Low Recovery Rate Research Articles

Study on the Technology of Ultrasonic, Chemical and Mechanical Combined Treatment of Oilfield Aging Oil

Aging oil is a common pollutant in petrochemical enterprises due to its severe emulsification and flocculation, poor settling performance, low oil recovery rate, and high difficulty in treatment. This article adopts the method of mechanical, ultrasonic, and chemical coupling demulsification to treat aging oil, with the water content and oil recovery rate of the treated aging oil as the inspection indicators. The experiment shows that when the oil-water ratio is 1:4, the heating temperature is 50℃, the stirring speed is 180rpm, the ultrasonic frequency is 25kHz, the power is 40W, the ultrasonic time is 25min, and the pH is adjusted to 3-4. The additional amount of FeSO4 is 160mg/L, the additional amount of H2O2 is 0.11%, and the heating stirring reaction is 40min. When the dosage of cationic PAM with an ion degree of 50 is 35mg/L, the centrifugation speed is 3200rpm. The centrifugation time is 20 min, the crude oil recovery rate after aging oil treatment can reach over 94.6%, and the water content of the treated crude oil is less than 0.5%, meeting the standards for crude oil gathering and transportation in China. The oil content in the water generated after aging oil treatment is about 150 mg.L-1, the suspended solids content is 200 mg.L-1, the oil content in the residue is 6%, and the water content is 53%. By analyzing the appearance of aging oil before and after treatment, it was found that when using this process to treat aging oil, the original spatial cross-linking network structure of the aging oil was broken, allowing the water droplets wrapped in the oil to be released, thereby significantly reducing the water content in the recovered oil and improving the oil recovery rate.

Research and Application of Non-Steady-State CO2 Huff-n-Puff Oil Recovery Technology in High-Water-Cut and Low-Permeability Reservoirs

In response to the issues of poor water flooding efficiency, low oil production rates, and low recovery rates during the high-water-cut period in the low-permeability reservoirs of the Mutou Oilfield, the non-steady-state (NSS) CO2 huff-n-puff oil recovery technology was explored. The NSS CO2 huff-n-puff can improve the development effect of low-permeability reservoirs by replenishing the reservoir energy and significantly increasing the crude oil mobility. Experimental investigations were carried out, including a crude oil and CO2–crude oil swelling experiment, minimum miscibility pressure testing experiment, high-temperature and high-pressure microfluidic experiment, and NSS CO2 huff-n-puff oil recovery on-site pilot test. The experimental results showed that the main mechanisms of NSS CO2 huff-n-puff include dissolution, expansion, viscosity reduction, and swept volume enlargement, which can effectively mobilize the remaining oil from the various pore throats within the reservoir. The high-temperature and high-pressure microfluidic experiment achieved an ultimate recovery rate of 83.1% for NSS CO2 huff-n-puff, which was 7.9% higher than the rate of 75.2% obtained for steady injection. This method can effectively utilize the remaining oil in the corners and edges, enlarge the swept volume, and increase the recovery rate. Field trials of NSS CO2 huff-n-puff in a low-permeability reservoir in the Mutou Oilfield indicated that it cumulatively increased the oil production by 1134.5 tons. The achieved results and insights were systematically analyzed and could provide key technical support for the application of NSS CO2 huff-n-puff technology in low-permeability reservoirs, promoting the innovative development of this technology.

Microwave-Assisted “One-Pot” Acidolysis and Extraction for the Rapid Determination of Mancozeb in Fruit and Vegetable Samples

Mancozeb is an extensively consumed fungicide, which often leaves high residue levels on agricultural products. The conventional method for detecting mancozeb involves a time-consuming process using gas chromatography (GC) after a 2-hour water-bath acidolysis, resulting in low efficiency and recovery rates. This study developed a rapid method for detecting mancozeb in fruits and vegetables using microwave-assisted acidolysis and extraction coupled with GC analysis. Mancozeb underwent “one-pot” acidolysis to generate CS2 gas and was subsequently extracted from samples using microwave treatment, requiring only 50 seconds of pretreatment time. The average recoveries of mancozeb ranged from 81% to 112%. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.003 and 0.01 mg kg−1, respectively. The scanning electron microscope imaging showed that strong cell crumpling after microwave treatment improved the acidolysis rate significantly, where the acidolysis rate was 91.8% for mancozeb. In addition, this method is rapid, simple, and precise for detecting residues of mancozeb and other dithiocarbamate fungicides.

Eco-friendly, stimuli-responsive sponge with magneto-photothermal effect for efficient and continuous cleanup of viscous crude oils

Oil spills pose significant global environmental and resource wastage issues due to the slow flow of high-viscosity crude oil. Current cleanup methods, such as chemical dispersion, in situ burning, microbial degradation, and mechanical oil skimmers, have limitations such as low recovery rates, secondary pollution, and time consumption. To address these challenges, we developed an eco-friendly magneto-photothermal sponge combining magnetic and photothermal heating. This innovation enables safe, efficient, and continuous cleanup without direct contact. The magneto-photothermal sponge, fabricated through a simple dip-coating and template method, consists of nontoxic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge with a biocompatible SiO2/Fe3O4/polydopamine layer. It exhibited rapid adsorption, high capacity (131–344 % for various oils), sustained superhydrophobicity, and reusability. Owing to its magnetothermal and photothermal properties, it was rapidly heated to 178 °C in 3 min under an alternating magnetic field and to 63.5 °C in 5 min under solar irradiation. The sponge efficiently absorbed viscous crude oils, with a recovery rate of 93.33 g h−1 cm−2, which surpasses that reported in previous studies. Combining solar and magnetic heating enhanced recovery, being 13 and 1.2 times more effective than individual solar and magnetic heating, respectively. This low-cost, high flame retardant, durable, dual-heating approach offers an efficient, safe, and eco-friendly solution for cleaning viscous heavy oil spills.

Optimizing Operational Parameters for Lithium Hydroxide Production via Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis

Traditional lithium hydroxide production techniques, like lithium sulfate and lithium carbonate causticizing methods, suffer from drawbacks including high specific energy consumption, time-consuming processes, and low recovery rates. The conversion of lithium chloride to lithium hydroxide using bipolar membrane electrodialysis is straightforward; however, the influence of operational parameters on bipolar membrane electrodialysis performance have not been investigated. Herein, the impact of the current density (20 mA/cm2~80 mA/cm2), feed concentration (0.5 M~2.5 M), initial feed pH (2.5, 3.5 and 4.5), and the volume ratio of the feed and base solution (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1) on the current efficiency and specific energy consumption in the bipolar membrane electrodialysis was systematically investigated. The bipolar membrane electrodialysis process showed promising results under optimal conditions with a current density of 50 mA/cm2 and an initial lithium chloride concentration of 1.5 M. This process achieved a current efficiency of 75.86% with a specific energy consumption of 3.65 kwh/kg lithium hydroxide while also demonstrating a lithium hydroxide recovery rate exceeding 90% with a purity of about 95%. This work will provide valuable guidance for hands on implementation of bipolar membrane electrodialysis technology in the production of LiOH.

Purification and Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles from Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) can promote the regeneration and reconstruction of various tissues and organs. Recent research suggests that their regenerative function may be attributed to cell-cell contact and cell paracrine effects. The paracrine effect is an important way for cells to interact and transfer information over short distances, in which extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a functional role as carriers. There is significant potential for ADSC EVs in regenerative medicine. Multiple studies have reported on the effectiveness of these methods. Various methods for extracting and isolating EVs are currently described based on principles such as centrifugation, precipitation, molecular size, affinity, and microfluidics. Ultracentrifugation is regarded as the gold standard for isolating EVs. Nevertheless, a meticulous protocol to highlight precautions during ultracentrifugation is still absent. This study presents the methodology and crucial steps involved in ADSC culture, supernatant collection, and EV ultracentrifugation. However, even though ultracentrifugation is cost-effective and requires no further treatment, there are still some inevitable drawbacks, such as a low recovery rate and EV aggregation.

Development of the Software System for Managing a Digital Pet ID

Recent Research and Publications Analysis: The shift towards digital documentation, such as Ukraine's «Diia» for human records, has not yet been fully embraced in pet care, creating a significant service gap. Ukraine, with a high number of household pets, especially approximately 7.63 million cats, highlights the need for a comprehensive digital pet management system. Given the frequent cases of pets getting lost—with low recovery rates—a robust digital system is essential for improving these figures and enhancing pet safety. When designing software, it is important to choose the right technologies for both the web interface and the backend. Django is recommended for the backend because of its «batteries-included» architecture, which provides a comprehensive set of ready-to-use tools that facilitate rapid development and ensure a high level of security. For the inter-face, it is recommended to use JavaScript integrated with frameworks such as React, An-gular or Vue to create dynamic applications that improve the user experience with asyn-chronous requests, allowing the content of the page to be updated without reloading the page. This combination not only provides scalability and security, but also effectively meets the complex needs of web applications. Purpose of the Study. This study aims to develop a software system that facilitates the management of digital pet IDs, which will integrate medical records, vaccination his-tories, and detailed activity logs. This integration aims to streamline pet care, making it more efficient and significantly more convenient for pet owners. Main Material Presentation. The proposed system's architecture will include: – backend. Utilizing Django REST Framework for creating scalable, secure web APIs that handle data operations efficiently; – frontend. Employing JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to provide a responsive and in-teractive user experience. Key Features: – digital passports for pets, verifiable via QR codes; - detailed activity logs that track and display pet movements and behaviors; – comprehensive vaccination records accessible by both pet owners and veterinari-ans; – a lost pet bulletin board that uses geographical data to notify users of nearby lost or found pets. Conclusions.Technologies have been chosen and a software system has been devel-oped for effective management of digital pet IDs, integrating key functions for compre-hensive data management of pets. It utilizes modern technologies to ensure reliable data security, high scalability, and enhanced user interaction, making it a key achievement in the management of digital pet IDs.

Synthesis of temperature and salt resistance silicon dots for effective enhanced oil recovery in tight reservoir

The intensive development of tight reservoirs has positioned them as a strategic alternative to conventional oil and gas resources. Existing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods struggle to effectively exploring reservoir oil, resulting in low recovery rates. Novel and effective means of developing tight reservoirs are urgently needed. Nanomaterials have shown promising applications in improving water flooding efficiency, with in-depth research into mechanisms that lower injection pressure and increase water injection volumes. However, the extent of improvement remains limited. In this study, a silicon quantum dots (Si-QDs) material was synthesized via a hydrothermal synthesis method and used to prepare a nanofluid for the efficient recovery of tight reservoir. The Si-QDs, with an approximate diameter of 3 nm and a spherical structure, were surface functionalized with benzenesulfonic acid groups to enhance the performance. The developed nanofluid demonstrated stability without aggregation at 120 °C and a salinity of 60000 mg/L. Core flooding experiments have demonstrated the attractive EOR capabilities of Si-QDs, shedding light of the EOR mechanisms. Si-QDs effectively improve the wettability of rocks, enhancing the sweeping coefficient of injected fluids and expanding sweeping area. Within this sweeping region, Si-QDs efficiently stripping adsorbed oil from the matrix, thus increasing sweeping efficiency. Furthermore, Si-QDs could modify the state of pore-confined crude oil, breaking it down into smaller particles that are easier to displacement in subsequent stages. Si-QDs exhibit compelling EOR potential, positioning them as a promising approach for effectively developing tight oil reservoirs.

Development of an Economic Cost Model for Gold and Associated Minerals Using Economic Analysis and Artificial Intelligence Approach

Limited accuracy due to complex geological processes, insufficient data granularity, and challenges in predicting market dynamics impact mineral forecast models. In order to develop a cost-based model for gold and related minerals in Birnin Gwari (Kaduna State) and Kagara (Niger State), this study is being carried out in Nigeria. The created concept aims to increase the profitability and economic viability of open-pit mines operated by craftsmen and mining investors. By maximizing mine life cycles and preventing the early closure of mining sites, this was intended to encourage the best recovery rates. This study used economic and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling methods to create a cost-based model for ten gold-associated minerals. The coefficient of correlation (R2), root mean square error (RSME), and variance accounting factor (VAF) were used to assess the created model's correctness. The model evaluator demonstrates that the proposed cost-based models are economically viable and the quantitative results are as presented in Equations (14-23). The cost-benefit connection between gold and the ten related minerals was also determined using a least-squares regression analysis. According to geochemical results, the average values of gold and related minerals in the study region range from 4.87 g/t of gold (Au), 1.501 g/t of copper (Cu), and 187.13 g/t of iron (Fe) in Birni Gwari to 2.29 g/t of gold (Au), 1.358 g/t of copper (Cu), and 173.75 g/t of iron (Fe) in Kagara. In Birnin Gwari, the equivalent financial estimations are N876,600 for Au, N60,040,000 for Cu, and N1,129,375 for Fe, and N5,780,000 for Au, N49,500 for Cu, and N363,060,000 for Fe in Kagara. The model's scope demonstrates that running a single mineral can result in low recovery rates and a loss of profit margin; thus, the model's application to all open pit mines is relevant as a reference for profit margin cash flow.

Benzohydroxamic acid adsorption on the surface of scheelite: New insights from experiments and AIMD simulations

To explain the low recovery rate of scheelite during flotation using benzohydroxamic acid (BHA), we performed experiments and AIMD simulations. The results showed that scheelite floated only 50 % of BHA. The adsorption capacity of BHA on the scheelite surface was 1.63 × 10−5 mol/g, which caused the surface potential of scheelite to become negative, with a change of −10.5 mV at pH 9.05. After BHA adsorbed onto the scheelite surface, the surface roughness increased by 0.35 nm, and the water contact angle of the scheelite surface increased by 13.14°. Moreover, 1.76 % N was detected, representing BHA molecules, BHA-Ca complexes, and H-bonded BHA species·H2O adsorbed onto surface calcium ions and between adjacent calcium ions, while free, unadsorbed H2O molecules formed clusters. The added BHA repelled water adsorbed onto the Ca sites of the scheelite (112) surface via O atoms in C-N-O structure with an adsorption energy of −56.26 kJ/mol. AIMD simulations at 300 K revealed that temperature changed the adsorption of flotation agent molecules on scheelite surfaces, including the densification of hydration layers and the separation of BHA-Ca complexes from the scheelite surface.

Research on the in-situ flocculation behavior of polyferric silicate for enhancing the lithium leachability in lithium-rich clay

The expansion of global lithium demand urgently requires efficient extraction technologies for lithium-rich clay recourse. However, the encapsulation of polysilicate products in the acidic leaching system impedes the migration of lithium from the mineral to the solution, resulting in a low recovery rate of lithium. Here, this study proposes an in-situ flocculation mechanism of Fe3+ on the polysilicate to reconstruct the surface structure, enhancing the leaching efficiency of lithium. Results showed that the flocculation of Fe3+ approaches the Si-O surface and reacts with silicate to form the polyferric silicate (Fe3Si2O5(OH)4). This special configuration eliminates the wrapping and adsorption effect of polysilicate while promotes the diffusion of Li+. Increased FeCl3 concentration and higher leaching temperature are beneficial for the leaching efficiency of Li. Under optimized conditions, the Li leaching efficiency in the FeCl3 leaching system reaches up to 92.81 %. This work introduces Fe3+ to overcome the limiting effect of polysilicate during acidic leaching, and affords extraordinary recovery of lithium from clay resources.

Analysis of fly ash-treated SDCM pile behavior through laboratory model tests

Fly ash, an industrial byproduct, has resulted in significant environmental pollution and poses a threat to human health due to its low recovery and utilization rate. Stiffened deep cement mixing (SDCM) piles, leveraging both the high lateral friction resistance of cement mixing pile socket and the high strength of concrete core pile, are widely employed in practice of soft ground improvement. However, to avoid damage to cement mixing pile socket, a higher amount of cement is often required, leading to not only elevated project costs but also conflicting with low-carbon environmental objectives. In tackling this concern, the introduction of fly ash as a partial substitute for cement in cement mixing pile socket offers a solution. This study delves into the vertical bearing mechanism of fly ash-treated SDCM piles through laboratory model tests. Results reveal that as the curing duration extends, the hydration rates of fly ash decrease relative to cement, being demonstrated by larger settlements at the top of fly ash-treated SDCM pile compared to that of standard SDCM pile. It is also found that elevated levels of hydration in cement mixing pile socket results in a heightened stiffness and an enhanced pile end resistance.

Optimization of hydrolysis conditions of alginate based on high performance liquid chromatography

Alginate is the most abundant polysaccharide compound in brown algae, which is widely used in various fields. At present, the determination of the content of alginate is mostly carried out using sulfuric acid and trifluoroacetic acid hydrolysis followed by the determination of the content, but the results are not satisfactory, and there are problems such as low hydrolysis degree and low recovery rate. Therefore, in this study, based on the optimization of high performance liquid chromatographic conditions for pre-column derivatization of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP), the hydrolysis effects of sulfuric acid, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), oxalic acid, and formic acid were compared and the hydrolysis conditions were optimized. The results showed that formic acid was the best hydrolyzing acid. The optimal hydrolysis conditions were 95 % formic acid at 110 °C for 10 h. The hydrolysis effect was stable, with high recovery and low destruction of monosaccharides, which made it possible to introduce formic acid into the subsequent polysaccharide hydrolysis. The pre-column derivatization high performance liquid chromatography method established in this study was accurate and reliable, and the hydrolysis acid with better effect was screened, which provided a theoretical basis for the subsequent determination of alginate content.

Effect of Polyethylene Pyrolysis Oil Hydrotreatment on the Pt/Al2O3 Catalyst: Experimental Characterization.

The dramatic increase in plastics production, coupled with a low recycling and recovery rate, has been a major challenge for sustainable practices and combating climate change. Hydrotreatment processing to upgrade fuel oils is a well-known process in the petroleum industry. In this work, we aim to investigate the catalyst properties before and after the hydrotreatment of pyrolysis oil derived from plastics, namely, linear low-density polyethylene, as no such report is available in the literature. Granular and powder forms of the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst were used in this study with characterization methods executed as such: transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and IR-RIS. XRD data show that the crystallinity of the catalyst support was unaffected by the hydrotreatment without any residues left, as the characteristic diffraction peaks were indicated for the crystalline phase of the support as 37.4, 39.8, 46.3, and 67.3°. In addition, the TGA experiments revealed that the carbon deposition on the spent catalyst was higher, as indicated by the higher weight loss (15.359%) compared to the fresh catalyst sample (11.43%). XPS analysis showed that the carbon deposition is more intense on the granular spent catalyst, as the intensity of the peaks is some 15 times greater than the peaks from the fresh catalyst. Also, compared to the observed peaks of the powder catalyst, less coke is formed. The band at 1624.05 cm-1 from the IR-RIS spectra was attributed to a shifted C=O band from the coke formation. The extension of these investigations using different catalysts to improve their characteristics and performance and to inhibit coke deposition will contribute to the incorporation of such processes in industry as well as the cost of fuels.

High purity and recovery of native filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) from Bordetella pertussis using affinity chromatography

Filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) is a critical adhesion molecule produced by Bordetella pertussis (BP), the causative agent of highly contagious respiratory infection known as whooping cough. FHA plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of whooping cough and is a key component of acellular pertussis vaccines (aPV). However, conventional purification methods for FHA often involve labor-intensive processes and result in low purity and recovery rates. Therefore, this study explores the use of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies as specific tools to achieve highly pure and efficient FHA purification. To generate FHA-specific antibodies, polyclonal antibodies were produced by immunizing sheep and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were generated by immunizing mice with recombinant and native FHA. The MAbs were selected based on affinity, isotypes, and specificity, which were assessed through ELISA and Western blot assays. Two immunoaffinity columns, one monoclonal and one polyclonal, were prepared for FHA antigen purification. The purity and recovery rates of these purifications were determined using ELISA, SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotting. Furthermore, the MAbs were employed to develop an ELISA assay for FHA antigen concentration determination. The study's findings revealed that immunoaffinity column-based purification of FHA resulted in a highly pure antigen with recovery rates of approximately 57% ± 6.5% and 59% ± 7.9% for monoclonal and polyclonal columns, respectively. Additionally, the developed ELISA exhibited appropriate reactivity for determining FHA antigen concentration. This research demonstrates that affinity chromatography is a viable and advantageous method for purifying FHA, offering superior purity and recovery rates compared to traditional techniques. This approach provides a practical alternative for FHA purification in the context of aPV development.

Pebble tracing experiment at the Promenade des Anglais (Nice, France): A contribution towards beach management efforts

In this paper, the results of a short-term tracing experiment carried out at a beach compartment along the Bay of Nice (southern France) are presented. Nice urban beach is characterized by persistent offshore sediment loss issues that force the local administration to operate frequent artificial replenishments to maintain the current configuration, which also protects the well-renown Promenade des Anglais from high-energy events. As beach refills are quite expensive, the aim of the paper is to provide novel insights about the transport processes of pebble-sized tracers, which might support the Municipality to better adjust future interventions. Pebbles were tracked by means of the Radio Frequency Identification technology, largely used in such settings because of its reliability and efficiency. In addition, the morphology of the beach was monitored during the three-days-long experiment by airborne and ground topographic surveys, as well as the shape and the size of the tracers. Finally, a wave model was produced to simulate wave propagation in the nearshore, which validates the observed transport patterns. The results documented a low recovery rate (56%) 4 h after tracer injection, which is uncharacteristic considering that it jumped to 91% after the second survey, 24 h after the injection. At the end of the experiment (48 h), the recovery rate sank to 14%. These data were adequate to identify a few trends in pebble transport: tracer recovery rate in the swash zone was very low, while many marked pebbles were found at the step crest. Although this transport pattern may corroborate the offshore movement of the sediments, the topographic surveys revealed the destruction and re-formation of the fair-weather berm overnight, which would imply the presence of a shoreward transport under low energy wave conditions. While size did not single out any tendency, shape did: spheres rolled down the beachface earlier than disks; by contrast, disk-shaped pebbles moved for longer distances than spheres. These findings will be useful for local coastal managers because next beach fills will be planned and optimized based on the observed transport patterns. Though the selection of disk-shaped pebbles implies increasing costs, replenishments would be more efficient and fine-tuned for this sector of coast, which would ultimately save resources reducing negative impacts on the environment along the way. These considerations are valid for the Bay of Nice, but they might be useful wherever coarse-clastic beaches need recurring replenishments.

Designing a Reverse Logistics Network for End-of-Life Vehicles in an Uncertain Environment

The strategic development of reverse logistics networks is crucial for addressing the common challenge of low recovery rates for end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in China. To minimize the total cost of the reverse logistics network for ELVs, this paper proposes a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model. The model considers the recycling volume of different vehicle types, facility processing capacity, and the proportions of parts and materials. Building on this foundation, a fuzzy mixed-integer nonlinear programming (FMINLP) model is developed to account for the inherent uncertainty associated with recycling volumes and facility processing capacities. The model was solved using Lingo, and its effectiveness was validated using Jiangsu Province of China as a case study, followed by a sensitivity analysis. The results indicate that dismantling and machining centers incur the highest processing costs. Variations in recycling volume and facility handling capacity significantly impact total costs and site selection, with the former having a more pronounced effect. Increasing facility processing capacity effectively increases the recovery rate. Moreover, a higher confidence level corresponds to higher total costs and a greater demand for facilities.

Abstract 3624: A low-cost kit for gentle, effective and timely extracellular vesicle (GET EVs) isolation: Accelerating development of RNA-based liquid biopsies for neuroendocrine neoplasms

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell fragments released by all cells, making them promising platforms for cancer biomarker development. Effective isolation of ultra-pure EVs for downstream analyses is key for EV-based liquid biopsy development. However, current EV isolation methods such as ultracentrifugation (UC) and other commercialized EV isolation kits are lackluster because of damage to EVs, length of time required, and low EV recovery rates. In response, we developed an “GET EV” kit which is based on the principles of lipid energy states, also known as the aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) to isolate EVs from any media. Nanoscale flow cytometry (nFC) analysis revealed that ATPS has greater EV enrichment capability (21.4 × vs. 10.9 × times fold enrichment) and higher EV recovery efficiency (97.6% vs. 69.3% recovery) than UC. Other EV isolation kits were tested and were inferior to ATPS in terms of EV recovery and EV-RNA recovery. EV subpopulations as determined by EV biomarkers (CD9, CD63, CD81, etc.) were confirmed by nFC. “Omics” studies (small RNA sequencing and proteomics) also confirmed the presence of expected EV markers. We developed an RNA-based liquid biopsy for Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) by quantitating the presence of EVs containing miR-375, an established biomarker for NENs. Using the GET EVs kit, we isolated EVs from healthy volunteer and patient plasma samples of NEN patients. RT-qPCR demonstrated enriched expression of miR-375 in EVs isolated from Lung and GI NEN patient plasma samples. Our study establishes the use of GET EV kits to efficiently, rapidly, and gently isolate EVs from small plasma samples (250 uL). This is a low-cost innovation that will finally enable the development of other RNA-based Liquid Biopsies for other disease sites with significant diagnostic and prognostic implications. Citation Format: Boyang Su, Morteza Jeyhani, Xiaojing Yang, Jina Nanayakkara, Reese Wunsche, Neil Renwich, Scott Tsai, Hon Leong. A low-cost kit for gentle, effective and timely extracellular vesicle (GET EVs) isolation: Accelerating development of RNA-based liquid biopsies for neuroendocrine neoplasms [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3624.

Vacuum thermal decomposition behavior of Ag2Te

Silver and tellurium are crucial valuable metallic elements in anode slimes. During pyrometallurgical processing, tellurium exists in the alloy as the stable compound Ag2Te. The current process of separating tellurium from silver-tellurium compounds in crude silver by oxidizing tellurium into slag leads to undesirable loss of silver, low recovery rates of tellurium, and considerable slag. An environmentally friendly and efficient vacuum thermal decomposition process of Ag2Te was proposed, and the effects of temperature, pressure, and holding time on the decomposition of Ag2Te were investigated. The Experimental temperature was thermodynamically calculated to be in the range of 1473–1673 K and pressure in the range of 1–100 Pa. As the temperature increases, especially above 1573 K, the silver volatiles increase significantly, and silver and tellurium vapors react strongly to form stable silver-tellurium compounds. Investigating the volatilization and condensation mechanisms of silver and tellurium highlights the importance of inhibiting silver volatilization to achieve efficient separation of silver and tellurium. Volatiles containing 98.85% tellurium mainly as tellurium monomer, and a remained melt consisting of 95.56% silver primarily as silver monomer were produced at 1523 K, 50 Pa, and an 8-h holding time.

Sodium carbonate roasting and mild acid leaching of vanadium titanomagnetite concentrates: Vanadium extraction and residue sodium decrease

Vanadium titanomagnetite is a crucial resource for vanadium and titanium. The traditional process of treating vanadium titanomagnetite concentrates has shortcomings like low vanadium recovery rate and titanium recovery inability, resulting in resource wasting and solid waste discharging. Thus, a new process of Na2CO3 roasting and mild H2SO4 leaching has been proposed. In the concentrates, titanium occurs majorly in titanomagnetite (Fe3-xTixO4, 0≤x≤1) and ilmenite (FeTiO3), vanadium in titanomagnetite and sphene (CaTiSiO5), calcium in sphene, and silicon and aluminum in several minerals. Phases are tuned during Na2CO3 roasting, where V and impurities Al and Si transform into soluble sodium compounds, leachable phase sphene doesn't change, and Ti is enriched in insoluble phases. Then, leached by mild H2SO4, the soluble compounds are almost all leached, and the leaching rates of V, Ca, Al, and Si are 91%, 76%, 84%, and 82%, respectively. The Na2O content in the leaching residue decreases to 1.0 wt%, which enables the residue for Ti extraction. This process is expected to recover V and Ti comprehensively from the vanadium titanomagnetite concentrates. The roasting kinetics are also studied based on CO2 content in the off-gas for a deeper understanding of the mechanism.