Organic Groups Research Articles

Application of Organo-Modified Silica Nanoparticles to Improve the Load-Bearing Capacity of Bonded Joints of Dissimilar Steel Substrates

The paper deals with the joining of dissimilar steels by adhesive bonding. The base materials for the experimental work were deep-drawn low-carbon steel DC04, and hot-dip galvanized HSLA steel HX340LAD+Z. Adhesive bonding was performed using rubber-based and epoxy-based adhesives. The research aimed to verify the importance of surface preparation of steel substrates using a formulation with organically modified silica nanoparticles and epoxy organic functional groups, where one end of the functional group can be incorporated into the organic binder of the coating material and the other end can be firmly bonded to substances of an inorganic nature (metals). Since the binder base of adhesives is very similar to that of coatings, verifying the performance of this surface preparation when interacting with the adhesive is necessary. The load-bearing tensile shear capacity of single-lapped joints and the resistance of the joints against corrosion-induced disbanding in a climate chamber were tested. The energy dissipated by the joints up to fracture was calculated from the load-displacement curves. Bonded joints with organosilane were compared with joints without surface preparation and joints prepared by chroman-free zirconate passivation treatment. Exposure of the joints in the climatic chamber did not cause a relevant reduction in the characteristics of the joints. Organosilicate formulation was proved effective when bonding ungalvanized steels with a rubber-based structural adhesive, where it improves the bond quality between the adhesive and the substrate.

Effects of biochars derived from different feedstocks and pyrolysis temperatures on the anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of biochars derived from different feedstocks and pyrolysis temperatures on the anaerobic digestion (AD) of kitchen waste (KW). Nine biomass feedstocks (corn straw (CS), Dicranopteris dichotoma (DD), bamboo (B), KW, tea residues (TR), mushroom cultivation waste (MW), cassava lees (CL), Chlorella (C), and sargassum (S)) were pyrolyzed at different temperatures (300 °C, 500 °C, and 800 °C). Biochar varied in physicochemical properties (e.g., specific surface area, total pore volume, and organic functional group) depending on both feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature. This further impacted the enrichment of functional microbial consortia and development of methanogenic pathways, resulting in a varied AD performance. The addition of biochars generated respectively from CS, MW, and S at 800 °C, 300 °C, and 500 °C significantly improved the maximum methane production rate (Rm) and methane yield, while other biochars enhanced either Rm or methane yield. Therefore, the efficacy of biochar on methanogenesis associated with both the feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature. The findings offer a beneficial reference for the selection and application of biochar to improve the AD performance.

Janus and Amphiphilic MoS2 2D Sheets for Surface-Directed Orientational Assemblies toward Ex Vivo Dual Substrate Release.

The two-dimensional (2-D) Janus and amphiphilic molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheet with opposite optical activities on each side (amphichiral) is synthesized by modifying sandwich-like bulk MoS2 with tannic acid and cholesterol through biphasic emulsion method. This new type of amphichiral Janus MoS2 nanosheet consists of a hydrophilic and positive optical activity tannic acid side as well as a hydrophobic and negative optical activity cholesterol side thereby characterized by circular dichroism. Surface-directed orientational differentiation assemblies are performed for the as-synthesized 2D material and are characterized by contact angle, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron, and circular dichroism spectroscopies. The amphiphilic nature of the materials is demonstrated by the pre-organization of the nanosheets on either hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces, providing unprecedented properties of circular dichroism signal enhancement and wettability. Selective detachment of the surface organic groups (cholesterol and tannic acid fragments) is realized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation - time-of-flight(MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and the dual substrate release in tissue is detected by ex vivo mass spectrometry imaging.

Catalytic conversion into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural by heterogeneous sulfonic acid catalysis in a flowing acetone–water system

The dehydration of sugars (fructose, glucose, and xylose) was studied using different resins and silicas functionalized with sulfonic as catalysts and a mixture of acetone/water 80:20 as the solvent in a flow system. The reaction conditions (temperature, sugar concentration, and residence time) were studied. The high concentrations of acetone in the solvent favor selectivity for furan compounds but difficult the solubility of the sugars The activity tests revealed different behaviors between acid catalysts employed, catalysts based on resins are more active, but the intrinsic activity (TOF) of silica-based catalysts are higher, these behavior are related with the amount of sulfonic groups and surface nature of the catalysts respectively. A life study (more than 100 h) of selected catalysts was carried out showing that the resin-based catalysts are pretty stable, but the silica counterpart deactivates by leaching of the organic groups that contain the sulfonic groups. The studied flow process that combines a heterogenous catalyst and acetone/water solvent is a very promising candidate to be scaled up to an industrial scale.

Cobalt-based Polymerized Porphyrinic Network for Visible-light-driven CO2 Reduction.

Visible-light-driven conversion of carbon dioxide to valuable compounds and fuels is an important but challenging task due to the inherent stability of the CO2 molecules. Herein, we report a series of cobalt-based polymerized porphyrinic network (PPN) photocatalysts for CO2 reduction with high activity. The introduction of organic groups results in the addition of more conjugated electrons to the networks, thereby altering the molecular orbital levels within the networks. This integration of functional groups effectively adjusts the levels of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). The PPN(Co)-NO2 exhibits outstanding performance, with a CO evolution rate of 12 268 μmol/g/h and 85.8% selectivity, surpassing most similar photocatalyst systems. The performance of PPN(Co)-NO2 is also excellent in terms of apparent quantum yield (AQY) for CO production (5.7% at 420 nm). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), and electrochemical tests reveal that the introduction of methyl and nitro groups leads to a narrower energy gap, facilitating a faster charge transfer. The coupling reaction in this study enables the formation of stable C-C bonds, enhancing the structural regulation, active site diversity, and stability of the catalysts for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. This work offers a facile strategy to develop reliable catalysts for efficient CO2 conversion.

The Effect of Remediation of Soil Co-Contaminated by Cu and Cd in a Semi-Arid Area with Sewage Sludge-Derived Biochar

In this study, biochar derived from sewage sludge was applied to remediate Cu and Cd co-polluted soil in semi-arid areas for the first time, in which the effects of biochar on the improvement of soil physicochemical and biological properties as well as the immobilization of Cu and Cd were investigated. Soil water holding capacity increased by 0.22–2.74%, soil CEC increased by 0.52–4.06 units, soil SOM content increased by 1.41–5.97 times, and urease and catalase activities increased by 0.012–0.032 mg·g−1·24 h−1, 0.18–2.95 mg H2O2·g−1, but soil pH increased only slightly by 0.69 units after biochar application. In addition, although the total content of these two metals in the soil increased with the use of biochar, the content of DTPA-Cu and Cd decreased by −0.128–0.291 mg/kg, 0–0.037 mg/kg, with the increase in biochar application, and the content of acid-soluble Cu in the soil decreased from 27.42 mg/kg to 3.76 mg/kg, the mobility and bioavailability of these two metals in the soil decreased. Finally, the complexation of organic functional groups with the soil dominates the immobilization process of metals, especially Cu. These findings suggest that biochar from sewage sludge can effectively improve soil quality and remediate heavy metal-contaminated soils in semi-arid regions. Meanwhile, the use of sludge-based biochar for the remediation of contaminated soils also provides a new method for the safe disposal of sewage sludge and a new way for sustainable development. In subsequent studies, methods such as modification are recommended to improve the efficiency of sludge-based biochar for the removal of Cu and Cd.

A New centrosymmetric supramolecular Hybrid Antimony (III)-based material :X-ray characterization, vibrational studies, theoretical (DFT and TD-DFT) studies, thermal behavior, opto-electric properties and atomic Hirshfeld surface analysis.

The new centrosymmetric hybrid material (C8H12N)4[SbCl5]2 has been successfully elaborated at room temperature by slow evaporation in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group P21/c with the following parameters: a = 29.0349(16) Å, b = 13.1241(7) Å, c = 12.0278(7) Å, β = 95.567(2) ° Z = 4 and V = 4561.7(4) Å3. The asymmetric unit consists of two isolated [Sb2Cl10]4- dimers and four protonated cations (C8H12N)+ was optimized d by density functional theory (DFT) using the B3LYP method. The cohesion of this supramolecular material was ensured by the means of N—H…Cl hydrogen-bonding interactions yield a three-dimensional network. The infrared IR and Raman studies which were performed at room temperature charge in the 4000–400 cm -1 and 10- 3000 cm -1 frequency regions, respectively, displayed the existence of vibrational modes that correspond to the organic and inorganic groups. The assignment of wavenumbers which were based on potential energy distribution (PED), were performed using Vibrational Energy Distribution Analysis (VEDA) software. Actually, the values obtained by the B3LYP/LanL2MB are in good agreement with the experimental data.Moreover, the Hirschfeld surfaces analysis which was employed to identify the different intermolecular interactions, showed that predominate interactions were H…Cl. The Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals the decomposition of the compound remains stable above 175 °C that confirms its great thermal stability. Furthermore, the optical property of the 0D hybrid Sb(III) based halide was studied with a focus on the band gap. Theoretical investigations on the electronic structure, Simulated UV–Visible spectrum, band gap, and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) were undertaken using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT). Therefore, our results indicate an acceptable consistency was found between calculations and experimental results leading to consistent vibrational and optical features assignments as well as the energy gap (Eg) and the chemical reactivity descriptors which are primarily linked to the ring of the organic cation and the inorganic anion.

Manipulating the Crystallization of Perovskite via Metal‐Free DABCO‐NH4Cl3 Addition for High Efficiency Solar Cells

AbstractThe performance of perovskite cells closely relies on the quality of films, leading to a special focus on crystallization manipulation and defect control. In this study, a novel approach using 1D metal‐free perovskites, specifically DABCO‐NH4Cl3, is proposed to facilitate the crystallization process of 3D FAPbI3 perovskites, while simultaneously addressing surface defects. Analysis of crystallization kinetics reveals that the introduction of 1D metal‐free perovskites provides numerous nucleation sites, effectively slowing down crystal growth rates and resulting in the formation of uniform, large‐grain perovskite films. Furthermore, the organic groups present in 1D perovskites play a crucial role in passivating defects within the perovskite structure. The synergistic impact of these factors enables the perovskite to achieve an efficiency of 24.72% while demonstrating exceptional stability. This research offers a promising approach for controlling perovskite crystallization, leading to the development of high‐efficiency and stable perovskite materials.

A cluster-of-functional-groups approach for studying organic enhanced atmospheric cluster formation

Abstract. The role of organic compounds in atmospheric new particle formation is difficult to disentangle due to the myriad of potentially important oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) present in the atmosphere. Using state-of-the-art quantum chemical methods, we here employ a novel approach, denoted the “cluster-of-functional-groups” approach, for studying the involvement of OOMs in atmospheric cluster formation. Instead of the usual “trial-and-error” approach of testing the ability of experimentally identified OOMs to form stable clusters with other nucleation precursors, we here study which, and how many, intermolecular interactions are required in a given OOM to form stable clusters. In this manner we can reverse engineer the elusive structure of OOM candidates that might be involved in organic enhanced atmospheric cluster formation. We calculated the binding free energies of all combinations of donor and acceptor organic functional groups to investigate which functional groups most preferentially bind with each other and with other nucleation precursors such as sulfuric acid and bases (ammonia, methyl-, dimethyl- and trimethylamine). We find that multiple carboxyl groups lead to substantially more stable clusters compared to all other combinations of functional groups. Employing cluster dynamics simulations, we investigate how a hypothetically OOM composed of multiple carboxyl groups can stabilize sulfuric acid–base clusters and provide recommendations for potential atmospheric multi-carboxylic acid tracer compounds that should be explicitly studied in the future. The presented “cluster-of-functional-groups” approach is generally applicable and can be employed in many other applications, such as ion-induced nucleation and potentially in elucidating the structural patterns in molecules that facilitate ice nucleation.

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

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

Green synthesis of carbon dots from mangosteen peel for fluorescent cancer cells

Recently, carbon dots (CDs) have received significant attention owing to their outstanding optical properties, good solubility, and low toxicity. In this research, CDs were synthesized by a hydrothermal method based on an environmentally friendly and straightforward strategy, using only mangosteen peel and deionized water. The synthesized CDs had an average size of 3.09 ± 0.38 nm. The absorbance spectrum peak for the CDs was seen at 282 nm, and the central wavelength of fluorescence emission was observed at 433 nm under an excitation wavelength of 355 nm. An aqueous solution of CDs exhibited bright green fluorescence when observed with the naked eye under UV irradiation. Both Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope measurements were taken to determine the elemental compositions of the organic substance functional groups on the surface of the CD, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl groups. These functional groups originate the different emission centers leading to multicolor fluorescent emissions. Furthermore, the synthesized CDs were found to have good biocompatibility with organic and biological materials. The remarkable properties of CDs, including their nanoscale dimensions, strong multicolor fluorescent emissions, non-toxicity, and excellent cell compatibility, could effectively permeate the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus and provide fluorescence emission. This suggests a significant potential for CDs in fluorescent cell staining applications. Finally, the CDs were used as a fluorescent dye for human colon cancer cells, as they exhibited excellent fluorescence for cell staining.

Surface Passivation with Tailoring Organic Potassium Salt for Efficient FAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules

AbstractPassivating surface defects on perovskite films with tailored functional materials has emerged as one of the most effective strategies for achieving high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Among existing material selections, potassium salts stand out for their effective passivation of defects surrounding perovskite grain boundaries. However, the widely used potassium salts are inorganic and only soluble in highly polar solvents, which limits their practical application for surface passivation. Herein, a novel organic potassium salt (KCFSO), with multiple organic functional groups and good solubility in low polar isopropanol, is reported to function as a post‐treatment agent for perovskite. Combined with experimental results and theoretical calculations, the formed multiple intermolecular interactions between KCFSO and perovskite are revealed to play a vital role in determining the defect passivation effect. Thus, the KCFSO‐modified film shows a more uniform surface potential distribution, dramatically decreased defect density, and improved charge transfer, leading to a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.11%, and good stability for the derived PSCs. As a demonstration of scalability, the centimeter‐sized PSCs and 5 cm × 5 cm mini‐modules also demonstrate impressive PCEs of 24.17% and 20.18%, respectively. These findings provide insights into passivator design principles to achieve efficient and stable perovskite photovoltaics.

Super-hydrophilic substrate for blade-coated Dion-Jacobson perovskite solar cells with efficiency exceeding 19%

Employing super-hydrophilic substrates is a feasible approach to suppress pinholes and buried voids in perovskite films statistically over large areas. However, substrates terminating with organic functional groups are usually not super-hydrophilic. Herein, constructing surface nanostructures with NiOx nanoparticles is proposed as a universal strategy to transform ordinary hydrophilic organic hole transport layers (HTLs) into super-hydrophilic HTLs. In addition, coating organic layers on NiOx can passivate the surface defects of NiOx nanoparticles. Based on this strategy, pinhole- and void-free Dion–Jacobson-type quasi-two-dimensional (Q-2D) perovskite (BDA)MA4Pb5I16 films have been blade-coated on NiOx/MeO-2PACz substrates. Perovskite solar cells with inverted structure show a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 19.52% and a low non-radiative open-circuit voltage loss of 0.12 V, proving the vital role of substrate wettability on device efficiencies.

An Efficient Propylphosphonic Anhydride (T3P®)-Mediated MW-induced Solvent-free Rapid Synthesis of Enamino Esters and Ketones including 5, 5-Dimethyl-3-aminocyclohex-2-enones

Abstract: This work presents a clean and convenient synthesis of various β-enaminones including 5,5- dimethyl-3-aminocyclohex-2-enones, in satisfactory to excellent yields from the condensation reaction of primary amines with β -dicarbonyls by employing T3P® as a catalyst and performing the reaction under microwave irradiation and solvent-free conditions. These rapid reactions launched readily and stood a diversity of organic functional groups. A mixture of 1,3-dicarbonyl compound, primary amine and T3P® (50% in AcOEt) was irradiated for an appropriate time under microwave at 80°C. After completing the reaction (TLC) and cooling to r.t., ethyl acetate and saturated aqueous NaHCO3 solution were added. The aqueous phase was extracted ethyl acetate. The combined organic layer was washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4, and filtered, and the solvent was removed under reduced pressure to afford the product, which was recrystallized from diisopropyl ether. The presented results exhibit a better catalytic activity of T3P in the synthesis of enaminones. It could be concluded that T3P is the best catalyst as it took only a few minutes for the completion of the reaction with an excellent yield of product, which indicates T3P is more efficient, compared to other catalysts. A comparison of the efficiency of the present procedure with some heterogeneous solid catalysts was evaluated as well. Clearly, a higher yield was established in this procedure compared to other catalysts. Furthermore, the reaction of amines with dimedone was investigated as well, delivering excellent yields. The reaction catalyzed by T3P under microwave irradiation supplies a comprehensive method for the synthesis of enaminones. In this work, T3P is an effective, efficient and green catalyst, which forms the procedure economic, suitable, and safe with widespread application in the synthesis of enaminones. background: This work presents a clean and convenient synthesis of various β-enaminones incuding 5,5-dimethyl-3-aminocyclohex-2-enones in good to excellent yields from the reaction of different primary amines with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds by employing T3P® as a catalyst and performing the reaction under microwave irradiation and solvent-free conditions. This one-pot rapid reaction proceeded readily and tolerated a variety of functional groups.

Update on the prognostic value of a novel immune-related toxicity grading system (OST score) in patients with advanced solid tumours treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

e14696 Background: Toxicity grading systems have been an asset in managing cancer patients undergoing systemic treatment. In the era of ICI treatment, correlation between toxicity and treatment response is becoming more apparent. A new toxicity score was developed with the aim of better defining the profile of immune-related toxicities (irAEs). Initial analyses also demonstrated its potential in predicting patient outcomes. Here we provide an update on the survival analyses. Methods: Data were collected from the Pathobiology of Adverse Immune Reactions (PAIR) prospective cohort study at Guy’s Hospital from February 2018 until December 2023. Patients with advanced solid tumours naïve to ICI who received at least 1 dose were included. Minimum 6 months of follow-up was required. IrAEs were captured based on the OST score which evaluates the number of affected Organs (O), number of Severe (S) CTCAE (≥G3) toxicities, and Total sum of all grade toxicities (T). OST was calculated as a cumulative score at the end of follow-up or death. Patients were divided in high and low toxicity groups, defined by the median value for each parameter. For the composite OST score analysis, patients were divided in 2 groups based on a point system; 1 point was attributed for each individual OST high parameter; high toxicity OST group included patients with score >1. Descriptive statistics and crude and multivariate survival Cox Proportional Hazards regression analyses were performed accounting for age, tumour type, treatment, and steroid exposure. Results: A total of 148 patients fulfilled the criteria. Median age was 68 years (range 23-87), the majority were white Caucasian (81.8%) and male (56%). Melanoma was the most common tumour type (32.4%) followed by NSCLC (21.6%) and RCC (19.2%). 37.8% of patients received Ipilimumab/Nivolumab, 30.4% Pembrolizumab and 31.8% received other PD(L)-1 monotherapies. Twenty-eight patients (18.9%) had an autoimmune disorder at baseline; hypothyroidism was most common (5.4%). At end of follow-up, 82 deaths (55.4%) had occurred. Across the three OST parameters, Organ (O) was the strongest predictor of survival [HR (95%CI) 0.480 (0.265-0.869)]. After adjustment, multivariate analysis showed that risk of death was significantly lower in the high vs low Organ and Total toxicity groups [HR (95%CI) 0.379 (0.216-0.663) and 0.544 (0.302-0.982) respectively], but not for Severity [0.664 (0.338-1.306)]. In the OST combined score, the high toxicity group had favourable prognosis compared to low groups (mOS 56.6 vs 13 months) [HR (95%CI) 0.439 (0.275-0.702)]. Conclusions: Our new score manages to efficiently capture immune-mediated toxicity profile of patients treated with ICI as well as predict their outcomes. Further prospective evaluation, integration of laboratory markers and external validation is currently ongoing.

Low temperature phase transition mechanism of amorphous Al-oxalate to nano α-alumina

α-Alumina (α-Al2O3), widely used as a raw material or production in advanced manufacturing industry, has attracted much attention in terms of its preparation temperature. A simple dissolution-evaporation-precipitation process was employed to obtain the amorphous Al-oxalate (AAO) precursor, serving as the starting material for the low temperature preparation of nano α-Al2O3. The crystalline structure and thermal behavior of the AAO were compared with commercially available aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) powder using the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) instrument, the thermal gravity analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). The phase transition mechanism of AAO was investigated by the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (27Al-MAS-NMR). The DSC results indicated that AAO underwent a phase transformation at 982 °C. The α-alumina diffraction peaks appeared in AAO at 1000 °C, while α-Al2O3 phase was observed for Al(OH)3 at 1200 °C. Furthermore, an absorption peak at 452 cm−1, corresponding to Al–O bond in α-alumina was detected at 1000 °C. The proposed low-temperature preparation mechanism of α-alumina from AAO is as follows: four coordination Al-oxalate species entities coexist within the AAO sample; with increasing temperature, organic acid functional groups oxidize and volatilize, resulting in the formation of tetra-coordinate [AlO4], penta-coordinate [AlO5], and hexa-coordinate [AlO6] atomic groups; these atomic clusters further polymerize to form a structurally dense α-alumina crystal at the nano-scale (∼50 nm) at around 1000 °C. The experimental findings present a novel approach and method for the low-temperature preparation of nano-sized alumina powder. Additionally, a feasible theoretical reference for the low-temperature phase transition mechanism of amorphous Al-oxalate was provided.

Remediation effect of walnut shell biochar on Cu and Pb co-contaminated soils in different utilization types

Biochar, with its dual roles of soil remediation and carbon sequestration, is gradually demonstrating great potential for sustainability in agricultural and ecological aspects. In this study, a porous biochar derived from walnut shell wastes was prepared via a facile pyrolysis coupling with in-situ alkali etching method. An incubation study was conducted to investigate its performance in stabilizing copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) co-contaminated soils under different utilization types. The biochar effectively decreased the bioavailable Cu (8.5–91.68%) and Pb (5.03–88.54%), while increasing the pH, CEC, and SOM contents in both soils. Additionally, the results of sequential extraction confirmed that biochar promoted the transformation of the labile fraction of Cu and Pb to stable fractions. The mechanisms of Cu and Pb stabilization were found to be greatly dependent on the soil types. For tea plantation yellow soil, the main approach for stabilization was the complexation of heavy metals with abundant organic functional groups and deprotonation structure. Surface electrostatic adsorption and cation exchange contributed to the immobilization of Cu and Pb in vegetable-cultivated purple soil. This research provides valuable information for the stabilization of Cu and Pb co-contaminated soils for different utilization types using environmentally-friendly biochar.

Analysis on Chemical and Physical Properties of Dried Sago Bagasse

The uncontrollable of sago bagasse waste from sago industry production become an environmental issue as it just dumping directly into nearby rivers which can affect a river pollution if not treated well. As it still has about 70% starch content, it has a potential to be converted to the others value-added product such as animal feed. However, before it can be converted to others product, it should go through a drying process to reduce its higher moisture content (90 wt.%), as well to prevent any micro bacteria growth and for long lasting packaging. Thus, this study focused on the evaluation of drying process at T=70 and 80 °C on reducing of its final moisture content by using three drying approaches: fluidized bed dryer (FBD), micro-oven and direct sunlight drying. Then, these samples of dried sago were analysed to determine its properties of starch, fibre, and ash, as well to study its functional organic chemical group by using Fourier infrared transform (FTIR) method. The results show the reduction of sago water content by FBD shown a significant result as compared to others drying methods as the FBD method produces a good solid mixed between particles. Besides, the drying rate using the FBD was achieved in a shorter time within 30 min as compared to oven which within 2 hours and sunlight drying within 6 days to achieve similar final desired moisture content at 11 wt.%. The analysis on the starch properties using the FBD was also almost 75% more higher than oven, which is about 70% starch content. Moreover, the presence of starch was successful proven by the presence of acrylic acid at a wavelength of 1539.72 cm-1 for FBD sample by using FTIR. In addition, using the FBD, the sago waste can maintain its quality as an animal feed by reached a brightness level, W1 as compared to the slurry sago waste where the dried sago using FBD is 58.78%, meanwhile the fresh slurry sago waste is 93.31%. In conclusion, the sago drying in the FBD at T=80 °C was selected as the optimum drying condition as it had achieved a short drying rate for desired final 11 wt.% moisture content and resulted in better on the chemical and physical analysis.

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial evaluation of quaternary ammonium compounds from natural oils

Quaternary ammonium salts refer to any class of salt derived from ammonium in which the nitrogen atom is attached to four organic groups covalently, as in benzalkonium chloride (R4N+). Quaternary ammonium compounds were synthesized from Canola oil (Brasssicanapus) and Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) extracts by reacting the oils with N,N-diethylethylenediamine in the presence of potassium tertiary butoxide as catalyst. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometric analyses of the starting materials, the intermediates and the final products were conducted, the results showed a disappearance of the carbonyl (C=O) stretch of an ester (the oil) at 1744cm-1 and appearance of N-H band of an amide at 3433cm-1, which resulted from the quaternization of benzyl chloride with the intermediates for both oils. Other functional groups such as C=C and C-H stretch of aromatic compound, C=O stretch of an amide were also observed.Mass spectrometric analysis of the final products were conducted and results showed the Molecular Ion peak (M+) which is the molecular weights of the products. Vital fragments such as base peaks were observed for both quats, other fragmented radical cations were observed.Antimicrobial activity of the synthesized Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) exhibited excellent anti-bacterial activity covering a diameter of 22 mm and 28 mm of E. coli for QACs from Cocos nucifera and Brassic anapus oils respectively as compared to the standard antibiotic (Ampillicin).

Comparative Impact of Hydroxychloride and Organic Sources of Manganese, Zinc, and Copper in Rearing Diets on Pullet Growth, Tibia Traits, Egg Production, and Eggshell Quality in Lohmann Brown Birds up to 50 Weeks of Age.

(1) Background: This study assessed the efficacy of hydroxychloride sources of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) compared with organic sources in the rearing diets of Lohmann brown pullets, focusing on pullet performance, tibia quality, egg production, and eggshell quality. (2) Methods: A total of 120 birds (six replications and 10 birds each) received diets with Mn, Zn, and Cu from organic or hydroxychloride sources during the rearing phase. After the onset of lay, birds were fed diets containing oxide/sulfate sources up to 50 weeks of age. (3) Results: no significant differences were observed in growth performance and tibia quality during the rearing phase (p > 0.05). From 18 to 24 weeks of age, no carryover effect on egg production performance was observed. However, from 25-50 weeks, pullets fed hydroxychloride sources showed lower feed intake and egg mass compared to the organic group (p < 0.05), whereas egg production and eggshell quality remained similar between groups (p > 0.05). (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest the potential of hydroxychloride sources in rearing diets without compromising overall growth in the pullet phase and feed efficiency in the laying cycle.