Uptake Capacity Research Articles

Terpenoid Components from Branches and Leaves of Aglaia lawii and their Biological Properties

Introduction: Phytochemical investigation on the twigs and leaves of Aglaia lawii (Wight) C. J. Saldanha led to the isolation and characterization of sixteen compounds, including five sesquiterpenoids (1-5), one terpenoidal macrolide (6), seven phenolic compounds (7-13), two triterpenoids (14-15), and one steroid (16). Method: Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analyses and comparison with the literature data. Eight out of the sixteen compounds were discovered from the genus Aglaia for the first time. Result: The sesquiterpenoids (1-5) may serve as important chemotaxonomic markers. In vitro, bioassays on the anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities of compounds 1‒6 were accomplished. Conclusion: Ozoroalide (6) could significantly inhibit LPS-stimulated NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages at 40 μM and caryolane-1,9β-diol (5) could largely increase the glucose uptake capacity of C2C12 cells under insulin stimulation.

Direct Ag-Hg amalgamation in the nanoscale on the surface of biosourced amorphous silica

Mercury poses a significant threat to air, soil, and water ecosystems. Mercury-based alloys, aka amalgams, are already known for their effectiveness in mercury capture in water and gaseous streams. However, limited research has been published on direct amalgamation, the process involving a direct redox reaction between two metals, occurring on the surface of amorphous silica. This study investigates the amalgamation process in nanoscale, in particular the direct interaction between silver (Ag⁰) nanoparticles supported on functionalized bio-derived amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and mercury (Hg2⁺) ions in aqueous solutions. Also, the influence of aqueous mercury speciation on amalgamation is studied in detail. The results reveal that the presence of chloride (Cl⁻), acetate (OAc⁻), and nitrate (NO3⁻) ions significantly influences the interaction between mercury and silver. We propose plausible mechanisms to explain these observations. Our findings demonstrate that the maximum mercury uptake capacity followed the order HgCl2 > Hg(OAc)2 > Hg(NO3)2, while the reaction rate followed the order Hg(OAc)2 > HgCl2 > Hg(NO3)2. These findings hold significant implications for the design of efficient mercury remediation processes. By elucidating the influence of aqueous speciation on amalgamation, our work paves the way for tailored strategies that can maximize mercury capture from water.

Glucose uptake capacity of leukaemia cells in vitro correlates with response to induction therapy in acute myeloid leukaemia

Glucose uptake capacity of leukaemia cells in vitro correlates with response to induction therapy in acute myeloid leukaemia

Optimizing Hygroscopic Metal–Organic Frameworks via EDTA‐Mediated Structural Reinforcement and Photothermal Modification

AbstractHygroscopic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered as superior moisture sorbents due to their highly adjustable and desired water adsorption/release performance, enabling effective atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) in arid regions. However, the water adsorption capacity, recycling stability, and functionality of current MOFs should be further improved to meet the requirements of practical AWH systems. Here the hydrophilicity at low relative humidity (RH) and cycling stability of MOF‐808 are simultaneously enhanced through the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)‐mediated post‐modification. Based on the structural reinforcement, EDTA‐modified MOF‐808 (E‐MOF‐808) delivers a stable water uptake capacity of 0.39 g g−1 at 25% RH even after 50 water adsorption–desorption cycles, more than five times that of pristine MOF‐808. In addition, bridging by EDTA with the strong chelating ability, the E‐MOF‐808 can spontaneously capture Cu2+ for further functional improvement. Accordingly, light‐absorbing CuS nanoparticles can be in situ decorated on E‐MOF‐808 for facilitating solar‐driven water release. It is envisioned that this EDTA‐mediated function enhancement should provide valuable insights into the all‐in‐one design of versatile MOFs sorbents.

Divergent Proteomic Profiles and Uptake Mechanisms of Exosomes Derived from Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells, Endothelial Cells, and Fibroblasts.

Effective intercellular communication is crucial for tissue repair and regeneration, with exosomes playing a key role in mediating these processes by transferring proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids between cells. This study explored the mechanisms underlying the uptake of exosomes derived from human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and human fibroblasts (HFBs). Our findings revealed that hDPSCs exhibited the greatest capacity for exosome uptake across all three cell types. Moreover, exosomes originating from hDPSCs were also taken up in the highest amounts by all three cell types. Proteomic analysis uncovered significant differences in protein expression among exosomes from these different cell types, particularly in proteins related to endocytosis. Clathrin-dependent endocytosis emerged as the primary pathway for exosome uptake in hDPSCs and HUVECs, while HFBs appeared to use a different mechanism. Additionally, proteins such as fibronectin and tetraspanins were found to be highly expressed in hDPSC-derived exosomes, suggesting their potential involvement in exosome-cell interactions. This study offers new insights into exosome uptake mechanisms and highlights the potential of exosomes in advancing tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Double-stranded RNAs targeting Sphaerulina musiva silence DCL but not CYP51 in vitro, and fail to confer resistance to canker in transgenic poplar

Host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) is a common method for engineering plant protection against pathogens, although success requires double-stranded (dsRNA) uptake mechanisms that may not be present in all fungi. We explored HIGS in transgenic poplar to study and control Sphaerulina musiva, the cause of Septoria stem canker disease. HIGS transgenic poplars expressing dsRNA that targeted either or both S. musiva CYP51 and DCL were developed and screened for resistance to stem canker disease in two greenhouse inoculation trials. While differences in resistance between transgenic lines and wild-type controls were not detected, there was a correlation between greenhouse-expressed disease resistance and transgene expression among HIGS lines targeting S. musiva DCL. To evaluate the likelihood that HIGS or spray-induced gene silencing might be effective under some conditions, concurrent with greenhouse screening we studied: 1) S. musiva’s capacity for uptake of environmental dsRNA; 2) effects of in vitro silencing of CYP51 and DCL on fungal growth and target transcript abundance; and 3) persistence of dsRNA in culture. Uptake of fluorescently tagged dsRNA was not detected with confocal imaging. In dsRNA-treated cultures, fungal growth inhibition was not detected, and RNA was rapidly degraded. Of the five target transcripts tested after dsRNA treatment, only DCL1 had reduced expression. Knockdown of DCL1 along with the enhanced resistance among high-expressing HIGS events targeting DCL suggests some HIGS may have been observed. Further determination of the factors limiting dsRNA uptake by S. musiva are needed to determine if HIGS can be an effective technology for limiting stem canker.

Induced Phytomanagement of Multi-Metal Polluted Soil with Conocarpus erectus Supported by Biochar, Lignin, and Citric Acid

Induced heavy metals (HMs) phytoextraction from heavily contaminated soils is challenging, as high HM bioavailability causes phytotoxicity and leaching. This study introduces a novel approach for HM immobilization with biochar (BC) and lignin (LN), and later their controlled mobilization with citric acid (CA) in soil. Conocarpus erectus was grown for 120 days in shooting-range soil (SS) polluted with Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, and Cu. HM concentrations in parts of the plants, their percentage removal, and leaching from SS were measured. Moreover, plant biochemical parameters such as the contents of chlorophyll a (Chl-a), chlorophyll b (Chl-b), protein, ascorbic acid (AsA), amino acids, and total phenolics, along with biophysical parameters such as relative water content (RWC) and water uptake capacity (WUC), were also inspected. Adding BC, LN, and BC+LN to SS improved biomass, as well as the biophysical and biochemical parameters of plants, while efficiently reducing HM concentrations in plant parts, DTPA extract, and leachates compared to the control (CK). However, the greatest amplifications in plant height (82%), dry weight of root (RDW) (109%), and dry weight of shoot (SDW) (87%), plant health, and soil enzymes were noted with the BC+LN+CA treatment, compared with the CK. Moreover, this treatment resulted in Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, and Cu removal by 68, 30, 69, 59, and 76% from the SS compared to the CK. Surprisingly, each HM concentration in the leachates with BC+LN+CA was below the critical limits for safer water reuse and agricultural purposes. Initial HM immobilization in HM-polluted soils, followed by their secured mobilization during enhanced phytoextraction, can enhance HM removal and reduce their leaching without compromising plant and soil health.

Root System Architecture Reorganization Under Decreasing Soil Phosphorus Lowers Root System Conductance of Zea mays.

The global supply of phosphorus is decreasing. At the same time, climate change reduces the availability of water in most regions of the world. Insights on how decreasing phosphorus availability influences plant architecture are crucial to understanding its influence on plant functional properties, such as the root system's water uptake capacity. In this study, we investigated the structural and functional responses of Zea mays to varying phosphorus fertilization levels focusing especially on the root system's conductance. A rhizotron experiment with soils ranging from severe phosphorus deficiency to sufficiency was conducted. We measured the architectural parameters of the whole plant and combined them with root hydraulic properties to simulate time-dependent root system conductance of growing plants under different phosphorus levels. We observed changes in the root system architecture, characterised by decreasing crown root elongation and reduced axial root radii with declining phosphorus availability. Modeling revealed that only plants with optimal phosphorus availability sustained a high root system conductance, while all other phosphorus levels led to a significantly lower root system conductance, both under light and severe phosphorus deficiency. We postulate that phosphorus deficiency decreases root system conductance, which could mitigate drought conditions through a more conservative water use strategy, but ultimately reduces biomass and impairs root development and overall water uptake capacity. Our results also highlight that the organisation of the root system, rather than its overall size, is critical for estimating important root functions.

Effective adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by Mg-Fe LDH supported on orange peel activated carbon: isotherm, kinetic, thermodynamics and mechanism studies

The toxic Cr(VI) contaminating water released from the metallurgical, dyeing, and electroplating industries is getting worse day by day and is extremely hazardous to human health. Thus, the development of a cost-effective, quick, and efficient adsorbent is highly essential for the Cr(VI) decontamination from wastewater. Herein, a microwave-assisted carbon-based composite called Mg-Fe LDH@OPAC was prepared by assembling Mg-Fe LDH onto orange peel-activated carbon (OAPC). Prior to investigating deeply into the adsorption behavior of the composite, the Mg-Fe LDH@OPAC formation was confirmed by using instrumental techniques like FESEM, EDS, Zeta potential, XRD, FTIR, Raman, XPS, and BET analyzer. The material had a high surface area of 143.9 m2/g and showed a good monolayer Langmuir uptake capacity of 118.36 mg/g. Under ideal circumstances, the maximum amount of Cr(VI) was removed within just 120 min and showed high efficiency in the presence of other coexisting anions respectively. The adsorption was accounted by pseudo-second-order kinetics and spontaneous in nature. Ultimately, a possible adsorption mechanism was suggested, confirmed by XPS studies; which showed that oxidation-reduction, electrostatic interaction, and surface complexation reaction were responsible for Cr(VI) adsorption on Mg-Fe LDH@OPAC surface.

Chemically Modified HKUST-1(Cu) for Gas Adsorption and Separation: Mixed-Metal and Hierarchical Porosity.

The archetypical metal-organic framework (MOF), HKUST-1, has been systematically modified in both its organic and inorganic building blocks to introduce diversity in the metal centers and create defects within the network, achieving a variety of bimetallic hierarchical structures. These modifications changed the affinity of the MOFs for acid gases. The introduction of bimetallic sites mostly affects CO2 adsorption, while the hierarchical structure generates an increase in SO2 uptake capacity, allowing better performance in the separation of binary mixtures of these gases near room temperature. Notably, the synthesized HH-Cu100 material exhibited an exceptionally high IAST SO2/CO2 (10:90) selectivity of 3420 at 298 K, outperforming benchmark MOFs with open metal sites.

Methylene Blue Adsorption Using Boric Acid Functionalized Activated Carbon: Kinetics, Isothermal, and Thermodynamic Studies

AbstractIn this study, the activated carbon (AC) was prepared from Sesbania sesban plant stem. Boric acid (H3BO3) was used as an activating agent. During calcination, the optimized temperature was kept upto 500 °C for 2 h. The prepared adsorbents were characterized using various techniques such as FT‐IR, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analyzer. The prepared adsorbents were used for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye adsorption. The adsorption experiments were conducted at different pHs such as (2–11), doses (0.0025–0.020 mg), times (30–300 min), MB initial concentrations (100–600 mg L−1), and temperatures (298–318 K), respectively. The maximum MB uptake capacity of the prepared adsorbent was 1380 mg g−1 under optimized adsorption conditions. Furthermore, the kinetic study is well described by pseudo‐second order, whereas the isothermal study showed the Freundlich isotherm was better followed by the equilibrium data. Based on thermodynamic studies, the negative values of ΔG° and ΔH° revealed that the MB adsorption process is spontaneous and exothermic in nature. However, the negative ∆Sxg° value indicates that solid‐solute interaction decreased randomness in the adsorption systems. The overall studies of AC showed that it was better to remove MB from an aqueous solution.

Pd Nanoparticles Decorated CeZrOx for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogenation of Biomass‐Derived Compounds

The photocatalytic conversion of biomass‐derived compounds into value‐added chemicals presents a promising protocol for the sustainable production of renewable chemicals. Our study explores the hydrogenation of biomass model compounds under visible light illumination. Zr was incorporated into the CeO2 framework, forming a CeZrOx(1:0.5) solid solution, confirmed by powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. The light uptake capacity of the CeZrOx solid solution was characterized using UV‐visible spectroscopy. Additionally, the band structure of the CeZrOx solid solution was assessed using valance band X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB‐XPS) and Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) analysis, revealing a Z‐Scheme, which was further confirmed by various control experiments. Upon decorating the CeZrOx(1:0.5) solid solution with 1 wt% palladium (Pd), the resulting 1Pd/CeZrOx(1:0.5) composite exhibited improved charge separation and enhanced visible light absorption capacity. This composite achieved ~99% conversion of furfural to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol under a 15 W blue LED illumination and 0.2 MPa hydrogen. Similarly, it demonstrated ~99% conversion of benzyl phenyl ether (BPE) to toluene and phenol under a 10 W blue LED illumination. Our findings elucidate the active sites and demonstrate the recyclability of mixed metal oxides for selective furfural hydrogenation and BPE hydrogenolysis under visible light.

Modulator-Directed Counterintuitive Catenation Control for Crafting Highly Porous and Robust Metal-Organic Frameworks with Record High SO2 Uptake Capacity.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an important industrial feedstock that can be directly utilized or catalytically transformed to value-added chemicals such as sulfuric acid. The development of regenerable porous sorbents for the highly efficient storage and energy-minimal release of toxic SO2 operating under ambient conditions has attracted growing interest. Herein, we report the topology-guided construction of highly porous acs-type metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) through a counterintuitive modulator-directed catenation control approach. In contrast to the conventional modulator facilitated coordination competition that favors the thermodynamic catenated phase, we show that the elevation of modulator concentration can promote the formation of the noncatenated phase probably through a sublattice dissolution pathway. The assembly of a custom-designed trigonal prismatic triptycene-quinoxaline linker and trinuclear Fe3O cluster affords either the threefold catenated SJTU-219 or noncatenated SJTU-220 with desired acs net. Impressively, the synthetic approach is applicable to various metal ions, including Al3+, V3+, and even Ti4+. The noncatenated SJTU-220 exhibits an extraordinary SO2 sorption capacity of 29.6 mmol g-1 at 298 K and 1 bar, surpassing all reported solid sorbents. The uptake capacity can be further raised to 35.6 mmol g-1 via the replacement of Fe3+ with kinetically more inert Cr3+, resulting in a staggering ∼329-fold volume reduction compared with free ideal SO2 gas. Computational simulations suggest that unique Fe3+···S(SO2) interactions dominate the SO2 seeding process, facilitating the efficient packing of SO2 molecules in the large channels. Besides, the exceptionally low uptake at the low pressure region implies global weak framework-SO2 interactions, which offer great potential for practically implementing an "easy-on/easy-off" SO2 delivery system.

Positional Isomerism: A Novel Paradigm for Enhancing Iodine Adsorption in Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great potential as adsorbents for capturing radioiodine, a major fission product generated during the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. However, studies exploring the correlation between the structure of MOFs and iodine uptake capacity remain notably rare. In this study, we introduce a new strategy for enhancing the iodine adsorption efficiency of MOFs by strategically varying the position of functional groups on the organic linkers. Employing ligand-functionalized UiO-67 MOFs, our findings reveal that ortho-amino substitution of UiO-67-o-NH2, proximal to the node of the dicarboxylate linker, markedly accelerates adsorption kinetics of iodine vapor in comparison to meta-amino substitution of UiO-67-m-NH2, where the amino groups are oriented away from the node. In contrast, UiO-67-m-NH2 exhibits a higher adsorption capacity of 2.19 g/g, compared to 1.91 g/g for UiO-67-o-NH2, attributable to its higher porosity. Furthermore, a competitive I2/H2O vapor adsorption study demonstrated that UiO-67-o-NH2 exhibits faster adsorption kinetics and higher selectivity for iodine in the presence of water vapor compared to UiO-67-m-NH2. Additionally, the crucial influence of positional isomerism on enhancing iodine adsorption has been corroborated through Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. These analyses reveal that the nitrogen atom positioned at the ortho site demonstrates a stronger affinity for iodine molecules compared to the nitrogen atom at the meta site, thereby improving adsorption kinetics.

A Polyphenol Decorated Triplex Hybrid Biomaterial: Structure-Function, Release Profiles, Sorption, and Antipathogenic Effects.

Herein, nonwoven alkali modified flax substrates were coated with incremental levels of chitosan, followed by immobilization of tannic acid, via a facile "dip-coating" strategy to yield a unique hierarchal "triplex" hybrid biomaterial, denoted as "THB". The characterization of the physicochemical properties of THB employed complementary spectroscopic (IR, Raman, and NMR) techniques, which support the role of hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between the components: chitosan as the secondary biopolymer coating and the tertiary adsorbed polyphenols. XRD and SEM techniques provide further structural insight that confirms the unique semicrystalline nature and porous hierarchal structure of the biocomposite. The THBs present a polyphenol kinetic release profile that follows the Korsmeyer-Peppas model that concurs with Fickian diffusion for heterogeneous polymer systems. Furthermore, these systems demonstrate a tailored solvent uptake capacity (up to 4 g/g) in aqueous PBS media. Antipathogenic activity tests revealed 95% elimination of pathogens (E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans) at a dose of 50 mg for the THB system. The trend in the structure-property relationships for the THB systems indicates synergistic effects of electrostatic multiform interactions between protonated chitosan and the polyphenol units. Herein, we report the first example of a unique hierarchal biomaterial via a facile design strategy for diversiform roles as responsive adsorbents for environmental remediation to biomedical applications (e.g., controlled release, topical administration, or antimicrobial surface coatings).

Ca-decorated holey graphyne for reversible hydrogen storage: Insights from DFT analysis

We theoretically examine the hydrogen storage capabilities of a newly synthesized carbon allotrope known as holey graphyne (HGY). HGY exhibits weak interaction with H2, making it unsuitable for storage, thus prompting surface modification. Ca binds to HGY with a binding energy of −2.03 eV and experiences a diffusion energy barrier of 1.49 eV. The supercell of HGY accommodates six Ca atoms, and each Ca atom binds five H2 with an average binding energy of −0.27 eV, resulting in an uptake capacity of 12.07 wt% and desorption temperature of 331K at 5 bar. AIMD simulation and positive phonon frequencies confirms thermal and dynamic stability of Ca-decorated HGY. RDG analysis reveals electrostatic interactions between Ca and HGY, and van der Waals interactions between H2 and Ca. Thus, Ca-decorated HGY shows exceptional uptake capacity, desirable adsorption energy and desorption temperature, making it a suitable material for on-board reversible hydrogen storage in light vehicles.

Design and synthesis of carbazole-based conjugated microporous polymers for CO2 capture

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) with electron-rich heteroatoms in the skeleton have been receiving continuous attention for their huge potential in carbon dioxide (CO2) capture with high selectivity. Herein, we designed and synthesized three CMPs (MFCM-CMP, FFCM-CMP, and FFC-CMP-1) for CO2 capture. The MFCM-CMP and FFCM-CMP were obtained by the reaction between the similar carbazole- and fluorine-based building blocks and cyanuric chloride, while the FFC-CMP-1 was synthesized by self-polymerization of 9,9′-(9,9-difluoro-9H-fluorene-2,7-diyl)bis(9H-carbazole) (FFC) building blocks. The as-prepared CMPs had high specific surface areas (SABET = 688-1245 m2/g), and hierarchical porous skeletons with average pore sizes from 2.7 to 3.2 nm. Furthermore, all the CMPs exhibited excellent gas (CO2, N2, CH4) uptake capacity. Remarkably, FFCM-CMP performed the CO2, N2, and CH4 uptake for 74.5 cm3/g, 4.2 cm3/g, and 17.4 cm3/g at 273 K, 1.0 bar, and the CO2 capture selectivity could achieve 19.6 and 4.3 from CO2/N2 (15/80) and CO2/CH4 (50/50) mixture at 298 K, 1.0 bar, respectively. The gas breakthrough test carried out in CO2/N2/Ar (15/80/5) disclosed evidently that the synthesized CMPs with triazine groups exhibited outstanding CO2 capture selectivity. This work provides a new strategy for porous organic adsorbent for improving CO2 selectivity from the molecular level.

Overexpression of AtNHX1 increases leaf potassium content by improving enrichment capacity in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) roots.

The NHX1 gene encodes a Na+ /H+ antiporter located in the tonoplast membrane, which plays critical role in regulating plant salt tolerance. It is also involved in the uptake and accumulation of K in plants; however, its precise mechanism is unknown. In this research, we elucidated the physiological basis underlying the increases in K content induced by NHX1 . We evaluated main agronomic traits, leaf K content, K+ uptake kinetics, and root morphological and physiological characteristics from field-planted and hydroponic plants. We included a wild-type tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum ) variety (K326) and three transgenic tobacco lines (NK7, NK9, NK10) that overexpress AtNHX1 from Arabidopsis thaliana . Results demonstrated that the agronomic performance of the AtNHX1 -overexpressing tobacco lines was similar to K326 in field and hydroponic settings. The three AtNHX1 -overexpressing tobacco lines had significantly higher leaf K contents than K326. Under hydroponic condition, enhanced K uptake capacity and a larger maximum K uptake rate were seen in AtNHX1 -overexpressing tobacco lines. AtNHX1 -overexpressing lines also exhibited significantly superior root morphological and physiological traits relative to K326, including root biomass, root volume, absorption area, root activity, cation exchange capacity, soluble protein content, and H+ -ATPase activity. Overexpression of AtNHX1 in tobacco significantly improves the K uptake and accumulation. Therefore, leaf K content greatly increased in these transgenic lines in the end. Our findings strongly suggest that AtNHX1 overexpression increased leaf K content by boosting the capacity of enriching K in tobacco roots, thereby advancing the understanding of the function of AtNHX1 .

Mentioned Magnesium Oxide Nanomaterials for Effective Adsorption of Congo Red Dye and Fluoride Ions From Aqueous Solutions

This study investigates the synthesis of nanostructured magnesium oxide (MgO) using the auto-combustion method with urea (MgO-U), glycine (MgO-G), and citric acid (MgO-C) as fuels, followed by subsequent calcination. The selection of fuel plays a crucial role in determining the morphology of the nanostructures.X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms that the samples exhibit a well-crystallized structure with the desired phase and are free of impurities. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) shows that MgO-U nanoparticles have diameters ranging from 10 to 20nm, MgO-C nanoparticles from 60 to 80nm, and MgO-G nanoparticles from 80 to 100nm. These MgO nanomaterials are specifically engineered for adsorption applications, aimed at removing toxic organic dyes and fluoride ions from aqueous solutions. Results demonstrate that MgO-G nanoparticles exhibit superior adsorption activity compared to MgO-U and MgO-C nanoparticles, with maximum uptake capacities of 1429 and 14mg/g, respectively. The adsorption processes adhere to second-order kinetic model. These findings highlight the potential application of the synthesized MgO nanoparticles for mitigating water pollution by adsorbing pollutants from aqueous media.

Facile constructing ZrO2 nanoparticles equipped with high conductivity carbon networks as pseudocapacitive anodes for removing phosphorus

Phosphorus pollution can seriously disrupt water quality and endanger ecosystem sustainability. Nonetheless, a few typical methods have been employed to remove phosphorus, but there are still challenges in controlling phosphorus from sewage. Capacitive deionization (CDI) displays the merits of having eco-friendliness and low energy consumption when capturing phosphorus. However, traditional carbon electrodes often suffer from the limitation that phosphorus uptake sites are insufficient. Herein, a novel ZrO2 nanoparticle equipped with a highly conductive carbon network (NZrC) was fabricated by a facile co-pyrolysis process. Na2EDTA can provide additional carbon backbones, N species, and metal chelation sites. Zr-MOF was applied as the ZrO2 precursor with abundant phosphorus trapping sites. The results suggested that Na2EDTA favors improving the ZrO2 dispersion, mesoporous channel formation, and pseudocapacitive behavior. NZrC-21 at 1.2 V displays low energy consumption and the optimal phosphorus uptake capacity of 10.99 mg P/g because of its rich mesoporous structure, abundant pyrrolic-N, graphitic-N, and ZrO2 active sites, and outstanding electrochemical properties. Furthermore, several key parameters were investigated for their effect on phosphorus removal performance. The mechanism revealed that hydrogen bonds, ligand exchange, and electrostatic attraction are the main uptake processes. This work presents a novel perspective for the facile construction and utilization of metal oxide nanoparticles equipped with a highly conductive carbon network for removing phosphorus.