Ultrasonic Method Research Articles

The Innovative Approach to Real-Time Detection of Fuel Types Based on Ultrasonic Sensor and Machine Learning

AbstractThis paper presents an approach to prevent the incorrect transfer of fuel to the wrong tank during refueling. An experimental setup was developed to perform ultrasonic and dielectric measurements on diesel, gasoline, ethanol, and water. The fuel types were determined using an ultrasonic sensor and time-of-flight values were measured at various temperatures. Additionally, the dielectric coefficients of these liquids were measured to determine the liquid types using a dielectric sensor. The results obtained from both the ultrasonic and dielectric methods are systematically compared, and the advantages and disadvantages of each approach are thoroughly discussed. It was observed that dielectric method does not always yield accurate results. The proposed system effectively prevents erroneous transfer of fuel to the tank during refueling. The developed system may be used in practice to distinguish fuel types. In addition, a new approach using machine learning techniques to determine fuel type is presented. Fuel types were classified using 33 machine learning algorithms such as support vector machines, artificial neural networks and K-Nearest neighbors. It seems that artificial neural network with first layer size 25 and quadratic discriminant classifiers have achieved remarkable results with a success rate of 94% in classification. The results highlight the important and effective role of ultrasonic sensors in accurately identifying fuel types, leading to more efficient and safer storage and transportation of fuel. It is also concluded that machine learning techniques can be used effectively in identifying and classifying fuel types. The approach involving ultrasonic and artificial intelligence techniques was particularly innovative in distinguishing fuel types.

Environmental Fate and Dietary Risk Assessment Associated with Triafamone, Ethoxysulfuron and Their Metabolites in Rice Ecosystem

ABSTRACT Triafamone and ethoxysulfuron are ALS inhibitor herbicides belonging to sulfonamide and sulfonylurea group of herbicides used for control of weeds in rice ecosystem. Considering the environmental risk of these herbicides, the fate of triafamone and ethoxysulfuron was assessed to understand the best use of these herbicides. Degradation studies were carried out under field conditions in direct seeded rice (DSR) and transplanted rice (TPR) at an application rate of 67.5 and 135 g ha−1 and adsorption-desorption studies were carried out using batch equilibration technique. Residues of triafamone, ethoxysulfuron and their metabolites were extracted by ultrasonic assisted extraction method from soil and rice grain samples and liquid liquid extraction from straw samples and quantified using HPLC. Degradation half-life (DT50) of triafamone varied from 13.02–20.93 and 12.09–14.67 days under DSR and TPR conditions, respectively while for ethoxysulfuron DT50 ranged from 11.71–15.64 and 9.90–12.19 days. Among both the herbicides, triafamone was more persistent in the soil and at harvest, concentrations of triafamone and ethoxysulfuron in soil and rice were below the acceptable limit (<0.01 mg kg−1) imposed by principal regulatory agencies. Appearance and persistence of studied metabolites corroborated the degradation of parent molecule. Hazard quotient (HQ) of triafamone and ethoxysulfuron was 0.0013 and 0.000657 suggesting that application of these herbicides was safe for use in rice. Triafamone and ethoxysulfuron had a transient effect on soil biochemical and microbiological parameters depending on herbicide dose and moisture conditions. Freundlich adsorption coefficient (Kf) was 1.81 and 1.06 µg1–1/ng−1ml1/n for triafamone and ethoxysulfuron, respectively. GUS index for triafamone and ethoxysulfuron were 1.4 and 2.0 indicating low and moderate mobility, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that ethoxysulfuron has higher leachability than triafamone. Low to moderate persistence, adsorption and leaching of triafamone and ethoxysulfuron and transient ecological impacts on soil microorganisms may pave the way for safe and efficient weed control in rice cultivation.

Preparation and characterization of phase change material emulsions and their applications in liquid cooling systems for wind turbines

In order to improve the effect of liquid cooling system for wind turbine, this study used ultrasonic preparation method, stearic acid as phase change material, sorbitan trioleate and sodium lauryl sulfate as compound surfactants successfully prepared stearic acid phase change material emulsion as a cooling medium for investigation. The characterization, thermophysical properties, and fluidity of stearic acid phase change material emulsions at varying concentrations were examined through differential scanning calorimetry, thermal constant analysis, and viscometry. To investigate the cooling effects, a stator axial liquid cooling model was developed for both water and a 14 % stearic acid phase change material emulsion. Findings revealed that the 14 % stearic acid phase change material emulsion exhibited a latent heat of phase change of 22.5 J/g, reaching a peak melting temperature of 68.7 °C. Additionally, the latent heat of solidification was measured at 21.08 J/g, accompanied by a peak solidification temperature of 60.3 °C. The maximum thermal conductivity reached 0.5801 W/(m·K), and the specific heat capacity peaked at 5219.8 J/(K·mol), marking a notable improvement of 1.26 times. Under an inlet temperature of 30 °C and a flow rate of 1 L/min, stearic acid phase change material emulsion effectively lowered the temperatures of the windings, stator, rotor, and casing by 19.2 °C, 23.6 °C, 19.2 °C, and 9.6 °C, respectively. stearic acid phase change material emulsion demonstrates excellent temperature control effectiveness at 3600 r/min and a low flow rate of 1 L/min, showcasing efficient energy utilization efficiency.

Biofabrication, Characterisation and Antimicrobial Activity of CuO/Ag-based Material

In this work, Azadirachta indica leaf extract and the ultrasonic method were applied for the fabrication of a CuO/Ag-based nanocomposite. The CuO/Ag was characterised using different analytical methods such as FTIR, SEM, EDX, and XRD. The well diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of non-calcined and calcined CuO/Ag against some hazardous bacterial strains. After the incubation period, remarkable zones of inhibition were observed around the loaded CuO/Ag. The maximum zones of inhibition were found to be 17.9 (± 0.39), 20 (± 0.17), and 14.3 (± 0.31) mm for E. coli, S. aureus, and S. enterica, respectively. Experimental findings indicated that non-calcined CuO/Ag was a more effective antibacterial agent as compared to calcined CuO/Ag.

Synthesis of novel magnetic hydroxyapatite-biomass nanocomposite for arsenic and fluoride adsorption.

A magnetic nanocomposite of hydroxyapatite and biomass (HAp-CM) was synthesized through a combined ultrasonic and hydrothermal method, aiming for efficient adsorption of arsenic (As) and fluoride (F-) from drinking water in natural environments. The characterization of HAp-CM was carried out using TG, FTIR, XRD, SEM, SEM-EDS, and TEM techniques, along with the determination of pHpzc charge. FTIR analysis suggested that coordinating links are the main interactions that allow the formation of the nanocomposite. XRD data indicated that the crystalline structure of the constituent materials remained unaffected during the formation of HAp-CM. SEM-EDS analysis revelated a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.78. Adsorption assays conducted in batches demonstrated that As and F- followed a PSO kinetic model. Furthermore, As adsorption fitting well to the Langmuir model, while F- adsorption could be explained by both Langmuir and Freundlich models. The maximum adsorption capacity of HAp-CM was found to be 5.0mgg-1 for As and 10.2mgg-1 for F-. The influence of sorbent dosage, pH, and the presence of coexisting species on adsorption capacity was explored. The pH significantly affected the nanocomposite's efficiency in removing both pollutants. The presence of various coexisting species had different effects on F- removal efficiency, while As adsorption efficiency was generally enhanced, except in the case of PO43-. The competitive adsorption between F- and As on HAp-CM was also examined. The achieved results demonstrate that HAp-CM has great potential for use in a natural environment, particularly in groundwater remediation as a preliminary treatment for water consumption.

A novel laser-EMAT ultrasonic longitudinal wave resonance method for wall thickness measurement at high temperatures

In this paper we propose a novel ultrasonic longitudinal wave resonance method for measuring the thickness of metal walls using a laser-electromagnetic acoustic transducer (Laser-EMAT). The method is based on the surface constraint mechanism (SCM) of the material and is expected to be capable of accurately detecting local thinning of metal walls in a non-contact manner and at high temperatures. Based on finite element analysis of laser-EMAT ultrasonic resonance measurement of aluminum alloy thickness, we investigated the effects of such key factors as SCM, irradiation parameters of laser source, and the size of EMAT receiving coil on the accuracy of thickness measurement (resonance frequency position) and on the amplitude of the resonance wave. Both numerical simulations and experiments are conducted to demonstrate that the measurement accuracy of the proposed method is not affected by SCM, irradiation laser source parameters, and EMAT receiving coil size, and that accurate detection of stepped aluminum plates with thickness thinning from 3.0 mm to 0.5 mm is achieved. Furthermore, we were able to perform rapid detection of aluminum thin plate thickness at 500 °C temperature with an EMAT lift-off of 5.0 mm and achieved a relative experimental error as small as 3.40 %. The results obtained in this study showed that the proposed method performed well in non-contact measurement of metal thinning in harsh environment of high temperature.

Enhancing functional properties of active chitosan film incorporated with cinnamon oil nanoemulsion by argon dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma treatment

The effects of cold plasma treatment (CPT) and cinnamon oil nanoemulsion (CN) on the functional properties of chitosan film were investigated. CN with particle size of 72.20 nm was prepared by ultrasonication method before incorporating into chitosan. Chitosan film (CS) and CS incorporated with CN (CS-CN) were monitored for surface roughness, tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EAB), optical properties, water vapor permeability (WVP), oxygen transmission rate (OTR), contact angle, and antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. CS-CN had lower OTR and contact angle than CS due to the molecular structure reorientation of the CS polymer matrix caused by CN. CS-CN had better antimicrobial activity than CS due to the bioactive compounds from the CN. Depending on the CPT time, CPT could improve roughness, TS, wettability and antimicrobial activity of both CS and CS-CN through the formation of the oxygen-containing groups such as -OH, and -CO and the occurrence of the etching effect of high energy plasma on the film surface, as evident by the analyses of fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, crosslinking induced by CPT could improve oxygen barriers of films. The increase of antimicrobial activity of CS-CN was potentially because CPT generated reactive species to damage the bacterial cell, facilitated the diffusion of CN through the film matrix, and enhanced the releasing of CN from the film surface. The CPT-treated CS-CN has potential to be used as active film for food.

The development of the ultrasonic flowmeter sensors for mass flow rate measurement: A comprehensive review

A two-phase flow measuring device whose measurement system does not disturb the flow pattern, real-time measurement, and non-destructive measurement or non-intrusive model is a typical tool for an ideal situation. One measuring instrument that meets these criteria is an ultrasonic flow meter. Ultrasonic sensors can measure the velocity of fluid flow in pipelines. It has the advantage of high accuracy and reproducibility and does not make direct physical contact with the fluid in the pipe. Low fabrication costs and fast response make ultrasonic flowmeters widely used for two-phase flow measurements in both horizontal and vertical orientations. The void fraction or liquid holdup and velocity are the two most essential parameters for flow monitoring. The Time of Flight (ToF) method is mainly used for measurements in several ultrasonic flowmeter methods. In the present manuscript, the introductory section of this review explains the advantages of using the Time of Flight (ToF) method and its basic principles. This review also discusses research on measuring velocity and flow rate, differences in intrusive and non-intrusive measurement methods, parameters that affect ultrasonic measurements, and finally, measuring film thickness using non-intrusive methods.

Exploring the effects of diverse extraction methods on nanoemulsion formulation using betel leaf essential oil: Assessing antibacterial efficacy against pathogenic microorganisms

The present study focused on observing the impact of different pretreatments applied on betel leaves powder (BLP) before extraction of essential oil (EO) on the formulation and characterization of BLP-EO-nanoemulsion (NE). BLP-EO nanoemulsion was produced from different BLP-EO (C, CP, MW, CPAMW treated BLP-EO), surfactant (tween 80), and distilled water by ultrasonic probe method and their particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, turbidity, viscosity, refractive index, whiteness index and antibacterial properties were investigated. Significant differences were observed among the nanoemulsions prepared from EO obtained using different pretreatment. The CPAMW-BLP-EO- nanoemulsion prepared with 1% oil concentration and 1:3 oil to surfactant concentration showed the smallest particle size (98.00 ± 0.92 nm), lowest PDI value (0.21 ± 0.01) and zeta potential value (−24.73 ± 1.37) followed by MW, CP and C-BLP-EO-NE due to high concentration of chemical composition that effectively bind with a surfactant. Similarly, better physical properties were obtained for CPAMW-BLP-EO-NE. This CPAMW treated BLP-EO nanoemulsion was the most effective against Gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus with an inhibition zone of 12.5 mm than Gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella spp and Escherichia coli with an inhibition zone of 9.4 mm, and 8.5 mm respectively followed by MW, CP, and C treated BLP-EO-NE. In conclusion, the potent antibacterial activity of the nanoemulsion is due to its higher concentration of oxygenated terpenoids and smaller particle size, facilitating effective transport of active compounds and enhancing interactions with microbial cell membranes. Therefore, the CPAMW pre-treated BLP-EO nanoemulsions showed great potential to be incorporated into water-based food products and beverages as flavoring and antimicrobial agents.

Improving non-destructive testing methods for detecting cavity damage and internal defects in stone cultural relics: A focus on ultrasonic testing and acoustic tapping technology

This study employs advanced ultrasonic tomography and Grasshopper software to investigate the internal anomalies within stone materials. We aim to enhance the non-destructive testing (NDT) methods with potential applications extending to modern architecture and stone engineering. Cavity damage and internal defects threaten the structural stability of stone cultural relics. Traditional non-destructive testing methods, while practical, have limitations in assessing these relics comprehensively. This paper proposes an enhanced ultrasonic testing method based on mathematical analysis to accurately detect cavity damage in stone cultural relics. We also investigate imaging techniques for internal defects, combining ultrasonic testing with Grasshopper software for efficient and accurate defect characterization. Additionally, we introduce an acoustic tapping method for detecting internal defects in ancient building stones. Verified through field tests and data analysis, this method is non-invasive, accurate, and fast. The process of detecting stone defects using this technology, along with data analysis methods, experimental results, and application effects, are detailed. This research contributes to the improved preservation and restoration of ancient buildings and extends to other fields, such as modern architecture and stone engineering, highlighting its significance in cultural heritage conservation.

Elastic constants of biogenic calcium carbonate

Living organisms form complex mineralized composite architectures that perform a variety of essential functions. These materials are commonly utilized for load-bearing purposes such as structural stability and mechanical strength in combination with high toughness and deformability, which are well demonstrated in various highly mineralized molluscan shell ultrastructures. Here, the mineral components provide the general stiffness to the composites, and the organic interfaces play a key role in providing these biogenic architectures with mechanical superiority. Although numerous studies employed state-of-the-art methods to measure and/or model and/or simulate the mechanical behavior of molluscan shells, our understanding of their performance is limited. This is partially due to the lack the most fundamental knowledge of their mechanical characteristics, particularly, the anisotropic elastic properties of the mineral components and of the tissues they form. In fact, elastic constants of biogenic calcium carbonate, one of the most common biominerals in nature, is unknown for any organism. In this work, we employ the ultrasonic Pulse-Echo method to report the elasticity tensor of two common ultrastructural motifs in molluscan shells: the prismatic and the nacreous architectures made of biogenic calcite and aragonite, respectively. The outcome of this research not only provides information necessary for fundamental understanding of biological materials formation and performance, but also generates textbook knowledge on biogenic calcium carbonate required for future structural/crystallographic, theoretical and computational studies.

Study on the adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II) in acid mine drainage by fly ash loaded nano-FeS

Aiming at the acid mine drainage (AMD) in zinc, copper and other heavy metals treatment difficulties, severe pollution of soil and water environment and other problems. Through the ultrasonic precipitation method, this study prepared fly ash-loaded nano-FeS composites (nFeS-F). The effects of nFeS-F dosage, pH, stirring rate, reaction time and initial concentration of the solution on the adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II) were investigated. The data were fitted by Lagergren first and second-order kinetic equations, Internal diffusion equation, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and combined with SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA, and XPS assays to reveal the mechanism of nFeS-F adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II). The results demonstrated that: The removal of Zn(II) and Cu(II) by nFeS-F could reach 83.36% and 70.40%, respectively (The dosage was 8 g/L, pH was 4, time was 150 min, and concentration was 100 mg/L). The adsorption process, mainly chemical adsorption, conforms to the Lagergren second-order kinetic equation (R2 = 0.9952 and 0.9932). The adsorption isotherms have a higher fitting degree with the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9964 and 0.9966), and the adsorption is a monolayer adsorption process. This study can provide a reference for treating heavy metals in acid mine drainage and resource utilization of fly ash.

Fabrication and investigation of microstructural, mechanical and wear properties of in situ ZrB2/fly ash/AA7075 hybrid composite

This research explores the microstructural, mechanical and wear characteristics of hybrid aluminum metal matrix composites (HAMMCs). Initially ZrB2 is fabricated by melt reaction and then fly ash incorporated into the aluminum composite melt as secondary reinforcements to fabricate HAMMCs through the ultrasonic agitated stir casting method. Micrographic and phase analysis of the HAMMCs and base alloy is conducted x-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Energy-Dispersive x-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). A wear test was conducted to study the wear properties of alloy and hybrid composite material. The generated wear scar was analyzed using a profilometer to find the wear rate. The tensile strength and hardness of the hybrid aluminum metal matrix composites (HAMMCs) improved remarkably as compared to base alloy. The wear resistance of the fabricated composite also increases on increasing the in situ ZrB2 up to 3 weight fractions.

Ultrasonic phased array imaging of multi-layered structures using full-matrix migration and normalized cross-correlation matching technique

Multi-layered structures play a critical role in aerospace, automotive and electrical industries, so the non-destructive evaluation and maintenance of such structures must be accurate and rapid. The application of conventional ultrasonic phased array imaging methods is limited due to computational complexity, image quality and image size. In this paper, we proposed a cost-effective, high-quality imaging method that uses full-matrix migration total focus method (FM-TFM) and produces large-area scanned image with the aid of normalized cross-correlation (NCC) template matching technique. The FM-TFM method eliminated the need for iterative refraction point calculations by using full matrix migration extrapolation, and the optimization of NCC was also investigated in the study. The verification was divided into two parts, fixed transducer experiment and manual scanned experiment, to demonstrate the advantages of FM-TFM with improved SNR (22 % or greater) and one order of magnitude reduction in computational time when compared to ray tracing total focus method (RT-TFM) and NCC matching accuracy of multilayer specimen, respectively. The proposed method can help eliminate the need for costly scanning equipment and shows great potential for extension to other TFM-based approaches.

Effects of ultrasonic vibration-assisted machining methods on the surface polishing of silicon carbide

Effects of ultrasonic vibration-assisted machining methods on the surface polishing of silicon carbide

Enhanced pseudocapacitance performance of conductive polymer in the presence of synthesized mesoporous MnO2@Zeolite-Y

In the current study, mesoporous MnO2@Zeolite-Y (MOZ) was synthesized using the ultrasonic method. Then, MOZ was utilized to enhance the electrochemical behavior of poly ortho-aminophenol (POAP) conducting polymer. The POAP/MnO2@Zeolite-Y (MOZ/POAP) composite was synthesized by electropolymerization over the zeolite-modified working electrode surface. To investigate and compare the electrochemical behavior of the synthesized materials, two electrodes of MOZ and MOZ/POAP were designed. Subsequently, the electrochemical characteristics of the two mentioned electroactive compounds were evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests in a three-electrode setup. The comparison of the results revealed that the MOZ/POAP electrode had a more significant performance and recorded a specific capacitance (Cs) of 422 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and cyclic stability of 97.2 % over 10,000 cycles. After verifying this electrode's remarkable efficacy, a symmetric supercapacitor of MOZ/POAP was designed and analyzed by CV and GCD techniques in a two-electrode system. This electrode revealed a Cs of 184 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, energy density of 12.02 Wh kg−1, power density of 275 W kg−1, and cyclic stability of 95.7 % over 10,000 cycles. This impressive performance was due to the presence of the manganese metal in MOZ and nitrogen and oxygen species of POAP in improving the pseudocapacitance behavior, POAP as a conductive chemical and mesoporous zeolite-Y for enhancing the electrical double-layer behavior of the electrode by providing a medium for electrochemical reactions.

Experimental and molecular dynamics simulation based investigation to understand tribological performance of graphene reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (Gr/TPU) nanocomposites

Ongoing innovative research in tribology aims to develop high-performance polymer nanocomposite (PNC) materials that offer significant improvements in efficiency, reliability, and durability across various engineering systems. Selection of appropriate nanoreinforcements is crucial for maximizing the tribological behavior in PNCs. The primary objective is to investigate how various factors, such as graphene (Gr) loadings, processing techniques, normal loading, and sliding velocity influence the tribological behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and graphene reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (Gr/TPU) nanocomposites using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and experiments. Nanocomposite materials fabricated by ultrasonication methods, test specimens are prepared in appropriate dimensions as per ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) standard. MD simulations are conducted on the developed plate and rod models under different sliding velocity, pressing and stabbing depth conditions to understand fundamental insights into the friction and wear mechanisms of Gr/TPU nanocomposites at the atomic level. Morphological studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs indicate no case of Gr agglomeration up to 3 wt% Gr/TPU nanocomposite. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis confirms presence of Carbon (c), Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O) in Gr/TPU nanocomposites. Finally the obtained results from MD simulation and experiments show a significant trend of similarity.

Tailoring Microemulsification Techniques for the Encapsulation of Diverse Cargo: A Systematic Analysis of Poly (Urea-Formaldehyde) Microcapsules

Cargo encapsulation through emulsion-based methods has been pondered over the years. Although several microemulsification techniques have been employed for the microcapsule’s synthesis, there are still no clear guidelines regarding the suitability of one technique over the others or the impacts on the morphological and physicochemical stability of the final particles. Therefore, in this systematic study, we investigated the influence of synthesis parameters on the fabrication of emulsion-based microcapsules concerning morphological and physicochemical properties. Using poly(urea-formaldehyde) (PUF) microcapsules as a model system, and after determining the optimal core/shell ratio, we tested three different microemulsification techniques (magnetic stirring, ultrasonication, and mechanical stirring) and two different cargo types (100% TEGDMA (Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate) and 80% TEGDMA + 20% DMAM (N,N-Dimethylacrylamide)). The resulting microcapsules were characterized via optical and scanning electron microscopies, followed by size distribution analysis. The encapsulation efficiency was obtained through the extraction method, and the percentage reaction yield was calculated. Physicochemical properties were assessed by incubating the microcapsules under different osmotic pressures for 1 day and 1, 2, or 4 weeks. The data were analyzed statistically with one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s tests (α = 0.05). Overall, the mechanical stirring resulted in the most homogeneous and stable microcapsules, with an increased reaction yield from 100% to 50% in comparison with ultrasonication and magnetic methods, respectively. The average microcapsule diameter ranged from 5 to 450 µm, with the smallest ones in the ultrasonication and the largest ones in the magnetic stirring groups. The water affinities of the encapsulated cargo influenced the microcapsule formation and stability, with the incorporation of DMAM leading to more homogeneous and stable microcapsules. Environmental osmotic pressure led to cargo loss or the selective swelling of the shells. In summary, this systematic investigation provides insights and highlights commonly overlooked factors that can influence microcapsule fabrication and guide the choice based on a diligent analysis of therapeutic niche requirements.

Optimization and validation of multiresidual extraction methods for pharmaceuticals in Soil, Lettuce, and Earthworms.

The presence of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals (PhACs) in the environment poses potential risks. To comprehensively assess these risks, robust multiresidual analytical methods are essential for determining a broad spectrum of PhAC classes in various environmental compartments (soil, plants, and soil organisms). This study optimized extraction methods for analyzing over 40 PhACs from various matrices, including soil, lettuce, and earthworms. A four-step ultrasonic extraction method with varying extraction conditions and subsequent solid phase extraction was developed for soil samples. QuEChERS methods were optimized for extracting PhACs from lettuce and earthworm samples, addressing a literature gap in these less-studied matrices. The quantification of PhACs in soil, lettuce, and earthworm extracts was performed using a single LC-MS/MS method. Following thorough method validation, earthworms and lettuce were exposed to a mixture of 27 pharmaceuticals in a soil environment. The method validation results demonstrated the robustness of these methods for a broad spectrum of PhACs. Specifically, 29 out of 42 PhACs were extracted with an average efficiency > 50% and RSD < 30% from the soil; 40 out of 42 PhACs exhibited average efficiency > 50% and %RSD < 30% from the earthworms, while 39 out of 42 PhACs showed average efficiency > 50% and RSD < 30% from the lettuce. Exposure experiments confirmed the viability of these methods for quantifying a diverse range of PhACs in different environmental compartments. This study presents three thoroughly validatedmethods for determining more than 40 PhACs in diverse matrices, enabling a comprehensive assessment of PhAC dissemination in the environment.

Influence of graphene oxide properties, superplasticiser type, and dispersion technique on mechanical performance of graphene oxide-added concrete

The incorporation of Graphene Oxide (GO) nanomaterial into concrete has gained significant attention due to its potential to enhance mechanical and durability properties. The addition of GO to concrete creates considerable changes in the morphology of the concrete matrix, creating a densified microstructure. Critical parameters significantly affect these microstructural enhancements and, consequently, the final performance in GO-added concrete. These parameters include GO material properties, superplasticiser (PS) type, and dispersion techniques. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of GO on the mechanical performance of concrete, focusing on these critical factors. Unlike existing studies concentrating on a single parameter's effect, this research comprehensively compares how these parameters impact GO-added concrete. Two commercially available GO types (GO-A and GO-B) and two PS types (PS-A and PS-B) are utilised. At the same time, three commonly used mixing techniques, such as mechanical, high-speed, and ultrasonic mixing techniques, are considered for GO dispersion. GO-A is added to concrete in percentages ranging from 0.02% to 0.14% by weight of cement (bwoc), while GO-B ranges from 0.04% to 0.20% bwoc. Based on compressive strength test results, the optimum GO dosages are 0.08% for GO-A and 0.12% for GO-B. The highest strength results are achieved for GO-B added concrete with PS-A addition and following the ultrasonic dispersion method, highlighting these parameters as optimal for maximising GO-added concrete performance. The optimum concrete mix exhibits 33%, 24%, 25%, and 30% increments for compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus properties at 28 days. This paper provides a deep theoretical explanation of the effects of GO material properties, dispersion techniques, and PS type on GO-added concrete performance. The findings provide valuable insights into selecting suitable parameters for optimising the mechanical properties of GO-added concrete, contributing to the advancement and effectiveness of construction materials.