Solvent Research Articles

A Pt/Nb2O5 catalyst for oxidative conversion of 1,5-pentanediol into 5-hydroxypentanal and δ-valerolactone under ambient conditions.

Hydroxyaldehydes and lactones such as 5-hydroxypentanal (5-HP) and δ-valerolactone (DVL) are important value-added feedstocks for organic synthesis and biomedical production. Usually, high temperature, organic solvents or toxic oxidants are involved in the selective oxidation of 1,5-pentanediol (1,5-PDO) to 5-HP and DVL. Here, an environmentally friendly strategy for the simultaneous synthesis of 5-HP and DVL via the efficient oxidation of 1,5-PDO using an aqueous suspension of Pt-loaded Nb2O5 nanoparticles under ambient conditions is proposed. The characterization results indicate that the positively charged Ptδ+ species formed due to electronic metal-support interactions between Pt and Nb2O5 are beneficial for the primary dehydrogenation of 1,5-PDO to 5-HP on Pt, while the strong Lewis acid sites on Nb2O5 are able to improve aldol condensation and intramolecular cyclization of 5-HP to DVL.

Optimization of CO2 absorption into MDEA-PZ-sulfolane hybrid solution using machine learning algorithms and RSM.

This study presents the modeling and simulation of carbon dioxide (CO₂) absorption in hybrid amine solutions using machine learning algorithms and response surface methodology (RSM). The process was governed by adjustable input parameters, including pressure (0.50-7.76bar), temperature (292.8-343.1K), time (0-1680s), and solvent concentrations (1-5 wt% for N-methyl diethanolamine (MDEA), 1-5 wt% for sulfolane, and 1-5 wt% for piperazine (PZ)). The primary objective was to leverage the synergistic effects of chemical and physical solvents for enhanced CO₂ absorption. Seven machine learning models-MLP, RBF, LightGBM, XGBoost, Random Forest, ExtraTrees, and Adaboost-were employed for accurate prediction and parametric analysis. Among these, MLP with 147 neurons and RBF with 560 neurons demonstrated superior performance, achieving R2 values of 0.9982 and 0.9975, respectively. A comparative analysis with RSM confirmed that neural networks exhibited superior predictive accuracy and generalization. The findings revealed that CO₂ absorption capacity increased with rising pressure and time but decreased with higher temperatures and solvent concentrations. Additionally, optimization through a genetic algorithm (GA) was employed to identify the best input parameters for maximizing CO₂ loading, achieving optimal conditions with a CO₂ loading of 0.62, 0.55, and 0.50 for RSM, MLP + GA, and RBF + GA, respectively.

Enhancing MM/P(G)BSA Methods: Integration of Formulaic Entropy for Improved Binding Free Energy Calculations.

Balancing computational efficiency and precision, MM/P(G)BSA methods have been widely employed in the estimation of binding free energies within biological systems. However, the entropy contribution to the binding free energy is often neglected in MM/P(G)BSA calculations, due to the computational cost of conventional methods such as normal mode analysis (NMA). In this work, the entropy effect using a formulaic entropy can be computed from one single structure according to variations in the polar and non-polar solvents accessible surface areas and the count of rotatable bonds in ligands. It was incorporated into MM/P(G)BSA methods to enhance their performance. Extensive benchmarking reveals that the integration of formulaic entropy systematically elevates the performance of both MM/PBSA and MM/GBSA without incurring additional computational expenses. In addition, we found the inclusion of dispersion can deteriorate the correlation performance (Rp) but reduce the root mean square error (RMSE) of both MM/PBSA and MM/GBSA. Notably, MM/PBSA_S, including the formulaic entropy but excluding the dispersion, surpasses all other MM/P(G)BSA methods across a spectrum of datasets. Our investigation furnishes a valuable and practical MM/P(G)BSA method, optimizing binding free energy calculations for a variety of biological systems.

Color Changes in Gels Composed of Hydrogen-Bonding Donor-Acceptor-Donor-Type Fluorenone Derivatives and Short-Chain Polyethylene Glycol in Response to Ionic Species.

A series of donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D)-type fluorenone derivatives with urethane units and oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) linkers of different lengths (F-EGn-BU, n=2-4) are synthesized to investigate the effect of the length of the OEG linker on the self-assembling behavior and photophysical properties of the fluorenone derivatives. In alcoholic media such as ethanol and 2-propanol, the fluorenone-based D-A-D triad with triethylene glycol linkers (F-EG3-BU) specifically form supramolecular gels via hydrogen bonds between the urethane units. The extension of the OEG linkers (F-EG4-BU) reduced the strength of molecular aggregates, resulting in higher solubility in various organic solvents. Each compound formed intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) states, as evidenced by the ICT band in the UV-vis absorption spectra and the twisted intramolecular charge transfer emission bands in the photoluminescence spectra. Changes in the absorption and emission spectra of short-chain poly(ethylene glycol)s (SC-PEGs) gelated with F-EG2-BU depend on the coexisting ionic species. In this study, we describe the unique chemical stimuli-response behaviors of fluorenone-based SC-PEG gels that cause significant changes in the spectroscopic properties upon ion doping with NaCl and alkali metal hydroxides.

Preparation of Nitrocellulose Nanoparticles and Its Application in Ethyl Cellulose Film as a Reinforcing Agent

ABSTRACTEthyl cellulose (EC) films are biodegradable cellulose materials with a wide variety of possible applications because of their outstanding film‐forming qualities and customizable physicochemical characteristics. However, problems including low mechanical strength, poor chemical stability, and excessive usage of hazardous solvents limit their application in the industry. The use of nanofillers has been shown to be a tactic for improving ethyl cellulose's functioning to overcome these problems. In this study, nano‐sized aqueous dispersions of nitrocellulose (NC) with different nitrogen contents (13.1%, 12.6%, and 11.7%) were created using a solvent replacement technique that can eliminate organic solvents. The shape, chemical structure, thermal characteristics, moisture absorption, and mechanical performance of the composite films were all thoroughly examined utilizing SEM, FTIR, DSC, TGA, dynamic vapor sorption, and a universal testing apparatus. The activation energy of S‐NC(B)‐8 wt% was twice than the EC film, suggesting that the thermal disintegration temperature of the EC‐NC composite films was raised. The samples' mass loss was less than 6% following a 24‐h soak in water, indicating strong water resistance. The tensile strength of the EC‐NC composite films increased by up to 77% when compared to the EC film, which showed that the insertion of NC nanoparticles greatly increased the mechanical strength of the films.

Synchronous Sorting and Functionalization of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using Organic Derivatives of Hydrazine

AbstractThe purification and sorting of complex mixtures of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is essential to facilitate their implementation. Conjugated polymer extraction (CPE) can be used to achieve this goal. However, the obtained purified SWCNTs are often very diluted, hindering their use. Furthermore, the SWCNTs prepared this way often exhibit unsatisfactory photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs). In this study, how both of these problems can be solved by the application of a newly designed platform is shown for differentiation/covalent modification of SWCNTs. The addition of organic phenylhydrazine derivatives is found to greatly increase the yield of SWCNT separation. Concomitantly, such a range of chemical compounds also revealed great utility for the introduction of luminescent defects into SWCNTs to enhance PLQYs. The density of defects can be tailored by various parameters, while the duration of the process is dramatically shorter (tens of seconds to minutes) than that of the well‐known methods (several hours to days). Notably, the described SWCNT functionalization framework modifies SWCNTs very effectively both in organic solvents and water (at a reactant concentration of ≈ 100 ng mL−1). The straightforward nature of the reported approach and its high versatility open the way toward a broad spectrum of long‐awaited applications of monochiral SWCNTs.

Growth and characterization of WS2 bulk single- crystals.

Abstract Topological superconductors have attracted significant interest attributable to their potential applications in quantum computing with WS2 emerging as the particularly intriguing candidate. In this study, a comprehensive synthesis protocol and morphological investigation of WS2 single crystal systems is presented. An unconventional method involving modified alkali metal intercalation is used for synthesis without using the argon glove box. The procedure yielded WS2 single crystals possessing stacked morphology and ranging in size from nanometers to a few micrometers. Furthermore, the crystal systems exhibit multiphasic nature with 2M, 2H, and 1T' as the confirmed phases and a varying prominence of phases across different crystal systems as confirmed by XRD, EDAX, SEM, TEM, and RAMAN analysis. Additionally, organic solvent (IPA) based sonication has been shown effective in de-stacking the crystals providing an alternative route to aggressive acid-based procedures. Our study suggests that multiphasic WS2 single crystal systems could be synthesized with both stable and metastable phases present using the synthesis procedure reported in this paper potentially guiding future research regarding the accessibility and scalability of synthesizing single crystal WS2 systems, including the topological superconductor, 2M WS2.

Optimizing PVA hydrogel characteristics and properties through physical and chemical crosslinking for oil-painting restoration

Polymer gels have presently been employed instead of cotton wool soaked with organic solvents to clean artwork in cultural heritage restoration since they are less harmful to the artwork’s surface and more efficient in safe cleaning. A lack of insight into the characteristics and properties of polymer gels produced by various materials and methods leads to misuse and might cause damage to artwork. In this work, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was employed to produce a cleaning gel. Different crosslinking agents, sodium tetraborate (borax), borax plus polyethylene glycol (borax-PEG), and glutaraldehyde, were studied together with various gel formation methods, solely casting, casting plus freeze-thawing, and casting plus freeze-thawing and solvent soaking. Characterization and property tests were carefully conducted to understand the behavior of produced materials. The porosity of the PVA gel crosslinked with borax-PEG significantly increased by freeze-thawing. After being loaded with water, the porous structure was maintained even as it swelled, and its confined water was slowly released when the gel was left on an oil painting. The 4 wt% PVA gel crosslinked with 5% borax and 0.5% PEG, after freeze-thawing and water soaking, exhibited the most suitable rigidity and elasticity for the required cleaning gel properties and provided better cleaning efficiency on oil paintings than other gels. These results indicated that PVA crosslinked with borax plus PEG and formed by the casting plus freeze-thawing and solvent soaking could be an alternatively suitable material for a cleaning gel in oil-painting restoration.

An environmental and economic study on the chemical recycling of plastic composites using an engineering constitutive model.

An environmental and economic study on the chemical recycling of plastic composites using an engineering constitutive model.

Clinical Results for Cardiovascular Xenografts Treated With Novel Anticalcification Protocols.

Glutaraldehyde (GA) generates cross-links between cardiovascular xenografts to obtain tissue stability and attenuate antigenicity. However, the long-term durability of GA-fixed cardiovascular xenografts treated with previous anticalcification strategies has remained a challenge because tissue phospholipids, free aldehyde groups of GA, and residual antigenicity contribute to calcification. This study aimed to assess the safety, efficacy, and clinical performance of a bovine pericardial scaffold treated with our novel anticalcification protocols (Periborn) in patients with cardiovascular diseases. Bovine pericardia were decellularized with 0.25% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.5% Triton X-100, and treated with a space-filler with polyethylene glycol. These tissues were cross-linked with 0.5% GA in a 75% ethanol +5% octanol organic solvent and treated with glycine for detoxification to produce Periborn. Between July 2015 and April 2022, 451 Periborn patches were implanted in 352 cases for cardiovascular surgeries. The mean age at the time of surgery was 22.74 ± 20.09 years (13 days-89.5 years), follow-up duration was 4.25 ± 2.56 years (17 days-8.6 years), and no patch-related mortalities were observed. Five patients were reoperated owing to patch-related complications including decreased mobility, erosion, pseudoaneurysm, and calcification, and the overall probability of freedom from Periborn-related reoperation was 99.4% ± 0.4% at 1 year, 98.6% ± 0.7% at 5 years, and 95.4% ± 3.2% at 9 years. This retrospective study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of the tissue-engineered Periborn bovine pericardial scaffold for the surgical repair of various cardiovascular diseases. The excellent durability and hemodynamic performance of Periborn make our novel anti-calcification protocol attractive and may require long-term follow-up to confirm durability and further research.

Immobilized Lipases in the Synthesis of Short-Chain Esters: An Overview of Constraints and Perspectives

Biocatalysis—specifically the use of immobilized lipases—has been proposed as a greener alternative for ester production. Several critical challenges, such as the high cost of biocatalysts, are delaying the industrial implementation of biocatalysis. Moreover, for short-chain ester synthesis, the strong inhibition/inactivation potential of short-chain acids and alcohols on lipases leads to long reaction cycles and/or the need to use organic solvents to overcome the limitations of solvent-free systems and, consequently, the decrease in product concentrations. This review presents an overview of the scientific developments in enzymatic short-chain ester synthesis, compiling the constraints on their syntheses from a process perspective, including insights about key performance indicators (KPI) and economic parameters.

Versatile Solid-State Medical Superglue Precursors of α-Lipoic Acid.

α-Lipoic acid (αLA) is an attractive building block for medical adhesives. However, due to poor water solubility of αLA and high hydrophobicity of poly(αLA), elevated temperatures, organic solvents, or complex preparations are typically required to obtain and deliver αLA-based adhesives to biological tissue. Here, we report αLA-based powder and low-viscosity liquid superglues that polymerize and bond rapidly upon contact with wet tissue. A monomeric mixture of αLA, sodium lipoate, and an activated ester of lipoic acid was used to formulate the versatile adhesives. Stress-strain measurements of the wet adhesives confirmed the high flexibility of the adhesive. Moreover, a small molecule regenerative drug was successfully incorporated into and released from the adhesive without altering the physical and adhesive properties. In vitro and in vivo studies of the developed adhesives confirmed their cell and tissue compatibility, biodegradability, and potential for sustained drug delivery. Moreover, due to the inherent ionic nature of the adhesives, they demonstrated high electric conductivity and sensitivity to deformation, allowing for the development of a tissue-adherent strain sensor.

Aqueous-Phase Synthesis of Cyclic Trinuclear Cluster-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

The synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) often involves high-boiling-point organic solvents, which can have extensive environmental impact and limit their large-scale applications. Here, we present a one-pot aqueous-phase approach for the rapid preparation of 33 trinuclear-copper-cluster-based MOFs (1 to 33) with different pyrazoles under ultrasonic irradiation. To address the water-solubility challenge of organic linkers, we employ aromatic amines/aldehydes and pyrazole aldehydes/amines to in situ generate imine-based pyrazoles. This linker dismantling strategy enables the formation of low-concentration pyrazoles, which are essential for the assembly of trinuclear-copper-cluster-based MOFs in the aqueous phase. The use of preassembled trinuclear gold complexes instead of aromatic amines affords an Au-Cu-based MOF (34) of alternating gold and copper clusters, a rare example of MOFs with mixed yet precise arrangement of metal compositions. Additionally, the direct addition of pyruvic acid to the reaction mixture results in the facile synthesis of a carboxylic-acid-functionalized MOF (35), eliminating the need for preinstallation or postmodification steps in traditional MOF synthesis. Furthermore, we demonstrate 11-AA as an efficient photocatalyst for cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reactions, exploiting the synergetic effect of substrate activation on the copper sites and subsequent coupling initiated by the photosensitive organic linkers. This work offers a simple solution for making MOFs with minimal environmental impact; it also opens up possibilities for developing multifunctional MOFs for diverse applications.

Rapid Access to Small Molecule Conformational Ensembles in Organic Solvents Enabled by Graph Neural Network-Based Implicit Solvent Model.

Understanding and manipulating the conformational behavior of a molecule in different solvent environments is of great interest in the fields of drug discovery and organic synthesis. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with solvent molecules explicitly present are the gold standard to compute such conformational ensembles (within the accuracy of the underlying force field), complementing experimental findings and supporting their interpretation. However, conventional methods often face challenges related to computational cost (explicit solvent) or accuracy (implicit solvent). Here, we showcase how our graph neural network (GNN)-based implicit solvent (GNNIS) approach can be used to rapidly compute small molecule conformational ensembles in 39 common organic solvents reproducing explicit-solvent simulations with high accuracy. We validate this approach using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, thus identifying the conformers contributing most to the experimental observable. The method allows the time required to accurately predict conformational ensembles to be reduced from days to minutes while achieving results within one kBT of the experimental values.

Stimuli responsive carboxyl rich carbon photonic ball ink via template assisted light thermal dehydration of monosaccharides

In this study, we investigated a color-tunable carboxyl-rich carbon inverse photonic ball (CIPB) ink, which was fabricated using a polymeric photonic ball (PB) as a template, with characteristic self-assembled opalline structures from monodisperse polystyrene (PS) microspheres. The PBs were prepared on a large scale via an optimized diffusive drying method using an aqueous dispersion of polystyrene microspheres. Via acid-catalyzed thermal dehydration of monosaccharides within the interstitial space of PB followed by template removal, iridescent CIPB, which is insoluble in water or organic solvents because the crosslinked structure is similar to a naturally occurring humin, was obtained. The use of PS microspheres of different sizes for the preparation of the respective PBs resulted in CIPBs with different structural colors. Optical characterization revealed that the individual CIPB particles exhibit specific colors on the basis of the angular dependence of the Bragg condition for each particle. The overall structural color of the CIPB ink was sensitively tuned by changing dispersing media with different indices of refraction. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed the presence of carboxyl groups within CIPB due to the light thermal condensation of sugar, and the osmotic swelling/deswelling of the charged CIPB at pH values above/below the pKa of the bound carboxylate drove the reversible pH-responsive changes in structural color, indicating the promising applicability of CIPB as a colorimetric chemical sensor.

Conjugated Iminodibenzyl Dyes Incorporating Phenolic Hydroxyl Group and Strong Electron Donating or Accepting Groups for Facilitating ESIPT and Proton Transfer in Six- or Seven-Membered Cycles.

In this study, a range of conjugated iminodibenzyl derivatives D1-D6 including phenolic group and strong electro donating/accepting groups (N,N-diethylamino/nitro groups) were prepared as the target dyes, which could process internal proton transfer in excited state via six-/seven membered ring transition state (TS). Furthermore, reference iminodibenzyl dyes D7-D12, devoid of the phenolic segment, were synthesized for comparative analysis of their absorption and emission spectral properties. The internal H-bond of the target dyes was analyzed by the 1H-NMR spectroscopy and ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopy. As compared with the reference dyes, the steady and transient fluorescence measurements suggest that the target dyes D1-D3 CAN undergo excited state intramolecular proton transfer occurring through a six membered ring TS in various organic solvents. However, the target dyes D4-D6 CAN NOT process internal proton transfer in the excited state through a seven membered ring TS. Furthermore, the strong electron donating/accepting substituted groups show an effect on internal hydrogen bond in the target dyes, and thus they display influence on intramolecular proton transfer in the excited state of the target dyes D1-D3. The molecular modeling of the target dyes was further performed to reveal ESIPT through a six membered ring TS of the target dyes D1-D3 can occur, but ESIPT through a seven membered ring TS of the target dyes D4-D6 may not happen.

Exploiting a New Strategy to Prepare Water-Soluble Heteroleptic Iridium(III) Complexes to Control Electrochemiluminescence Reaction Pathways in Aqueous Solution.

The direct derivatisation of heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes with sulfonate groups removes the limitations of prior strategies for the preparation of water-soluble analogues, in which complexes were prepared from a narrow range of ligands with suitably polar or charged functional groups. Phenylpyridine, phenylpyrazole and phenylbenzothiazole ligands were selectively sulfonated opposite to their cyclometalated carbon within iridium(III) complexes containing bipyridine or N-heterocyclic carbene ancillary ligands. Altering reaction conditions enabled additional sulfonation of the benzothiazole fragments. Informed by the electrochemical and photophysical properties of the parent complexes in organic solvents, we adopted this strategy to design six novel luminophores that proceed through three different sets of co-reactant electrochemiluminescence (ECL) reaction pathways under aqueous conditions. The intensity of the indirect co-reactant ECL of an iridium(III) luminophore was enhanced by over an order of magnitude by introducing a redox mediator, extending this promising analytical approach beyond the conventional [Ru(bpy)3]2+ electrochemiluminophore.

Universal membranization of synthetic coacervates and biomolecular condensates towards ultrastability and spontaneous emulsification.

Membranization of membraneless coacervates and condensates is emerging as a promising strategy to resolve their inherent susceptibility to fusion, ripening and environmental variations. Yet current membranization agents by design are largely limited to a subclass or a specific kind of coacervate or condensate systems. Here we develop a library of condensate-amphiphilic block polymers that can efficiently form a polymeric layer on the droplet interface for a wide spectrum of synthetic coacervates and biomolecular condensates. Condensate-amphiphilic block polymers are designed with a condenophilic block firmly anchored to the condensed phase, a condenophobic block extended to the dilute phase and a self-association block to promote membrane formation. Critical to our design is the condenophilic block of phenylboronic acid and amidoamine that target the disparate chemistry of condensed droplets via multivalent affinities. The condensate-amphiphilic block polymer membranes render the droplets mechanically robust against fusion, regulate interfacial properties such as permeability and stiffness, and substantially improve droplet tolerance to challenging conditions of temperature, salinity, pH and organic solvents.

Biochar-based composite microspheres embedded with zero-valent iron and soybean oil efficiently remove 1,1,1-trichloroethane and reshape microbial community in simulated groundwater.

The increasing contamination of global groundwater by organic chlorine solvents poses a major threat to environmental and human health; however, there is a lack of structurally stable and effective materials for removing organic chlorine pollutants. In this study, biochar-based composite microspheres embedded with zero-valent iron (ZVI) and soybean oil were prepared and their effects on 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) removal and the microbial community in simulated groundwater system were investigated. The composite microspheres achieved a remarkable 85.79% removal rate of 1,1,1-TCA after 360h in groundwater, which was 1.63 times higher than that of ZVI + biochar microspheres (52.69%) and 1.33 times higher than that of soybean oil + biochar microspheres (64.50%). The composite microspheres also significantly reduced the oxidation-reduction potential to - 248.52mV and maintained a neutral pH range of 6.8-7.2, thereby creating favorable conditions for long-term reductive dechlorination. The surface morphology of the composite was stable during degradation, reflecting its potential for long-term usage. The rich network structure of microspheres and the micropore structure of the biochar were conducive to the capturing of pollutants, safety of microorganisms, and slow release of organic carbon. 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated that the composite significantly affected the diversity and stability of the microbial community, especially promoting the growth and interaction of dechlorinating and fermentative microorganisms in the groundwater and composite microspheres. The preliminary removal mechanisms included biochar-induced adsorption and ZVI-induced chemical reduction in the early stage and biochemical coupling of dechlorination in the middle and last stages. The biochar-based composite microspheres significantly enhanced the effectiveness and consistency of 1,1,1-TCA removal, potentially being applied to in situ enhanced reductive dechlorination of organochlorine solvents in site groundwater. Moreover, considering the abundant porous structure and easy availability of biochar, it can effectively promote the sustainability and cost-efficiency of the microspheres during application.

Efficacy of Carum copticum extract as a green pesticide against groundnut seed beetle, Caryedon serratus

BackgroundCaryedon serratus (Olivier, 1790) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a major groundnut pest that infests groundnut kernels. This study aimed to extract phytochemicals from Carum copticum using a Soxhlet extractor with methanol as an organic solvent and to evaluate their efficacy against C. serratus.ResultsMethanolic extract and its fractions showed significant adulticidal effects after 4 days of treatment, with 87.11 ± 2.21% and 70.10 ± 2.52%, respectively. A sex ratio imbalance, extension or reduction of developmental phases, decreased fecundity, and reduced fertility. In comparison to the control, the hexane fraction produced fecundity averages of 55.33 ± 2.01 eggs, and the ethyl acetate fraction produced an average of 41 ± 0.25 eggs, corresponding to reductions in spawning rates of 52.93% and 63.25%, respectively. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were used to identify the major bioactive chemicals in C. copticum, and there was thymol (C10H14O), 1-methylbenzene (toluene, C10H14), 7-oxabicycloheptane (C10H18O), 1-pentene4-methyl (C6H12), and octane (C8H18). C. serratus was exposed to three distinct concentrations of the plant's crude and fractions of extract of organic solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol).ConclusionsAll concentrations caused substantial mortality in C. serratus eggs and adults. This study shows that the efficacy of C. copticum is due to the active chemicals present in the extract that can be employed as a biocontrol agent against the major pest C. serratus.