Mmol Kg-1 Research Articles

Physico-chemical Study of Surface Active Ionic Liquid (SAIL) in Aqueous Inulin Solutions: Density and Speed of Sound Measurements

Colloidal formulations of surface active ionic liquid (SAIL) have substantial benefit as efficient carrier mainly for therapeutic/pharmaceutical agents. In this regard, density (ρ) and speed of sound (u) have been employed to evaluate the diverse interactions/association behaviour of greener SAIL tetrabutylammonium dodecylsulphate (TBADS) (0.222 to 2.2 mmol kg-1) in aqueous inulin solutions (0.0, 0.2 and 0.3% w/w) at five different temperatures ranging from 293.15 K to 313.15 K. The volumetric and acoustic parameters viz. isentropic compressibility (κs), apparent molar volume (Vφ) and compressibility (κs,φ), intermolecular free length (Lf), relative association (RA), specific acoustic impedance (Z) and molar sound number ([U]) have been calculated by using density (ρ) and speed of sound (u) values. The existence of hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions for TBADS in aqueous inulin solution is suggested by the variations in volumetric parameters, which further supported by various calculated acoustic parameters. Thus, the interactional outcomes can offer implications that stabilized inulin in the presence of SAILs and can be utilized for the optimal biotic actions.

Evaluation of carbon dioxide partial pressure and air-sea fluxes in the Sea of Marmara

The increasing impact of global warming has made it crucial to monitor greenhouse gases (GHG). Carbon dioxide (CO2) is especially important due to its significant increase. Oceans and seas play a vital role in absorbing excess CO2 from the atmosphere, but they are facing challenges such as ocean acidification and damage to coral reefs. Therefore, it's essential to thoroughly understand climate change and its human-caused effects and to take necessary precautions or improve existing measures. In this direction, in seawater, determining alkalinity is crucial for monitoring CO2, along with other physical and chemical parameters, in order to help set carbon budgets and reduce environmental pressures. For this purpose, in this study in the Sea of Marmara, alkalinity and CO2 measurements were conducted for the first time at stations CG2, CG3, MD26, and MD24. The CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) values ranged from 95 to 165 µatm at the surface of all stations, and total alkalinity values ranged from 1.075 to 1.46 mmol kg-1 at specified depths. Based on these measurements, flux values were calculated between −1.10 and −5.39 mmol m2 day-1, indicating that the Sea of Marmara acted as a net CO2 sink.

Enhanced phytoremediation of cadmium-contaminated soil using chelating agents and plant growth regulators: effect and mechanism.

The heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is a major threat to food safety and human health. Phytoremediation is the most widely used remediation technology, and how to improve the remediation efficiency of phytoremediation has become a key issue. In this study, we constructed an intensive phytoremediation technology for remediation of Cd-contaminated soil with biodegradable chelating agent and plant growth regulator combined with maize and investigated the mechanism of this technology. The results showed that the best remediation effect was achieved in the treatment with 10-6 mol l-1 gibberellic acid (GA3) and 6 mmol kg-1 aspartate diethoxysuccinic acid (AES) combined with maize. In this treatment, the total biomass and extraction efficiency of maize were 3.6 and 8.67 times higher than those of the control, respectively, and the antioxidant enzyme activities of maize were also increased. The soil was enriched with dominant bacterial genera that promote plant growth and metabolism and tolerance to heavy metal stress, which in turn promoted maize growth and Cd accumulation. Structural equation modelling results indicated a large effect of plant Cd concentration and plant antioxidant enzyme activity on plant Cd extraction. The enhanced phytoremediation technology showed good potential for safe use of Cd-contaminated soil.

Using Adaptive Imaging Parameters to Improve PEGylated Ultrasmall Iron Oxide Nanoparticles-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography.

The PEGylated ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles (PUSIONPs) exhibit longer blood residence time and better biodegradability than conventional gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs), enabling prolonged acquisitions in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) applications. The image quality of CE-MRA is dependent on the contrast agent concentration and the parameters of the pulse sequences. Here, a closed-form mathematical model is demonstrated and validated to automatically optimize the concentration, echo time (TE), repetition time (TR) and flip angle (FA). The pharmacokinetic studies are performed to estimate the dynamic intravascular concentrations within 12h postinjection, and the adaptive concentration-dependent sequence parameters are determined to achieve optimal signal enhancement during a prolonged measurement window. The presented model is tested on phantom and in vivo rat images acquired from a 3T scanner. Imaging results demonstrate excellent agreement between experimental measurements and theoretical predictions, and the adaptive sequence parameters obtain better signal enhancement than the fixed ones. The low-dose PUSIONPs (0.03mmol kg-1 and 0.05mmol kg-1) give a comparable signal intensity to the high-dose one (0.10mmol kg-1) within 2h postinjection. The presented mathematical model provides guidance for the optimization of the concentration and sequence parameters in PUSIONPs-enhanced MRA, and has great potential for further clinical translation.

GLDA exhibits advantages in the phytoextraction of Cd and Ni in land-applied municipal sludge.

Landscape utilization is a green and environment-friendly way of disposing of compost sludge. Garden plants can extract heavy metals from the sludge of land use, but the effect is not enough to be widely used. Chelating agents have been found to facilitate the extraction of heavy metals from plants and are expected to be popularized if they are also environmentally friendly. In this study, the effects of methylglycinediacetic acid trisodium salt (MGDA), tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (GLDA), and ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA) on the extraction of Ni and Cd from compost sludge by SymphytumofficinaleL. were studied through the pot experiment. Compared with the control group, the application of 5-10 mmol kg-1 MGDA and 1-9 mmol kg-1 GLDA promoted plant growth, while the application of 3-4 mmol kg-1 EDTA inhibited plant growth. The highest Ni content in shoots appeared in 4 mmol kg-1 GLDA treatment, which was 4.2 times that of the CK group. The highest shoot Cd concentration appeared in 4 mmol kg-1 EDTA treatment, 6.5 times that of CK. The promotion effects of the three reagents on the acid-extractable state of Cd were similar, while that of GLDA on the acid-extractable state of Ni was outstanding. The results of this study suggested that S. officinale could be a potential phytoextraction plant for Cd and Ni, and GLDA could friendly promote the Ni phytoextraction ability of the plant. The study provides a new and efficient method for phytoremediation of heavy metals in soil.

Pore Chemistry and Architecture Control in Anionic Functional Ultramicroporous Materials for Record Dense Packing of Xenon.

Adsorptive separation of Xe and Kr is an industrially promising but challenging process because of their identical shape and similar physicochemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a strategy through rationally designing the linkers of anionic functional ultramicroporous materials (FUMs) to finely regulate the pore chemistry and architecture, which creates unique stepped channels incorporating dense polar nanotraps to generate a larger effective pore space and enables dense packing of Xe. A new hydrolytically stable FUM (ZUL-530) was prepared, which for the first time achieves a Xe packing density exceeding the liquid Xe density at atmospheric conditions in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) (based on experimental data), resulting in both excellent Xe uptake (2.55 mmol g-1 at 0.2 bar) and high IAST selectivity (20.5). GCMC and DFT-D calculations reveal the essential role of the stepped traps in the dense packing of Xe. Breakthrough experiments demonstrate remarkable productivities of both high-purity Kr (6.70 mmol g-1) and Xe (1.78 mmol g-1) for the Xe/Kr (20:80) mixture. In a model nuclear industry exhaust gas, ZUL-530 exhibits a top-class Xe dynamic capacity (28.8 mmol kg-1) for trace Xe, which proves it is one of the best candidates for Xe/Kr separation.

Scaling Supercapacitive Swing Adsorption of CO2 Using Bipolar Electrode Stacks.

Supercapacitive swing adsorption (SSA) modules with bipolar stacks having 2, 4, 8, and 12 electrode pairs made from BPL 4 × 6 activated carbon are constructed and tested for carbon dioxide capture applications. Tests are performed with simulated flue gas (15%CO2 /85%N2) at 2, 4, 8, and 12V, respectively. Reversible adsorption with sorption capacities (≈58 mmol kg-1) and adsorption rates (≈38 µmol kg-1 s-1) are measured for all stacks. The productivity scales with the number of cells in the module, and increases from 70 to 390 mmol h-1 m-2. The energy efficiency and energy consumption improve with increasing number of bipolar electrodes from 67% to 84%, and 142 to 60 kJ mol-1, respectively. Overall, the results show that SSA modules with bipolar electrodes can be scaled without reducing the adsorptive performance, and with improvement of energetic performance.

Effect of EDDS Application on Soil Cu/Cd Availability and Uptake/transport by Castor

To investigate the effect of chelating agents on plant uptake of heavy metals, castor (Ricinus communis L.) was used as the test plant. Soil culture and pot experiments were conducted to study the effects of different concentrations of ethylenediamine disuccinic acid (EDDS) on the forms of Cu and Cd in soil and their absorption and transport by castor. The results showed that the application of EDDS significantly increased the content of available Cu and Cd. After 15 days of cultivation, the available Cu and Cd concentrations in the soil increased by 43.01%-103.55% and 51.78%-69.43%, respectively. EDDS promoted the conversion of reducible Cu to weak acid extractable and increased the mobility of Cu. Meanwhile, the application of EDDS promoted the absorption, transport, and enrichment of Cu in castor. Under the application of 2.5 mmol·kg-1 EDDS and 5.0 mmol·kg-1 EDDS, the Cu concentrations in the shoots were 4.88 times and 16.65 times higher than that of the control (P< 0.05), and the Cu concentrations in the roots were 2.89 times and 3.60 times higher than that of the control (P< 0.05), respectively. The Cu transport coefficient significantly increased by 72.73% and 381.82% when treated with EDDS 2.5 and EDDS 5.0. Simultaneously, the phytoextraction of Cu in shoots, roots, and their sum were 14.08, 2.16, and 4.70 times higher than that of the control (P<0.05), respectively, when treated with EDDS 5.0. Furthermore, EDDS significantly increased the Cd concentrations in castor. When treated with EDDS 2.5 the shoots and roots increased by 15.15% and 57.42%, respectively, and the phytoextraction of total Cd significantly increased by 13.44%. Generally, the EDDS treatment could increase the available Cu and Cd in soil, promote the uptake of Cu and Cd, and improve the phytoremediation efficiency of castor. Among them, the addition of 5.0 mmol·kg-1 EDDS had the best effect for Cu, whereas the addition of 2.5 mmol kg-1 EDDS had a higher increase in the phytoextraction of Cd.

Mitigation of acrylamide formation in wood oven baked pizza base using wholemeal and refined wheat flour with low free asparagine content: considerations on fibre intake and starch digestibility.

In wheat-derived bakery products, the quantity of free asparagine (fAsn) has been identified as a key factor in acrylamide (AA) formation. Based on this assumption, four varieties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Stromboli, Montecarlo, Sothys and Cosmic, selected for their different fAsn content inside the grain, were studied to evaluate their potential in the production of pizza with reduced AA levels. To this purpose, wholemeal and refined flours were obtained from each variety. The fAsn content ranged from 0.25 to 3.30 mmol kg-1, with higher values for wholemeal flours which also showed greater amount of ash, fibre and damaged starch than refined wheat flours. All types of flours were separately used to produce wood oven baked pizza base, according to the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed EU Regulation (97/2010). AA reduction in the range 47-68% was found for all the selected wheat cultivars, compared with a commercial flour, with significantly lower values registered when refined flour was used. Moreover, refined leavened dough samples showed decreased levels of fAsn and reducing sugars due to the fermentation activity of yeasts. Furthermore, it was confirmed that pizza made with wholemeal flours exhibited lower rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and rapidly available glucose (RAG) values compared to that prepared with the refined flour. This study clearly shows that a reduced asparagine content in wheat flour is a key factor in the mitigation of AA formation in pizza base. Unfortunately, at the same time, it is highlighted how it is necessary to sacrifice the beneficial effects of fibre intake, such as lowering the glycaemic index, in order to reduce AA. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Rice growth and yield responses to saline water irrigation are related to Na+/K+ratio in plants.

Rice growth and yield response to salinity can be influenced by the duration and the timing of salt stress. The present study tested the effects of saline water irrigation from vegetative growth to maturity on rice growth and yield and ion concentrations in the straw and root and related them to changes in soil salinity and soil solute potential. The treatments consisted of five levels of saline water irrigation (electrical conductivity ~0.25 (control), 4, 6, 8, and 10 dS m-1) with two rice cultivars (BRRI dhan67 and BRRI dhan99) grown in pots in a rain shelter. Grain weight per pot, dry straw weight, and root weight were significantly reduced with increasing water salinity, but BRRI dhan99 was less affected. With prolonged saline water irrigation, salt concentration increased in the soil and lowered the soil solute potential. Increased saline water induced higher concentrations of Na+ in the straw (527-1200 mmol kg-1 at 4-10 dS m-1) relative to the root. By contrast, higher Cl- concentrations accumulated in the root than in the straw. The decrease of K+ in the straw and root for increasing salinity was inconsistent, but the Na+/K+ ratio sharply increased in the straw with higher water salinity. The increased Na+/K+ explained most grain weight loss due to higher salinity (R2 = 0.93) followed by Na+ (R2 = 0.87) and Cl-1 (R2 = 0.53). We conclude that the prolonged saline water irrigation has a cumulative effect on root zone salinity and solute potential that depresses grain yield in rice by increasing the Na+/K+ ratio in plants.

Immobilization of the Polar Group into an Ultramicroporous Metal-Organic Framework Enabling Benchmark Inverse Selective CO2/C2H2 Separation with Record C2H2 Production.

One-step harvest of high-purity light hydrocarbons without the desorption process represents an advanced and highly efficient strategy for the purification of target substances. The separation and purification of acetylene (C2H2) from carbon dioxide (CO2) by CO2-selective adsorbents are urgently demanded yet are very challenging owing to their similar physicochemical properties. Here, we employ the pore chemistry strategy to adjust the pore environment by immobilizing polar groups into an ultramicroporous metal-organic framework (MOF), achieving one-step manufacture of high-purity C2H2 from CO2/C2H2 mixtures. Embedding methyl groups into prototype stable MOF (Zn-ox-trz) not only changes the pore environment but also improves the discrimination of guest molecules. The methyl-functionalized Zn-ox-mtz thus exhibits the benchmark reverse CO2/C2H2 uptake ratio of 12.6 (123.32/9.79 cm3 cm-3) and an exceptionally high equimolar CO2/C2H2 selectivity of 1064.9 at ambient conditions. Molecular simulations reveal that the synergetic effect of pore confinement and surfaces decorated with methyl groups provides high recognition of CO2 molecules through multiple van der Waals interactions. The column breakthrough experiments suggest that Zn-ox-mtz dramatically achieved the one-step purification capacity of C2H2 from the CO2/C2H2 mixture with a record C2H2 productivity of 2091 mmol kg-1, surpassing all of the CO2-selective adsorbents reported so far. In addition, Zn-ox-mtz exhibits excellent chemical stability under different pH values of aqueous solutions (pH = 1-12). Moreover, the highly stable framework and excellent inverse selective CO2/C2H2 separation performance showcase its promising application as a C2H2 splitter for industrial manufacture. This work paves the way to developing reverse-selective adsorbents for the challenging gas separation process.

Evaluation of Novel Rapid Analytical Methods to Categorize Extra Virgin Olive Oil Based on the Coulometrically Determined Antioxidant Capacity and on the Spectrophotometric Assessment of Phenolic Compounds.

The lack of a practical "fit for the purpose" analytical protocol is the main limitation that has hampered the exploitation of the EFSA analytical health claim on the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) biophenols, more than ten years since its introduction. In this work, two analytical methods recently developed in our laboratories for categorizing EVOO have been evaluated on a set of 16 samples from Cilento (Campania Region, southern Italy) and compared to other commonly used quality indexes. The Coulometrically Determined Antioxidant Capacity (CDAC) is associated with the component responsible for the health-promoting properties and oxidative stability of EVOO. The Fast Blue BB (FBBB) assay consists of the spectrophotometric (420 nm) determination of biophenols-FBBB diazonium coupling products generated in unfractionated EVOO. The FBBB assay and HPLC-UV reference method provide values highly correlated to each other. Fourteen of sixteen EVOO samples with CDAC > 10 mmol kg-1 and FBBB absorbance > 0.5 had HPLC-determined biophenols > 250 mg kg-1, and therefore eligible for the EFSA health claim. Consistently, two EVOO samples with HPLC-determined biophenols < 250 mg kg-1 had CDAC values and FBBB absorbance below the respective thresholds. CDAC and FBBB assays are proposed individually or in combination as methods to categorize EVOO samples in alternative to HPLC-UV.

Variation in the main health-promoting compounds and antioxidant activity of different organs of Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) from two producing areas.

Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum), also known as Japanese horseradish, is a perennial herb widely used in Japanese cuisine for its special flavour. The health-promoting phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of four organs (leaf, petiole, rhizome, and root) of two cultivars (Chuankui-1 and Chuankui-2) of wasabi from two producing areas, Leibo and Guangyuan in Sichuan Province, China, were investigated in this study. The results showed that leaves were rich in pigments, soluble protein, ascorbic acid, and total phenolics and had the highest antioxidant capacity. Soluble sugars were highest in the petioles and were 1.1- to 5-fold higher than those in the other three organs. Glucosinolates and glucosinolate breakdown products (GBPs) were the most abundant in rhizomes, and their maximum values were 271.61 mmol kg-1 DW and 249.78 mmol kg-1 DW, respectively. The rhizomes of Chuankui-1 in Leibo and the leaves of Chuankui-1 in Guangyuan were superior in terms of glucosinolates and GBPs. These findings provide new insights that will aid the use of wasabi cultivars; they also have implications for the environmental characteristics needed to obtain better quality wasabi products. In the future, metabolome and transcriptome can be used to analyze the potential mechanism of differences among typical varieties, origins and parts.

Metal Lability and Mass Transfer Response to Direct-Planting Phytostabilization of Pyritic Mine Tailings.

Understanding the temporal effects of organic matter input and water influx on metal lability and translocation is critical to evaluate the success of the phytostabilization of metalliferous mine tailings. Trends of metal lability, e.g., V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb, were investigated for three years following a direct-planting phytostabilization trial at a Superfund mine tailings site in semi-arid central Arizona, USA. Unamended tailings were characterized by high concentrations (mmol kg-1) of Fe (2100), S (3100), As (41), Zn (39), and Pb (11), where As and Pb greatly exceeded non-residential soil remediation levels established by Arizona. Phytostabilization treatments included a no-compost control, 100 g kg-1 compost with seed, and 200 g kg-1 compost with and without seed to the top 20 cm of the tailings profile. All plots received supplemental irrigation, effectively doubling the mean annual precipitation. Tailings cores up to 90 cm were Collected at the time of planting and every summer for 3 years. The cores were sub-sectioned at 20 cm increments and analyzed via total digestion and an operationally defined sequential extraction for elemental analysis and the calculation of a mass transfer coefficient normalized to Ti as an assigned immobile element. The results indicate that Pb was recalcitrant and relatively immobile in the tailings environment for both the uncomposted control and composted treatments with a maximum variation in the total concentration of 9-14 mmol kg-1 among all samples. Metal lability and translocation above the redox boundary (ca. 30 cm depth) was governed by acid generation, where surficial pH was measured as low as 2.7 ± 0.1 in year three and strongly correlated with the increased lability of Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn. There was no significant pH effect on the lability of V, Cr, or Pb. Translocation to depths was greatest for Mn and Co; however, Zn, Ni, Cr, and Cu were also mobilized. The addition of organic matter enhanced the mobilization of Cr from the near surface to 40-60 cm depth (pH > 6) over the three-year phytostabilization study compared to the control. The increased enrichment of some metals at 60-90 cm indicates that the long-term monitoring of elemental translocation is necessary to assess the efficacy of phytostabilization to contain subsurface metal contaminants and thereby protect the surrounding community from exposure.

Şelatör kompleksleri kullanılarak Pb ile kirlenmiş topraklarda Brassica napus ve Chenopodium quinoa'nın fitoremediasyon etkinlikleri

Heavy metal pollution is one of the essential pollutions, and phytoremediation is one of the preferred methods to eliminate this pollution. The use of the degradable chelating agent for phytoremediation efficiency is a promising and low-cost method for removing soil contaminated with heavy metals. In this study, it was investigated whether phenanthroline and humic acid increase phytoremediation activities for Brassica napus L. and Chenopodium quinoa Wild. species and their applicability. The study was carried out under greenhouse conditions with 3 replications according to a complete random block trial design by applying 4 doses of each of the (i) control (without chelate), (ii) EDTA, (iii) nitro, (iv) pyridine, (v) 1-10 phenanthroline and (vi) humic acid treatments (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 mmol kg-1 The obtained results showed that the highest tolerance indices (TI) for B. napus was found at 2.5 mmol kg-1 nitro chelate. TI of C. quinoa was highest at 5 mmol kg-1 pyridine chelate. Maximum Pb accumulations were found at 5 mmol kg-1 1-10 phenanthroline and 5 mmol kg-1 pyridine chelates in B. napus and C. quinoa, respectively. In both species, while Pb accumulations were high in roots, they were low in stems and leaves. Bioconcentration factors (BCF) were calculated highest at 2.5 mmol kg-1 nitro and 1-10 phenanthroline for B. napus and C. quinoa, respectively. These species were used as hyperaccumulator plants in many studies. Increasing the performance of hyperaccumulator plants to be used in cleaning the habitats exposed to heavy metal pollution will increase the efficiency of phytoremediation.

Efficient Xe/Kr Separation Based on a Lanthanide-Organic Framework with One-Dimensional Local Positively Charged Rhomboid Channels.

Efficient xenon/krypton (Xe/Kr) separation has played an important role in industry due to the wide application of high-purity Xe and with regard to the safe disposal of radioactive noble gases (85Kr and 133Xe). A less energy-demanding separation technology, adsorptive separation using porous solid materials, has been proposed to replace the traditional cryogenic distillation with intensive energy consumption. As a cutting-edge class of porous materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) featuring permanent porosity, designable chemical functionalities, and tunable pore sizes hold great promise for Xe/Kr separation. Here, we report a two-dimensional (2D) lanthanide-organic framework (termed LPC-MOF, [Eu(Ccbp)(NO3)(HCOO)]·DMF0.3(H2O)2.5) with one-dimensional (1D) local positively charged rhomboid channels whose size matches well with the kinetic diameter of Xe, leading to its superior Xe/Kr separation performance. Column breakthrough experiments demonstrate that LPC-MOF exhibits a high Xe/Kr selectivity of 12.4 and an Xe adsorption amount of 3.39 mmol kg-1 under simulated conditions for real used nuclear fuel (UNF)-reprocessing plants. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate not only the intrinsic mechanisms of Xe/Kr separation at the molecular level but also the detailed influence of the local positive charge (N+) on the performance of Xe/Kr separation in the MOF system.

Shell-like Xenon Nano-Traps within Angular Anion-Pillared Layered Porous Materials for Boosting Xe/Kr Separation.

Adsorptive separation of xenon (Xe) and krypton (Kr) is a promising technique but remains a daunting challenge since they are atomic gases without dipole or quadruple moments. Herein we report a strategy for fabricating angular anion-pillared materials featuring shell-like Xe nano-traps, which provide a cooperative effect conferred by the pore confinement and multiple specific interactions. The perfect permanent pore channel (4-5 Å) of Ni(4-DPDS)2 MO4 (M=Cr, Mo, W) can host Xe atoms efficiently even at ultra-low concentration (400 ppm Xe), showing the second-highest selectivity of 30.2 in Ni(4-DPDS)2 WO4 and excellent Xe adsorption capacity in Ni(4-DPDS)2 CrO4 (15.0 mmol kg-1 ). Crystallography studies and DFT-D calculations revealed the energy favorable binding sites and angular anions enable the synergism between optimal pore size and polar porosity for boosting Xe affinity. Dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrated three MOFs as efficient adsorbents for Xe/Kr separation.

Hydrogen-Bonded Metal-Nucleobase Frameworks for Efficient Separation of Xenon and Krypton.

Xe/Kr separation is an industrially important but challenging process owing to their inert properties and low concentrations in the air. Energy-effective adsorption-based separation is a promising technology. Herein, two isostructural hydrogen-bonded metal-nucleobase frameworks (HOF-ZJU-201 and HOF-ZJU-202) are capable of separating Xe/Kr under ambient conditions and strike an excellent balance between capacity and selectivity. The Xe capacity of HOF-ZJU-201a reaches 3.01 mmol g-1 at 298 K and 1.0 bar, while IAST selectivity and Henry's selectivity are 21.0 and 21.6, respectively. Direct breakthrough experiments confirmed the excellent separation performance, affording a Xe capacity of 25.8 mmol kg-1 from a Xe/Kr mixed-gas at dilute concentrations. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the selective binding arises from the enhanced polarization in the confined electric field produced by the electron-rich anions and the electron-deficient purine heterocyclic rings.

Parenteral succinate reduces levels of reactive oxygen species without changing serum caspase-3 levels in septic rats.

Sepsis is asyndrome of physiological, pathological, and biochemical disorders with several processes co-occurring; reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis are 2 of them. Succinate is aKrebs cycle intermediate that is oxydized in complex II of the mitochondria. This study aims to investigate the influence of succinate infusion on these processes. Sepsis was induced with caecal ligation and puncture in 200 gr Sprague Dawley rats. Four groups were formed with 10 animals (1 - control, 2 - succinate, 3 - sepsis, and 4 - sepsis + succinate). 5 mmol kg-1 of intraperitoneal succinate were administered twice in groups 2 and 4. ROS and caspase-3 levels were measured. Overall, ROS levels (P = 0.017), but not caspase-3 levels (P = 0.89) differed significantly between the groups. The succinate administration reduced serum ROS levels (group 4 vs. 3) in astatistically significant way [0.0623 units (95% CI: 0.0547-0.0699) vs. 0.0835 (0.06-0.106), P = 0.017)], but it did not reduce serum caspase-3 levels (P = 0.39). There was no correlation between serum ROS levels and serum caspase-3 levels. In this model, ROS levels were reduced with succinate infusion, but caspase-3 levels were not. In addition, ROS levels and apoptosis levels are not correlated, which suggests that those processes occur at different times.

Autofluorescence spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of cellulose nanocrystals

The ability to determine the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles, such as cellulose nanocrystals, in suspension is critically important to maximize their potential. Currently, various techniques are required to ascertain different properties, which results in a laborious analysis procedure. Here, autofluorescence arising from the cluster-triggered emission (CTE) photoluminescence mechanism is utilized as an analytical spectroscopic tool to determine multiple properties from one data acquisition sequence. This study confirms that key properties - including the nanoparticle concentration in suspension, the critical concentration for liquid crystal formation, and the surface charge content - can be obtained simultaneously. Measured values are accurate to within 10% of conventional techniques with average residual errors of 0.4 wt% for the critical concentration, and 11 mmol kg-1 CNC for the surface charge content. This charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor-based methodology is rapid and does not require the addition of further chemicals. These results support the theory behind CTE and represent a new opportunity for quantitatively analysing non-aromatic, heteroatom-containing nanoparticles in flow based on understanding their inter- and intra-particle interactions.