek area is situated along the boundary between the Reindeer Zone and the Superior Boundary Zone of the Paleoproterozoic Trans-Hudson Orogen, where the Precambrian rocks are overlain by Phanerozoic cover. Two drill holes intersect graphite schist that is enriched in V, as well as U, Zn, Mo, and Cu, and is hosted by a metamorphosed wacke-mudstone sequence interleaved with variably altered mafic rocks. Whole-rock lithogeochemistry and Sm-Nd isotope chemistry suggest that the wacke-mudstone package is related to the turbidite-derived Burntwood Group of the Kisseynew Domain and was likely deposited relatively proximal to the Flin Flon arc-collage. A model is proposed in which redox-sensitive metals were leached from rocks of the Flin Flon arc-collage during weathering under oxidizing conditions. The metals were transported in oxygenated surface run-off draining the arc-collage and discharged into the Kisseynew Basin. Shallow waters of the Kisseynew Basin were likely oxygenated and biologically productive; however, the basin was likely euxinic at mid-depths. The mixing of the metal-enriched, oxygenated water with organic matter and euxinic water resulted in the reduction of the redox-sensitive metals and the formation of insoluble organometallic complexes and particles. A highstand, or period of tectonic quiescence, likely halted turbidite deposition and allowed for the settling organic and metal-rich particles to create relatively thick deposits. Burial and metamorphism resulted in the organic-rich material being transformed into graphite, while Mo, Cu, and Zn were partitioned into sulfides. The mineral hosts of V and U are not known at this time. The model calls for the fractionation of redox-sensitive metals from the water column shortly after discharge into the Kisseynew Basin and implies that graphitic horizons in relatively close proximity to the Flin Flon arc-collage have a greater potential for metal enrichment than graphite deposits farther removed from the arc. This model could apply to basins of similar metamorphic grade, age, and tectonic setting around the globe.

Physicochemical and gel properties of pumpkin seed protein: a comparative study

SummaryThe physicochemical properties and heat‐induced gel properties of pumpkin seed protein isolates (PSPI) were explored and compared with soybean protein isolate (SPI) and pea protein isolates (PPI). These plant proteins were subjected to ultrasound, acid or alkaline treatment (pH 3 or 11). The content of amino acids and subunit composition were different in PSPI compared with SPI and PPI. Rheological and textural experiments showed that native PSPI had the highest gel strength among the three proteins. This was due to the high hydrophobicity of PSPI and the filling effect of insoluble particles in the protein solution. PSPI had a more pronounced improvement in gel properties after ultrasound or alkaline treatment compared with SPI and PPI, which was due to the increased surface hydrophobicity, increased solubility and reduced particle size of the proteins. The acid treatment induced insoluble aggregates increased the protein particle size, and decreased the protein solubility, resulting in a negative effect on the PSPI protein gel. Therefore, it can be concluded that PSPI has better heat‐induced gelation than SPI and PPI and can be used as a substitute for SPI and PPI in the food industry.

Light-independent anaerobic microbial oxidation of manganese driven by an electrosyntrophic coculture.

Anaerobic microbial manganese oxidation (AMMO) has been considered an ancient biological metabolism for Mn element cycling on Archaean Earth before the presence of oxygen. A light-dependent AMMO was recently observed under strictly anoxic conditions, providing a new proxy for the interpretation of the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. However, the feasibility of biotic Mn(II) oxidation in dark geological habitats that must have been abundant remains unknown. Therefore, we discovered that it would be possible to achieve AMMO in a light-independent electrosyntrophic coculture between Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Geobacter metallireducens. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed insoluble particle formation in the coculture with Mn(II) addition. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis verified that these particles were a mixture of MnO2 and Mn3O4. The absence of Mn oxides in either of the monocultures indicated that the Mn(II)-oxidizing activity was induced via electrosyntrophic interactions. Radical quenching and isotopic experiments demonstrated that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) produced from H2O dissociation by R. palustris in the coculture contributed to Mn(II) oxidation. All these findings suggest a new, symbiosis-dependent and light-independent AMMO route, with potential importance to the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis and the biogeochemical cycling of manganese on Archaean and modern Earth.

Model of Processive Catalysis with Site Clustering and Blocking and Its Application to Cellulose Hydrolysis.

Interactions between particles moving on a linear track and their possible blocking by obstacles can lead to crowding, impeding the particles' transport kinetics. When the particles are enzymes processively catalyzing a reaction along a linear polymeric substrate, these crowding and blocking effects may substantially reduce the overall catalytic rate. Cellulose hydrolysis by exocellulases processively moving along cellulose chains assembled into insoluble cellulose particles is an example of such a catalytic transport process. The details of the kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis and the causes of the often observed reduction of hydrolysis rate over time are not yet fully understood. Crowding and blocking of enzyme particles are thought to be one of the important factors affecting the cellulose hydrolysis, but its exact role and mechanism are not clear. Here, we introduce a simple model based on an elementary transport process that incorporates the crowding and blocking effects in a straightforward way. This is achieved by making a distinction between binding and non-binding sites on the chain. The model reproduces a range of experimental results, mainly related to the early phase of cellulose hydrolysis. Our results indicate that the combined effects of clustering of binding sites together with the occupancy pattern of these sites by the enzyme molecules play a decisive role in the overall kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis. It is suggested that periodic desorption and rebinding of enzyme molecules could be a basis of a strategy to partially counter the clustering of and blocking by the binding sites and so enhance the rate of cellulose hydrolysis. The general nature of the model means that it could be applicable also to other transport processes that make a distinction between binding and non-binding sites, where crowding and blocking are expected to be relevant.

Investigation on the Atomic Mechanism for Grain Refinement of Magnesium Alloys by Mg-Zr Master Alloy.

The valence electron structure, bond energy, and cohesive energy of Mg, Zr, and α-Mg containing Zr, and α-Zr containing Mg crystals were calculated using the empirical electron theory of solids and molecules (EET). The calculation results show that the bond and cohesive energies of Zr were much greater than those of Mg, so Zr particles could precipitate ahead of α-Mg in general magnesium alloy melts or insoluble Zr particles exist when the magnesium melt temperature is relatively low. The bond energy of α-Zr decreases with the increase in Mg content; therefore, at the end of the growth of Zr particles, the remaining Zr atoms in the melt exist in the form of Mg-Zr clusters. In order to reduce the surface energy of Zr particles, the outer surface of Zr particles tends to terminate with a Zr-Mg atomic layer, that is, a stable two-dimensional Zr-Mg atomic layer is formed first on the (0001) crystal surface of the outermost surface of Zr particles. Furthermore, on the basis of the calculated results, a complementary criterion to the edge-to-edge model of heterogeneous nucleation is also proposed. {ure and single Zr particles cannot become the heterogeneous nucleus of α-Mg, but when there is an atomic layer of two-dimensional Zr-Mg on its surface, the nucleation of particles can be activated. Mg atoms in the liquid phase preferentially attach to the Zr-Mg/Mg-Zr atomic layer on the surface of Zr particles to grow and form a stable ordered structure, which lastly transforms Zr particles into efficient heterogeneous cores.

Wildfire Smoke Influence on Cloud Water Chemical Composition at Whiteface Mountain, New York.

Wildfires significantly impact air quality and climate, including through the production of aerosols that can nucleate cloud droplets and participate in aqueous-phase reactions. Cloud water was collected during the summer months (June-September) of 2010-2017 at Whiteface Mountain, New York and examined for biomass burning influence. Cloud water samples were classified by their smoke influence based on backward air mass trajectories and satellite-detected smoke. A total of 1,338 cloud water samples collected over 485days were classified by their probability of smoke influence, with 49% of these days categorized as having moderate to high probability of smoke influence. Carbon monoxide and ozone levels were enhanced during smoke influenced days at the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Smoke-influenced cloud water samples were characterized by enhanced concentrations of potassium, sulfate, ammonium, and total organic carbon, compared to samples lacking identified influence. Five cloud water samples were examined further for the presence of dissolved organic compounds, insoluble particles, and light-absorbing components. The five selected cloud water samples contained the biomass burning tracer levoglucosan at 0.02-0.09μM. Samples influenced by air masses that remained aloft, above the boundary layer during transport, had lower insoluble particle concentrations, larger insoluble particle diameters, and larger oxalate:sulfate ratios, suggesting cloud processing had occurred. These findings highlight the influence that local and long-range transported smoke have on cloud water composition.

Polysorbates versus Hydroxypropyl Beta-Cyclodextrin (HPβCD): Comparative Study on Excipient Stability and Stabilization Benefits on Monoclonal Antibodies.

Polysorbates (PS 20 and PS 80) are the most widely used surfactants in biopharmaceutical formulations to protect proteins from denaturation, aggregation, and surface adsorption. To date, around 70% of marketed therapeutic antibodies contain either PS 20 or PS 80 in their formulations. However, polysorbates are chemically diverse mixtures, which are prone to degradation by oxidation and hydrolysis to produce peroxides and fatty acids, which, in turn, induce protein oxidation, aggregation, and insoluble particle formation. These will negatively impact protein quality and stability. Thus, polysorbate degradation has emerged as one of the major challenges in the development and commercialization of therapeutic protein products. KLEPTOSE® HPβCD (hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin), a new multifunctional excipient, has been shown to provide protein stabilization functions in biopharmaceutical downstream processes and in their final formulations. This study aims to evaluate HPβCD, a new molecule of its class, against polysorbates as a stabilizer in biologics formulations. In this study, the chemical stability of KLEPTOSE® HPβCDs is compared with polysorbates (20 and 80) under various stress conditions. When subjected to heat stress, HPβCDs show little change in product recovery (90.7–100.7% recovery for different HPβCDs), while polysorbates 20 and 80 show significant degradation, with only 11.5% and 7.3% undegraded product remaining, respectively. When subjected to other chemical stressors, namely, autoclave, light, and oxidative stresses, HPβCD remains almost stable, while polysorbates show more severe degradation, with 95.5% to 98.8% remaining for polysorbate 20 and 85.5% to 97.4% remaining for polysorbate 80. Further, profiling characterization and degradation analysis reveal that chemical structures of HPβCDs remain intact, while polysorbates undergo significant hydrolytic degradation and oxidation. Lastly, the physicochemical stability of monoclonal antibodies in formulations is investigated. When subjected to light stress, adalimumab, as a model mAb, formulated in the presence of HPβCD, shows a significant decrease in protein aggregation, and superior monomer and total protein recovery compared to PS 80-containing formulations. HPβCD also reduces both agitation and thermal stress-induced protein aggregation and prevents subvisible particle formation compared to PS 80.

PH-Responsive foams triggered by particles from amino acids with metal ions

Stimuli-responsive Pickering foams have attracted wide attention due to their good stability and controllable foamability. In this work, pH-switchable Pickering foams were constructed using particles from amino acids with metal ions as stabilizers. Some hydrophobic amino acids, phenylalanine, leucine and tryptophan, can induce the production of particles with suitable wettability in the case of combination with some metal ions at their deprotonated forms, and further form Pickering foams. The foams exhibit good stability and can be cycled between foaming and defoaming forms by modulating pH of solutions. When pH was increased, the amino acids were in anionic forms and could easily coordinate with metal ions, forming insoluble particles to stabilize the foams. As pH was decreased, the protonation of amino acids led to the disappearance of particles, resulting in the defoaming state. This work proposes a simple method to prepare Pickering foams with environmentally friendly amino acids as the raw materials, providing a new idea for the construction of stimuli-responsive disperse systems.

Effects of copper on purifying crude TiCl4 with organic reagent: Morphology, property and mechanism

The sticky residue left from purifying crude titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) using organic reagent has been harmful to production equipment. In this paper, it was successfully solved via using co-purifying reagent, which was prepared by doping copper powder in organic reagent. The impurity content and whiteness of TiCl4 were the indexes which were used to determine the formula of co-purifying reagent compound, the amount of residue and the optimal purifying reaction conditions. Applying the purifying reagent (co-purifying reagent), the mechanism on synergistic purifying was explored via characterizing the residue, combined with theoretical calculation. The results suggested that the copper powder played a catalytic role in improving the coking rate and degree for organic reagent, and its ID/IG ratio increased from 0.99 to 1.01, which indicated that higher proportion of amorphous carbon and more defects were obtained. Finally, VOCl3 was transformed into VOCl2 and VCl3 insoluble particles, contributing by the synergistic reduction of copper powder and amorphous carbon, and then they were removed via adsorbing on amorphous carbon.

Particulates formed in dialysis fluid: effect of silica in tap water

BackgroundA fluid commonly used for dialysis in Japan is prepared from two dialysate concentrates and dialysis water. Silicon (Si) from tap water is reported in dialysis water as suspended insoluble particulate matters. We aimed to examine the source of insoluble particulate matters in the online prepared substitution fluid and to examine effects of the silica (SiO2) of tap water on the SiO2 of dialysis water.MethodBased on the number of particles and particle size distribution in online prepared substitution fluid, we evaluated particle diameters and constituent elements of particles in online prepared substitution fluid. To identify sources of insoluble particulate matters in the online prepared substitution fluid, we measured particle diameters and constituent elements of particles adhering to the surface of hollow fiber of the final endotoxin-retentive filter (ETRF) and to the inner surface of the housing of the final ETRF and measured SiO2 in tap water, dialysis water, and commercial sterile substitution fluid.ResultsSi-containing particles accounted for 83% of 30 particles detected in the final ETRF (the hollow fibers and the housing) and the online prepared substitution fluid sampled from the final ETRF. The large variability in the SiO2 in tap water depending on the geographic regions. The SiO2 in dialysis water was 0.4–0.7 mg/L. Si was not detected in particles in the commercial sterilized substitution fluid, and the commercial sterile substitution fluids contained SiO2 at 0.1 mg/L.ConclusionWe presume that insoluble particulates in online prepared substitution fluid were calcium and magnesium precipitated from dialysate and Si precipitated from dialysis water. Moreover, variation in the SiO2 in tap water is a factor affecting the SiO2 level in dialysis water. If the formation of silicates in the online prepared substitution fluid is considered and the target SiO2 in dialysis water is to be set ≤ 0.1 mg/L, SiO2 in tap water available in hospitals and dialysis centers should be known before specifications of instruments for dialysis fluid preparation are determined.

Amide-Assisted Polymerization of 1,3-Butadiyne Containing Thiolate Ligands on Small Gold Nanoparticles.

Incorporation of directing amide groups has been shown to facilitate the topochemical polymerization of 1,3-butadiyne (diacetylene) groups in noncrystalline phases such as gels, amorphous solids, and liquid crystals. It remains challenging to polymerize 1,3-butadiyne-containing alkylthiolate ligands within their self-assembled monolayers on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which enhances their stability and adds new optical and electronic properties. Especially smaller AuNPs of sizes below 5 nm in diameter have been reported to display sluggish photopolymerization and are susceptible to photodegradation under UV irradiation. To probe the effectiveness of the amide-directed photopolymerization of 1,3-butadiyne ligands, small AuNPs in the 2-4 nm range were synthesized that contain alkylthiolate ligands with and without amide and 1,3-butadiyne groups. Their photopolymerization and photostability were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. AuNP with amide-free 1,3-butadiyne ligands templated the polymerization of the 1,3-butadiyne ligands but fused to large and insoluble particles during the polymerization process. AuNPs with ligands containing both 1,3-butadiyne and amide groups polymerized significantly faster, which slowed down photodegradation. A UV irradiation (254 nm and 176 W/m2) for 5-10 min was found to be optimal for the AuNPs with directing amide groups studied here, although their average core sizes grew from 3.8 to 4.0 nm in diameter and about 20% of the attached 1,3-butadiyne ligands remained unreacted after 10 minutes of irradiation. About 75% of the attached 1,3-butadiyne ligands were already polymerized during the first 5 min of UV irradiation. This decrease in reactivity is reasoned with a fast polymerization of ligands attached to facet sites and slower polymerization rates for ligands attached to edge and corner sites. Unexpectedly, photopolymerization occurred only in the presence of solvent, whereas no polydiacetylene was generated when dry powders of any of the diacetylene-containing gold nanoparticles were irradiated.

Fabrication, characterization and efficacy evaluation of natural gum-based bioactive haemostatic gauzes with antibacterial properties.

Management of uncontrolled bleeding due to traumatic injuries occurring in battlefields and road traffic accidents is a major healthcare concern, especially in developing countries like India. Since natural coagulation mechanism alone is insufficient to achieve haemostasis quickly in such cases, application of an external haemostatic product is generally required to accelerate the coagulation process. We had recently reported preliminary comparison of four natural absorbent gums, which indicated towards haemostatic potential of gum tragacanth (GT) and xanthan gum (XG). Present study involves fabrication of haemostatic dressings incorporated with different concentrations of GT or XG, along with ciprofloxacin (a broad-spectrum antibiotic) and other excipients over woven cotton gauze. Prepared gauzes were investigated for physico-chemical characteristics, in-vitro blood interaction studies, antibacterial effect and in-vivo haemostatic efficacy in Sprague Dawley rats using two bleeding models. Acute dermal toxicity studies were also carried out as per OECD guidelines. SEM studies showed that gauzes coated with XG had thin, uniform layer of coating, while in case of GT; coating was comparatively rough with insoluble particles of GT adhering over gauze surface, forming voids on the fibers. Coated gauzes exhibited optimum mechanical properties in terms of tensile strength and percent extension at break. GT coated dressings showed good fluid uptake and retention ability in-vitro. Test gauzes were non-hemolytic in nature, did not elicit any dermal toxicity on animals' skin and had the ability to protect against E. coli infection. In-vivo efficacy studies in rat femoral artery and liver laceration bleeding models indicated that gauzes coated with 4% GT were able to clot blood in least time (36.67 ± 3.33s and 40 ± 2.58s respectively) as compared to other gum combinations and commercially available dressing 'Surgispon® (103.3 ± 4.22s and 85 ± 5.62s respectively). Results of this study validate our initial findings of the potential of gum tragacanth to be developed into a suitable haemostatic product.