Mixed Acid Research Articles

Effect of Roughage-to-Concentrate Ratio and Lactic Acid Bacteria Additive on Quality, Aerobic Stability, and In Vitro Digestibility of Fermented Total Mixed Ration

Planting oat forage in fallow fields during winter and producing total mixed ration (TMR) silage can effectively address issues of land wastage and forage shortages while maintaining forage quality. This study used oats and common vetch grown in winter fields in southern China as base materials, with additives including corn flour, soybean meal, corn lees, cottonseed meal, and premixes to formulate mixed feeds with roughage-to-concentrate ratios of 75:25, 70:30, and 65:35 on a dry matter basis. TMR silage was inoculated with a customized mixed lactic acid bacteria (LAB) additive composed of Lactobacillus plantarum 160 (patent number ZL202210218695.5), Lactobacillus pentosus 260 (patent number ZL202210204293), and Lactobacillus buchneri 225 (patent number ZL202210204293), at a ratio of 2:1:1, with addition rates of 4 × 106, 2 × 106, and 2 × 106 cfu/g, respectively (IN), while sterile distilled water served as the control (CK). After a 60-day fermentation, the cornell net carbohydrate protein system (CNCPS) and in vitro digestion analysis were used to assess the effects of different roughage-to-concentrate ratios on the carbohydrate and protein components and ruminal degradation rate of fermented TMR (FTMR) silage, as well as to evaluate the impact of mixed LAB inoculation on FTMR nutritional quality, fermentation quality, and aerobic stability. The results indicated the following: (1) Regardless of the LAB addition, dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), crude protein (CP), and Ash contents significantly decreased (p < 0.05) as the concentrate level decreased. In the IN group, as the concentrate level decreased, the water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content significantly increased (p < 0.05), the pH significantly decreased (p < 0.05), and the NH3-N/TN significantly decreased (p < 0.05), with LAB counts significantly higher at a 65:35 roughage-to-concentrate ratio than in the other two groups. In the CK group, no significant changes (p > 0.05) were observed in the WSC content, pH, or LAB counts. (2) CNCPS analysis showed that in the IN group, the carbohydrate (CHO) content at a 75:25 roughage-to-concentrate ratio was significantly higher than in the other two groups (p < 0.05), while the non-utilizable carbohydrate (CC) content was significantly lower (p < 0.05). As the concentrate levels decreased, the non-protein nitrogen (PA) and moderately degradable true protein (PB2) content significantly increased (p < 0.05), whereas the rapidly degradable true protein (PB1) and slowly degradable true protein (PB3) content significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In the CK group, the CHO, PA, PB2, and PC content significantly increased (p < 0.05) as concentrate levels decreased, while the PB1 and PB3 content significantly decreased (p < 0.05). (3) In vitro digestibility characteristics indicated that gas production (GP) in the IN group was significantly lower than in the CK group (p < 0.05), with crude protein degradability increasing as concentrate levels decreased, regardless of the LAB addition. (4) At a 65:35 roughage-to-concentrate ratio, aerobic stability in the IN group was significantly higher than in the CK group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, higher concentrate ratios in total mixed rations (TMRs) with varying roughage-to-concentrate proportions improve the nutritional quality and promote the ruminal degradation of the FTMR. LAB inoculant addition could be an effective approach for addressing FTMR feed challenges.

Preparation of high hardness hydrophobic SiO2 anti reflective thin films from mixed acid catalyzed and alkali catalyzed sols

Preparation of high hardness hydrophobic SiO2 anti reflective thin films from mixed acid catalyzed and alkali catalyzed sols

Leaching behavior and kinetics of arsenic’s leaching from arsenic-antimony dust in H2SO4-H3PO4-H2O system

In response to the challenges of low rates of leaching of arsenic and poor separation of arsenic and antimony in arsenic-antimony dust using acidic leaching, the present study proposed a selective leaching approach for arsenic from arsenic-antimony dust using a mixed acid of H2SO4 and H3PO4. The leaching mechanism of arsenic-antimony dust in the H2SO4-H3PO4-H2O system was elucidated through the characterization of the solution and the leaching residue, identifying the effects of various parameters such as the concentration of phosphoric acid and temperature on the separation efficiency of arsenic and antimony, and clarifying the leaching kinetics of arsenic-antimony dust. The results indicated that the introduction of PO43- into the reaction system promoted the formation of SbPO4 precipitate, effectively inhibiting the leaching of antimony and preventing the formation of AsSbO3 and (Sb,As)2O3, as well as enabling efficient leaching of arsenic. Under the H3PO4 concentration of 0.97 mol/L, reaction temperature of 90 ℃, liquid-to-solid ratio of 30:1, and leaching duration of 3 h, the rate of leaching of arsenic reached 99.53 %, with the corresponding value of only 5.13 % for antimony. The arsenic content in the leaching residue was reduced to 0.98 %, while the antimony content was as high as 65.34 %, indicating a preliminary separation of arsenic and antimony. The results for the leaching kinetics indicated that the leaching process of arsenic was governed by the diffusion control model within the Avrami model, with an apparent activation energy (Ea) of 74.863 kJ/mol. Last but not the least, the results showed that reducing the particle size or disrupting the product layer coating resulted in enhanced leaching of arsenic.

Uncertainty evaluation associated with removal of molybdenum from industrial effluents as environmental impacts using solvent extraction with LIX 63

The industrial waste streams generated by mixed acid solutions contain concentrated solutions of toxic heavy metals, and improper disposal of these waste streams constitutes a significant factor in environmental problems when the metals are leached into the atmosphere. One approach to enhancing the recovery of critical metals involves using rational modeling and risk analysis to evaluate the processing options and identify the most economically efficient conditions to meet market demand, considering an environmentally friendly approach. Hence, this study sought to scrutinize the uncertainty impact of influential parameters on molybdenum efficiency during extraction and stripping stages from industrial effluent by employing a hybrid model that integrates the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The model was used to predict the operational conditions needed to achieve maximum efficiency while considering the presence of concentrated metal ions. The optimized model predicted that Mo removal from the waste solution could achieve 74.8% under 20min duration with the LIX 63 concentration of 24% and equal O/A ratio at a temperature of 25°C. Similarly, the mixing time, temperature, NaOH concentration, and A/O ratio for the recovery stage were determined to be optimized at 20min, 25°C, 2.0M, and 0.6, respectively. Uncertainty of the predicted data was analyzed using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) and Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) for the removal and recovery stages. MCS revealed a 90% confidence interval for removal (39.76–90.82%) and recovery (63.06–91.08%), with sensitivity analysis identifying the phase ratios as the most influential factors in both stages. The sodium molybdate specimen was obtained through crystallization from strip solutions and subsequently characterized using XRD and SEM-EDS analyses.

Purification of Vein Quartz Using a New Fluorine-Free Flotation: A Case from Southern Anhui Province, China

High-purity quartz is an emerging strategic material that has been extensively used in the semiconductor and photovoltaic fields. Taking vein quartz from southern Anhui Province as an example, raw materials were processed by ultrasonic scrubbing-desliming, magnetic separation, flotation, high-temperature calcination, water quenching, hot-press acid leaching, and deionized water cleaning to prepare high-purity quartz sand. At the same time, the microscopic structure, inclusions, phase, mineral morphology, water content in inclusions, and trace impurities of the gangue samples were analyzed using an optical microscope, a laser Raman spectrometer, an X-ray diffractometer, a scanning electron microscope, an infrared spectrum analyzer, and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The results showed that feldspar and muscovite were the main impurities. After purification, the total amount of 13 impurities in quartz sand was reduced to 28.66 μg/g, and the contents of the main impurity elements Al, Na, and Fe were 12.81 μg/g, 12.80 μg/g, and 0.52 μg/g, respectively. The mass fraction of SiO2 increased from 99.06% to 99.9972%. This shows that flotation, high-temperature calcination, and hot-pressing acid leaching are the keys to obtaining high-purity quartz sand. Fluoride-free flotation with the new collector XK02 can effectively realize the deep separation of quartz and mineral impurities. High-temperature calcination can form more cracks on the surface of quartz sand particles, and the mixed acid enters the open crack channels to effectively remove impurities from the inclusions. This method provides technical support for the preparation of high-purity quartz sand with high value and for the efficient utilization of quartz ore.

Preparation of High-Purity Nano-Iron Phosphate from Titanium-Extraction Tailings by Co-Leaching Synergetic Ultrasonic-Enhanced Precipitation Process.

The preparation of high-performance electrode materials from metallurgical solid waste is an effective strategy to address current energy and environmental challenges. This study utilizes a mixed acid leaching and ultrasound-assisted precipitation process to extract valuable metallic iron from titanium-extraction tailings (TET) to produce high-purity nano-FePO4 electrode material precursors with unique crystal structures. A leaching efficiency of 95.2% for Fe was attained by using the optimized process parameters, which included a mixed acid concentration of 4 mol/L, a liquid-to-solid ratio of 4:1, and a leaching temperature of 70 °C for 1 h. The optimal precipitation conditions were a pH of 2.0, a temperature of 60 °C, an aging time of 30 min, and a stirring speed of 600 rpm, resulting in FePO4 purity up to 99.6% and fine particle size. Thermodynamic calculations, combined with various characterizations, elucidated the leaching and precipitation mechanisms, highlighting the synergistic effect of phosphoric acid and hydrochloric acid in enhancing the leaching reaction. The thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the decomposition of residual ammonium chloride impurities requires calcination above 360 °C. This research not only provides new insights into the high-value, clean utilization of metallurgical solid waste but also supports sustainable resource recovery and environmental protection by transforming waste into valuable products.

Polyphosphoric Acid Catalyzed C−H Dinitration of Passivated Aromatic Compounds with Potassium Nitrate under Mild Condition

AbstractDinitroaromatics are valuable organic compounds. However, the high value of these compounds is accompanied by significant risks and formidable challenges. Herein, we report a safe and highly efficient method for the dinitration of various aromatic compounds, using KNO3 as nitrating agent, polyphosphoric acid as solvent and catalyst. This approach provides a safer and more efficient alternative to the traditional mixed acid system, making it suitable for a range of substrates, especially highly deactivated arenes.

Multi-omics analysis of metabolic differences in rape bee pollen fermented by single and mixed lactic acid bacterial strains

Bee pollen is a nutrient-rich granule, but its hard cell wall limits the absorption of its nutrients by the human body. Fermenting bee pollen with lactic acid bacteria breaks down its cell wall and enhances its metabolite profile, improving nutrient availability. However, the differences in metabolites and cell wall disruption effects between mixed and single-strain fermentation have not been clarified. This study aimed to analyze the metabolites of Lactobacillus plantarum comprehensively fermented bee pollen (LPFP), Lactobacillus acidophilus fermented bee pollen (LAFP), and L. plantarum and L. acidophilus mixed fermented bee pollen (LMFP) using targeted and untargeted metabolomics as well as lipidomics, to explore the key metabolic pathways of LMFP. The results showed that under scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the cell wall of LMFP was more thoroughly disrupted. Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) and metabolic pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the degradation of flavonoids in LMFP was reduced, while the contents of total phenols, total flavonoids, rutin, and other polyphenols were significantly increased. Meanwhile, the metabolism of sucrose and amino acids in LMFP was enhanced, which might have contributed to the production of flavor compounds. Additionally, compared to LAFP and LPFP, triglycerides (TG) in LMFP increased by 8.14% and 9.85%, respectively, while the proportion of phosphatidylcholine (PC) decreased by 0.62% and 2.88%. Overall, this study presents a comprehensive metabolic profile of LAFP, LPFP, and LMFP, demonstrating how fermentation strategies affect cell wall disruption and metabolite diversity, laying a foundation for enhancing bee pollen's nutritional and functional properties.

Toward the bioleaching of bauxite residue by Gluconobacter oxydans.

This project evaluated a biologically mediated strategy to solubilize several rare earth elements and critical raw materials, including scandium, from bauxite residue. This work seeks to expand on previous research on contact leaching with bauxite. In this study, Gluconobacter oxydans was shown to secrete mixed organic acids, including gluconic acid, which was superior to pure gluconic acid in the dissolution of bauxite residue, even at low molarities. In situ contact leaching with G. oxydans significantly promoted the dissolution yield (recovery of metal present in the ore) of yttrium, aluminum, calcium, and titanium (41.18%, 67.79%, 80.16%, and 59.41%, respectively) but allowed for only marginal dissolution yield of scandium, lanthanum, cerium, and neodymium (13.40%, 14.74%, 24.41%, and 10.67%, respectively) at relatively low pulp densities. In addition, the dissolution yields of rare earth elements were reduced further with time, presumably as the oxides of these elements fell out of solution. This work builds on previous research that seeks to extract rare earth elements and critical raw materials from bauxite residue through contact leaching with organic acids. Some elements such as yttrium, aluminum, calcium, and titanium could be effectively solubilized; however some elements showed reduced solubility, possibly due to tight association with the iron phase of the residue. However, the relative ease and speed of leaching, and improved solubilization, suggest that this could be a viable method for securing critical raw material supplies.

Sustainable separation of molybdenum from mixed mineral acids generated as semiconductor industry waste streams using tributyl phosphate (TBP) by effects of hybrid machine learning models

This study explores the separation and optimization of molybdenum (Mo) from mixed mineral acids derived from semiconductor industry waste streams with tributyl phosphate (TBP) by implementing machine learning (ML) models. Considerable experimental tests were performed to evaluate the impact of various operational variables on the effectiveness of Mo extraction and stripping. The support vector regression (SVR) paired with harmony search algorithm (HSA), genetic algorithm (GA), and shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) were employed for enhancement in the separation process and structural optimization. The SVR-SFLA model yielded the most meticulous predictions, identifying optimal extraction conditions with a TBP concentration, mixing time, temperature, and O/A ratio of 50%, 30 min, 25 °C, and 1, respectively, achieving 77.8% efficiency. The derived results from the SVR-SFLA model, in tandem with the McCabe-Theil diagram, indicated a four-stage counter-current extraction process required to achieve a yield exceeding 99%. For the stripping process, the hybrid model indicated optimal conditions with 3 M NH4OH and an A/O ratio of 0.5 at 50 °C for 20 min, requiring two counter-current stages for nearly complete stripping. Feature importance analysis using a random forest algorithm (RFA) highlighted the NH4OH concentration and phase ratio as the most significant factors, contributing 40.3% and 29.1%, respectively, to the stripping from the loaded TBP phase. The final product, obtained after crystallization and thermal decomposition of the strip solutions, was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), revealing 99.74% purity for molybdenum trioxide.

Beneficial Role of Heat-Treated Lactobacillus sakei HS-1 on Growth Performance, Nutritional Status and Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets.

In the swine industry, there is a strong need to replace an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) used as feed additives in weaned piglets to enhance nutrient utilization in their diets and improve growth performance. Lactobacillus sakei HS-1 strain is a microbial preparation isolated from pickles. The study aim is to investigate the effectiveness of heat-treated L. sakei HS-1 strain (HT-LS) as a growth promoter in weaned piglets compared to colistin (CS), a widely used AGP. Eighteen crossbred weaned piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc) of 21 days (average body weight [BW]: 7.06 ± 0.59 kg) were divided into three groups: fed the control diet (CT group), fed a diet supplemented with 30 ppm colistin sulphate (CS group), fed a diet supplemented with HT-LS at a concentration of 2.0 × 105 cells/g (LS group) until 49 days. The results indicated that LS group exhibited significantly higher average daily gain (p < 0.05) and higher BW (p < 0.1) compared with CT group, even higher than CS group. CS group showed higher growth performance compared to CT group but the differences were not statistically significant. In addition, LS group had higher (p < 0.05) or tended to higher (p < 0.1) concentrations of several plasma amino acids than the other two groups at 35 and 49 days. Faecal acetate concentration was higher (p < 0.1) in LS group than in CT group at 35 days. Blood immunoglobulin G concentration in LS group was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in CT group at 35 and 49 days, and blood immunoglobulin A tended to be lower (p < 0.1) at 35 days than in CT group. LS group showed an increased abundance of g_Prevotella 7, g_Streptococcus and g_Lactobacillus (linear discriminant analysis [LDA] score ≥ 2.0). Predictive metagenomic analysis revealed an enrichment of the mixed acid fermentation pathway (LDA score ≥ 2.0). Furthermore, several gut microbes exhibited correlations with plasma amino acids (p < 0.01) and short-chain fatty acids in faeces (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that HT-LS improves the growth performance of weaned piglets by enhancing the efficient utilization of nutrients through gut microbiota modification.

Kidney Stones of Type I vs. Type II Diabetic Patients: Are There Any Differences?

Background: This study highlighted the differences between the biochemical compositions of urinary stones from patients with type 1 diabetes versus those with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: This study included patients diagnosed with kidney stones and diabetes who were referred to the Urological Clinic of the Dr. C. I. Parhon Hospital in Iasi from April 2017 to April 2024. We analyzed the spectroscopic stone composition from 128 lithiasis patients treated in our Clinic. In the current study, the distribution of the biochemical composition of stones varied significantly between diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes, who formed primarily mixed uric acid stones, and diabetic patients with type 1 diabetes, who mainly developed pure uric acid stones (p &lt; 0.001). Patients with uric acid stones had significantly higher mean creatinine values than the other stone types (p &lt; 0.001). Urinary pH levels were abnormal for all biochemical subtypes of stones, indicating acidic urine. However, patients with uric acid stones had lower pH values than the group average. From the Kaplan–Mayer analysis, patients with pure uric acid stones had a shorter time to stone recurrence compared to patients with other biochemical types identified. Conclusions: These findings, which highlight the prevalence of pure uric acid stones in patients with type 1 diabetes and the impact of this on the strategy for dissolving pure stones, represent a significant advancement in understanding urinary lithiasis in diabetic patients.

Caproic acid production from short-chained carboxylic acids produced by arrested anaerobic digestion of green waste: Development and optimization of a mixed caproic acid producing culture

Caproic acid is an important compound for producing a variety of chemicals and a potential precursor for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). This study aimed at developing a stable mixed culture producing caproic acid using short-chain carboxylic acids (SCCAs) derived from arrested anaerobic digestion (AAD) of green waste and optimizing chain elongation (CE) conditions. The results showed that the mixed culture was dominated by Clostridium sensu stricto 12 (53.09 %), optimally producing caproic acid at 37 °C, pH 7.20, with a 15 % inoculum concentration. Under these conditions, 75.59 % of the consumed electrons contributed to caproic acid formation. Gradual ethanol feeding in bioreactor experiments resulted in caproic acid titer of 13.36 g/L, with carbon conversion efficiency (CCE) of 81.91 % and electron transfer efficiency (ETE) of 76.39 %, surpassing batch experiments without gradual ethanol addition. These findings demonstrate that the effectiveness of a mixed culture can be improved, resulting in increased caproic acid production.

A Study on Acid Dissolution Characteristics and the Permeability Enhancement of Deep Coal Rock

In order to reveal the acidification and dissolution characteristics of deep coal rock, core acidification and dissolution experiments are carried out based on low-field nuclear magnetic resonance technology to study the dissolution characteristics of different acid types when applied to coal rock, and to quantitatively evaluate the dissolution characteristics of acid solutions when applied to different-scale pore throats and the karst corrosion characteristics of primary fractures. This will help to further understand the dissolution rate and pore volume growth rate of coal powder under the action of different acid types. Improving the seepage effect of coal seams is of great significance. The results show that 15% acetic acid has the best effect with regard to karst erosion and permeability. The pore volume growth rate is 442.49%, and the permeability increases by up to 31 times. With large pores, the rapid dissolution stage of mud acid, hydrochloric acid, and mixed acid mainly occurred in the first 36 h, and the rapid dissolution stage of acetic acid and hydrofluoric acid applied to the core mainly occurred at 36–72 h. The dissolution rate of acid solution is strongly correlated with porosity and permeability, and the higher the acetic acid concentration, the larger the permeability increase.

Substrate preference of Tetrasphaera in dual PAOs synergistic EBPR system and its phosphorus removal performance

In this study, an alternated anaerobic/aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was employed to investigate the effect of the substrate conversion from casein hydrolysate (Cas aa) to a mixture of amino acids (glutamate, aspartate, glycine and proline) on the efficacy of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) system characterized by dual polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), mainly focusing on the substrate preference of fermentative PAOs. The results indicated that a stable removal efficiency was found to be above 90 % as the substrate was converted to the mixture of amino acids. Meanwhile, the removal efficiency of ammonium eventually increased to over 95 % in stage III, despite an increase of ammonia nitrogen by hydrolysis with the rising proportion of mixed amino acids in influent. Moreover, shortening the anaerobic duration did not significantly affect the phosphorus removal performance, even enhancing anaerobic phosphorus release capacity. Nevertheless, the ammonia nitrogen removal was influenced. 16 s rRNA high-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that the detected fermentative PAO like Tetrasphaera in the EBPR system exhibited a clear preference for utilizing mixed amino acids and could cooperate with traditional PAO like Accumulibacter for phosphorus removal. In addition, the fermentation of amino acids mixture by Tetrasphaera was more pronounced and its abundance increased under the condition of a shorter anaerobic duration, leading to a relatively stable and high abundance of Accumulibacter in the presence of sufficient substrates from Tetrasphaera. However, considering the nitrogen removal performance and steady operation of the EBPR system, a longer anaerobic duration was more reasonable.

Optimization of Tantalite Ore Dissolution Using Hydrofluoric-sulphuric Acid and Shrinking Core Model

Aim: This study investigates the dissolution of tantalite mineral from granitic pegmatite in Okpella, Northern Edo State, Nigeria. Study Design: Elemental and mineral composition analysis of tantalite ore sample from Okpella was carried out using X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and the shrinking core model were used in designing the study while the effects of temperature, stirring speed, particle diameter, and mixed acids concentrations were investigated in the dissolution rates of the mineral. Duration of Study: 50 experimental runs were designed using RSM Central Composite Design (CCD) to optimize variables including HF concentration (1-8 M), H2SO4 concentration (0.5-3 M), temperature (32-82°C), stirring speed (0-500 rpm), and particle size (0.1-0.3 mm), with a constant contact time of 240 minutes. Methodology: Pulverized tantalite samples (0.1-0.3 mm) were reacted with varying concentrations of hydrofluoric and sulphuric acids (1-8 M and 0.5-3.0 M, respectively) for 240 minutes, with stirring speeds between 0-500 rpm and temperatures from 32 to 82°C. The mixture was stirred in a water bath with 50 ml of mixed acids solution and 2 g of ore. After the reaction, the solution was decanted, and the residual ore was washed, dried at 60 °C, and weighed. The difference between the initial and final weights indicated the amount of undissolved tantalite ore. Results: Ore characterization results revealed high concentration of tantalum (34.17%), iron (12.55%), niobium (8.38%), and titanium (6.01%), with other elements present in smaller amounts. Optimal conditions were found to be 8 M HF, 0.5 M H2SO4, 82°C, 500 rpm stirring speed, and 0.1 mm particle size, resulting in 97.28% dissolution of tantalite ore. Regression analysis demonstrated model robustness with an F-value of 16.70 and a P-value of 0.0001, indicating HF concentration and stirring speed as the most impactful factors. The model’s R² value of 0.9201 and adjusted R² of 0.8650 confirm its predictive accuracy. Analysis using the shrinking sphere model showed that film diffusion control is the primary limiting step with t/τ=0.999, while reaction control resulted in slightly lower conversion with t/τ=0.973, highlighting film diffusion as the main constraint but with high conversion efficiency. Conclusion: The findings from this investigation not only reveal the dissolution of tantalite ore through a detailed experimental approach, identifying optimal conditions -8 M HF, 0.5 M H2SO4, 82 oC, 500 rpm stirring speed and 0.1 mm particle size- that achieve a 97.28% dissolution, but they also enhance our understanding of mineral processing. These understanding are crucial for mineral dissolution up scaling technologies in industrial applications, which will potentially leads to a more efficient extraction method that could significantly reduce costs and environmental impacts in the mining sector. This research could drive advancements in sustainable resource recovery and contribute to sourcing of critical minerals.

Assembly of Fe@Zn-Coordination Polymer Composite: Iron Doping Foster the Luminescent Detection for Tetracycline, Uric Acid and Cr2O72− and Crystal Violet Degradation Efficiency

Coordination polymers exhibit a diverse array of applications across various fields, and through the development of composite materials, their utility and versatility are further enhanced, broadening their impact on our world. In this work We synthesized the first coordination polymer (CP) based on Zn and doped with Fe composites (Fe@Zn-CP Composite), which exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity triggered by visible light. Using mixed ligands orotic acid potassium salt, 1,3 di (4-pyridyl) propane (dpp), and FeSO4 in a simple method at ambient temperature, the Zn-CP [Zn8(Or)8(dpp)4(H2O)8] was resynthesized here to form the Fe@Zn-CP composites. Zn-CP and Fe@Zn-CP Composite were both characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectra analysis, and SEM-EDX analysis and elemental mapping analysis. It has been observed that Fe@Zn-CP Composite is as multi-functional luminescence sensor for MnO4−, Cr2O72− and Tetracycline with high sensitivity. In-depth research has also been done on the recyclable nature, and photocatalytic efficiency of Zn-CP and Fe@Zn-CP Composite for the decomposition of organic dyes Crystal Violet and Rose Bengal (RB) in contaminated water under the sunlight irradiation.

Effect of Fatty Acid on Melting and Solidification of Erythritol

Abstract One of the solutions to energy problems is the reuse of waste heat. One way to reuse waste heat is to use latent heat storage materials. Erythritol, of which melting point is the temperature range between 100 and 200°C, has attracted much attention as latent heat storage materials. However, as usual erythritol shows the large supercooling, its supercooling degree must be decreased to use for latent heat storage material. To achieve this, we have investigated the mixed erythritol with fatty acids as addition agents. Samples were prepared by physically mixing of erythritol and fatty acids such as (lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid). In this study, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used (to evaluate the sample temperature program: 30→140→0→30°C, heating rate: 5°C/min, atmosphere: N2 gas). The degree of supercooling was calculated from the DSC curve. And also, a camera was used to capture and discuss the freezing process. The erythritol physically mixed with fatty acids showed a higher freezing point and lower degree of supercooling than pure erythritol. The mixing myristic acid with erythritol significantly lowers the supercooling degree. The erythritol sample with palmitic acid or stearic acid did not show as low supercooling degree as that with myristic acid. Additionally, with lauric acid or myristic acid, the erythritol sample solidified simultaneously, while sample solidified separately with palmitic acid or stearic acid added. In summary, it was found that physical mixing of fatty acids and erythritol decreased in the supercooling degree. Furthermore, the crystallization temperatures of the sample with lauric acid or myristic acid were altered by changing the fatty acids.

Long noncoding RNA UCA1 inhibits epirubicin-induced apoptosis by activating PPARα-mediated lipid metabolism

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, and abnormal lipid metabolism is associated with drug resistance in bladder cancer cells. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) UCA1 is overexpressed in bladder cancer, but its functional contribution to lipid metabolism remains uncharacterized. In this study, we demonstrated that lncRNA UCA1 inhibits epirubicin-induced cell apoptosis by supporting abnormal lipid metabolism in bladder cancer cells. Mechanistically, lncRNA UCA1 promotes lipid accumulation in vitro and in vivo by upregulating PPARα mRNA and protein expression, which is mediated by miR-30a-3p. Knockdown of lncRNA UCA1 increased epirubicin-induced apoptosis via miR-30a-3p/PPARα and downstream p-AKT/p-GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling. Furthermore, mixed free fatty acids upregulated lncRNA UCA1 expression by promoting recruitment of the transcription factor RXRα to the lncRNA UCA1 promoter. These findings were verified in a mouse xenograft model and are consistent with the expression patterns in human bladder cancer patients. Overall, these findings establish the role of lncRNA UCA1 in lipid metabolism and bladder cancer cell resistance to epirubicin, suggesting that lncRNA UCA1 may serve as a candidate target for enhancing bladder cancer chemotherapy.

Depletion of iodide in ageing aerosols and the role of humidity: A case study of mixed sodium iodide-malonic acid aerosol

Global sea to air iodine emissions, along with organic emissions and their oxidation products, have increased tremendously. This work presents a comprehensive analysis of the humidity mediated changes in ageing aerosols comprising iodide and water soluble dicarboxylic acid using aerosol micro-Raman spectroscopy. The studies in the model system, sodium iodide-malonic acid mixed aerosols, unveiled the depletion in iodide. Mechanistic insights gleaned through comparative studies conducted under inert (nitrogen) and oxidative (air) atmospheres reveal the iodide depletion occurs possibly via oxidation to molecular iodine. The reaction involves gaseous components, diffusion of which across the particles will be impacted by the physical state of the particles, such as viscosity, which in turn is intricately linked to ambient humidity levels. To this end, studies on the temporal evolution of the reaction at three distinct RHs covering 30–80% revealed the enhanced progression of the reaction with increasing humidity. Given that geographical locations serving as major sources for atmospheric iodine typically experience high humidity, these reactions could emerge as an additional process controlling iodine speciation in ageing aerosols.