Retention Of Elements Research Articles

Оцінювання факторів ризику хронічного ендометриту після артифіційного переривання вагітності в ранніх термінах

The frequency of inflammatory postabortion diseases, which have turned into a chronic form, ranges from 14.6% to 19.2% and is often the cause of reproductive health disorders in young women. Aim - to investigate risk factors for the development of chronic endometritis after early abortions. Materials and methods. A cohort study was conducted, in which 119 women aged 18 to 45 years (on average - 29.63±5.75 years) took part: I group - 19 women with developed chronic endometritis after artificial abortion, II group - 100 women with the physiological course of the postabortion period. Analysis of anamnestic data, results of clinical laboratory and instrumental research was carried out. Statistical data processing was carried out using the SPSS 21 program. Results. According to the results of multivariate regression analysis, significant risk factors for the development of chronic endometritis after artificial abortion in the early stages are: age ≥30 years, presence of obesity, anemia, previous abortion(s) in the anamnesis, III-IV degree of vaginal contents purity, due date abortion > 9 weeks, retention of fetal egg elements after termination of the current pregnancy. Conclusions. On the basis of the identified clinical and anamnestic risk factors for chronic postabortion endometritis, it is advisable to single out a high-risk group in order to increase the effectiveness of treatment and preventive measures to avoid possible negative consequences for the reproductive women’s health after early termination of pregnancy. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

SNX27:Retromer:ESCPE-1-mediated early endosomal tubulation impacts cytomegalovirus replication.

Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) extensively reorganize the membrane system of the cell and establish a new structure as large as the cell nucleus called the assembly compartment (AC). Our previous studies on murine CMV (MCMV)-infected fibroblasts indicated that the inner part of the AC contains rearranged early endosomes, recycling endosomes, endosomal recycling compartments and trans-Golgi membrane structures that are extensively tubulated, including the expansion and retention of tubular Rab10 elements. An essential process that initiates Rab10-associated tubulation is cargo sorting and retrieval mediated by SNX27, Retromer, and ESCPE-1 (endosomal SNX-BAR sorting complex for promoting exit 1) complexes. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of SNX27:Retromer:ESCPE-1 complexes in the biogenesis of pre-AC in MCMV-infected cells and subsequently their role in secondary envelopment and release of infectious virions. Here we show that SNX27:Retromer:ESCPE1-mediated tubulation is essential for the establishment of a Rab10-decorated subset of membranes within the pre-AC, a function that requires an intact F3 subdomain of the SNX27 FERM domain. Suppression of SNX27-mediated functions resulted in an almost tenfold decrease in the release of infectious virions. However, these effects cannot be directly linked to the contribution of SNX27:Retromer:ESCPE-1-dependent tubulation to the secondary envelopment, as suppression of these components, including the F3-FERM domain, led to a decrease in MCMV protein expression and inhibited the progression of the replication cycle. This study demonstrates a novel and important function of membrane tubulation within the pre-AC associated with the control of viral protein expression.

Ultraslow cooling of an ultrahot orogen

To constrain the rate of cooling of lower-crustal rocks from an ultrahot orogen, we determined both the age and equilibration temperature of metamorphic zircon from six widely spaced samples of metasedimentary garnet−sillimanite gneiss from the Eastern Ghats Province in eastern India. For the combined data set of metamorphic zircon, concordant dates decrease continuously within 2σ uncertainty from around 950 Ma to 800 Ma, consistent with ∼150 m.y. of zircon crystallization. Ti-in-zircon temperatures for each dated spot during this period decrease with age, corresponding to linear cooling rates ranging from 0.26 to 0.90 °C/m.y. We propose that retention of heat-producing elements in the lower crust of the Eastern Ghats Province and a low net erosion rate were responsible for ∼150 m.y. of ultraslow cooling.

The Influence of African Heritage on Afro-American Literary Expression

This research paper explores the profound influence of African heritage on Afro-American literary expression. It begins by examining the historical context, emphasizing the impact of the transatlantic slave trade and early Afro-American literature's retention of African cultural elements. The Harlem Renaissance is highlighted as a pivotal moment that celebrated African roots and set the stage for future literary developments. Central themes derived from African heritage, such as resistance, resilience, and connection to ancestry, are analyzed, illustrating their prominence in both historical and contemporary works. The paper deal with storytelling techniques and narrative structures influenced by African oral traditions, folktales, and myths, highlighting how these elements enrich Afro-American literature. The use of rhythmic language, communal narration, and the call- and-response pattern are discussed as significant aspects that enhance narrative depth and cultural authenticity. The integration of African symbols, music, and communal values as cultural motifs is explored, showcasing how these elements infuse literary works with layers of meaning and cultural resonance. The reclamation of African identity is a key focus, with discussions on Afrocentric perspectives in modern literature, the impact of the Black Arts Movement, and contemporary literary movements. The challenges and opportunities of navigating dual heritage and cultural hybridity are addressed, emphasizing the complexities of identity formation and cultural expression.

Tracing the Scale of Fluid Flow in Subduction Zone Forearcs: Implications from Fluid-Mobile elements

Despite the importance of fluids in subduction zone processes, the extent of mass transfer and fluid circulation from the subducting plate through the forearc region remain unclear. To estimate the fluid budget and scale of fluid circulation in subducted sediments, we assess the distribution and retention of fluid-mobile elements (FME) in metamorphically equivalent metapelites from the Kodiak complex (Alaska) and the Shimanto Belt (Japan). The temperature range of interest is 230–350 °C, i.e., encompasses the base of the seismogenic zone. We examine the Li, B, Rb, Sr, Cs, and Ba concentrations in the bulk rock, as well as in fluid inclusions and individual minerals by (LA-) ICP-MS.The whole-rock composition in metapelites from Kodiak shows no significant loss of FME, which is in contrast to Shimanto where between 10% and 55% of FME (particularly Li, B and Cs) are leached out of rocks. The FME budget in Kodiak is consistent with a redistribution of elements between metamorphic illite and chlorite, whereas in Shimanto the loss of Li, B and Cs as temperature increases is the result of decreasing concentrations in illite and chlorite. The semi-quantitative analysis of fluid inclusions is consistent with a significant enrichment in all analyzed trace elements relative to seawater and interstitial pore fluids of seafloor sediments.Combining the fluid compositions with the whole-rock compositions, mass balance calculations were performed for B, Cs, and Ba. In the Kodiak complex the mass balance calculations are consistent with closed-system behavior, wherein the fluid is an insignificant reservoir for FME. Conversely, in the Shimanto Belt the mass balance calculations are consistent with open-system behavior, wherein large amounts of fluid percolated through rocks and the mass water-rock ratios correspond to 0.5–2.2. We infer that such an open system behavior was promoted by a larger amount of internal strain and the proximity to a large-scale fault zone. Moreover, fluid compositions observed in this study exhibit similarities to the composition of mud volcano fluids. This similarity is consistent with extensive, focused fluid circulation originating from depths of at least 15 km and ascending to the surface through a substantial damage zone associated with an out-of-sequence thrust.

Mediterranean Wildfires’ Effect on Soil Quality and Properties: A Case from Northern Euboea, Greece

Mediterranean Wildfires’ Effect on Soil Quality and Properties: A Case from Northern Euboea, Greece

A Tale of Two Catchments: Causality Analysis and Isotope Systematics Reveal Mountainous Watershed Traits That Regulate the Retention and Release of Nitrogen

AbstractMountainous watersheds are characterized by variability in functional traits, including vegetation, topography, geology, and geomorphology, which determine nitrogen (N) retention, and release. Coal Creek and East River are two contrasting catchments within the Upper Colorado River Basin that differ markedly in total nitrate (NO3−) export. The East River has a diverse vegetation cover, and sinuous floodplains, and is underlain by N‐rich marine shale. At 0.21 ± 0.14 kg ha−1 yr−1, the East River exports ∼3.5 times more NO3− relative to the conifer‐dominated Coal Creek (0.06 ± 0.02 kg ha−1 yr−1). While this can partly be explained by the larger size of the East River, the distinct watershed traits of these two catchments imply different mechanisms controlling the aggregate N‐export signal. A causality analysis shows physical and biogenic processes were critical in determining NO3− export from the East River catchment. Stable isotope ratios of NO3− (δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3) show the East River catchment is a strong hotspot for biogeochemical processing of NO3− at the hillslope soil‐saprolite. By contrast, the conifer‐dominated Coal Creek retained nearly all atmospherically deposited NO3−, and its export was controlled by catchment hydrological traits (i.e., snowmelt periods and water table depth). The conservative N‐cycle within Coal Creek is likely due to the abundance of conifer trees, and smaller riparian regions, retaining more NO3− overall and reduced processing prior to export. This study highlights the value of integrating isotope systematics to link watershed functional traits to mechanisms of watershed element retention and release.

ЧИСЛО ГЛАСНЫХ В УЗБЕКСКОМ И ТУРКМАНСКИХ ДИАЛЕКТАХ ХОРЕЗМСКОЙ ДИАЛЕКТНОЙ ЗОНЫ

People who speak the Uzbek dialects of Oghuz and Kipchak, as well as Kazakh, Karakalpak, and Turkmen, live in the Khorezm dialectal zone, which is a component of the Turkic linguistic region and of the Uzbek language massif. The Oghuz group of Turkic languages, which historically include Uzbek and Turkmen, has both similarities and differences. Phonetics, particularly the vowel system, shows these similarities and contrasts. The Old Turkic language's phonological structure is known to have 8 vowel phonemes. Due to historical growth, impact from related and unrelated languages (metization and hybridization), and different vocalisms, these languages have different levels of retention of shared elements. Research has demonstrated the presence of Tajik components in these dialects as well as Uzbek elements in the Tajik language as a result of the close and ongoing contact between urban and city-type dialects of the Uzbek language and the Tajik language. The Oghuz dialects of Uzbek and Turkmen, who traditionally inhabited in the same region, have distinctive qualities that set them apart from other Uzbek and Turkmen language dialects and make them exclusive to this region. The back row, semi-labial, low-wide vowel ā ,for instance, started to be actively utilized in the Uzbek dialects of the dialectal zone under the influence of the Uzbek literary language ,like ālíj, āmmavíj. In the zone's Turkmen languages, this vowel ,therefore ,started to occur irregular. The article offers details on the typical indications of vowel sounds in Uzbek and Turkmen, two languages spoken in the region, according to the sign of quality.

Influence of Drying Temperatures on Color Variation, Phenolic Compounds and Multi-Elemental Composition of Some Culinary- Medicinal Mushrooms.

Although mushrooms are widely used for nutraceutical purposes, post-harvest storage is extremely crucial to avoid degradation and quality reduction in fresh mushrooms. Drying treatments are commonly applied in the mushroom industry to extend shelf life. Drying may cause instability of food quality and antioxidant parameters due to unsuitable drying temperatures. Therefore, in this research a common set of temperatures typically used by mushroom growers was applied (50°C, 60°C, 70°C) to Ganoderma lucidum, Lignosus rhinocerus, Auricularia auricula-judae, and Schizophyllum commune to analyze color changes and concentration of elements and phenolic compounds. Mushrooms were chosen based on commonly cultivated species among growers. L. rhinocerus dried at 70°C indicated significantly lower L* (78.90) compared to control (89.94). Element retention in each sample differed depending on the species. The amount of calcium was significantly higher in L. rhinocerus (11,893 mg/kg) and A. auricula-judae (10,941.81 mg/kg) when dried at 60°C. Drying at 70°C resulted in significantly higher magnesium for Sch. commune (13,054.38 mg/kg) and A. auricula-judae (80,56.92 mg/kg). Higher levels of iron and manganese were observed in Sch. commune dried at 70°C (216.54 and 10.02 mg/kg, respectively). Gallic acid had significantly higher retention at 50°C for A. auricula-judae and G. lucidum. Meanwhile, L. rhinocerus and Sch. commune showed significantly higher gallic acid at 60°C. It is evident from these results that temperature does affect the food quality and elemental parameters during the drying process for each mushroom.

Synonymy in the Ukrainian language and the problems of surzhyk (case study of synonyms with the meaning ‘probably’)

Background. In Ukrainian, the parenthetical modifier mabut’ ‘probably’ has more than 20 synonymous constructions and thus counts among lexical units with largests sets of synonyms. At the same time, in colloquial speech, mabut’ is often replaced by navjerno, which comes from Russian. Replacement of inherited lexicon with borrowings was related to the respective language policy and political situation.Сontribution to the research field. The paper discusses the reasons that contribute to the retention of foreign elements in modern colloquial speech in the case of competition mabut’/navjerno; such studies are important from the point of view of studying the interaction between the literary language and other varieties of the national language, as well as identifying the ingredients of surzhуk.Purpose. In this paper we are going to trace the use of lexeme mabut’ in the lexicographic, literary and spoken practice of the 19–21st centuries and to clarify the reasons behind the displacement of the inherited word by a foreign one in colloquial use.Methods. Using major lexicographic works of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, corpora, materials of the Atlas of the Ukrainian Language, dialect textbooks, etc., a comparative lexicographic synchronic-diachronic analysis of the meanings of lexeme mabut’ is carried out, the geography of distribution of mabut’ and its synonyms is traced.Results. The competition between mabut’ and naverno is analysed taking into consideration all the meanings of mabut’ witnessed in dictionaries of different periods, its synonyms and attestations in the Ukrainian dialects and standard-oriented written practice. The closest synonyms in the early 20th-century dictionaries are lybon’, pevne, des’, in the Soviet-era dictionaries, respectivеly, pevno and očevydno. In the dialects, the form mabut’ prevails in the southeastern dialects with numerous phonetic variants; in the southwestern dialects lexical synonyms abound. A dialect of the Masheve village of the Chernobyl districts exhibits semantically close synonyms mabut’, vidno, može, novjerno.Discussion. Discussion. Navjerno, an element of surzhyk, in many contexts is an absolute synonym of mabut’. The use of navjerno in the early 20th century texts as a stylistic means and its attestation in the Atlas of the Ukrainian language and modern dialects are arguments for an early borrowing into Ukrainian. A great variety of phonetic variants of mabut’ and limited functional sphere of the standard language precluded entrenchment of a single standard lexical unit in everyday speech. Recent texts show that the borrowing is being supplanted by the inherited Ukrainian mabut’.

The Effect of Organic Amendments and Minerals on Increasing Soil Fertility (A review )

Sustainable agriculture emphasizes the maintenance and improvement of soil, water, and biodiversity reserves. Cover cropping, conservation tillage, and agroforestry are all examples of soil conservation practices that serve to reduce soil erosion, preserve soil fertility, and enhance soil health. Organic additions and minerals can help the soil produce grapes. Organic fertilizers and minerals can boost grape soil productivity. Organic additions improve physical, chemical, and biological soil properties. These chemicals include a lot of natural nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients. Organic additions include compost, manure, and cover crops. Organic grape additions have many benefits. They improve soil structure and porosity, improving root growth and water penetration. Organic additives promote soil fertility through improving water, nutrient, and other element retention. Minerals may improve soil fertility as much as organics. Minerals are essential to plant growth. Minerals include calcium, magnesium, and sulphur. Magnesium creates chlorophyll for photosynthesis, whereas calcium builds strong cells. Proteins and amino acids, necessary to plant growth, require sulphur. Organic additions and minerals boost grape soil fertility. These compounds improve soil structure, nutrient absorption, and root growth, increasing grape yields and vine health. Remember that minerals and organic additions differ. It’s important to use high-quality materials that meet your soil and crop needs because these resources differ in quality and nutrition. Organic additions and minerals boost grape soil fertility. These compounds improve soil structure, nutrient absorption, and root growth, increasing grape yields and vine health. High-quality merchandise and expert agriculture assistance usually provide the best yields.

The biogenic elements retention in reservoirs of the Yangtze River basin and effect on the nutrient flux into the sea

The Yangtze River catchment is among the most human-impacted basins globally, with a population of approximately 590 million and over 60,000 dams constructed by 2020. While the effect of reservoir dams on runoff and sediment has been extensively studied, assessing the impact of biogenic element retention in reservoirs on nutrient flux into the sea remains a challenge. This study analyzed the total organic carbon (TOC), total organic nitrogen (TN), biogenic silica (BSi), grain size, and 210Pb chronology of sediment cores collected from the Pengshui, Wuqiangxi, Three Gorges, and Danjiangkou reservoirs. The analysis was combined with the database of annual reservoir area and nutrient flux into the sea of the Yangtze River. The results showed that the average annual sedimentary retention of TOC, TN, and BSi in the four reservoirs increased by 16%, 18%, and 26% after dam construction and rapid eutrophication. The total water area of large reservoirs increased from 30 to 132,000 km2 between 1960 and 2016, resulting in total accumulated retention increments of TOC, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP), and dissolved silicon (DSi) in reservoirs reaching 27, 3.5, 0.1, and 27.2 million tons, respectively. The retention increments accounted for 20.6%, 7.0%, 8.8%, and 12.1% of the total flux of TOC, DIN, DIP, and DSi into the sea during the same period, respectively. The retention of TOC and DSi in reservoirs led to a decrease in their annual flux into the sea by 67.2% and 61.4% in 2016 compared to 1960. However, the retention of DIN and DIP increased their annual flux by 6.4-fold and 4.2-fold in 2016 compared to 1960, which was attributed to the substantial emission of fertilizer and sewage in the downstream catchment area of dams. These findings provide valuable insights into biogenic element retention in reservoir catchments and their impact on nutrient flux into the sea.

Cow manure compost‐based products as alternative rhizobial carrier materials

AbstractCow manure compost (CMC) has been used widely as soil amendment to improve soil fertility and health, and to minimize environmental impacts. However, direct use of commercial CMC‐based products as alternative rhizobial carrier materials is rare, it could promote inoculant commercialization. This research aimed to explore the potential of four CMC‐based products (CMC powder, CMC granular, CMC + 50% gypsum, and CMC + 30% biochar) as a rhizobial carrier. Peat was used as a standard (control) material. All the carriers were directly mixed with Bradyrhizobium japonicum CB 1809 strain to prepare four CMC‐based inoculants. Shelf life of inoculants was evaluated up to 120 days of storage and survival rate in soil was determined after 30 days under both optimum moisture (55% WHC—water‐holding capacity) and drought stress (15% WHC) conditions. Results revealed that overall, CMC + 50% gypsum product showed better physicochemical characteristics such as WHC (126.9 ± 6.87%), Ca (134.15 ± 5.78 mg kg−1), and S (104.9 ± 6.52 mg kg−1) with the best shelf life during storage at 28°C and 35°C temperatures. The difference in shelf life between the CMC + 50% gypsum and other CMC‐based products became more apparent at higher temperature (35°C) and longer‐term storage (120 days). Additionally, when introduced into the soil, the CMC + 50% gypsum carrier outperformed the peat (control), showing the best strain survival rate of 95% (under optimum moisture) and 87% (under drought) after 30 days of storage. The strain population of CMC + 30% biochar as carrier was the lowest with values 8.66 Log 10 CFU g−1 and 7.52 Log 10 CFU g−1 in the shelf‐life test at both storage temperatures 28°C and 35°C, respectively, likely due to its alkaline pH. Multivariate analysis revealed that the carriers' WHC, Ca (involved in nodule formation and stability), and S (essential for nodule metabolism and nitrogenase activity) contents had a strong positive correlation with the long‐term shelf life and the survival rate in soil, confirming the importance of carrier materials' moisture retention and availability of specific elements (Ca, S). Hence, CMC + 50% gypsum showed the highest values of WHC, Ca and S, and optimum pH, reflecting its highest rhizobial population density and survival rate as compared to other carriers. This work has demonstrated the great potential of CMC‐based commercial products as alternative carrier materials, opening an alternative avenue for rapid commercial development of inoculants.

INFLUENCE OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF LEATHER DRESSING ON THE PROPERTIES OF SEMI-FINISHED OSTRICH SKINS

The work is a study of the effects of pickling and tanning on the properties of ostrich tanning semi- finished leather to optimise leather dressing processes. Optimal regimes for raw hide tanning are developed through investigations and a series of experiments, using tanning agents - chromium compounds as well as combined tanning compounds such as chromium-aldehyde and chromium-sintane ones, are carried out. It is shown that the collagen fibre structure separation greatest degree was achieved after 5 and 7 hours of treatment in the pickling process. It is proven that all the selected classes of chemicals and their selected concentrations can be fully applied to leather dressing, if use ostrich raw materials for its intended purpose. However, in order to minimise environmental impact, the selected combined tanning compounds, which pro- vide a good retention of the dermis structural elements, are preferred for use.

Nutrient Leaching Losses from Continuous Application of Washed Rice Water on Three Contrasting Soil Textures

Washed rice water (WRW) is often used as liquid plant fertilizer. However, there is no study on nutrient leaching of soils due to frequent WRW application. Therefore, a column study was undertaken to evaluate the rate of nutrient leaching losses, nutrient retention, and recovery of elements in leachates of three different soil textures irrigated with WRW. The treatments were 3 soil textures and 2 water types. The treatments were evaluated for 8 weeks, and the soils and leachates were measured biweekly. Factorial and repeated measurements in a completely randomized design were therefore employed. Higher cumulative leaching of the elements was found in sandy clay loam soil with 666.29, 378.13, 138.51, 50.82, 44.61, and 27.30 mg L-1 of K, P, Mg, Ca, NH4+-N, and NO3--N, respectively. Higher percentages of elements recovery in leachate were found in the sandy clay loam soil with a range of increase by 37.8–283.1% than the other two soil textures. In contrast, after 8 weeks of WRW application, the clay and silt loam soils had a range of increase in nutrient retention by 0.43–1358.5% than the sandy clay loam, with P and NO3--N being the highest and the lowest elements retained, respectively, for all soil textures. This study showed that frequent WRW disposal on sandy textured soils risks higher environmental contamination, mainly due to the soil’s lower water retention and nutrients, leading to nutrient leaching. Therefore, organic amendments should be added to sandy textured soils.

The validity of the bioaccumulation index versus the bioaccumulation factor for assessment of element accumulation in black soldier fly larvae

Mineral and heavy metal accumulation in black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) is of growing interest. The bioaccumulation of elements in BSFL is usually assessed by a bioaccumulation factor (BAF), which is the ratio between the concentration of an element in the organism and in its feeding substrate. Recently, a new index, i.e. bioaccumulation index (BAI), which represents the relative increase in the concentration of a given element to its initial concentration has been proposed. The BAI is claimed to be a more valid alternative to the BAF, especially because it takes into account the initial element concentration of the larvae. This work assesses BAF and BAI in comparison with true element retention rate in BSFL. Using an experimental setup that included the element turnover of BSFL in two different feeding regimes (with and without a different substrate for neonatal larvae), we show that: (1) the initial element concentration in BSFL is only a tiny fraction (<0.1%) of the total element pool in the system, implying that the feeding substrate is the main source of elements to be accumulated by the growing larvae; (2) each element has a specific concentration pattern from the start to the end of feeding experiments. Furthermore, in cases where both neonatal diets and experimental feeding substrates are used during the larval growth period, BAI can be confounded by time/age with diet-related effects. From an agri-food perspective of rearing BSFL for element accumulation, the retention rate of elements from the feeding substrate to the larval body remains the most valid evaluation parameter. The results of input-output calculations and element-unspecific correlations suggest a higher agreement of true element retention rate with BAF than with BAI. Therefore, we propose to assess the element accumulation in BSFL by retention rate followed by BAF under laboratory conditions.

Arsenic speciation as well as toxic and nutrient elements in pantavat (overnight steeped rice)

This study assessed the effect of soaking on the retention and removal of arsenic (As) along with other toxic elements and nutrients in three types of soaked rice or overnight steeped rice (pantavat), as this food dish was highlighted on the Australian MasterChef program in 2021 as a popular recipe. Results showed that brown rice contained twice as much As as basmati and kalijira rice. Cooking with As-free tap water using a rice cooker removed up to 30% of As from basmati rice. Around 21–29% removal of total As was observed in soaked basmati, brown, and kalijira rice. However, while 13% of inorganic As was removed from basmati and brown rice, no changes were noted in the kalijira rice. Regarding nutrient elements, both cooking and soaking rice caused significant enrichment of calcium (Ca) whereas potassium (K), molybdenum (Mo) and selenium (Se) were reduced substantially for the tested rice varieties. The nutrients like magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), sulfur (S) and phosphorus (P) did not significantly change. The results indicated that soaking can minimize up to 30% As and soaked rice reduced few nutrients like K, Mo and Se. Data in this study highlights the retention and/or loss of toxic and beneficial nutrient elements in pantavat when As-free water is used to prepare this food.

Evaluation of Hydrotalcites Produced in Seawater for Remediation of Metalliferous Acid Mine Drainage and Submarine Placement

Uncontrolled release of acid mine drainage (AMD) causes widespread detrimental impacts on the receiving environment. Thus, effective treatment to neutralise AMD effluent pH and capture a suite of metals is required. In-situ hydrotalcite (HTC) precipitation is an emerging technology for AMD remediation. HTC has an inherent capacity to accommodate a range of cations and anions during in situ formation, offering a method of broad-spectrum contaminant removal. This study explored the feasibility of using seawater as an Mg source and synthetic AMD in HTC formation. The HTC was formed from a stoichiometric combination of synthetic AMD and seawater. While three initial stoichiometric M2+:M3+ ratios of 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1 were investigated, only HTC with an M2+:M3+ ratio of 2:1 was generated, as confirmed by both mineralogical and geochemical analyses. Importantly, the HTC was demonstrated to effectively remove a suite of metals present in AMD such as Cu, Zn, Al, and Mn with removal rates of between 99.97 to 99.99%. The HTC precipitate contained ≈6.6% Cu and 4.1% Zn, and thus shows the potential, if required, for future metal recovery. Since submarine placement is often used in metal mining and processing operations proximal to the coast, the stability of the HTC precipitate in seawater was also investigated. Importantly, only 0.2% of the Cu and 1.1% of the Zn within the HTC were subsequently leaching in decreasing increments into seawater over 30 days with decreasing increments after the initial seven days. This indicates robust element retention and confirms the potential of HTC for AMD remediation with direct submarine placement.

Detailed whole-body nutrient analysis identifies differences in feeding ecology between related fish species: The case of Orestias native Andean killifish in Lake Titicaca.

Body nutrient profiles in ecological studies allow for relating the nutritional status of consumers and their effects on the movement and retention of elements in ecosystems, as well as reflecting feeding conditions and habitat quality. This study compared the detailed whole-body nutrient composition (macronutrients, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids) of two omnivorous natives Orestias killifish from Lake Titicaca (Orestias agassizii and Orestias luteus, Valenciennes), the largest lake in the Andes, as an indirect tool to understand differences in their feeding ecology. Although both species are usually described as omnivorous fish, both have amphipods (Hyalella spp) as their main food source. Our results showed that both killifish had a comparable macronutrient composition, and the mineral concentrations of Mg, P and Ca (reflecting bony structures) differed between them. Many of the saturated fatty acids were significantly lower in O. luteus, and O. agassizii had higher concentrations of cis-vaccenic acid (18:1n11 (cis)), supporting the idea of a higher algal contribution to the diet of this fish. The lower histidine and higher taurine concentrations in O. agassizii compared with O. luteus (independent of body size) may reflect its ubiquitous behaviour and plasticity. This study shows how whole-body nutrient analysis can identify differences in feeding ecology and feeding behaviour between related species.

Hydrotalcite loading boosts the potentially toxic element's retention in hydrogel nanocomposites for environmental treatment

The improper disposal of potentially dangerous metal-containing wastes is detrimental to the environment and human health, requiring the development of easy methods for removing these cations, particularly in water bodies. The influence of different surface-charged lamellar materials on the sorption and desorption of Cr6+, Cu2+, and Mn2+ in aqueous solutions was investigated by modifying polyacrylamide/methylcellulose (PAc-MC) hydrogels with bentonite or hydrotalcite. In disk or powder form, the adsorption and desorption capabilities were examined. Regardless of their shape, the bentonite-hydrogel and unmodified hydrogel revealed lower contaminant retention capacities on polymeric structures. In contrast, the hydrotalcite-hydrogel demonstrated a stronger affinity for holding ions in the nanocomposite polymeric structure. The nanocomposite produced by calcining hydrotalcite at 550 °C displayed the best retention properties. Shapes of disks or powders did not affect sorption capacity, but disks were considerably more practical for recovering processed materials. These findings contribute to comprehending the retention capacity of modified hydrogels (or modified nanocomposites).