Liquid Matter Research Articles

A novel approach to the quantitative analysis of the particulate matter in conventional cigarette smoke and heated tobacco product aerosols

The particulate and soluble matter present in aerosols from combustible cigarettes (CCs) and Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) was collected in liquid water. These liquids, yellowish in the experiments with cigarettes and colourless after using HTPs, were analysed by Laser Diffraction (LD) and by Transmission Electron Microscopy coupled to Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) to study the amount, size, composition, and other features of the particulate matter (PM) present in the collected aerosols.The particulate matter concentration in HTPs samples is below the limit of quantification for LD, and only samples from cigarettes show a particulate matter concentration above such limit. TEM analysis has revealed that the liquid samples (from both, cigarettes and HTPs experiments) contain particulate matter, mainly composed of carbon (C) and oxygen (O), but also of traces of inorganic elements. The TEM electron beam results in the evaporation of the particulate matter derived from HTPs, but not of that derived from cigarettes, highlighting the different nature of the particulate matter in both systems, i.e. liquid particulate matter present in the HTPs aerosols and solid particulate matter in the cigarettes smoke. A protocol for the quantitative comparison of the particulate matter present in aerosols has been applied over sixteen TEM images for each sample, confirming important differences from the point of view of the amount of particulate matter and particle size ranges. Thus, the amount of particulate matter for HTPs aerosol samples is more than one order of magnitude lower than for cigarettes smoke.

Comparative Analysis of Particulate Content in Cigarette Smoke: Implications for Respiratory Health of Active and Passive Smokers

Cigarette smoke is a heterogeneous mixture of gases, uncondensed vapours and liquid particulate matter with millions of particles per cubic centimetre. Cigarette smoking can negatively impact the health of smokers and non-smokers. As such, there is a need to constantly assess the quantity of toxic substances emanating from smoking cigarettes. This study investigated the total amount of particulates to which smokers and non-smokers are exposed and identified the chemical compositions of total particulates in cigarette smoke from some selected cigarette brands obtained from Nagongera town council shops in Uganda. To achieve this, we made use of an apparatus that mimics the smoking process of a human being and a passive smoker by connecting this set to another set-up containing a cigarette to be burnt. Qualitative tests for chemical composition were conducted using conventional tests for organic functional groups. It was found that Sportsman and locally cured tobacco had the highest total particulate content (116 mg and 73 mg) while Supermatch and Safari had the lowest total amount of particulates 45.5 mg and 40.3 mg, respectively. The investigated cigarettes were found to be composed of the following functional groups: aromatics, phenolics, nitrosamines and alkaloids. However, aldehyde and ketonic groups were not identified. The cigarette composition results in cigarette smoke composition either in the mainstream or the side stream causing disease to a respiratory system like lung cancer, emphysema and cancers in the mouth cavity and oesophagus. This study confirmed that the brand of cigarette smoked could determine the quantity of particulate smokers and non-smokers of cigarettes might be exposed to and that functionalities and/or chemical compositions vary amongst Ugandan cigarette brands

Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Matter In Nuclear Waste Liquid Under Visible Light by a Ternary Thin Layer System Based on g-C3N4

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based materials are considered promising catalysts for organic waste photodegradation due to their excellent photocatalytic activity and stability. Herein, a ternary thin layer system based on g-C3N4 was prepared by hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) deposition followed by liquid phase ultrasonic stripping and Ag deposition (marked as Ag-BCN), which increased the specific surface area of g-C3N4, expanded the corresponding range of the visible-near-infrared spectrum of g-C3N4 and promoted the photo-generated electron–hole pair separation in g-C3N4 to improve the photocatalytic efficiency of pure g-C3N4. The results showed that after deposition of h-BN and Ag into bulk g-C3N4 and liquid phase ultrasonic stripping, the efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of tannic acid (TA) was enhanced. The efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of TA by Ag-BCN-2 was 84.3% at 90 min, which was 1.6 times the efficiency of bulk g-C3N4.

Probing extreme states of liquid matter

The new High Energy Density instrument (HEDi) at the European XFEL (EuXFEL) allows for extreme states of liquid matter to be probed in unprecedented detail.

A high-sensitivity radon emanation detector system for future low-background experiments

Radioactive radon atoms originating from the primordial 238U and 232Th decay chains are constantly emanated from the surfaces of most materials. The radon atoms and their radioactive daughter isotopes can significantly contribute to the background of low-background experiments. The 222Rn progeny 214Pb, for example, dominates the background of current liquid xenon-based direct dark matter detectors. We report on a new detector system to quantify the 222Rn surface emanation rate of materials. Using cryogenic physisorption traps, emanated radon atoms are transferred from an independent emanation vessel and concentrated within the dedicated detection vessel. The charged radon daughter isotopes are collected electrostatically on a silicon PIN photodiode to spectrometrically measure the alpha decays of 214Po and 218Po. The overall detection efficiency is ∼ 36 % for both polonium channels. The radon emanation activity of the emanation vessel was measured to be (0.16± 0.03) mBq, resulting in a detection sensitivity of ∼ 0.06 mBq at 90 % C.L.

Backward flow and jet formation of liquid and granular medium in a gravity drainage system following a sudden valve closure

The sudden closure of a valve during the gravity-driven drainage of the liquid or granular medium causes the backward flow of material and generates a strong backward pressure wave. The phenomenon, which has a strong similarity with classical water hammer, is reported for the first time. Under specific conditions, the formation of the jet is observed at the free surface. The current article presents a detailed computational investigation of the unique phenomenon of backward propagation of materials and jet formation. A detailed comparison of the flow phenomenon for liquid and granular medium of constant bulk density is reported providing a particular emphasis on jet formation in these two cases. Distinct stages of flow dynamics are observed particularly for granular medium. For liquid, the runout time for the jet formation has been quantified analytically to appreciate the energy dissipation. The analytical model also produces good agreement (+10.75%, −8.9%) with the trained model based on numerical results. A detailed parametric study is incorporated for aspect ratio and valve height ratio to characterize and compare the phenomenon for both the flowing medium, − liquid, and granular matter.

Photosynthetically-powered phototactic active nematic liquid crystal fluids and gels

One of the most ancient forms of life dating to ~3.5 billion years ago, cyanobacteria are highly abundant organisms that convert light into energy and motion, often within conjoined filaments and larger colonies that attract a great deal of interest but their active nematic behavior remained unexplored. Here we demonstrate how light causes a spontaneous self-assembly of two- and three-dimensional active nematic states of cyanobacterial filaments, with a plethora of topological defects. We quantify light-controlled evolutions of orientational and velocity order parameters during the transition between disordered and orientationally ordered states of photosynthetic active matter, as well as the subsequent active nematic’s fluid-gel transformation. Patterned illumination and foreign inclusions with different shapes interact with cyanobacterial active nematics in nontrivial ways while inducing interfacial boundary conditions and fractional boojum defects. Our phototactic model system promises opportunities to systematically explore fundamental properties and technological utility of the liquid crystalline active matter.

Why Liquidity Matters: A Financial Planning and Investment Discussion for Plastic Surgeons.

Plastic surgeons should understand the importance of maintaining liquidity as part of a robust household financial planning and investment strategy. Although investors rightly focus on achieving solid long-term returns, our experience suggests that many plastic surgeons often pay too little attention to liquidity management in their outlook, and some may experience stress as a result. This article discusses why liquidity management matters both in terms of each surgeon's unique career and in the context of today's dynamic investment opportunities and risks. We also discuss how best to understand the trade-offs and costs associated with household debt. Finally, we present simple self-diagnostic questions to help surgeons assess whether their current financial planning addresses key liquidity risks. This article belongs to a series that introduces relevant wealth and investment subjects for practicing plastic surgeons, students in plastic surgery, and support function professionals. This discussion is not meant to be exhaustive nor constitutes investment advice regarding any asset class, strategy, or examples cited herein.

Tracking of the conversion and transformation pathways of dissolved organic matter in sludge hydrothermal liquids during Cr(VI) reduction using FT-ICR MS

In this study, the remediation effects of two types of sludge (ferric-based flocculant and non-ferric-based flocculant) on Cr(VI)-polluted wastewater were evaluated to clarify the key components in sludge hydrothermal solutions responsible for reducing Cr(VI) and understand the underlying molecular-level transformation mechanisms. The results revealed that the primary reactions during the hydrothermal processes were deamination and decarboxylation reactions. Correlation analysis highlighted proteins, reducing sugars, amino groups, and phenolic hydroxyl groups as the major contributors. In-depth analysis of the transformation process of functional groups within dissolved organic matter (DOM) and synergistic redox process between Cr(VI) and DOM in hydrothermal solutions demonstrated that phenolic hydroxyl and amino groups gradually underwent oxidation during reduction of Cr(VI) by DOM, forming aldehyde and carboxyl groups, among the others. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations revealed notable shift of reducing functional groups from ground state to excited state following iron complexation, ultimately facilitating reduction reaction. Subsequent investigations, including soil column leaching and seed germination rate tests, indicated that synergistic redox interaction between Cr(VI) and DOM significantly reduced waterborne heavy metal and toxic organic pollution. These findings carry substantial implications for sludge treatment and remediation of heavy metal pollution in wastewater, offering valuable insights into effective environmental remediation strategies.

Topology of ferroelectric nematic droplets: the case driven by flexoelectricity or depolarization field.

The recent discovery of ferroelectric nematics provides new opportunities for exploring polar topology in liquid matter. Here, we report numerous potential polarization topological states (e.g., polar vortex-like and line disclination mediated structures) in confined ferroelectric nematics with similar free-energy levels. In the experiment, they appear according to the confinement size and surface anchoring conditions. Based on a minimal analytical approach, we reveal that the topological transformation is balanced among the nematic elasticity, the polarization gradient, the flexoelectric and the depolarization interactions.

Wave mechanics in an ionic liquid mixture.

Experimental measurements of interactions in ionic liquids and concentrated electrolytes over the past decade or so have revealed simultaneous monotonic and oscillatory decay modes. These observations have been hard to interpret using classical theories, which typically allow for just one electrostatic decay mode in electrolytes. Meanwhile, substantial progress in the theoretical description of dielectric response and ion correlations in electrolytes has illuminated the deep connection between density and charge correlations and the multiplicity of decay modes characterising a liquid electrolyte. The challenge in front of us is to build connections between the theoretical expressions for a pair of correlation functions and the directly measured free energy of interaction between macroscopic surfaces in experiments. Towards this aim, we here present measurements and analysis of the interactions between macroscopic bodies across a fluid mixture of two ionic liquids of widely diverging ionic size. The measured oscillatory interaction forces in the liquid mixtures are significantly more complex than for either of the pure ionic liquids, but can be fitted to a superposition of two oscillatory and one monotonic mode with parameters matching those of the pure liquids. We discuss this empirical finding, which hints at a kind of wave mechanics for interactions in liquid matter.

Desalination and heating of water in heat pumps in the agro-industrial complex

Evaporators are widely used in the chemical industry for processes such as distillation, concentration and crystallization. Heat pumps can be used in purpose to increase the efficiency of these processes by using the low-grade heat of the secondary vapors of liquid matter from the last effect of the apparatus. Heat pumps have the capacity to substantially reduce energy consumption in the chemical industry compared to more customary warming techniques, as they necessitate less energy to run. This can reduce the overall energy consumption of the chemical process and help reduce emissions.

Liquid organic matter from banana peel improves morpho-physiological traits of coffee seedlings

Due to its economic advantage, the Robusta coffee clones BP 308 and BP 939 are widely grown. Many factors affect coffee growth during the cultivation practice, especially in the availability of adequate nutrients at the nursery stages. Apart from inorganic fertilizer application, organic matter needs to be applied in the nursery stages to support plant growth, such as applying liquid organic matter (LOM) derived from banana peel waste. This study was conducted to find out how the LOM of banana peels affected the morphological and physiological responses of BP 308 and BP 939 clone Robusta coffee seedlings and what proper dosages of LOM were needed. The experiment was conducted at the Ciparanje Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor from January to April 2022. This experiment used a randomized block design method consisting of 10 treatments and 3 repetitions. The treatments tested included 1.5 g of NPK inorganic fertilizer; 10 mL.L-1.plant-1 LOM ; 20 mL.L-1.plant-1 LOM; 30 mL. L-1.plant-1 LOM and 40 mL. L-1 .plant-1 LOM that was given to both clones, namely BP 308 and BP 939. The results of this experiment showed that there were differences in the effect of LOM between BP308 and BP939 on the morphological response such as an increase in plant height and leaf number, on the physiological response such as chlorophyll index and stomatal conductance at the 3 months after treatment (MAT). The BP939 was partly better in response to LOM of 10 mL.L-1.plant-1on plant height, the BP308 was partly better in stomatal conductance.

Economic policy uncertainty and bank stability: Size, capital, and liquidity matter

We examine the impact of economic policy uncertainty on bank stability post-2007–2008 global financial crisis and how bank size, capital, and liquidity mitigate this relationship. We use 176,477 quarterly observations for US commercial banks over the period from 2011Q1 to 2020Q3 and find consistent and robust evidence that bank stability decreases as the level of economic policy uncertainty increases. We show that bank size, capital, and liquidity matter, i.e., the negative impact of policy uncertainty on bank stability is stronger for larger banks and weaker for highly capitalized banks as well as for more liquid banks. Our channel analysis shows that the increase in the level and volatility of lending and deposit rates, and the decrease in risk-adjusted capitalization and risk-adjusted profitability might to some extent explain the decrease in bank stability in times of higher economic policy uncertainty. Additional analysis reveals that higher market power mitigates the negative impact of EPU on bank stability. Our findings support the Basel II and III regulatory reforms aimed at tightening the capital levels with stricter rules for the larger banks and the implementation of the newly introduced liquidity rules.

Establishing the nature of kinetic effects of the high-temperature oxidation (combustion) process of some liquid organic matters by acoustic radiation

In this article, the results of the study on the physicochemical characteristics of some liquid organic matters on the kinetics of their high-temperature oxidation (combustion) were presented for the first time. These results were obtained by the method of acoustic emission spectrum from heat source. The research results of the amplitude-time characteristics (until cessation of combustion completely) and the frequency response functions (in a given frequency range) of oxidation (combustion) process of liquid organic matters showed that there are following unambiguous dependences: 1) the dependences of the number of the amplitude maximum of the frequency and time spectrum in a given frequency range, as well as of the fractal dimension of the received acoustic signal on the number of carbon atoms in the carbon frame of organic matters and their molar mass; and 2) the dependences of the time of beginning of the combustion (ignition) of primary cloud of organic matters vapors and the final combustion time of the primary cloud of organic matters vapors on the number of carbon atoms in the carbon frame of the organic matters and their partial vapor pressures. The practical aspect of using the results obtained is dictated by the need to develop standard samples of amplitude-time and amplitude-frequency characteristics, depending on the physicochemical and combustible properties of the organic matters. This is necessary for the data bank of the acoustic emission monitoring system to establish a fire hazardous state and make anti-crisis decisions at critical infrastructure facilities.

The Lignicolous Genus Entonaema: Its Phylogenetic–Taxonomic Position within Hypoxylaceae (Xylariales, Fungi) and an Overview of Its Species, Biogeography, and Ecology

The lignicolous saprotrophic genus Entonaema contains six formally accepted species: E. liquescens (type species), E. cinnabarinum, E. globosum, E. dengii, E. moluccanum, and E. siamensis. Its stromatic ascomata develop on the surface of dead wood remnants; they are rather large, globose to irregularly shaped, and vividly coloured. The fresh stroma interior is filled with a liquid matter. In early studies, the genus was considered to have a preference for tropical habitats, while in more recent field research, numerous collections have been added from warm, temperate areas of Europe, North America, and Asia. Our taxonomic and phylogenetic studies were based on freshly collected E. cinnabarinum from Croatia and E. liquescens from the USA. A phylogenetic study of the sequence alignment of four concatenated gene regions (ITS, LSU, rpb2, and β-tub) revealed the true taxonomic position of Entonaema within Hypoxylaceae (Xylariales), a sister to Hypoxylon carneum. Detailed macroscopic and microscopic descriptions of E. cinnabarinum are accompanied by drawings and colour photographs, while the study of E. liquescens is focused on stromatal microchemical reaction. With new information, the worldwide identification key to the putative species of Entonaema is proposed. Ecological data and biogeographical patterns were studied using all available and reliable sources of recorded data. Climatic preferences of the two most widespread Entonaema species, E. liquescens and E. cinnabarinum, are discussed in detail.

Neural network interatomic potential for laser-excited materials

Data-driven interatomic potentials based on machine-learning approaches have been increasingly used to perform large-scale, first-principles quality simulations of materials in the electronic ground state. However, they are not able to describe situations in which the electrons are excited, like in the case of material processing by means of femtosecond laser irradiation or ion bombardment. In this work, we propose a neural network interatomic potential with an explicit dependency on the electronic temperature. Taking silicon as an example, we demonstrate its capability of reproducing important physical properties with first-principles accuracy and use it to simulate laser-induced surface modifications on a thin film at time and length scales that are impossible to reach with first-principles approaches like density functional theory. The method is general and can be applied not only to other laser-excited materials but also to condensed and liquid matter under non-equilibrium situations in which electrons and ions exhibit different temperatures.

The Jasmine Plant Growth Effect Supplemented with Liquid Organic Fertilizer from Banana Peels

Liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) is a solution resulting from the decomposition of organic matter originating from plant residues, agro-industrial waste, animal waste, and human waste containing more than one nutrient. LOF can be made from liquid organic matter (liquid organic waste), by composting and providing composting activators so that a LOF that is stable and contains complete nutrients can be produced. The use of LOF has the advantage that although it is often used it does not damage the soil and plants, the use of organic waste as fertilizer can help improve soil structure and quality, because it contains nutrients and other organic matter. The process of adding different fertilizers to the plants for 10 days showed that there were different height changes for each plant. With only water, the plants only reach 0.1 cm difference in 7 days. The plants that were given LOF and NPK (Chemical Fertilizer) gained height in only 4 days with heights 15.6 cm and 16 cm respectively. The growth percentage between LOF and NPK showed a significant difference in 4 days with 0.6% and 3.2 % respectively.

Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Particulate Matter Concentrations in Iraq

Particulate Matter (PM) is microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The term aerosol commonly refers to the particulate/air mixture, as opposed to the particulate matter alone. Sources of particulate matter can be natural or anthropogenic. They have impacts on climate and precipitation that adversely affect human health, in ways additional to direct inhalation. The statistical methods used in this study depend on the daily, monthly, and seasonal means of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 with data taken from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for the year 2021 at the times of 00.00 am, and 12.00 pm over Rutba, Mosul, Basrah, and Baghdad Stations. It has been shown that particulate matter 10 μm is more abundant in the atmosphere, especially at Rutba station. It has a large vertical movement over a wide area and thus leads to an increase in temperature and thus the formation of convection currents. This type of storm occurs within a certain layer of the atmosphere, starting from the surface of the earth to about 1.52 km. These storms are severe during the day and decrease in intensity during the night. They are long-lasting and can last for two weeks.

Charge-Powered Electrotaxis for Versatile Droplet Manipulation.

Taxis is an instinctive behavior of living organisms to external dangers or benefits. Here, we report a taxis-like behavior associated with liquid droplets on charged substrates in response to the external stimuli, referred to as droplet electrotaxis. Such droplet electrotaxis enables us to use either solid or liquid (such as water) matter, even a human finger, as stimuli to spatiotemporal precisely manipulate the liquid droplets of various physicochemical properties, including water, ethanol with low surface tension, viscous oil, and so on. Droplet electrotaxis also features a flexible configuration that even can manifest in the presence of an additional layer, such as the ceramic with a thickness of ∼10 mm. More importantly, superior to existing electricity-based strategies, droplet electrotaxis can harness the charges generated from diverse manners, including pyroelectricity, triboelectricity, piezoelectricity, and so on. These properties dramatically increase the application scenarios of droplet electrotaxis, such as cell labeling and droplet information recording.