Short Retention Time Research Articles

Valorization of organic carbon in primary sludge via semi-continuous dark fermentation: First step to establish a wastewater biorefinery

In this study, lab-scale, bench-scale, and pilot-scale experiments were carried out to optimize short-chain fatty acids production from primary sludge. Batch tests showed the requirement of short retention times and semi-continuous operation mode showed a plateau of maximum daily productivity at 36-hours hydraulic retention time with minimal methanation. Optimization from pH 5 to pH 10 at 36 h-hydraulic retention time under long-term semi-continuous operating mode revealed that production of short-chain fatty acids was pH dependent and highest yields could be achieved at pH 7 by establishing optimum redox conditions for fermentation. Pilot-scale experiments at 32 °C showed that daily productivity (3.1 g∙Lreactor-1∙dHRT-1) and yields (150 mg∙gVS-1; OLR = 21 gVS∙Lreactor-1∙dHRT-1; pH 7) of short-chain fatty acids could be significantly improved, specifically for acetic and propionic acids. From these results, a robust dark fermentation step for recovery of valuable products from the solids treatment step in a biorefinery can be achieved.

Optimization of biomethane production from lignocellulosic biomass by a developed microbial consortium

Biomethane production from lignocellulosic biomass via anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising avenue for bioenergy. However, maximizing biomethane yield using developed microbial consortium (DMC) remains a complex challenge. This study aims to elucidate the comparative efficacy of a purposefully DMC under controlled conditions for AD of kallar grass (KG), rice husk (RH) and wheat residue (WR). The DMC encompasses Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Euryarchaeota, and Chloroflexi, with methanogens representing 14.6% of the community. Thorough physico-chemical characteristics and ultimate analyses provided comprehensive insights into compositions and bio-methane potentials prediction of biomasses. The digester revealed higher biomethane potentials (BMPs) with short lag phase and retention time and showed methane content of 61–64.6% during the first week of AD. The amount of volatile fatty acids (VFA) did not exceed the threshold levels, which facilitated the smooth operation of AD. The BMP was found highest in KG (289.7 mL/g VS), followed by RH (283.3 mL/g VS), and WR (269.7 mL/g VS) which is significantly higher than previously reported studies. The modified Gompertz model showed the best fit, followed by logistic and transference function models. The observed results signpost the tremendous potential of waste biomass particularly KG, RH and WR to produce biomethane by DMC. This study provides crucial insights for optimizing BMP emphasizing the promising prospects of KG, RH, and WR for sustainable bioenergy applications.

Removal of Heavy Metals and Bulk Organics towards Application in Modified Constructed Wetlands Using Activated Carbon and Zeolites

Constructed wetlands are a versatile technology for various treatment approaches, especially in emerging countries. The research aims to study and optimize the hybridizing process of a vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland with adsorption technology to provide energy-efficient and sustainable removal of heavy metals and bulk organics before their discharge into water bodies or water reuse for irrigation. This study focuses on the adsorption of selected heavy metals present in sewage from Kanpur, India, a cluster of tanning industries and other relevant industrial polluters, investigating the pollutant adsorption onto activated carbon and zeolites in batch and column tests. The results of the batch tests indicated high zeolite loading rates for lead (91.6 mg/g), chromium (60.8 mg/g) and copper (47.4 mg/g). In the column tests applying different adsorbent combinations and ratios, the average removal rates were as follows: 54.6% for cadmium, 14.1% for chromium, 52.4% for copper, 2.2% for iron, 29.2% for manganese, 26.6% for nickel, 35.2% for lead and 44.6% for zinc. The column tests conducted in preparation for field testing in pilot wetlands showed that shorter retention times and background bulk organic concentrations, as well as high ammonium concentrations, negatively affected heavy metal removal by reducing the adsorption and ion exchange capacity of the adsorbents.

High ammonia loading rate and biofilm reattachment initiated partial nitrification and anammox in a membrane aerated biofilm reactor

Inhibition of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) is important for efficient wastewater treatment via anammox. Here, a novel strategy was demonstrated, which based on the detachment and reattachment of the biofilm to establish partial nitrification and anammox in a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR). The results showed that using free ammonia as the sole inhibitor to start up partial nitrification took more time, and NOB acclimated to the free ammonia inhibition. Detaching the biofilm made it possible for free ammonia to contact NOB in deeper zones of the biofilm while at the same time washing NOB out of the reactor. Nitrite accumulation efficiency (NAE) increased to 70 % in 50 days when both high ammonia loading and biofilm reattachment were applied. With a short hydraulic retention time and high concentrations of ammonia and nitrite, anammox activity appeared in the reactor and resulted in a nitrogen removal efficiency of 60 %. Microbial community analysis indicated that Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira, and Candidatus Brocadia were the main functional taxa. Anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) proliferated within the biofilm, inhibiting NOB growth by competing for nitrite. Endogenous denitrifying bacteria also grew, coexisting with AnAOB. Predicted abundance of genes related to fermentation correlated with those involved in denitrification, indicating the possibility of heterotrophic denitrification. These findings help further our understanding of biofilm control-based strategies for NOB management and have implications for establishing autotrophic nitrogen removal using MABRs.

Relieving Macrophage Dysfunction by Inhibiting SREBP2 Activity: A Hypoxic Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Exosomes Loaded Multifunctional Hydrogel for Accelerated Diabetic Wound Healing.

Macrophage dysfunction is one of the primary factors leading to the delayed healing of diabetic wounds. Hypoxic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (hyBMSC-Exos) have been shown to play an active role in regulating cellular function through the carried microRNAs. However, the administration of hyBMSC-Exos alone in diabetic wounds usually brings little effect, because the exosomes are inherently unstable and have a short retention time at the wounds. In this study, a multifunctional hydrogel based on gallic acid (GA) conjugated chitosan (Chi-GA) and partially oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA) is prepared for sustained release of hyBMSC-Exos. The hydrogel not only exhibits needs-satisfying physicochemical properties, but also displays outstanding biological performances such as low hemolysis rate, strong antibacterial capacity, great antioxidant ability, and excellent biocompatibility. It has the ability to boost the stability of hyBMSC-Exos, leading to a continuous and gradual release of the exosomes at wound locations, ultimately enhancing the exosomes' uptake efficiency by target cells. Most importantly, hyBMSC-Exos loaded hydrogel shows an excellent ability to promote diabetic wound healing by regulating macrophage polarization toward M2 phenotype. This may be because exosomal miR-4645-5p and antioxidant property of the hydrogel synergistically inhibit SREBP2 activity in macrophages. This study presents a productive approach for managing diabetic wounds.

Extracellular Matrix-Trapped Bioinspired Lipoprotein Prolongs Tumor Retention to Potentiate Antitumor Immunity.

The immunomodulatory effects of many therapeutic agents are significantly challenged by their insufficient delivery efficiency and short retention time in tumors. Regarding the distinctively upregulated fibronectin (FN1) and tenascin C (TNC) in tumor stroma, herein a protease-activated FN1 and/or TNC binding peptide (FTF) is designed and an extracellular matrix (ECM)-trapped bioinspired lipoprotein (BL) (FTF-BL-CP) is proposed that can be preferentially captured by the TNC and/or FN1 for tumor retention, and then be responsively dissociated from the matrix to potentiate the antitumor immunity. The FTF-BL-CP treatment produces a 6.96-, 9.24-, 6.72-, 7.32-, and 6.73-fold increase of CD3+CD8+ T cells and their interferon-γ-, granzyme B-, perforin-, and Ki67-expressing subtypes versus the negative control, thereby profoundly eliciting the antitumor immunity. In orthotopic and lung metastatic breast cancer models, FTF-BL-CP produces notable therapeutic benefits of retarding tumor growth, extending survivals, and inhibiting lung metastasis. Therefore, this ECM-trapping strategy provides an encouraging possibility of prolonging tumor retention to potentiate the antitumor immunity for anticancer immunotherapy.

Effects of Short Retention Times and Ultrasound Pretreatment on Ammonium Concentration and Organic Matter Transformation in Anaerobic Digesters Treating Sewage Sludge

Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge is limited at the hydrolysis stage of the process. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of sludge retention times and ultrasound pretreatment on the ammonium concentration and organic matter transformation in anaerobic digesters treating sewage sludge. To achieve this, two laboratory-scale semicontinuous anaerobic digesters were operated for a period of over 70 d, including a control reactor and another fed by pretreated sludge. Both anaerobic systems were fed with mixed sludge (50%/50% primary/secondary treatment) in mesophilic conditions (37 °C), with solid retention times (SRT) of 7.5 d (Phase I) and 3 d (Phase II). The performance of the anaerobic digestion process was assessed in terms of the methane yield and the total and soluble chemical organic demand, total solids, and volatile solids removal. The results showed that the ultrasound pretreatment caused an increase of around 22.2% in CODt removal for an SRT of 7.5 d. Meanwhile, an SRT of 3 d resulted in a decrease of up to 92.4% in CODt removal. The performance in terms of biogas production and organic matter removal was significantly affected by the SRT reduction to 3 d, showing that the process is not viable in these conditions.

Liposomes Loaded with 5-Fluorouracil Can Improve the Efficacy in Pathological Scars.

Pathological scars, such as hypertrophic scars and keloids, are characterized by the proliferation of fibroblasts and the deposition of collagen that often cause pruritus, pain, and disfigurement. Due to their high incidence and deformity, pathological scars have resulted in severe physical and psychological trauma for patients. Intralesional injection of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) is a recommended option for treating pathological scars. However, the efficacy of 5-Fu injection was limited and unstable due to limited drug penetration and short retention time. Liposomes are promising carriers that have advantages, such as high biocompatibility, controlled release property, and enhanced clinical efficacy. Here, we constructed a transdermal 5-Fu-loaded liposome (5-Fu-Lip) to provide a more effective and safer modality to scar treatment. Compared to 5-Fu, 5-Fu-Lip showed superior ability in inhibiting primary keloid fibroblasts proliferation, migration, and collagen deposition, and also significantly inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation and microvessel construction. In vivo experiments demonstrated that 5-Fu-Lip can significantly reduce the severity of hypertrophic scars in a rabbit ear wounding model. 5-Fu-Lip provides a promising strategy to improve drug efficacy, which has great potential in the treatment of pathological scars.

Short-time aerobic digestion treatment of waste activated sludge to enhance EPS production and sludge dewatering performance by changing microbial communities: The impact of temperature

Short-time aerobic digestion (STAD) of sludge requires low investment and has the advantages of short sludge retention time and rapid degradation of organic matter in waste activated sludge (WAS). This research conducted STAD at three temperature gradients (15 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C). Characteristics of EPS and microbial community structure of raw and fermented sludge were analyzed, and environmental application potential of STAD at different temperatures was explored. STAD treatment improved both polysaccharide (PS) and protein (PN) contents in EPS, with increases of 5.7–18.35 % and 20.98–28.57 %, respectively. Aromatic protein-like substances (Peak E) and tryptophan protein substances (Peak F) were main components of PN in EPS. The microbial species richness decreased as the STAD temperature increased. At the class level, STAD temperature significantly affected Alphaproteobacteria, Gemm-1, Chloracidobacteria, Acidimicrobiia, Ellin6529, Betaproteobacteria, and SJA-28. From an application perspective, the specific resistance to filtration (SRF) value of WAS after STAD treatment at 35 °C was decreased to 7.01 × 107 m/kg with a 17.34 % reduction, indicating improvement in the dewaterability of the sludge. The Pb2+ adsorption efficiency per unit volume of EPS increased by 10.0–16.2 % after STAD treatment of WAS at different temperatures for 4 h. This research elucidated the impact of temperature on WAS in STAD systems, finding that microbial abundance correlated with EPS characteristics. The research results provide a basis for optimizing the system temperatures in STAD systems and a deeper understanding of the benefits of STAD in practical applications for sludge resource utilization.

Research and Development of the Treatment Effectiveness of a Novel Process for Vegetable Biogas Slurry Purification

Nowadays, an anaerobic filter is used in treating various wastewaters that is more effective for denitrification and organic removal. The Anaerobic Filter with Inoculum, Soft and Hard Packing Medium (AFISH) and Double-Filling Aerobic Baffle (DFAB) reactors were continuously operated for 120 days with a short Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) in the range of 1 and 2 days at an Organic Loading Rate (OLR) of 0.58 and 1.08 gCOD/(l.d) by daily feeding the influent Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) concentration between 1169 and 250 mg/l. After treating the sample wastewater in the new AFISH reactor, the effluent flowed into the DFAB reactor for further treatment to determine the treatment effectiveness of the novel AFISH and DFAB reactors at a short HRT of 1 to 2 days. The influent COD was reduced to 376 mg/l to 250 mg/l in a novel AFISH effluent and further dropped to 220 mg/l to 102 mg/l following DFAB reactor treatment. The COD removal in the AFISH reactor was around 67% when HRT was about 1 day, and a high COD value of 78% was removed during the HRT of 2 days, while in the DFAB reactor, the capability of treatment reached between 40% and 57% of the COD removed at the HRT of 1 and 2 days. The concentration of NH4-N in the effluent of the novel AFISH reactor was significantly lower than the effluent of the DFAB reactor, with NH4-N concentrations ranging from 157 mg/l to 330 mg/l. However, the treatment of vegetable bio-slurry from the Internal Circulation (IC) reactor by the novel AFISH and DFAB reactors satisfied the secondary wastewater discharge standard in the Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard. Therefore, this novel process is one method beneficial for current and further research development that can be applied for industrial wastewater treatment processing and provides science information to those interested in research in the future.

PH-responsive morphology shifting peptides coloaded with paclitaxel and sorafenib inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth

Chemotherapeutic drugs have low aggregation rates and short retention times in tumors, severely limiting their clinical application. Additionally, the development and spread of solid tumors is highly dependent on neovascularization. An RGD-modified acid-responsive peptide was designed to encapsulate the chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (PTX) and the antiangiogenic drug sorafenib (SF), enabling them to self-assemble into nanoparticles (NPs) in a physiological environment. In an acidic environment, the release of PTX and SF was achieved when the drug-loaded experimental peptide PS/Pep1 transformed from spherical NPs into aggregates containing nanofibers, which effectively prolonged the retention of the encapsulated drug and increased drug accumulation. Furthermore, in vivo experiments provided compelling evidence of the strong inhibitory effects of PS/Pep1 on tumor growth and metastasis, as well as its effective suppression of angiogenesis. This targeted NP system that undergoes a morphological shift in the tumor microenvironment holds promise for enhancing the efficacy of the combined administration of chemotherapeutic and antiangiogenic drugs to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis.

A comprehensive investigation to the fate of phosphorus in full-scale wastewater treatment plants using aluminum salts for enhanced phosphorus removal

This study investigated the fate of phosphorus (P) in 8 full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Shanghai, China, in which both biological nutrient removal and aluminum-based chemical phosphorus removal were used. The results showed that 83.8–98.9 % P was transferred to the sludge in the 8 WWTPs by both chemical and biological reactions. P speciation analysis indicated that chemical P precipitates accounted for 84.3 % in the activated sludge, of which crystalline AlPO4 and amorphous iron‑phosphorus compounds (FePs) were the main components. Sludge with more water-soluble and weakly adsorbed P was generated in the anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A/A/O) process than in other processes. Among the 8 WWTPs, the one with the largest flow rate and relatively short sludge retention time (SRT) had the best potential to release P from all types of sludge. The recovery potential of P from thickened sludge can be improved by separately thickening the sludge produced in the high-efficiency sedimentation tank or feeding it into the dewatering process directly. Different P removal chemicals and dosing points changed the amount of chemical precipitate formed but had little effect on the composition of P accumulating organisms (PAOs) at the genus level. Although aluminum-based coagulants were applied in the investigated WWTPs, Fe in wastewater had the most positive effect on the proliferation of PAOs. The synthesis of polyphosphate was also related to the metabolism of PAOs as it affected transmembrane inorganic phosphate (Pi) transport and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. The in-depth understanding of the fate of P is beneficial to improve P recovery efficiency in WWTPs.

Maximizing the recovery and throughput of a rougher flotation bank by improving the recovery of composite particles

With decreasing ore grades, the cost of mineral processing has been escalating due to the high costs associated with grinding larger volumes of ores for liberation. To minimize the embodied cost, mined ores are usually coarse ground for rougher flotation, in which much of the waste (or ‘dead’) rocks are removed before regrinding the rougher concentrate to obtain the final product. Thus, the feed to a rougher flotation bank frequently consists of coarse particles that are poorly liberated and, hence, are not hydrophobic enough to be collected by air bubbles in the pulp phase and survive the froth phase without being detached.In the present work, we explored the possibility of improving the flotation of composite particles using Super Collectors that can increase the water contact angles (θ) of the copper-bearing mineral grains well above 90°. The efficacy of this approach has been tested in laboratory flotation tests, followed by a series of simulations using a flotation model. The model has been derived from first principles using the surface forces in wetting films as kinetic parameters. The major input to the simulator was the liberation matrix (mij) of a flotation feed and the various operating parameters. The simulations were carried out to obtain the grade vs. recovery curves for a low-grade (0.24 %Cu) porphyry copper ore feed with d80 = 288 µm. The simulations were carried out using a Super Collector that can increase θ of the chalcopyrite grains to 150°. The grade vs. recovery curves obtained from the simulation showed that the Super Collector can substantially increase the recovery of composite particles over the case of using potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) as a collector at approximately 40 % shorter retention times. The simulation results also showed that Super Collectors help minimize bubble coarsening and hence contribute to improving the coarse particle recovery.

First Demonstration of Yttria-Stabilized Hafnia-Based Long-Retention Solid-State Electrolyte-Gated Transistor for Human-Like Neuromorphic Computing.

Electrolyte-gated transistors have strong potential for high-performance artificial synapses in neuromorphic bio-interfaces owing to their outstanding synaptic characteristics, low power consumption, and human-like mechanisms. However, the short retention time is a hurdle to overcome owing to the natural diffusion of protons. Here, a novel modulation technique of ionic conductivity is proposed with yttria-stabilized hafnia for the first time to enhance the retention characteristic of a solid-state electrolyte-gated transistor-based artificial synapse. With the optimization of the ionic conductivity in yttria-stabilized hafnia, a high retention time of over 300s and remarkable synaptic characteristics are accomplished by regulating channel conductance with precise modulation of the strength of the proton-electron coupling intensity along the input signals. Furthermore, pattern recognition simulation is conducted based on the measured synaptic characteristics, exhibiting 94.41% of operation accuracy, which implies a promising solution for neuromorphic in-memory computing systems with a high operation accuracy and low power consumption.

Formulation development and evaluation of nasal in situ gel of promethazine hydrochloride

Objective The present work aims to develop mucoadhesive thermosensitive nasal in situ gel for Promethazine hydrochloride using quality by design (QbD) approach. It can reduce nasal mucociliary clearance (MCC) and increase residence of the drug on nasal mucosa. This might increase drug absorption to improve bioavailability of the drug as compared to oral dosage form. Significance Promethazine hydrochloride is an antiemetic drug administered by oral, parenteral and rectal routes. These routes have poor patient compliance or low bioavailability. Nasal route is a better alternative as it has large surface area, high drug absorption rate and no first pass effect. Its only limitation is short drug retention time due to MCC. By formulating a mucoadhesive in situ gel, the MCC can be reduced, and drug absorption will be prolonged. Thus, improving bioavailability. Method In-situ gel was prepared by cold method having material attributes as concentration of Poloxamer 407 (X1) as gelling agent and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose K4M (X2) as mucoadhesive agent. Critical Quality Attributes (CQA) were gelation temperature, mucoadhesive force and ex-vivo diffusion. Central composite design (CCD) was adopted for optimization. Result Optimized formulation satisfied all the CQA significant for nasal administration. Moreover, the formulation was found to be stable in accelerated stability studies for 3 months. Conclusion It can be concluded that since the drug can easily permeate through nasal mucosa and can gain access directly in the brain without undergoing first pass metabolism along with increased residence due to mucoadhesion, mucoadhesive in situ gel has potential to increase drug bioavailability.

Co-delivery of oxaliplatin prodrug liposomes with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for chemo-immunotherapy of orthotopic bladder cancer

To reduce recurrence rate after transurethral resection of bladder tumor, long-term intravesical instillations of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and/or chemotherapeutic drugs is the standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder carcinoma. However, the main challenges of intravesical therapy, such as short retention time and poor permeability of drugs in the bladder, often require frequent and high-dose administrations, leading to significant adverse effects and financial burden for patients. Aiming at addressing these challenges, we developed a novel approach, in which the cell-penetrating peptide modified oxaliplatin prodrug liposomes and a low-dose BCG were co-delivered via a viscous chitosan solution (LRO-BCG/CS). LRO-BCG/CS addressed these challenges by significantly improving the retention capability and permeability of chemotherapy agents across the bladder wall. Then, oxaliplatin triggered the immunogenic cell death, and the combination of BCG simultaneously further activated the systemic anti-tumor immune response in the MB49 orthotopic bladder tumor model. As a result, LRO-BCG/CS demonstrated superior anti-tumor efficacy and prolonged the survival time of tumor-bearing mice significantly, even at relatively low doses of oxaliplatin and BCG. Importantly, this combinational chemo-immunotherapy showed negligible side effects, offering a promising and well-tolerated therapeutic strategy for bladder cancer patients.

Nutrients removal by high-rate activated sludge and its effects on the mainstream wastewater treatment

Conventional wastewater treatment technologies often involve energy-intensive processes, creating a need for more sustainable and efficient solutions. The high-rate activated sludge (HRAS) process, characterized by short sludge and hydraulic retention times, demonstrates proficient chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal with minimal oxidation and energy expenditure, positioning it as a promising approach for achieving energy-efficient wastewater treatment.This study addresses the nutrient removal efficiency of a demonstration-scale pilot plant (35 m3·d-1) operating for 497 days. It investigates the correlation between nutrient removal efficiencies, COD fractions, and suspended solids removal in real wastewater, without primary clarification.The process consistently achieves average removal efficiencies: 23% for total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), 7.3% for N-NH4+, 56% for total phosphorus (TP), and 11% for P-PO43-. The superior TP removal is attributed to the high particulate influent fractions (81%), underscoring the pivotal role of settling efficiency. The HRAS process effectively controls TP peak values, although its influence on TKN peaks is somewhat limited. This underscores HRAS's proficiency in mitigating phosphorus spikes in influent wastewater. In contrast, the lower TKN removal is associated with diminished particulate inlet fractions (46%).Nutrient removal mechanisms in HRAS mirror those of COD, primarily revolving around adsorption and entrapment processes, as opposed to conventional biological pathways. It also highlights the independence of oxidized COD, nitrogen, and phosphorus removal. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of the COD/TKN within HRAS effluent unveils the presence of a short-cut nitrification/denitrification process, supplemented by Anammox in the sidestream, as the most suitable pathway for downstream nitrogen removal. This revelation signifies a substantial advancement and positions HRAS as a potential initial stage of a partial nitritation/Anammox (PN/A) process within mainstream wastewater treatment.

Identification, evaluation the source of natural bioactive compounds from Calotropis gigantea l. flowers and their anticancer potential

BackgroundIn the intensified search to derive biologically active compounds from natural products for various health care issues, attention is focused on non-edible plant sources. Among the wild plants, Calotropis [milk weeds] of the family Apocynaceae, are the repository of pharmaceutically active phytoconstituents. The flowers of C. gigantea are expected to be rich in bioactive compounds. MethodsThe bioactive compounds and in vitro anticancer activity of C. gigantea flower extract were investigated. The compounds in the extract were separated using GC–MS and confirmed their structures with NIST (National Institute of Standard and Technology) database. The cytotoxicity of flower extracts against A-549 lung cancer cell lines was evaluated by MTT assay. Among the six identified compounds, three biologically active compounds with short retention time and abundance were chosen for molecular docking for anticancer activities. Molecular docking using the software GLIDE version 6.5 was used to trace their interactions with the anti-lung cancer protein, IT69. ResultsThe phytochemical screening indicated the rich presence of anticancer flavonoid and phenolic compounds in the flower extract. Inhibition of cell viability and growth and morphological alterations in cells were observed when A-549 cells were exposed to different concentrations of flower extract. The highest percentage of cell death (70 %) was observed in cells exposed to 100 µg/ml concentration. Molecular docking of three identified compounds with lung anticancer protein complex, IT69 proved that Butanoic acid, 3-[(phenyl methoxy) imino] trimethylsilyl ester is a good anti-lung cancer agent. Hence for pulmonary cancer, the identified compound can intensively be tested further.

Hydraulic retention time optimization achieved unexpectedly high nitrogen removal rate in pilot-scale anaerobic/aerobic/anoxic system for low-strength municipal wastewater treatment

Applications of post-denitrification processes are subjected to low reaction rates caused by a lack of carbon resources. To offer a solution for reaction rate promotion, this research found a pilot-scale anaerobic/aerobic/anoxic bioreactor treating 55–120 m3/d low-strength municipal wastewater for 273 days. A short hydraulic retention time (HRT, 5–6 h) and a high nitrogen removal rate (63.2 ± 9.3 g-N/m3·d) were achieved using HRT optimization. The effluent total nitrogen concentration was maintained at 5.8 ± 1.4 mg/L while operating at a high nitrogen loading rate of 86.2 ± 12.8 g-N/m3·d. The short aeration (1.25–1.5 h) minimized the Glycogen loss. The endogenous denitrification rate increased to above 1.0 mg/(g-VSS·h). The functional genus Ca. Competibacter enriched to 2.3 %, guaranteeing the efficient post-denitrification process. Dechloromonas rose to 1.1 %, aiding in the synchronous phosphorus removal. These findings offered fresh insights into AOA processes to achieve energy/cost-saving wastewater treatment.

Advance nitrogen removal from anaerobic sludge digestion liquor using partial nitrification and denitrification coupled with simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox, and denitrification process

A novel two-stage continuous-flow partial nitrification and denitrification coupled with simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox, and denitrification (PND-SNAD) process was developed to treat anaerobic sludge digestion liquor. During the stable phase, the total nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 93 ± 3 % and 59 ± 7 %, respectively. Free ammonia suppression (26.2 ± 12.7 mg/L) and low dissolved oxygen (DO, 0.12 ± 0.07 mg/L) were key factors in the operation of the PND process, while the SNAD process was restricted successfully by limited oxygen (DO < 0.1 mg/L) and short solids retention time (9.7 d). The PND process was an important pretreatment process that could remove biodegradable dissolved COD by denitrification and supply ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) to the SNAD process. Nitrosomonas and Ca. Brocadia were the dominant AOB and anammox bacteria, respectively. Overall, this research presents a distinctive SNAD combined process for anaerobic sludge digestion liquor treatment.