Spectral Analysis Techniques Research Articles

Synergistic enhancement of chemical and electromagnetic effects in a Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs two-dimensional SERS substrate for ultra-sensitive detection

BackgroundIt is well established that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is one of the most commonly used spectral analysis techniques in real-world applications, including chemical and biological sensing, analytical detection, and even forensics. It offers high sensitivity, high resistance to solvents, photobleaching, and limited spectrum bands. In general, SERS is caused by two mechanisms, the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism (EM) and the chemical enhancement mechanism (CM), although the exact mechanism is not yet known. For increased sensitivity, a SERS substrate based on EM coupled with CM is essential. ResultsUsing electrostatic self-assembly, we fabricated many homogeneous hot spots for the substrate by evenly mixing positive charge Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) with negative charge Ti3C2Tx. In addition, there is a clearly enhanced effect due to the high affinity between the tested molecule and Ti3C2Tx, which facilitates molecule-to-molecule charge transfer. After successfully preparing the Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs substrate, the R6G dye molecule was used to investigate its SERS activity. According to the results, the substrate can reach an enhancement factor of 3.8 × 108. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the coupling effect between EM and CM is the main reason for the excellent performance of the Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs composite substrate. Based upon the results of detecting the two biomarkers, adenosine triphosphate and folic acid, the detection limits were determined to be 4.27 × 10−9 M and 7.26 × 10−13 M, respectively. Significance and noveltyTwo-dimensional metal carbide Ti3C2Tx material can be used to obtain CM in surface Raman scattering. It has been demonstrated that the combination of CM and EM with nano-precious metals can produce an extremely sensitive SERS substrate that is dependable and stable. Additionally, the Ti3C2Tx/AgNPs study offers a novel perspective for the advancement of the SERS coupling mechanism in addition to providing direction for realistic detection.

Quantitative analysis of spectral properties and composition of primitive achondrites (acapulcoites, lodranites and winonaites)

The establishment of robust meteorite-asteroid links has been a major focus of planetary exploration, and a major driver of asteroid sample return missions. Reflectance spectroscopy has been shown to be a powerful tool for this purpose. For the meteorites dominated by silicate minerals, quantitative analysis of spectral absorption features caused by the Fe2+-bearing minerals (mainly olivine and pyroxene) is a common method to determine mafic silicate mineralogy and end member abundances, and establish the relationship between them and possible parent bodies. In this study, the reflectance spectra of 22 primitive achondrites (acapulcoites, lodranites and winonaites) from NASA RELAB database were analyzed to determine their positions in the plot of the band area ratio (BAR) and 1 μm band center (Band I center). We found that Band I center and BAR of acapulcoites and lodranites are in roughly the same range. Acapulcoite-lodranite partially overlap with the field of H chondrites in the plot of the BAR and Band I center. This overlap means that spectral calibrations (also referred to as mineralogical formulas) based on the two types of meteorites needs to be applied with caution. The 2 μm band center of acapulcoite–lodranite is significantly lower than that of H chondrites, which is consistent with the conclusion of previous studies and provides a means to separate these two groups. In addition, the choice of spectral parameter analysis techniques may be a potential error source in similar studies. We provide generalized spectral fields of primitive achondrites in the plot of the BAR and Band I center derived from two widely used technologies.

Ag@ZIF-8 core-shell nanocomposites as sensitive and stable SERS substrates: Synthesis, optimization, and application in pollutant detection

Although surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful spectral analysis technique, its practical application is restricted due to the poor chemical stability of some noble metal nanoparticles. In this work, Ag@ZIF-8 nanocomposites with different ZIF-8 core-shell thicknesses were prepared by coating AgNP surfaces with polyvinylpyrrolidone and adjusting the dosage of zinc nitrate and 2-methylimidazole. Several characterizations have confirmed that the Ag@ZIF-8 nanocomposites was successfully prepared. Based on transmission electron microscopy images and SERS spectral intensity, it was determined that Ag@ZIF-8 nanocomposites with a ZIF-8 shell thickness of 30 nm exhibited optimal SERS performance. As a result of evaluating the uniformity and stability of the composite with 4-ATP as the probe molecule, it showed a relative standard deviation of 6.91 % and a decrease in SERS intensity of 4.5 % after 28 days. Based on the results obtained with Ag@ZIF-8 nanocomposites as the SERS substrate, the detection limits of 4-mercaptopyridine and thiram were as low as 5.87×10−9 M and 6.61×10−8 M, respectively. Furthermore, the finite-difference time-domain simulation reveals an enhancement factor of 2.6×106, which is in good agreement with the experimental value of 1.8×106, confirming its effectiveness as a SERS substrate.

Optimized dual-band amplified spontaneous emission properties of PFO and BUBD-1 blend films based on AgNPs doped buffer layers

Dual-band amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) can be used as a spectral analysis technique to detect specific chemical or biological molecules. In this paper, the dual-band ASE properties of blend films containing a small organic molecule N,N’-(4,4′-(1E,1′E)-2, 2′-(1,4-phenylene) bis(ethene-2,1-diyl)) −bis(4,1-phenylene))-bis(2-ethyl-6-methyl-phenylaniline) (BUBD-1) and a conductive polymer Poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO) were investigated and optimized. As the doping concentration of BUBD-1 in the PFO was increased from PFO: 1 wt% BUBD-1 to PFO: 5 wt% BUBD-1, the ASE emission wavelength shifted from single- to dual-band and then back. The dual-band ASE performance of the blend film was also improved by introducing a Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) buffer layer containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which resulted in a significant decrease in the excitation energy threshold of both ASE peaks and a significant increase in the net gain. Due to the LSPR effect of AgNPs, the ASE thresholds for peaks at 460 nm (PFO) and 490 nm (BUBD-1) in the blend film decreased from 12.24 ± 0.49 μJ/pulse to 6.99 ± 0.28 μJ/pulse and from 12.75 ± 0.51 μJ/pulse to 7.03 ± 0.28 μJ/pulse, respectively. The experimental and theoretical simulation demonstrated that the incomplete energy transfer between PFO and BUBD-1 led to a dual-band ASE effect. In addition, the enhanced light absorption, emission, and scattering caused by LSPR in the AgNPs improved the threshold and gain for dual-band ASE. This provides a possibility of realizing dual-band organic semiconductor lasers.

Synthesis, Hemolytic Activity, and In Silico Studies of New Bile Acid Dimers Connected with a 1,2,3-Triazole Ring.

The synthesis of bile acid conjugates plays a significant role in pharmacology and organic chemistry. These complex compounds are widely studied due to their potential therapeutic applications (e.g., drug carriers or antibacterial agents) and their impact on interactions with biological target systems. It is important to determine the biological activity of the obtained conjugates with potential pharmacological applications. The research aimed to synthesize acyl conjugates of bile acids, determine the influence of acyl groups on potential antibacterial activity and evaluate the impact of conjugation on hemolytic activity. New acetyl bile acid acetyl dimers were synthesized using the "Click Chemistry" reaction, aiming to investigate their hemolytic and antibacterial activity. The structures of all compounds were confirmed through spectral analysis techniques, including 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The PM5 semiempirical method was also used to estimate the heat of formation of individual conjugates, and the prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) technique was used to determine the pharmacokinetic potential of compounds. Docking studies indicate that obtained conjugates have the potential ability to inhibit the biosynthesis of Lipid II and block DNA gyrase. These compounds can therefore be treated as potential candidates for antibacterial compounds. Research findings suggest that conjugating bile acids and their derivatives through 1,2,3-triazole ring, results in final products with reduced hemolytic activity.

Design and evaluation of sulfadiazine derivatives as potent dual inhibitors of EGFRWT and EGFRT790M: integrating biological, molecular docking, and ADMET analysis.

A series of derivatives (5-14) were synthesized through the diazotization of sulfadiazine with active methylene compounds. The chemical structures of these newly designed compounds were validated through spectral and elemental analysis techniques. The antiproliferative potential of derivatives 5-14 was assessed against three distinct cancer cell lines (A431, A549, and H1975) using the MTT assay. The results revealed that compounds 8, 12, and 14 exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity, with IC50 values ranging from 2.31 to 7.56 μM. Notably, these values were significantly lower than those of known EGFR inhibitors, including erlotinib, gefitinib, and osimertinib, suggesting the potential of these derivatives as novel antiproliferative agents. Furthermore, compound 12 was identified as the most potent inhibitor of both EGFRWT and EGFRT790M protein kinases, with IC50 values of 14.5 and 35.4 nM, respectively. These results outperformed those of gefitinib and osimertinib, which exhibited IC50 values of 18.2 and 368.2 nM, and 57.8 and 8.5 nM, respectively. Molecular docking studies of compounds 8, 12, and 14 within the ATP-binding sites of both EGFRWT and EGFRT790M corroborated the in vitro results when compared to erlotinib, gefitinib, and osimertinib. The docking results indicated that compound 8 exhibited a favorable binding affinity for both EGFRWT and EGFRT790M, with binding scores of -6.40 kcal mol-1 and -7.53 kcal mol-1, respectively, which were comparable to those of gefitinib and osimertinib, with binding scores of -8.01 and -8.72 kcal mol-1, respectively. Furthermore, an assessment of the most promising EGFR inhibitors (8, 12, and 14) using the egg-boiled method for their in silico ADME properties revealed significant lipophilicity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration, and gastrointestinal (GIT) absorption. Collectively, our designed analogs, particularly compounds 8, 12, and 14, exhibit promising dual antiproliferative and EGFRWT and EGFRT790M kinase inhibitory properties, positioning them as efficient candidates for further therapeutic development.

CFNet: Cross-modal data augmentation empowered fuzzy neural network for spectral fluctuation

Modern spectral analysis techniques are rapidly advancing, with Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) gaining attention for its revolutionary potential in analytical chemistry. However, poor repeatability due to spectral fluctuation remains a common challenge. Improving LIBS repeatability involves improving instrument performance, standardizing sample handling, and refining data processing. While instrument performance and sample handling can be standardized, optimizing data processing is crucial for improving spectral reproducibility. This research addresses this issue through a 7-day experiment by proposing a cross-modal data augmentation empowered fuzzy neural network (CFNet). We first introduce a cross-modal data augmentation method that considers the spatial distribution of LIBS elemental lines. This method expands from a single spectrum modality to an image-spectrum dual modality, enhancing the ability to capture spectral fluctuation and thereby improving LIBS repeatability. We then introduce a cross-modal data augmentation empowered fuzzy neural network, which allows each spectrum to belong to multiple categories simultaneously, increasing adaptability to spectral fluctuation. Results show that both Accuracy and MacF exceed 91% across three tests, demonstrating the CFNet’s effectiveness in managing data fluctuation and serving as a reference for other spectral technologies. Integrating fuzzy logic into spectroscopy not only expands its applications but also improves the repeatability of spectral data. The cross-modal augmented data is available at https://github.com/aoao0206/CFNet.

Hemispheric Sunspot Number Prediction for Solar Cycles 25 and 26 Using Spectral Analysis and Machine Learning Techniques

The present study uses machine learning and time series spectral analysis to develop a novel technique to forecast the sunspot number (SN) in both hemispheres for the remainder of Solar Cycle 25 and Solar Cycle 26. This enables us to offer predictions for hemispheric SN until January 2038 (using the 13-month running average). For the Northern hemisphere, we find maximum peak values for Solar Cycles 25 and 26 of 58.5 in April 2023 and 51.5 in November 2033, respectively (root mean square error of 6.1). For the Southern hemisphere, the predicted maximum peak values for Solar Cycles 25 and 26 are 77.0 in September 2024 and 70.1 in November 2034, respectively (root mean square error of 6.8). In this sense, the results presented here predict a Southern hemisphere prevalence over the Northern hemisphere, in terms of SN, for Solar Cycles 25 and 26, thus continuing a trend that began around 1980, after the last period of Northern hemisphere prevalence (which, in turn, started around 1900). On the other hand, for both hemispheres, our findings predict lower maxima for Solar Cycles 25 and 26 than the preceding cycles. This fact implies that, when predicting the total SN as the sum of the two hemispheric forecasts, Solar Cycles 24 – 26 may be part of a centennial Gleissberg cycle’s minimum, as was the case in the final years of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century (Solar Cycles 12, 13, and 14).

Geothermal energy appraisal and subsurface structural mapping of the Rafin Rewa warm spring region, Precambrian basement complex of Nigeria

This research work aims at evaluating the geothermal energy potentials of the Rafin Rewa warm spring (RRWS) of the Precambrian Basement Complex in Nigeria as an alternative energy source using integrated aeromagnetic geophysical techniques. Four aeromagnetic dataset were acquired, assemblage, analyzed, and interpreted using integrated geophysical processing techniques of spectral analysis and Euler deconvolution. Qualitative interpretation of the residual anomalous map reveals a distribution of positive anomalies (> 53 nT) majorly in the central and southeastern regions, which are traced to the granitic rocks, while the low anomalies (< − 1.5 nT) have been traced to the RRWS location emanating from the coastal plain sands of the Pliocene, Pleistocene, Oligocene, and Miocene ages. Quantitatively, the depth to the top (DTT) of the anomalous bodies reveals a depression that is almost intersecting with the Curie point depth (CPD) plot at the RRWS location, which indicates high heat flow in the RRWS region. The Spectral Analysis results reveal that the DTT and the CPD in this area ranges from 0.512 to 0.761 km and 6.504 to 10.582 km, respectively while the average CPD is 8.543 ± 0.325 km. It is observed that the DTT and CPD decrease as one move away from the RRWS region. The computed heat flow average was 160.76 ± 19.09 mW/m2 within the RRWS region. The Euler deconvolution result reveals the presence of geological structures, which were interpreted as faults and fractures. The major fractures trend in the east–west (E-W) directions, while the minor fractures trend northeast-southwest (NE-SW) directions. The geochemical result presented shows that iconic compositions impact the convective heat transfer processes associated with geothermal systems. It was conclusively believed that regions with comparable shallow CPDs could be viable for further geothermal energy investigations.

Energy-safety balanced composites of attractive cyclic nitramines with polyaniline

Composite microcrystals of the cyclic nitramines 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (ε-CL-20), 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane(RDX), 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (β-HMX), and cis-1,3,4,6-tetranitrooctahydroimidazo-[4,5-d]imidazole (BCHMX) with polyaniline (PANi) have been prepared and thoroughly characterized in terms of morphology and phase purity. PANi outperformed other conducting polymers in terms of selectivity towards NAs due to its better interaction with NAs, low production cost, and ease of preparation. The bonding of nitramines with the polymeric PANi chain has been examined by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy methods, and fluorescence quenching; the Raman spectrum has shown the laser sensitivity of these microcrystals. Powder X-ray diffraction results have shown changes in polymorph modifications in CL20 (from ɛ to β) and HMX (from β to α) during the preparation of the composites, which have also been confirmed by spectral and differential thermal analysis techniques. The structural orientations found in these composites significantly stabilize nitramines against impact; their detonation properties have slightly deteriorated, but the PANi electrical conductivity has strongly increased their electric-spark sensitivity. The above properties of the prepared composites determine their potential use mainly as parts of the electric or laser impulse initiators, having “a green character”, for various charges.

Analysis and Comparison of Fourier and Wavelet Transforms: Application for the Study of Seismic Source Parameters, Case of the 2001 Arequipa Earthquake

The purpose of this study is to apply the spectral analysis technique to the aftershocks of the 2001 Arequipa earthquake (Mw=8.4), based on the Fourier and Wavelet transforms.The data corresponds to the world network (IRIS), which has a station called NNA that is located in Peru. Together, 10 records corresponding to replicas registered during a period of 10 days after the main event have been analyzed. The methodology used in this study was based on the SAC software that stands for "Seismic Analysis Code". As a result of the Fourier transform, the fracture radius values obtained are in the range of 0.21 to 1.15km, the stress drop values for the analyzed aftershocks are between 0.60 to 38.08Mpa, the Energy Magnitude is from 3.36 to 4.42Me; for Wavelet: the frequency content which presents the values between 0.18 to 0.30 Hz, The maximum radiated energy between 25.70 to 40.80, the values obtained are in the range of 92.18 to 146.12s. The analysis and comparison of the transforms showed that with the Fourier transform different parameters can be determined by applying spectral analysis, however, with the wavelet transform the maximum radiated energy was determined This study contributes to the literature by finding these parameters of both transforms as it is of vital importance to determine the zones of energy accumulation that would cause earthquakes of great magnitude in the future.

Fcg-Former: Identification of Functional Groups in FTIR Spectra Using Enhanced Transformer-Based Model.

Deep learning (DL) is becoming more popular as a useful tool in various scientific domains, especially in chemistry applications. In the infrared spectroscopy field, where identifying functional groups in unknown compounds poses a significant challenge, there is a growing need for innovative approaches to streamline and enhance analysis processes. This study introduces a transformative approach leveraging a DL methodology based on transformer attention models. With a data set containing approximately 8677 spectra, our model utilizes self-attention mechanisms to capture complex spectral features and precisely predict 17 functional groups, outperforming conventional architectures in both functional group prediction accuracy and compound-level precision. The success of our approach underscores the potential of transformer-based methodologies in enhancing spectral analysis techniques.

Deformation under a Young Volcanic Covered Area in Southern Garut, Indonesia: Insight from 3D Gravity Modelling

Destructive earthquakes are frequently related to inland active faults. In recent years, a significant number of shallow earthquakes with low magnitude have occurred in southern Garut, West Java, Indonesia. Two earthquakes, with magnitudes of M4.2 and M3.9 in 2016 and 2017, respectively, have caused significant damage and were interpreted as indications of an active fault. We used publicly available gravity data to infer the subsurface structure that may be related to recent seismic activity. We used spectral analysis and filtering techniques for the regional-residual anomaly separation and anomaly enhancement to show the basin structure in the study area. 3D gravity inversion modelling was performed to obtain the subsurface density distribution. The result indicates the sedimentary layers with a density of 2.4 to 2.5 gr/cm3 with an underlying basement with a density of 2.65 gr/cm3. An intra-basin basement high with an NE-SW trend divides the basin into two sub-basins. This local basement high can be associated with a magmatic intrusion body and a series of young volcanic bodies located at the northeastern end of the basin. Our results emphasize a possible strong interaction between the tectonic and magmatic activities in this region.

Synthesis, characterization, and biological activity of some lanthanide complexes with (E)-N'-(3,5- di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene)picolinohydrazide: Solid-state molecular structure of [DyL(NO3)DMF]2

A series of lanthanide(III) complexes containing Schiff base ligand, [NEt3]2[Ln2(L)2(NO3)4]⋅xH2O {Ln, x: La,1; Pr, 2, Nd, 1; Sm, 1; Eu, 1; Gd, 1; Tb, 2; Dy, 2; and Er, 4; H2L: (E)-N'-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene)picolinohydrazide Schiff Base Ligand}, have been synthesized by reaction of H2L with Ln(NO3)3⋅xH2O salts {Ln, x: La, 6; Pr, 6; Nd, 6; Sm, 6; Eu, 5; Gd, 6; Tb, 5; Dy, 6; Er, 5} in the presence of Et3N. The structures of these compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, thermal gravimetric, molar conductivity, and different spectral analysis techniques (IR, UV–vis, 1H, and 13CNMR ). Each unit of the anionic part comprises one Ln3+ ion, one bi-basic L2− ligand, and two bidentate nitrate NO3− groups. Each Ln3+ ion is coordinated by one pyridyl N atom, two alkoxido O atoms, one azomethine N atom, and one phenolate O atom. The lanthanide centers in the dinuclear core are bridged by two alkoxide groups from two ligands. The molar conductivity results have indicated that each of these complexes is a 2:1 electrolyte. Dy_L complex obtained from a mixture of MeCN/DMF solution has also been structurally characterized via X-ray diffractometry. The solid-state structure of the Dy_L complex revealed that the asymmetric unit of Dy_L is formulated from Dy3+ ion, one L2− ligand, one bi-dentate nitrate NO3− group, and one coordinated DMF molecule. The results of antioxidant activities have shown that all investigated complexes are more efficient in quenching DPPH• than the free H2L. Antibacterial activities have also been investigated against some Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria. The MIC values have reflected that all complexes have moderate antibacterial activity against the examined Gram-negative bacteria. On the contrary, they are inactive against the examined Gram-positive bacteria.

The Interconnection between Climate Cycles and Geohazards in Urban Areas of the Tourist Island of Mallorca, Spain

The island of Mallorca has experienced major interventions and transformations of the territory, with unprecedented urban development related to growing tourism activity. In this paper, we present a spatio-temporal analysis—by using spectral analysis techniques—of climate cycles on the island of Mallorca (Spain) and their correlation with the occurrences of landslides and flash floods. Both geohazards are closely related to wet periods, which are controlled by different, well-known natural cycles: ENSO, the NAO, sunspot, etc. Geostatistical methods are used to map the distribution of rainfall, as well as a spatial representation of the spectral confidence of the different natural cycles, to define the hazardous areas on the island. The cycles with the greatest influence on rainfall in Mallorca are El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) (5.6 y and 3.5 y), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) (7.5 y), and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO). Recorded events of both rockfalls and flash floods exhibit a strong correlation with the climate indices of QBO, ENSO, the NAO, and sunspot activity. This correlation is particularly pronounced with QBO, as this cycle has a higher frequency than the others, and QBO is observed as part of the other cycles in the form of increases and decreases during periods of higher ENSO, NAO, and sunspot values. However, the impact of flash floods is also significant in the southeast part of the island, despite its lower levels of rainfall. The most dangerous episodes are related to ENSO (6.4 y) and the NAO. The validation of the methodology employed is strengthened by incorporating information from the flash flood data, as it offers comprehensive coverage of the entire island, compared to the landslide database, which is confined to the Serra de Tramuntana region. The study reveals that the city of Palma and the municipality of Calvià, as well as the central and eastern urban areas of the island, are the most vulnerable regions to intense rainfall and its consequences.

A Rapid Detection Method for Coal Ash Content in Tailings Suspension Based on Absorption Spectra and Deep Feature Extraction

Traditional visual detection methods that employ image data are often unstable due to environmental influences like lighting conditions. However, microfiber spectrometers are capable of capturing the specific wavelength characteristics of tail coal suspensions, effectively circumventing the instability caused by lighting variations. Utilizing spectral analysis techniques for detecting ash content in tail coal appears promising as a more stable method of indirect ash detection. In this context, this paper proposes a rapid detection method for the coal ash content in tailings suspensions based on absorption spectra and deep feature extraction. Initially, a preprocessing method, the inverse time weight function (ITWF), is presented, focusing on the intrinsic connection between the sedimentation phenomena of samples. This enables the model to learn and retain spectral time memory features, thereby enhancing its analytical capabilities. To better capture the spectral characteristics of tail coal suspensions, we designed the DSFN (DeepSpectraFusionNet) model. This model has an MSCR (multi-scale convolutional residual) module, addressing the conventional models’ oversight of the strong correlation between adjacent wavelengths in the spectrum. This facilitates the extraction of relative positional information. Additionally, to uncover potential temporal relationships in sedimentation, we propose a CLSM-CS (convolutional long-short memory with candidate states) module, designed to strengthen the capturing of local information and sequential memory. Ultimately, the method employs a fused convolutional deep classifier to integrate and reconstruct both temporal memory and positional features. This results in a model that effectively correlates the ash content of suspensions with their absorption spectral characteristics. Experimental results confirmed that the proposed model achieved an accuracy of 80.65%, an F1-score of 80.45%, a precision of 83.43%, and a recall of 80.65%. These results outperformed recent coal recognition models and classical temporal models, meeting the high standards required for industrial on-site ash detection tasks.

Groundwater Exploration Within Shallow Depths Around Distinct Litho-Petrological Contact Zones

The world’s increasing demand for freshwater has put a strain on existing reserves in recent years, necessitating further exploration of new groundwater reserves. However, geologic provinces located within the contact boundary of Sedimentary Basin-Basement Complex region are somewhat faced with the problem of shallow sediment thickness. As a result, exploring for groundwater poses a challenge as the sediment thickness might be insufficient to host productive aquifers. Hence, exploring for faults and fractures zones that are embedded on the hard rock underneath the sediment is very essential and complimentary. In this study, high resolution aeromagnetic data over a litho-petrological contact zone of the Middle Benue Trough (MBT) and the Adamawa Massif were analyzed to delineate groundwater exploration areas using a simplified qualitative and quantitative approach. Visual inspection of isolated and aggregate anomalies is performed by analyzing their shapes, dimensions, lateral extents, and discontinuities. Lineaments were then extracted from the residual magnetic map to determine faults, fractures, and joints. A two-source-depth model is indicated by the Spectral Analysis technique used to determine the thickness of the sediments in the area. The deeper source (Z1) has a thickness of 0.9 - 3.6 km, while the shallow source (Z2) has a thickness of 0.1 - 0.8 km. While in some areas the overburden thickness may be sufficient for groundwater exploration, in others it was not, as indicated by the shallow magnetic depth, Z2. Nonetheless, areas of shallow thickness but with aggregates of faults, fractures, and joints were identified as possible locations for groundwater accumulation through magnetic lineament exploration.

Bio-extract mediated green synthesis of bi-functional ammonium cobalt phosphate nanoflakes electrode/catalyst for supercapattery and ethanol oxidation

The present study proposes a low-cost, green technique to the synthesis of bi-functional ammonium cobalt phosphate for energy storage and conversion applications. The comprehensive physiochemical investigations are carried out using various spectral-analytical techniques. The results of phase and surface morphology confirm the formation of an orthorhombic crystal structure with flakes-like microstructure. With a maximal specific capacity of 448.3 mAhg−1 at 2 mAcm−2, bio-solvent driven NH4CoPO4·H2O with graphene oxide (GO) nanoflakes demonstrates exceptional battery-type energy storage capabilities. As constructed supercapattery device exhibits a high specific energy of 85.4 Wh kg−1 at power output of 1283 W kg−1 and 81 % stability after 5000 cycles. Further exploration as a non-precious metal-based catalyst for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), NH4CoPO4·H2O /GO showed a high peak current density of 83.4 mAcm−2 at 20 mVs−1. Coupled oxygen/hydrogen evolution processes are investigated in 1 M KOH in order to acquire a better understanding of the catalyst's EOR activity. The NH4CoPO4·H2O/GO sample exhibited the lowest overpotentials of |ηOER@10| = 420 mV, and |ηHER@10| = 112 mV, with Tafel slopes of 169.8 mV dec−1 for OER and 132.8 mV dec-1 for HER, respectively. This is due to the catalyst's slow OH adsorption during OER and the limited H*recombination during HER. Therefore, this approach provides a green and cost-effective method to synthesis efficient bi-functional electrode/catalysts for supercapattery and alkaline fuel cells.

A Novel Perspective on Enhancing Photocatalytic Performance through the Synergistic Effect of Nd Single Atoms and Heterostructures.

There are few reports on lanthanide single atom modified catalysts, as the role of the 4f levels in photocatalysis is difficult to explain clearly. Here, the synergistic effect of 4f levels of Nd and heterostructures is studied by combining steady-state, transient, and ultrafast spectral analysis techniques with DFT theoretical calculations based on the construction of Nd single atom modified black phosphorus/g-C3N4 (BP/CN) heterojunctions. As expected, the generation rates of CO and CH4 of the optimized heterostructure are 7.44 and 6.85 times higher than those of CN, and 8.43 and 9.65 times higher than those of BP, respectively. The Nd single atoms can not only cause surface reconstruction and regulate the active sites of BP, but also accelerate charge separation and transfer, further suppressing the recombination of electron-hole pairs. The electrons can transfer from g-C3N4:Nd to BP:Nd, with a transfer time of ≈11.4ps, while the radiation recombination time of electron-hole pairs of g-C3N4 is ≈26.13 µs, indicating that the construction of heterojunctions promotes charge transfer. The 2P1/2/2G9/2/4G7/2/2H11/2/4F7/2→4I9/2 emissions from Nd3+ can also be absorbed by heterostructures, which improves the utilization of light. The energy change of the key rate measurement step CO2 *→COOH* decreases through Nd single atom modification.

Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Resistance to Common Antibiotics: An Overview of Current Methods and Techniques.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is an essential cause of tuberculosis treatment failure and death of tuberculosis patients. The rapid and reliable profiling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) drug resistance in the early stage is a critical research area for public health. Then, most traditional approaches for detecting MTB are time-consuming and costly, leading to the inappropriate therapeutic schedule resting on the ambiguous information of MTB drug resistance, increasing patient economic burden, morbidity, and mortality. Therefore, novel diagnosis methods are frequently required to meet the emerging challenges of MTB drug resistance distinguish. Considering the difficulty in treating MDR-TB, it is urgently required for the development of rapid and accurate methods in the identification of drug resistance profiles of MTB in clinical diagnosis. This review discussed recent advances in MTB drug resistance detection, focusing on developing emerging approaches and their applications in tangled clinical situations. In particular, a brief overview of antibiotic resistance to MTB was present, referred to as intrinsic bacterial resistance, consisting of cell wall barriers and efflux pumping action and acquired resistance caused by genetic mutations. Then, different drug susceptibility test (DST) methods were described, including phenotype DST,genotype DST and novel DST methods. The phenotype DST includes nitrate reductase assay, RocheTM solid ratio method, and liquid culture method and genotype DST includes fluorescent PCR, GeneXpert, PCR reverse dot hybridization, ddPCR, next-generation sequencing and gene chips. Then, novel DST methods were described, including metabolism testing, cell-free DNA probe, CRISPR assay, and spectral analysis technique. The limitations, challenges, and perspectives of different techniques for drug resistance are also discussed. These methods significantly improve the detection sensitivity and accuracy of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MRT) and can effectively curb the incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis and accelerate the process of tuberculosis eradication.