Presence Of Inorganic Elements Research Articles

Multiple factors influence telomere length and DNA damage in individuals environmentally exposed to a coal-burning power plant

Coal is a mixture of several chemicals, many of which have mutagenic and carcinogenic effects and are a key contributor to the global burden of mortality and disease. Previous studies suggest that coal is related to telomeric shortening in individuals occupationally exposed, however little is known about the effects of mining and burning coal on the telomeres of individuals living nearby. Therefore, the primary objective of this investigation was to assess the impact of proximity to coal power plants and coal mines on the genomic instability of individuals environmentally exposed, while also exploring potential associations with individual characteristics, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and the presence of inorganic elements. This study involved 80 men participants from three cities around a thermoelectric power plant and one city unexposed to coal and byproducts. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples obtained from each participant, and the telomeres length (TL) was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methodology. No significant difference was observed between exposed individuals (6227 ± 2884 bp) when compared to the unexposed group (5638 ± 2452 bp). Nevertheless, TL decrease was associated with age and risk for cardiovascular disease; and longer TL was found to be linked with increased concentrations of silicon and phosphorus in blood samples. No correlations were observed between TL with comet assay (visual score), micronucleus test, oxidative stress, and inflammatory results. Additional research is required to ascertain the potential correlation between these changes and the onset of diseases and premature mortality.

Biogeochemistry of dissolved organic matter and inorganic solutes in soil profiles of tropical pasturelands

Tropical soils play a critical role in the global biogeochemical cycles and are essential for maintaining the Earth's carbon balance. Understanding the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is paramount due to its implications for ecosystem functioning and nutrient cycling. This study comprehensively evaluated the origin, distribution, and composition of DOM and inorganic solutes in Brazilian tropical agricultural soils. Multiple analytical techniques were utilized to assess DOM from soil profiles (0–100 cm depth) across a spectrum of land uses, including a native Atlantic Forest, a degraded pasture, as well as intensive grazing, extensive grazing, and silvopastoral systems. Inorganic elements were quantified to assess the coupling between the organic and inorganic biogeochemical cycles. The dominance of C4 carbon in topsoil layers suggested substantial contributions of organic matter from grasses to the soil organic matter pool. However, with increased depth, C3 carbon inputs became more prominent, indicating the influence of forest vegetation that existed prior to the implementation of agricultural managements. DOM concentrations decreased with soil depth due to reduced carbon inputs, sorption to minerals, or oxidation. DOM composition did not show significant changes among different land use and managements. Lignin was identified as the primary contributor to oxidized DOM with increasing soil depth. The composition of DOM exhibited a shift from more aromatic and higher molecular weight compounds in topsoil layers to smaller, more aliphatic compounds in subsoil layers. Our key findings revealed that aliphatic compounds, particularly fatty acids, tend to accumulate in deeper soil layers. This phenomenon was consistent in pastures dominated by grasses but not in soils near treed vegetation. Overseeding (from C3 plants) did not significantly impact DOM compositions, emphasizing the persistence of C4 plants in these systems. The presence of inorganic elements in soil water extracts showed minimal impact on DOM dynamics, suggesting decoupled organic and inorganic biogeochemical cycles in tropical pasturelands.

Hydrogen production through agro-residue gasification and adsorptive separation

The present work reports on the characterization of mixed agro-residue pellets and their subsequent use for syngas generation in a laboratory-scale downdraft gasifier utilizing the mixture of oxygen and steam as the gasifying agent (equivalence ratio/steam to biomass ratio: 0.21/2.15). Pure hydrogen is realized in a vacuum pressure swing adsorption system using zeolite 13X adsorbent. Regarding pellets, the high ash content (11.46 ± 0.38 wt%) and the presence of inorganic elements (potassium, silicon, calcium) dictate gasification process level interventions. The key requirement established experimentally is maintaining the reactor temperature under 900 °C for a clinker-free operation. This prerequisite, accomplished through an optimized char-ash extraction rate, enables the consistent production of hydrogen-rich (42.2 ± 0.9 vol%) syngas with a lower heating value of 8.3 ± 0.2 MJ/Nm3 at a gross cold gas efficiency of 78.9%. The cyclic separation system operates at a pressure ratio of 7.5 and continually generates pure hydrogen with minimal contaminants. The oxy-steam gasification of high ash feedstock in a near-ambient fixed-bed reactor and its integration to a low-pressure swing adsorption system for practical multi-specie syngas separation with quality assessment of the produced hydrogen are the main novelty features.

Human exposure to microplastics from urban decentralized pay-to-fetch drinking-water refill kiosks

Microplastics in the human diet have become a worldwide concern. To date, microplastics in urban drinking water supplies, such as decentralized drinking-water refill kiosks, have not been studied and are a pressing concern since they are so closely tied to human life and have a significant influence on health. This study evaluated the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in 63 drinking water samples collected from decentralized refill kiosks in the Mexico City metropolitan area. All of the sampled drinking water contained microplastics in concentrations ranging from 11 to 860 microplastics L−1. The detected microplastics were mostly fiber (65 %), followed by fragment (28 %), and film (7 %). They were mainly composed of polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides, vinyl polymers, polyacetal, and cellophane in sizes ranging from 20 μm to 5 mm, with 75 % of them accounting for sizes <300 μm. SEM-EDX analysis revealed weathered microplastics, biota adherence, and the presence of inorganic elements on the surface of microplastics. We estimate that Mexico City residents inadvertently ingest 42 microplastics L−1, with an annual exposure of around 1.47 × 104 microplastics per adult and 6.73 × 103 microplastics per child. Therefore, future research is needed to strengthen drinking water refill kiosk guidelines and standards for better microplastic management. This study serves as a wake-up call to many developing countries that use similar urban water systems, drawing their attention to global microplastic contamination of drinking water.

Novel Use of Waste Fruit-Seeds for Enhancing Anti-Corrosive Performance in Epoxy System

Epoxy coating system with enhanced corrosion resistance was prepared. The epoxy resin was used as a base resin and polyamine was used as its hardener. The ashes of Karwand ( Carissa carandas ) seeds and Pumpkin ( Cucurbita pepo ) seeds were used to increase the anticorrosive performance of the coating. These ashes were prepared by the method of calcination in a muffle furnace by heating at 800°C for 2 hours. Surface treatment was done to introduce amine functionality to the ash which was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The surface treated ash was then added into the epoxy-amine system at 1%, 3%, 5% (w/w) of the total epoxy-amine coating system. The coating was then applied to mild steel panels by the method of brush coating and was tested for mechanical properties and chemical resistance. The coating was also subjected to the salt spray test for analysis of anticorrosive performance. It was observed that the anticorrosive performance of the coating increases as the concentration of ash in the epoxy-amine system increases. This is due to ash constituents such as ZnO, MgO, Fe 2 O 3 , CuO etc. which work either by barrier mechanism or passivation mechanism and prevent corrosion. The scratch resistance and the hardness also increased with an increase in the concentration of ash. This is because the ash in the epoxy-amine system acts as filler in the coating. Also, surface treatment introduces amine functionality which reacts with the epoxy group and tends to increase hardness. Thus, presence of inorganic elements in the ash and surface treatment are prime factors responsible for enhancing corrosion resistance of the system.

Some aspects of influence of the composition of volatile products and extracted material on grain swelling processes and volume changes of commercial coals of different rank

The course of pyrolysis process of the three industrial samples of lower, middle, and higher rank coals was studied using the TG/FT-IR technique and a laboratory unit for investigation of carbonization process by X-raying. The coal samples from the zones of plastic layer were studied by scanning electron microscopy and next extracted by a mixture of chloroform and methanol. The obtained extracts were analyzed by FT-IR and UV spectroscopies and STEM-HAADF technique.It was stated that the composition of volatile products of a lower rank coal (LRC) is characterized by the greatest relative content of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons in comparison with a middle rank coal (MRC) and a higher rank coal (HRC). However, a higher contribution ratio of water vapour is observed in the composition of volatile matter of HRC. It is suggested that low molecular products of destruction formed inside swelling grains of MRC can react with each other and form new compounds with a greater molecular mass. These can be macromolecules of heteroorganic compounds. The STEM-HAADF images showed that there are topological structures of various types in the material of extracts from the gas-saturated zone of coals of different rank. The presence of inorganic elements in the extracted material changes depending on coal rank. Heterorganic compounds of different shape and composition can catalyze the reactions taking place during thermal destruction of coals in a selective way. In MRC, these reactions will cause a decrease in pressure inside its swelling grains and without their substantial growth in volume. Such reactions do not take place in grains of HRC. Moreover, an increased contribution of water vapour formed during destruction can cause its adsorption inside grains and an increase in volume of swelling grains. This can be the cause for an increase in generation of dangerous coking pressure in the charge of studied HRC.

Karakteristisasi dan Profil Biodegradasi Material Biokomposit Bovine Hidroksiapatit (Bha)/Ampas Kopi/Shellac

&lt;p&gt;The incidence of fractures in Indonesia is quite high so it needs biomaterials in the field of health that is economical and environmentally friendly. Bovine bone waste can be used for grafting, repairing, replenishing or replacing bones and restoring dental tissue. The purpose of this research is to determine whether the content of the coffee grounds and shellac will disappear after the sintering process, and how the effects of coffee grounds on the porosity and degradation rate of BHA biocomposite materials. This research uses heating method of calcination and sintering. Based on the analysis of test data conducted, it was concluded that SEM EDX observation shows the presence of inorganic elements of Ca and P with high intensity and Na, Mg, O and C with low intensity. Observation of XRD diffraction pattern shows 2θ values of the sample according to the standard diffraction pattern of HA JCPDS 9-432. FTIR functional group analysis showed no major peak points other than phosphate functional groups ( ), carbonates ( ) and hydroxyl (OH&lt;sup&gt;-&lt;/sup&gt;). From these three observations indicate that the content of coffee and shellac dregs has disappeared completely when the sintering process and leaving only the content of BHA and the more mixture of coffee dregs used will decrease the density value and increase the number of porus and accelerate the degradation rate.&lt;/p&gt;

ChemInform Abstract: Inorganic Element Transfer from Biomass to Fast Pyrolysis Oil: Review and Experiments

AbstractReview: 52 refs.

Inorganic element transfer from biomass to fast pyrolysis oil: Review and experiments

Fast pyrolysis bio oil is a liquid biofuel produced by fast pyrolysis of biomass materials. Even though pyrolysis oil consists primarily of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, contaminations in the form of inorganic elements can be transferred from the original biomass feedstock to the pyrolysis oil during its production. These inorganic elements might limit the potential for utilization in high value applications, for example by poisoning the catalysts used in any subsequent processing steps. In this work, the transfer of inorganic elements from biomass to pyrolysis oil has been investigated. First a literature review was performed in order to determine the possible pathways inorganic elements can follow in the pyrolysis process. An important mechanism in the release of inorganic elements from the solid to the vapor phase was found in reactions between the organic volatiles produced and the inorganic elements present in the solid material. Organic volatiles form bonds with inorganic elements on the solid (pore) surface, after which the composed molecule can be released to the vapor phase.Experimental work on the transfer of inorganic elements during pyrolysis of 16 biomass materials has been carried out. Results show that alkali earth metals (Ca, Mg), transition metals (Fe, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr, Co, Mn, Zn) and post transition metals (Al, Pb) remain largely on the solid char by-product. Incomplete solid separation from the gaseous stream prior to condensation is then the main route for their transfer to the pyrolysis oil. For the non-metals (S, P) sulfur is transferred primarily due to reactions with organic volatiles, while phosphorus is transferred primarily by physical entrainment of solid char particles. For the alkali metals (Na, K) the entrainment of solid char particles to pyrolysis oil is also the primary pathway, although Na and K are also transferred notably by reactions with volatiles. The influence of the pyrolysis temperature in the normal operating range (400–600°C) appears to be small. >95wt.% of all inorganic elements present in the biomass are typically separated from the pyrolysis oil product. Options are available to increase the separation efficiency even further, showing that the presence of inorganic elements should not be a limiting factor for the application of pyrolysis oil.

Genetic damage in coal miners evaluated by buccal micronucleus cytome assay

During coal mining activities, large quantities of coal dust, ashes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals are released into the environment. This complex mixture presents one of the most important occupational hazards for health of workers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genetic damage together with the presence of inorganic elements, in an exposed workers population to coal mining residues of Guajira-Colombia. Thus, 100 exposed workers and 100 non-exposed control individuals were included in this study. To determine genetic damage we assessed the micronucleus (MN) frequencies and nuclear buds in buccal mucosa samples (BMCyt) assay, which were significantly higher in the exposed group than non-exposed control group. In addition, karyorrhectic and karyolytic cells were also significantly higher in the exposed group (cell death). No significant difference was observed between the exposed groups engaged in different mining activities. No correlation between age, alcohol consumption, time of service and MN assay data were found in this study. However, the content of inorganic elements in blood samples analyzed by a Particle-induced X-ray emission technique (PIXE) showed higher values of silicon (Si) and aluminum (Al) in the exposed group. In this study we discuss the possibility of DNA damage observed in the mine workers cells be a consequence of oxidative damage.

Intrinsic activation: The relationship between biomass inorganic content and porosity formation during pyrolysis

The utility of pyrolytic carbons is closely related to their porosity and surface area, there is a clear benefit to the development of biomass pyrolysis processes which produce highly porous carbons. The results presented in this work demonstrate that by using biomass precursors with high inorganic content along with specified process conditions, carbons can be consistently produced with specific surface areas between 900 and 1600 m(2)/g. Results from 12 different source materials show that the formation of increased porosity in pyrolytic carbons is strongly associated with the presence of inorganic elements in the precursors including: magnesium, potassium and sulfur. It was found that pyrolysis of macro-algae can produce especially high specific surface area carbons (mean: 1500 m(2)/g), without externally applied activating agents. Using cheap readily available agricultural residues such as oilseed rape straw, pyrolytic carbons can be produced with specific surface areas of around 950 m(2)/g.

Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC as Genotoxicity Indicator of Exposure to Coal and Emissions from a Thermal Power Plant

During coal combustion, hazardous elements are discharged that impair environmental quality. Plant cover is the first available surface for the atmospheric pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxicity in the aqueous extract of the native plant, Baccharis trimera, exposed to coal and emissions from a thermal power plant (coal-fired power plant in Candiota, Brazil), correlating seasonality, wind tunnel predominance, and presence of inorganic elements. The presence of inorganic elements in the aerial parts of B. trimera was analyzed by particle-induced X-ray emission(PIXE) spectrometry, and genotoxicity was evaluated by ex vivo comet assay. The genotoxic effects of aqueous extracts of B. trimera from four sites located in the area around power plant were analyzed by comet assay in peripheral human lymphocytes. Winter samples showed greater levels of metals than summer samples. Genotoxicity was detected in B. trimera extracts collected from the region exposed to extraction and burning coal. Extracts from the site impacted by the dominant wind induced more damage to DNA than those from other sites. Based on our data, we can suggest that in winter the inorganic elements from extraction and burning of coal and carried through the wind tunnel were responsible for the genotoxicity observed in aqueous extract of B. trimera.

Toxicological implications of microcystins for zebrafish embryos in the presence of other environmental pollutants

Microcystins (MCs) interact with environmental contaminants as well as various other congeners of the MC family in the natural environment and with antioxidants in the exposed organisms. These interactions are likely to modify the toxicological behavior of MCs at the cellular level. The present study was conducted to determine the toxicological response of extracellular MCs in aquatic systems under environmentally relevant conditions. Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MCLR) and microcystin-arginine-arginine (MCRR) were introduced at different concentrations in a single-component (MCLR or MCRR) or dual-component (MCLR and MCRR) system to zebrafish embryos in the presence of inorganic elements (Hg, As, Pb, and Cd) and nutrient species (NO3 (-) , PO4 (3-) , and Cl(-1) ). Hatchability, heart rate, and mortality of zerbrafish embryos were monitored together with changes in the activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) to evaluate their response on exposure to MCLR and MCRR. There was a significant reduction in all these parameters at higher doses of MCLR and MCRR (>100 ng/mL), implying bioaccumulation of these MCs in embryos and adverse effects on early development stages of the fish. It was further observed that PO4 (3-) and Cl(-) enhanced the toxic effects of MCLR and MCRR while NO3 (-) attenuated their toxic effects. In contrast, all 4 toxic elements together increased the toxicity of MCLR and MCRR to embryos compared with their single-component counterparts. Thus, the toxic effects of MCs depend not only on their relative environmental concentrations, but also on those of other environmental pollutants and the levels of antioxidants in exposed organisms.

Gas dispersion concentration of trace inorganic contaminants from fuel gas and analysis using head-column field-amplified sample stacking capillary electrophoresis

The presence of inorganic elements in fuel gas generally accelerates the corrosion and depletion of materials used in the fuel gas industry, and even leads to serious accidents. For identification of existing trace inorganic contaminants in fuel gas in a portable way, a highly efficient gas-liquid sampling collection system based on gas dispersion concentration is introduced in this work. Using the constructed dual path gas-liquid collection setup, inorganic cations and anions were simultaneously collected from real liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE) with indirect UV absorbance detection. The head-column field-amplified sample stacking technique was applied to improve the detection limits to 2-25 ng mL(-1). The developed collection and analytical methods have successfully determined existing inorganic contaminants in a real LPG sample in the range of 4.59-138.69 μg m(-3). The recoveries of cations and anions with spiked LPG samples were between 83.98 and 105.63%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 7.19%.

Biological robotics and nanorobotred cells: Characterization and applications

AbstractIn human body, nanorobot-like red blood cells get exposed to human body fluids and many physico-chemical changes inside while these nanorobots (fullerene structure coated hemoglobin embedded iron inorganic elements) remain safe and perform killer action against bacteria or virus. We propose this killer action as ‘nanorobot driven nanomedical treatment’ to combat a bacterial or viral infection. The red cells also act as imaging agent due to oxygen binding character. Our experiments were focused on the application of nanorobot (red cells) to make them immune resistant against viruses and making them as useful contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging use based on their behavior in nanomagnetic fields. It consists of an injection of perhaps a few cubic centimeters of nano-sized nanorobots suspended in specific pH fluid (probably a water/saline suspension). The typical therapeutic concentration was up to 1-10 trillion (1 trillion = 10 raise to power 12) individual nanorobots, although in some cases treatment only require a few million or a few billion individual nanodevice-like red cells to be injected. Each nanorobot cell was on the order of perhaps 0.2 micron up to perhaps 0.3 microns in diameter e.g. artificial mechanical red cell floating along in the bloodstream. Nanorobots intended to travel through the bloodstream to their target will probably be 500-3000 nanometers. New technology of ‘passive diamond exteriors’ may turn out to be ideal to make immunoresistant nanorobot red cells against opsonization. Since nanorobot red cells metabolize local glucose and oxygen for energy, they are potential contrast agents for 13C-MRI, ultrasound imaging and physiological or fMRI. We believe the near possibility of travelling nanorobot carrier cells holding nanocomputer CPU working at the rate of 10 teraflops (10 raise to the power 13 floating-point operations per second) as nanomedicine robot devices. Nanorobot red cells in medical applications may be used in the form of red cells coated with diamond or diamondoid/fullerene nanocomposites in presence of inorganic elements like hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, silicon etc. for special purpose in nanoscale gears.

Biological robotics and nanorobotred cells: Characterization and applications

In human body, nanorobot-like red blood cells get exposed to human body fluids and many physico-chemical changes inside while these nanorobots (fullerene structure coated hemoglobin embedded iron inorganic elements) remain safe and perform killer action against bacteria or virus. We propose this killer action as ‘nanorobot driven nanomedical treatment’ to combat a bacterial or viral infection. The red cells also act as imaging agent due to oxygen binding character. Our experiments were focused on the application of nanorobot (red cells) to make them immune resistant against viruses and making them as useful contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging use based on their behavior in nanomagnetic fields. It consists of an injection of perhaps a few cubic centimeters of nano-sized nanorobots suspended in specific pH fluid (probably a water/saline suspension). The typical therapeutic concentration was up to 1-10 trillion (1 trillion = 10 raise to power 12) individual nanorobots, although in some cases treatment only require a few million or a few billion individual nanodevice-like red cells to be injected. Each nanorobot cell was on the order of perhaps 0.2 micron up to perhaps 0.3 microns in diameter e.g. artificial mechanical red cell floating along in the bloodstream. Nanorobots intended to travel through the bloodstream to their target will probably be 500-3000 nanometers. New technology of ‘passive diamond exteriors’ may turn out to be ideal to make immunoresistant nanorobot red cells against opsonization. Since nanorobot red cells metabolize local glucose and oxygen for energy, they are potential contrast agents for 13C-MRI, ultrasound imaging and physiological or fMRI. We believe the near possibility of travelling nanorobot carrier cells holding nanocomputer CPU working at the rate of 10 teraflops (10 raise to the power 13 floating-point operations per second) as nanomedicine robot devices. Nanorobot red cells in medical applications may be used in the form of red cells coated with diamond or diamondoid/fullerene nanocomposites in presence of inorganic elements like hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, silicon etc. for special purpose in nanoscale gears.