Mineral Solution Research Articles

Sex preselection of sheep using mineral solution injection via subcutaneous

The injection on Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) solution is regarded as a method that have been conducted for sex preselection in sheep. Therefore, this trail was aimed to examine the effect of macro minerals such CaMg subcutaneous injected to Kurdish breed ewes during pre and post mating on lamb sex ratio skewing toward female. Thirty ewes at cycling multiparous period (based on their age and live weight (LW)) were randomly divided into two groups (15 ewes per group). Weekly (for four weeks) from four weeks’ days pre- to one week post-mating, each ewe (CaMg group) were subcutaneous injected by 30 ml of CaMg solution or sterile water (control group). Ewes live weigh at the end of the study were numerically higher (2.55 kg) in ewes injected with CaMg compared to control group. The serum ca and Mg were higher (P<0.05) in ewes administrated with CaMg solution than those not administrated. The level of total protein, urea, glucose, and cholesterol at blood serum were not affected (P>0.05) by CaMg injection. Reproductive hormone such estrogen was not different between control and injected ewes (P>0.05). Although, progesterone (at CIDR removal period) were increased (P<0.05) in injected ewes than control ewes. The new female born lambs were 2 times higher (P<0.05) in CaMg group compared to control group. The results of current study confirm that increasing the mineral proportion (Ca and Mg) in the ewes around mating via subcutaneous injection could skew sex ratio toward female in sheep. Thus, the findings of this trial might assist farmers in managing their breeding toward female lambs (which are going to be born in fattening enterprises and male milk production). More research is required to test different methods of altering mineral concentration and investigate the link between minerals in the diet and human sex pre-selection.

Impact of a trace mineral injection at weaning on growth, behavior, and inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune responses of beef calves

Abstract Two experiments evaluated the effects of an injectable trace mineral (ITM) solution at weaning on trace mineral (TM) status, inflammatory and antioxidant responses, grazing behavior, response to vaccination, and growth of beef calves. Exp. 1 used 86 Nellore calves [40 females and 46 males; body weight (BW) = 198 ± 30.8 kg; 8 ± 1 mo of age] weaned (d 0) and assigned into 1 of 2 treatments: Saline (0.9% NaCl) or ITM (60 mg of Zn/mL, 15 mg of Cu/mL, 5 mg of Se/mL and 10 mg of Mn/mL). Saline and ITM were administered subcutaneously at a dose of 1 mL/45 kg of BW. On d 0, calves were vaccinated against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), parainfluenza-3 (PI3), bovine viral diarrhea virus type 1 and 2 (BVDV-1 and 2) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV). Blood samples and BW were collected on d 0, 3, 8, 15, 51, and 100, and grazing behavior was evaluated on d 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. The ITM did not affect (P ≥ 0.56) serum mineral concentrations of Zn and Cu, but decreased (P ≤ 0.02) plasma concentrations of cortisol on d 3 and 8 and haptoglobin on d 3. The ITM increased (P < 0.01) plasma concentration of superoxide dismutase on d 8, 15, and 51 and tended to decrease (P = 0.08) plasma concentration of glutathione peroxidase on d 3. Furthermore, there were no effects of treatment (P ≥ 0.14) on most of the behavior variables evaluated, ITM reduced (P = 0.01) the seeking time on d 0 and 4. Furthermore, ITM tended to increase (P = 0.10) the serum titer concentration against IBR on d 15 and 51 but did not affect (P ≥ 0.12) titer concentration against PI3, BVDV-1, and 2, and growth. Exp. 2 used 50 Brangus male calves (BW = 264 ± 34.1 kg; 8 ± 1 mo of age] weaned on d 0, vaccinated against respiratory diseases, stratified by BW, and randomly assigned to Saline or ITM as described in Exp. 1. Liver samples were collected on d 0, 14 and 197, blood samples on d 0, 14 and BW on d 0, 14, 44, 78, 122, 162 and 197. The ITM increased (P ≤ 0.03) the liver concentration of Cu and Se on d 14 but did not affect (P ≥ 0.17) the liver concentration of Zn and Mn. In addition, ITM increased (P = 0.05) the serum titer concentration against BVDV-2 but did not affect (P ≥ 0.20) the titer concentrations against IBR, PI3, BVDV-1, and BRSV, and did not affect (P ≥ 0.29) the growth. In conclusion, ITM application at weaning improved Cu and Se status, enhanced antioxidant and immune responses, and reduced stress and inflammation in calves, though it did not affect growth.

Protection of low carbon steel in mineral acid solutions by alkylphenyl-substituted imidazolines

Protection of low carbon steel in mineral acid solutions by alkylphenyl-substituted imidazolines

Investigation on the impact of CO2-Induced precipitation on microscopic pore structure of low-permeable reservoirs

CO2 injection into reservoirs might induce organic or inorganic precipitation in microscopic pores, and some of the pores are blocked by the precipitates, resulting in a decrease in the connectivity of pores and affecting oil recovery. In this paper, a set of experiments on CO2 displacement and CO2-water-oil-rock interaction are conducted to study the microscopic mechanisms of reservoir damage. In-situ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology is applied to conduct the microscopic analysis of CO2-EOR and reservoir damage at real reservoir conditions. The results reveal that the particle size and the amount of inorganic precipitates formed in the formation water will increase with the rise of CO2 injection pressure, and the inorganic precipitates primarily consist of siderite and kaolinite. The change of NMR T2 spectra of the core samples reveals that the inorganic precipitates primarily block the small pores less than 0.89 μm. However, as a result of stronger mineral dissolution and solute transport, the pore volume of the large pores (greater than 0.89 μm) increases after the CO2-water-rock reaction. Ultimately, this interaction results in a 5.4% increment in pore volume. In addition, the displacement efficiency of water-saturated cores is improved after the first CO2 displacement, which indicates that CO2-water-rock interaction can effectively improve the seepage properties of reservoirs. Nevertheless, the reservoir damage caused by asphaltene precipitation during CO2 flooding is more significant. The asphaltene precipitation percentage in formation oil increases with the rise of CO2 injection pressure, reservoir temperature, and asphaltene content in virgin oil. CO2-induced asphaltene precipitation causes more severe blockage on small pores in comparison with large pores. After 2 h of CO2 injection to the oil-saturated core, permeability and oil recovery caused by CO2-induced precipitation decreased by 17.6% and 11.4%, respectively.

Geochemical Evidence of Ore-Forming Processes in the Shuiyindong Gold Deposit of Southwest Guizhou Province, China.

The Shuiyindong deposit is one of the ultralarge Carlin-type gold deposits in Southwest Guizhou Province, China. Gold mineralization mainly occurs in the Permian Longtan Formation and the early Triassic Yelang Formation. It is controlled by both strata and faults. Detailed studies of the mineralogy and geochemistry characteristics of the Shuiyindong deposit are conducted to investigate the ore-forming process. Arsenian pyrite and arsenopyrite are the main Au-hosting minerals. Three types of pyrite can be recognized, including euhedral and subhedral pyrite, framboidal pyrite, and bioclastic pyrite. The euhedral and subhedral pyrite is the main Au-hosting type. The Au appears as a solid solution (Au+) and natural nanoscale gold (Au0) in the sulfide minerals. The Co/Ni ratios of sulfides (0.07-3.13) reveal that the ore-forming fluids were mainly affected by hydrothermal activity, but magmatic activity cannot be excluded. Organic matter in the ores is abundant (0.11-3.04%), which might provide sulfur for pyrite and favor an increase in the porosity and permeability of the host rocks by releasing organic acids. The REE and trace element results suggest that halogens (F and Cl) were contained in the reducing magmatic hydrothermal fluids. The sulfur isotopic data (from -8.64‰ to 27.17‰) suggest that the source of sulfur is complicated and is probably a combination of a magmatic source, the reduction of marine sulfate, and bacterial sulfate reduction. The Pb isotopic data of the sulfides indicate that Pb is from a mixture of crust and mantle sources. The obvious enrichment zones exist along the boundary faults in the geochemical map of As, implying that As may originate from the deep crust and then move to the strata with basinal fluids. By combining these results, it can be inferred that the ore-forming fluids were a mixture of basinal and deep source fluids. A probable ore-forming model of the Shuiyindong gold deposit is established.

Extraction and sorption recovery of rhenium(VII) using oligodentate β-аminophosphoryl compounds

The interphase distribution of microquantities of ReO4– between aqueous solutions of mineral acids and solutions of oligodentate β-aminophosphoryl compounds in organic solvents was studied. The stoichiometry of the extracted complexes was determined, the influence of the concentration of HClO4, HNO3, HCl and H2SO4 in the aqueous phase, the structure of the extractant and the nature of the organic solvent on the efficiency of the transition of ReO4– ions into the organic phase was considered. The possibility of selective extraction and concentration of Re(VII) with a complexing sorbent obtained by non-covalent attachment of tris[bis(2-diphenylphosphorylethyl)aminoethyl]amine on the surface of the macroporous polymer Amberlite XAD7HP was demonstrated.

Effects of chemical solution components on the contact angle of typical minerals in soil: quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase

Different chemical solutions can significantly change the contact angle (CA) of soil, but few studies have studied the change rule and action mechanism of the CA from the mineral composition of soil essence. In unsaturated soil mechanics, the CA is an important parameter to calculate the wet suction between soil particles in unsaturated soil. When the chemical composition of the soil pore liquid changes, the CA will also change, which will affect the wet suction and other parameters, thus changing the macroscopic mechanical properties of the soil. In this study, the CA of air-solution-mineral phases with different solution components (pH, type and concentration of salt solution) of different minerals (quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase) were measured. The results show that the CAs of quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase all rise first and then drop with the rise of pH. The peak CAs are pH = 5, pH = 4 and pH = 3, respectively. Quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase all have valley values in different concentrations of NaCl and KCl solutions. In CaCl2 solution, only quartz has valley value, while orthoclase and plagioclase increase monotonously. Quartz in soil plays a main role in the influence of soil CA, followed by orthoclase and plagioclase. The CA of different minerals in different chemical solutions is mainly controlled by electric double layer interaction and functional groups interaction. In different salt solution environment, in addition to the above two effects, the mineral CA is also affected by the surface tension.

Exogenous melatonin application helps late-sown durum wheat to cope with waterlogging under Mediterranean environmental conditions.

In Mediterranean countries, late-sown durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) may face waterlogging (WL) at early stages. As mitigation of waterlogging by melatonin (MT) has been poorly explored, we analyzed the effects of exogenous MT foliar application to WL-stressed durum wheat on its ecophysiological performance, growth and biomass production. Late-sown plants of a relatively tolerant cultivar (i.e., Emilio-Lepido) were subjected to two WL durations (i.e., 14 and 35 days of WL; DOW) at tillering, with or without exogenous MT application (i.e., 0 and 100 μM). Prolonged WL reduced shoot biomass (-43%), but the application of MT mitigated this detrimental effect. Waterlogging impaired photosynthesis, reducing leaf CO2 assimilation and chlorophyll content (-61 and - 57%, at 14 and 35 DOW). In control, MT increased the photosynthetic pigments (+48%), whereas it exacerbated the decrease in photosynthesis under both WL conditions (-72%, on average). Conversely, MT reduced WL-induced oxidative damage in both shoots and roots (-25% hydrogen peroxide production), facilitating osmotic adjustments and mitigating oxidative stress. The accumulation of osmotic regulators in MT + WL plants (+140 and + 42%, in shoots and roots at 35 DOW; respectively) and mineral solutes (+140 and + 104%, on average, in shoots and roots at 14 DOW) likely mitigated WL stress, limiting the impact of oxidative stress and promoting biomass accumulation. Our results highlight the potential of MT as a bioactive compound in mitigating the adverse effects of WL on late-sown durum wheat and the importance of the complex interactions between physiological responses and environmental stressors.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW IN THE PRACTICE OF SUBSURFACE USE

This article is devoted to the study of the relationship of intellectual property rights with the right of subsurface use. In the article, the author made an attempt to reveal the legal nature of geological information, offered his author's vision on the issue of attributing geological information to the number of objects of intellectual property rights. The complexity of obtaining the results of the study lies in the fact that geological information is contained not only in natural media (drill cores, samples of minerals, carbon dioxide, mercaptans, water, samples of rocks and minerals, samples and collections of stone material, slates, anshlifs, mineral solutions and powders). In addition, in the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter - RK), the regime of ownership rights is extended to geological information, which is a consequence of insufficient study of geological information as an object of rights. The article shows the relationship of relations in the field of subsoil use with copyright, since many processes are based on the use of computer programs, information systems and other software. In addition, the activities of subsurface users are inextricably linked with inventions – objects of patent law, starting with geological exploration, survey work and ending with mining. The connection between the means of individualization and subsurface users is also obvious, since each subsurface user acts in civil circulation under its own brand name, produces products under a trademark or service mark. In addition, subsoil users often violate the exclusive rights of copyright holders, which leads not only to litigation, but also to losses in the case of the use of counterfeit goods.

Mechanisms of biological effectiveness of ionic forms of metals of variable valence in respiratory medicine

Background: The task to develop new drugs containing metals of variable valence requires systematization of our knowledge, experimental and clinical studies. The aim of the study: To investigate the mechanisms of the effectiveness of the mineral complex containing metals of variable valence in the treatment of respiratory diseases, to conduct preclinical trials and clinical testing of a new inhalation mineral solution. Materials and methods: The ability of cerium (III) ions to exhibit reducing properties was demonstrated by carrying out chemical reactions of cerium (III) chloride and sulfate with potassium permanganate in the presence of sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid (respectively). Preclinical studies of acute toxicity were carried out on laboratory mice and rats in accordance with the rules of bioethics and with generally accepted ethical standards for the treatment of animals, based on the standard operating procedures of the university, which comply with the rules adopted by the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for research and other scientific purposes (Strasbourg, 1986). Clinical testing of two forms of the mineral complex for inhalation (1. Inhalation solution for nebulizer – Renerium; 2. intranasal spray) was carried out on 6 groups of volunteers in compliance with human rights and the principles of conducting medical research involving a person as a subject, declared on the 18th General Assembly of the World Medical Association (Helsinki, Finland), voluntary informed consent, approved by the local ethical committee. Results: Mineral preparation for inhalation therapy of patients with acute respiratory diseases does not show acute toxicity in preclinical studies on laboratory animals. The mechanism of action of the drug is most likely associated with the regulation of redox reactions at the level of the cell membrane, mitochondria and cell nucleus, which is manifested by anti-inflammatory and regenerative activity in the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and alveolar apparatus. Both forms of the drug are well tolerated. A pronounced clinical efficacy of the drug Renerium in the form of inhalation through a compressor inhaler was noted in the case of a 5-day course of treatment, 5 ml once a day. Conclusion: Experimental and clinical data have demonstrated pronounced anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties of a new mineral complex based on cerium (III), the mechanism of which is due to the regulation of redox reactions.

Laboratory Experiments and Geochemical Modeling of Gas–Water–Rock Interactions for a CO2 Storage Pilot Project in a Carbonate Reservoir in the Czech Republic

The aim of this study was to characterize the influence of CO2 in geological structures on mineralogical changes in rocks and assess the sequestration capacity in mineral form and solution of a potential pilot storage site in the Czech Republic. Rock samples from a dolomite reservoir and the overburden level, as well as the corresponding pore water, were used. The most important chemical process occurring in the reservoir rock is the dissolution of carbonate minerals and feldspars during the injection of CO2 into the structure, which increases the porosity of the structure by approximately 0.25 percentage points and affects the sequestration capacity of the reservoir rock. According to the results of geochemical modeling, the secondary carbonate minerals (dolomite, siderite, and ephemeral dawsonite) were present only during the first 50 years of storage, and the porosity at this stage decreased by 1.20 pp. In the caprocks, the decomposition of K-feldspar and calcite resulted in an increase in porosity by 0.15 percentage points at the injection stage only, while no changes in porosity were noted during storage. This suggests that their insulation efficiency can be maintained during the injection and post-injection periods. However, further experimental research is needed to support this observation. The results of this study indicate that the analyzed formation has a low potential for CO2 sequestration in mineral form and solution over 10,000 years of storage, amounting to 5.50 kg CO2/m3 for reservoir rocks (4.37 kg CO2/m3 in mineral form and 1.13 kg CO2/m3 in dissolved form) and 3.22 kg CO2/m3 for caprock rocks (3.01 kg CO2/m3 in mineral form and 0.21 kg CO2/m3 in dissolved form). These values are lower than in the case of the depleted Brodské oil field, which is a porous reservoir located in the Moravian part of the Vienna Basin.

Bioremediation of domestic water polluted by benzene of waste motor oil with crude extract of Pleurotus Florida and mineral solution

In Mexico and in the world, a problem of contamination in domestic water is due to petroleum derivatives such as waste motor oil (WMO), whose chemical composition is aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. An ecological solution is to biostimulation with extracellular enzimes of Pleurotus florida and mineral solution to eliminate both by the aerobic native heterotrophic microbiota. The objective of this research was to analyze the bioremediation of domestic water polluted by benzene of WMO with an extract of P. florida and mineral solution. In that sense, P. florida was grown in straw with lignin content, that induces enzymes to hydrolyze benzene for 5 days, for obtaining crude extract of P. florida (ePf). This ePf used for the biostimulation of domestic water polluted by benzene from WMO and a mineral solution: to oxidate the benzene that was measured by CO2 generated from its mineralization and mass-coupled gas chromatography to demonstrate its elimination. The results indicate that in biostimulation of domestic water polluted by benzene from WMO with ePf, caused its hydrolysis followed by the mineral solution that eliminated it. Compared to domestic water polluted by benzene from WMO non biostimulated by ePf neither mineral solution where benzene did not disappear. This data supports biostimulation domestic water polluted by benzene from WMO with ePf and mineral solution for its rapid reutilization.

Aqueous alteration in icy planetesimals: The effect of outward transport of gaseous hydrogen

Parent bodies of carbonaceous chondrites that initially contained metallic iron potentially exert strong reduction power during aqueous alteration to generate molecular hydrogen in excess of hydrogen solubility in water-rich fluids. The surplus hydrogen escapes from the system, which is subsequently supplied to overlying regions in planetesimals. Based on this concept, we conducted chemical equilibrium modeling of the aqueous alteration and simulated gaseous H2 migration within the icy planetesimal that has a melted mantle and an icy shell during the early stages of radiogenic heating. In the chemical equilibrium modeling, we simulated the aqueous alteration of chondritic rocks at 0–350 °C and a water/rock mass ratio of 0.2–10 with initial CO2 contents of 0–10 mol% in the fluid. The results showed that the mineral assemblage and solution composition change with the temperature, water/rock mass ratio, and initial fluid composition. The reproduced mineral paragenesis and abundance well explain those of carbonaceous chondrites. Furthermore, it was revealed that the initial H2 fugacity of the system influences not only the stability of minerals and solution compositions, but also the preservation potential of organic molecules. Indeed, within these parameter spaces, the modeling results account for the organic/inorganic carbon-rich alterations reported for the Tagish Lake meteorite, Ceres, and Ryugu. Simulations of gaseous H2 migration in a planetesimal revealed that gaseous H2 in the deep interior can be transported to the interface with an icy shell even if the permeability is low. Moreover, it is highly possible that an H2-rich layer would have been widely formed just below the icy shell. Therefore, it is expected that H2-rich regions beneath the ice layer in planetesimals have substantial potential for the synthesis and preservation of organic molecules. These results imply that the alteration of carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies and C-complex asteroids is characterized by not only the type of parent bodies (e.g., formation age and distance from the Sun) but also the locations within their parent bodies.

The essential oil blend Agolin Ruminant L reduces methane production in vitro and in vivo when included in the drinking water of cattle.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the potential for the essential oil blend Agolin Ruminant L (Agolin) to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions from beef cattle when delivered via drinking water. Experiment 1 evaluated aqueous solutions of Agolin (50mg/L) and a nonprotein nitrogen and mineral solution (uPRO ORANGE [uPRO]; 1.7mL/L) individually and in combination, where Agolin was added to concentrated uPRO at 3%, 4.5%, and 6% Agolin (w/w) prior to dilution with water at 1.7mL/L, for a total of 5 treatments. These were incubated for 48h with a medium-quality Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay substrate, with gas production, CH4 concentration in gas, and digestibility measured in vitro. In experiment 2, Droughtmaster steers (n = 24) were fed a basal diet of Rhodes grass hay and were allocated to 1 of 3 water treatments (n = 8 per treatment) supplemented with either uPRO (2.27mL uPRO/L water), or 1 of 2 inclusion rates of Agolin in combination with uPRO (2.27mL uPRO and 6 µL Agolin/L water or 2.27mL uPRO and 24 µL Agolin/L water) with enteric CH4 emissions, feed and water intake, and live-weight gain (LWG) measured over 56 d. In experiment 1, the inclusion of Agolin in uPRO at 6% (w/w) resulted in a reduction in CH4 production (15.8%; P = 0.003) and the proportion of CH4 in the gas produced (24.5%; P < 0.001). In experiment 2, steers consuming the lower quantity of Agolin via drinking water had a 16.4% (P = 0.0027) reduction in CH4 production over the experiment, declining from 140g/d during week 1 to 117g/d in week 8. This inclusion rate of Agolin in the drinking water also resulted in a 25g (17.6%) CH4/d decrease in emissions by steers compared to control steers (P = 0.0205). However, no significant differences in CH4 yield (g CH4/kg dry matter intake), or CH4 intensity (g CH4/kg LWG) by steers were observed between treatments. These results demonstrated that Agolin reduces CH4 emissions when mixed in an aqueous solution under in vitro and in vivo conditions, providing a potential method to reduce enteric CH4 emissions from cattle in extensive production systems.

The optimized microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation process to fabricate underwater superoleophobic mesh for efficient oil-water separation

Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an environmentally-friendly and easy operation technique for separating oil-water mixtures. However, the effect of environmental factors on the wettability and oil-water separation performance of MICP remains unclear. In this study, three primary factors including mineralization solution (MS) concentration, bacterial suspension (BS) concentration, and temperature were carefully investigated. Under these varying conditions, stainless steel meshes (SSM) were chosen as the substrates for the growth of CaCO3 precipitations. Experimental results demonstrate a strong dependence of the morphology and wettability of CaCO3 precipitations on these factors. Higher MS concentration and temperature contribute to enhanced hydrophilicity of CaCO3 coatings due to the increased surface roughness. The water flux of MICP-coated SSMs decreases with the increase of BS concentration, MS concentration, and temperature. The MICP-coated SSM obtained with MS concentration of 0.15 M, BS concentration of 0.1 × 108 cells/mL, and mineralization reaction at 25 ℃ for 24 hours demonstrated the optimal comprehensive performance, exhibiting underwater superoleophobicity with an underwater oil contact angle (UWOCA) exceeding 151°, an ultra-high oil intrusion pressure (> 3.0 kPa), ultrahigh flux (28,644 L m−2 h−1), and a preferable oil rejection rate (> 99.9%). Additionally, the as-prepared mesh exhibited superior anti-oil-fouling property and reusability, while concurrently demonstrating excellent chemical and thermal stability. This work contributes to advancing our knowledge of the influence of various environmental factors on the wetting characteristics of MICP and provides a feasible solution for the highly efficient and low-cost preparation of oil-water separation membranes based on the MICP process.

Acid Leaching of CIGS Solar Cells: A Focus on Silver and Indium

Solar electricity from photovoltaics (PV) contributed to about 4.5 % of the global electricity production in 2022 and is expected to continue increasing by 2050 [1]. Therefore, both manufacturing waste and end of life waste are expected to reach a considerable volume in the upcoming decade. However, recycling methods for this type of waste are still at a very early stage of development. The thin film CIGS PV technology achieves high energy conversion efficiencies [2] and it is also used in promising newer technologies, namely multijunction solar cells. However critical elements like indium (In) and gallium (Ga), and often valuable silver (Ag) as conductive grid, are essential for the achievement of such efficiencies. Therefore, environmental, economic and resource depletion reasons demand the recovery of these elements.In industrial scale, there is currently no established recycling activity on CIGS containing materials. In lab scale, research mainly focuses on recycling of pure CIGS material production waste, which are free of any other element except for their 4 constituent elements in contrast to the real solar cells or PV. However, monitoring and controlling the impurity levels in the recycling of complex waste is of outmost importance, since the higher the purity of the recovered materials, the more economically viable their recycling business becomes. At the same time, the existing literature on the recycling of pure CIGS waste suggests the use of strong mineral acid solutions and high temperatures for the recovery of their elements. The case is similar for Ag, with some studies on its recovery only from another PV technology, namely silicon PV, being available and describing similarly harsh recovery conditions. Although such conditions can be efficient in many cases, they are not environmentally friendly and can be costly for the industry as well. To the best of our knowledge, the only available research work on the recovery of valuable elements from CIGS solar cells (Ag, In and others) using more benign recovery conditions compared to the ones that have been investigated so far (i.e. lower acid concentrations and room temperature), is our recent research work on leaching with nitric acid (HNO3) [3].In our current work we investigated the leaching of flexible CIGS solar cells with a stainless steel substrate production waste at room temperature and acid concentrations no higher than 2 M. The leaching efficiency of Ag and In was studied under different leaching times, acid leaching agents and concentrations, as well as geometrical surface area to liquid ratios (A:L). The elemental composition of all the elements that were likely to be present in the solar cell was measured in all the leachates with ICP-OES. The solid materials left on the cell’s surface after the treatment were characterized in terms of morphology and elemental composition with SEM-EDS, when necessary.The results proved that the choice of the leaching agent plays an important role in the recovery of the different elements present in the cell. It was also confirmed that higher acid concentrations achieve higher leaching recoveries for the same leaching conditions, as expected. As far as the A:L ratio is concerned, in many cases, higher A:L ratios achieved higher efficiencies, probably due to better oxygenation of the solutions.An example of the efficiency of the method is presented in Fig. 1, in which the Ag grid line of the untreated sample (Figure 1a, b) looks white under SEM due to the presence of Ag particles. After the acid treatment of the cell with 2 M HNO3 for 24h, the Ag particles of the Ag grid lines have disappeared, making the line look black (Figure 1c).In total, two important conclusions were drawn: a) selective leaching of various elements for achievement of higher purity products is possible by adjusting the leaching parameters and b) a complete recovery of Ag is possible within one day with more environmentally friendly conditions than the ones suggested so far.

Bioremediation and Accelerated Phytoremediation of a Soil Impacted by a Hydrocarbons Mixture

Waste motor oil (WMO), without adequate final confinement, is spill in agricultural soil, there, it easily exceeds 4400 ppm according to the Mexican standard NOM-138-SEMARNAT/SSA1-2012; a concentration that causes loss of fertility. The aims of this research were: i) biostimulation of agricultural soil impacted by 39,000 ppm of WMO with Triton X-100/Tween 80 at 0.5% and mineral solution: ii) phytoremediation by Phaseolus vulgaris enhanced with Methylobacterium symbioticum and Xanthobacter autotrophicus to reduce WMO at lower concentration than the maximum accepted by NOM-138-SEMARNAT/SSA1-2021. The response variables were: a) the initial and final concentration of WMO by Soxhlet, and b) P. vulgaris: germination percentage; phenology and biomass at seedling and pre-flowering stages. The experimental data were analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey 0.05%, with the program Statgraphics Centurion XVI. II.&#x0D; The results showed that biostimulation of soil impacted by 39,000 ppm of WMO with Triton X-100/Tween 80 at 50%, and a mineral solution, decreased to 26,990 ppm in 25 days. Subsequently, phytoremediation by sowing P. vulgaris with M. symbioticum and X. autotrophicus, at pre-flowering reduced WMO to 1233 ppm in 50 days, a concentration lower than the maximum, accepted by NOM-138-SEMARNAT/SSA1-2012. This supports that is possible to accelerate biostimulation and phytoremediation reduced WMO in the agriculture soil to recover its productive capacity.

The sustainable recovery of rare earth in the leaching solution of Baotou minerals with extraction-precipitation strategy based on fatty acids

To research and develop sustainable extraction-precipitation strategy, the recovery of rare earth (RE) was studied by using mono and binary carboxylic acids, namely lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), sebacic acid (SA) and dodecanedioic acid (DA). Compared with the other carboxylic acids, LA has better precipitation performance and selectivity for RE. It was successfully used to concentrate the leaching solution of Baotou minerals to 227 g/L. RE sulfate was also transformed into RE chloride with high solubility. Ca and Mg impurities in the leachate can be effectively eliminated. The particle size of formed RE concentrate is obviously larger than that those produced by industrial precipitants, which helps to improve the separation efficiency. Unlike oxalic acid and ammonium bicarbonate, the extraction-precipitant studied in this article can be reused to avoid the generation of oxalic acid wastewater, ammonia nitrogen wastewater, and carbon dioxide. The obtained RE concentrates have good separation performances and low solubilities in aqueous phase. The mechanism of RE extraction-precipitation by LA was examined by slope analysis, XPS and IR spectra. LA showed good stability during the recovery and recycling processes. Based on the above research, the extraction-precipitation of fatty acid (FA) provides a simple, efficient and sustainable separation process for Baotou minerals.

Remineralization of Dentin with Cerium Oxide and Its Potential Use for Root Canal Disinfection.

This study was to investigate a novel antibacterial biomimetic mineralization strategy for exploring its potential application for root canal disinfection when stabilized cerium oxide was used. A biomimetic mineralization solution (BMS) consisting of cerium nitrate and dextran was prepared. Single-layer collagen fibrils, collagen membranes, demineralized dentin, and root canal system were treated with the BMS for mineralization. The mineralized samples underwent comprehensive characterization using various techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and micro-CT. Additionally, the antimicrobial properties of the BMS and the remineralized dentin were also analyzed with broth microdilution method, live/dead staining, and SEM. Cerium ions in the BMS underwent a transformation into cerium oxide nanoparticles, which were deposited in the inter- and intra-fibrillar collagen spaces through a meticulous bottom-up process. XPS analysis disclosed the presence of both Ce (III) and Ce (IV) of the generated cerium oxides. A comprehensive examination utilizing SEM and micro-CT identified the presence of cerium oxide nanoparticles deposited within the dentinal tubules and lateral canals of the root canal system. The BMS and remineralized dentin exhibited substantial antibacterial efficacy against E. faecalis, as substantiated by assessments involving the broth dilution method and live/dead staining technique. The SEM findings revealed the cell morphological changes of deceased E. faecalis. This study successfully demonstrated antibacterial biomimetic mineralization as well as sealing dentinal tubules and lateral branches of root canals using cerium nitrate and dextran. This novel biomimetic mineralization could be used as an alternative strategy for root canal disinfection.

A biomimetic in situ mineralization ECM composite scaffold to promote endogenous bone regeneration

Bone tissue engineering scaffolds constructed from single-component organic materials have inherent limitations. Inspired by the hierarchical structure of physiological natural bone hard tissues, our research explores the construction of organic-inorganic composite scaffold for bone regeneration. In this study, we used a natural and readily obtainable extracellular matrix (ECM) material, i.e., decellularized small intestinal submucosa (SIS), to build the organic component of a phosphorylated hydroxyapatite nanocrystal-containing composite scaffold (nHA@SIS). Guided by polymer-induced liquid-precursor theory, we introduced a soluble inorganic mineralization solution to achieve an inorganic component of nHA@SIS. Using in situ mineralization, we successfully formed inorganic component within SIS and constructed nHA@SIS composite scaffold. We analyzed the physicochemical properties and the osteogenic role of nHA@SIS via a series of in vitro and in vivo studies. Compared with SIS scaffold, the nHA@SIS possessed suitable physicochemical properties, maintained the excellent cell activity of SIS and better guided reorganization of the cell skeleton, thereby achieving superior osteoconductivity and maintaining osteoinductivity at the protein and gene levels. Furthermore, the rat cranial defect area in the nHA@SIS scaffold group was mostly repaired after 12 weeks of implantation, with a larger amount of higher-density new bone tissue being visible at the edge and center than SIS and blank control group. This significantly improved in vivo osteogenic ability indicated the great potential of nHA@SIS for bone tissue engineering applications.