Efficient Utilization Research Articles

Experimental Investigation of Tailoring Functionalized Carbon-Based Nano Additives Infused Phase Change Material for Enhanced Thermal Energy Storage

The advancement of phase change materials (PCMs) as potential thermal energy storage (TES) materials for building envelopes holds promise for efficient energy utilization. However, the PCMs have a major drawback during energy storage, which is lower thermal conductivity, leading to inadequate heat transfer performance and energy storage density. The foremost objective is to formulate a nanocomposite by dispersing functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes in salt hydrate PCM with the presence of surfactant. A two-step technique is employed to formulate the nanocomposites with different weight concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8%) of carbon-based nanoparticles and these nanocomposites are thoroughly characterized to explore the thermophysical properties. Resulting the nanocomposite demonstrates a significant improvement in thermal conductivity, increasing by 91.45%, which can be attributed to the well-developed thermal networks with the PCM matrix. The nanocomposite samples exhibit extreme thermal stability up to 477 °C with a slight enhancement of 4.6%. Optical investigations further confirmed that the transmissibility of PCM decreased to 8.3% from 62.8%, indicating an enhanced absorption capability due to the dark color nature of the nanoparticles. Moreover, the formulated nanocomposite demonstrated both chemical and thermal stability, with negligible changes in melting enthalpy even after 300 cycles of heating and cooling operations. Additionally, a numerical simulation analysis of 2D heat transfer was performed using Energy 2D software to demonstrate the efficacy of thermal conductivity in heat transfer. The thermally energized nanocomposite is suitable for medium-temperature TES applications such as photovoltaic thermal systems, building applications, textiles, electronic cooling, and desalination systems.

Depth based stable election routing protocol for heterogeneous internet of underwater things (IoUT) energy efficiency

Internet of underwater things (IoUT) is a technology enabling underwater sensor nodes to communicate with the IoT networks to support various applications. Efficient energy utilization and network lifetime are the two main critical issues related to the IoUT. Both performance factors are related to how efficiently the routing protocol is tailored especially for heterogeneous IoUT. In this context, efficient routing protocols that consider underwater nodes (UNs) energy heterogeneity can adjust the energy imbalance, especially in heterogeneous IoUT scenarios. In IoUT, both the UN's energies and their depths can greatly affect the energy efficiency and clustering-based routing protocol. This paper provided an energy and depth-based stable election routing protocol (SEP) to suit the requirements of underwater communications. The objective of the depth-based SEP protocol is to enhance energy-efficient routing while considering the varying energy levels of UNs in IoUT. The proposed protocol depends on the depth-based cluster head (CH) election approach by defining distinct functions tailored for UNs with different energy levels and depths, in addition to the distance between the selected CH and the surface base station. Experimental results indicate that depth-based SEP-IoUT protocol outperforms network lifetime more than conventional SEP and SEP-IoUT. It gives an average stability period of 19.6 % in addition to reducing energy consumption by 39 % and 15.7 % when compared to SEP and SEP-IoUT respectively.

Synergistic enhancement of metal–organic framework-derived hierarchical porous materials towards photothermal conversion and storage properties of phase change materials

The design and synthesis of composite phase change materials that integrate photothermal conversion and latent heat storage have guiding significance for the efficient development and utilisation of solar energy. In this study, taking into consideration the advantages of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with adjustable structure and properties, HKUST-1-derived CuO/hierarchical porous carbon materials were employed and integrated with palmitic acid (PA) to synthesise composite phase change materials that exhibit exceptional comprehensive properties. The effects of different carbonation temperatures on HKUST-1-derived CuO/hierarchical porous carbon were analysed through a series of characterisations. The hierarchical porous structure in the blended system offers abundant pore structure and high specific surface area to prevent leakage of phase change materials. Composite phase change materials can maintain good shape stability and excellent thermal energy storage capacity. The thermal storage efficiency and photothermal conversion efficiency are 98.28% and 81.83%, respectively. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity of the composite phase change material is 3.65 times that of pure PA. In conclusion, the MOFs derivative-based composite phase change materials designed in this study exhibited potential for thermal energy storage and can be applied to the field of solar energy conversion and storage systems.

Towards Safe Diatomite Sludge Management: Lead Immobilisation via Geopolymerisation

Diatomite, a natural adsorbent rich in active silica, serves as a valuable precursor for geopolymer synthesis. The safe disposal of diatomite as a failed lead (Pb(II)) adsorbent is critical to prevent secondary contamination. This study investigated the immobilisation efficiency of geopolymerisation for Pb(II)-rich diatomite sludge. Low-grade diatomite with high ignition loss was utilised in the synthesis of alkali-activated geopolymers. It was demonstrated that the geopolymers achieved a compressive strength of 28.3 MPa with a 50% replacement rate of metakaolin by diatomite sludge, which was not a compromise in strength compared to that of the geopolymer with no Pb(II) (26.2 MPa). The leaching behaviour of Pb(II) was evaluated using water and acetic acid, yielding concentrations below 3 mg/L and immobilisation efficiencies of 95% in both scenarios. Analytical techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) elucidated the mineral composition and chemical environment of the geopolymers. These analyses revealed that Pb(II) migrated from diatomite pores, potentially forming soluble hydroxides under sufficient hydroxide, which then participated in condensation with silicon and aluminium monomers, effectively immobilising Pb(II) within amorphous aluminosilicate gels. Furthermore, the formation of the amorphous gels within diatomite pores hindered Pb(II) leaching, encapsulating Pb(II) effectively. This study presents a novel approach to immobilising heavy metals within building materials, enhancing mineral resource utilisation efficiency while addressing environmental contamination concerns.

Rational Design of a Multifunctional Hydrogel Trap for Water and Fertilizer Capture: A Review.

Water scarcity and land infertility pose significant challenges to agricultural development, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Improving soil-water-retention capacity and fertilizer utilization efficiency through the application of soil additives has become a pivotal approach in agricultural practices. Hydrogels exhibit exceptional water absorption and fertilizer retention capabilities, making them extensively utilized in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and desert control. Currently, most reviews primarily focus on the raw materials, classification, synthesis methods, and application prospects of hydrogels, with limited attention given to strategies for enhancing water-retention performance, mechanisms underlying fertilizer absorption, and environmental risks. This review covers the commonly used cross-linking methods in hydrogel synthesis and the structure-activity relationship between hydrogels and water as well as fertilizer. Additionally, a thorough analysis of the ecological benefits and risks associated with hydrogels is presented. Finally, future prospects and challenges are delineated from the perspectives of material design and engineering applications.

Capturing low-concentration benzene: Design and mechanism of high-performance Cu1-Ox,Ny-C single-atom adsorbents

Common adsorbents, such as active carbons, zeolites, and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), struggle to capture low concentrations of benzene. Single-atom adsorbents (SAAs), boasting exceptional atomic utilization efficiency and precisely tailored electronic structures, offer a promising solution. This study first designed Cu1-Ox,Ny-C SAAs and explored their enhanced benzene adsorption through density functional theory (DFT). Particularly, a crucial link between the SA coordination configuration and its affinity for benzene was established. Next, Cu1-Ox,Ny-C was synthesized from the MOF MIL-101(Cr) and extensively characterized using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy, etc. to determine the coordination configuration of Cu single atoms. Finally, a thorough evaluation of the Cu1-Ox,Ny-C’ capacity and stability was conducted. Theoretical analysis revealed that Cu single atoms within the Ox,Ny-C matrix act as the primary adsorption sites for benzene. Notably, O and N atoms work synergistically: oxygen atoms promote adsorption, while nitrogen atoms mainly stabilize single-atom sites. Cu1-Ox,Ny-C was successfully synthesized, and characterization revealed that Cu1-O2,N2(trans)-C and Cu1-O3,N1-C were the dominant coordination configurations. Remarkably, despite a fourfold decrease in specific surface area compared to MIL-101(Cr), Cu1-Ox,Ny-C exhibited a threefold increase in chemisorption capacity for low-concentration benzene. Moreover, it exhibits excellent resistance to H2O and can be effectively reused. This study demonstrates a valuable strategy for designing and creating highly efficient SAAs for capturing low concentrations of benzene.

Production forecast, comprehensive utilization, management measures and visualization analysis of construction waste

To achieve the national policy objectives of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan, it is essential to enhance resource utilization efficiency, establish a resource recycling system, promote a green economy, and develop a green development policy framework. This thesis utilizes statistical data from the Chongqing municipality yearbook and employs the Time Series Forecasting Model (TSFM) and Gray Prediction Model (GM) to predict the generation of construction waste (CW) in Chongqing Municipality from 2021 to 2030.By 2030, engineering waste, demolition waste, renovation waste, and total CW generation are predicted to increase by 40.93%/34.30%, 37.3%/57.78%, 6.00%/9.55%, and 38.71%/57.85%, respectively, compared to 2020. This indicates significant pressure on the city's CW disposal system. The current situation of CW disposal and transfer in Chongqing City shows that the main methods are simple landfills, engineering backfills, and even private dumping. The actual resource utilization rate is still relatively low. Current CW disposal enterprises have some disposal and recycling capacity, but most are private, with insufficient distribution points and limited processing capacity. This results in a low overall comprehensive utilization rate of CW in central Chongqing. Since 2003, Chongqing Municipality has issued CW disposal-related policy documents. Although relevant policies have been introduced, they need further improvement. Recycled products are mainly bricks and aggregates, and there is a lack of local standards, which hinders effective resource utilization of CW in Chongqing. Finally, using the Citespace tool, a visual analysis of global CW research hotspots and trends over the past 14 years was conducted to accelerate CW resource utilization in Chongqing Municipality.

Enhancing Ultra Low Temperature District Heating Systems with Neighborhood-Scale Heat Pumps and Triple-Pipe Distribution: A Techno-Economic Analysis

Ultra-Low Temperature District Heating (ULTDH) systems are advanced District Heating (DH) systems enabling the efficient utilization of low-temperature heat sources for heating systems. A significant challenge in ULTDH systems is the economic inefficiency associated with use of booster Heat Pump (HP) in buildings to achieve the desired Domestic Hot Water (DHW) temperature. To address this issue, this study proposes an innovative ULTDH system incorporating neighborhood-scale water-source booster HPs and distribution triple-pipes. Triple pipe’s dual supply line capabilities facilitate the neighborhood-scale water-source booster HPs to be brought out at the neighborhood scale, demonstrating an intelligent approach. This approach reduces the capital investment and enhances the Coefficient of Performance (COP) by utilizing supply line of DH system as the heat source. A comprehensive case study is conducted to demonstrate the superior techno-economic performance of the proposed ULTDH system compared to Low Temperature District Heating (LTDH) as the benchmark solution. All components of both systems are sized by determining the DHW and Space Heating (SH) demands for each neighborhood. Thermodynamic analysis is conducted at a 1-minute time resolution for an entire year. Six different heat production scenarios are developed to determine the Levelized Cost of Heat (LCOH). The results indicate that while the energy performance of the ULTDH surpasses LTDH, the rise in electricity prices favors the ULTDH system.

A system dynamics modelling assessment of water-energy-food resource demand futures at the city scale: Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

Understanding future demands of water, energy, and food (WEF) resources is essential to achieve sustainable management of these resources. Based on a survey of 90 households, this study provides an analysis of household water, energy, and food security for the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, where there is a lack of any such assessment. Water supply is largely unimproved. Electricity supply is fairly reliable in some parts of the city, but not others. Most residents rely on charcoal burning for food preparation. Dietary Diversity Scores are low indicating stable, but low food security. Data collected were used to develop an integrated WEF system dynamics model that was applied to simulate household-level resource demand. To assess future resources demand, four scenarios developed by the Global Scenario Group were simulated. Findings reveal that the 'Great Transition' scenario exerts lower impact on resources demand, representing the most likely trajectory to achieve sustainable socio-economic development and management. However, achieving the conditions required for a ‘Great Transition’ could be challenging in Goma, which is characterised by low incomes, poor access to resources, and the threat of armed conflict. To achieve greater efficiency in resources utilisation and to prepare for the future, a number of recommendations are made, including energy supply diversification, altered agricultural practices to diversify diets, and expansion and improvement of water supply infrastructure. This work provides a basis for similar assessments in DRC and central Africa, highlighting the need for integrated resources management and assessment for regional opportunities toward sustainable development.

Characterization of manganese(II)-coupled functional microorganisms in driving lignin degradation during straw composting

The intricate structure of lignin in straw makes it challenging to hydrolyze, making it a key focus of current research. However, there has been limited study on the effect of enzyme inducer (MnSO4) combined with functional microorganisms on lignin degradation during straw composting. Based on this, four composting treatment groups were set up in this study. Control (CK), functional microorganism addition treatment (F), Mn2+ enzyme inducer (Mn), and Mn2+ enzyme inducer coupled with functional microorganism addition treatment (FMn) were tested for composting. Manganese(II)-coupled microorganisms improved lignin degradation: FMn > Mn > F > CK. They increased the lignin loss rate from 25.54 % to 42.61 %. Laccase activity increased from 3.45 to 43.74 U/g and manganese peroxidase activity increased from 145.52 to 264.91 U/g. And gene abundance was increased. Microbial community structure and dominant genera changed. Structural equations support the idea that functional microorganisms coupled with manganese can modify physicochemical indices, thereby regulating gene expression and enhancing enzyme activity. Furthermore, the stimulation of fungal growth and increased extracellular laccase and manganese peroxidase activities can affect the degradation of lignin. This study provides new insights and theoretical support for efficient lignin degradation and efficient resource utilization of compost products.

Facile Immersing Synthesis of Pt Single Atoms Supported on Sulfide for Bifunctional toward Seawater Electrolysis

Seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production represents a substantial opportunity to curtail production expenditures and exhibits considerable potential for various industrial applications. Platinum-based precious metals exhibit excellent activity for water electrolysis. However, their limited reserves and high costs impede their widespread use on a large scale. Single-atom catalysts, characterized by low loading and high utilization efficiency, represent a viable alternative, and the development of simple synthesis methods can facilitate their practical application. In this work, we report the facile synthesis of a single-atom Pt-loaded NiCoFeSx (Pt@NiCoFeSx) bifunctional catalytic electrode using a simple impregnation method on a nickel foam substrate. The resulting electrode exhibits low overpotentials for both HER (60 mV@10 mA cm−2) and OER (201 mV@10 mA cm−2) in alkaline seawater electrolytes. When incorporated into a seawater electrolyzer, this electrode achieves a direct current energy consumption of only 4.18 kWh/Nm3H2 over a 100 h test period with negligible decay. These findings demonstrate the potential of our approach for industrial-scale seawater electrolysis.

Black soldier fly oil-based diets enriched in lauric acid enhance growth, hematological indices, and fatty acid profiles of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus fry

A 90-day trial was conducted to investigate the effect of a diet containing Black Soldier Fly Oil (BSFO) on performance, feed efficiency, hematological indices, and fatty acid profiles of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus fry. BSFO, which naturally contains lauric acid (LA, 12:0), was utilized to create five isonitrogenous (300 g kg−1 CP), isolipidic (62 g kg−1 EE), and isocaloric (19.27 MJ kg−1 GE) experimental diets. The basal experimental diet (control diet, SBO100) had no BSFO added. Diets 2–5 were formulated by substituting soybean oil (SBO) with BSFO at 25 % (SBO75-BSFO25), 50 % (SBO50-BSFO50), 75 % (SBO25-BSFO75), and 100 % (BSFO100), resulting in LA content of 0, 0.4, 0.81, 1.21 and 1.61 mg g−1 fatty acid (FA), respectively. A total of 375 fish, weighing an average of 0.16 g, were stocked at a stocking density of 25 fish tank−1 the fish were separated into five treatments in triplicate and the experiment lasted 90 days. Diets supplemented with BSFO had a significant (P ≤ 0.05) influence on performance inducers and FCR. The fish fed with SBO75-BSFO25 had the highest performance parameters and best FCR values as compared to other treatments, but these values decreased when BSFO was added to more than 25 % of the diet. Total body FA contents increased as dietary BSFO levels increased. The opposite pattern was observed with n-6 PUFAs, n-3 PUFAs, and n-3/n-6 ratios. Fish-fed SBO75-BSFO25 exhibited the lowest levels of ΣSFAs, ΣMUFAs, Σn-3 PUFAs, and Σn-6 PUFAs compared to other treatments. Increasing dietary BSFO levels resulted in higher FA productive value (FAPV) for ΣMUFAs, Σn-3 PUFAs, and Σn-6 PUFAs. The opposite pattern was observed for ΣSFA values compared to fish fed with SBO75-BSFO25. All hematological indicators were within normal levels for healthy tilapia, indicating that BSFO had little or no impact on their health. The current study concluded that BSFO can substitute soybean oil (SBO) by up to 25 %. LA is especially beneficial, for improving growth performance, feed utilization efficiency, fatty acid profile, and hematological homeostasis in Nile tilapia, O. niloticus fry.

From Lignin to Value-Added Pharmaceutical Intermediates Based on a Benzylic Oxidation Method with O2.

We present a catalytic strategy for converting lignin into various pharmaceutical intermediates based on a highly selective lignin depolymerization method and a green benzylic oxidation method employing O2. Selective depolymerization of lignin first afforded 4-ethylphenol, which then efficiently generates several pharmaceutical intermediates with a simple 5-step process, resulting in substantial economic benefits. The study provides an innovative solution for the efficient utilization of lignin and the green acquisition of pharmaceutical intermediates.

Near-infrared light-driven biomass conversion.

Current photocatalytic technologies mainly rely on the input of high-energy ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) light to obtain the desired excited states with adequate energy to drive redox reactions, precluding the use of low-energy near-infrared (NIR) light that occupies ~50% of the solar spectrum. Here, we report the efficient utilization of NIR light by coupling the low-energy NIR photons with reactive biomass conversion. A unique mechanism of photothermally synergistic photocatalysis was revealed for the selective biomass conversion under NIR light. Using biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) conversion as a model reaction, it was found that NIR and UV-vis light featured markedly different reaction patterns. 5-Formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (FFCA) was almost exclusively produced under NIR light, whereas UV-vis light favored the formation of 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) as the major product. This work provides a paradigm for sustainable and selective chemical synthesis using the Earth's abundant resources, sunlight and biomass.

Strengthening the energy efficiency ratio of warm deep gas-assisted hydrate production through optimizing water circulation

Utilizing the geothermal energy from the deep gas layer to enhance the hydrate decomposition is a potential clean production approach, avoiding the vast costs and severe pollution in the traditional heat injection scheme. In this work, a novel method was proposed to promote hydrate decomposition by employing circulating water to transport heat from the deep gas layer. Results showed that increasing the water flow rate from 9.82 mL/min to 39.28 mL/min could significantly improve the production efficiency by 27.27 %. Yet, the energy efficiency ratio (EER) slightly decreased by 3.31 % due to the increased power consumption of the water pump. A hybrid water flow rate was thus used with a lower rate in the later production stage when the heat absorption of hydrate decomposition was declining accordingly. This was found to successively improve the EER by 2.68 % while maintaining comparable production efficiency; a further cycling regulation (intermittent circulating) of the hybrid water flow rate could significantly enhance the EER by 16.23 %. The results could guide the efficient utilization of natural geothermal energy to facilitate the large-scale gas production from the natural gas hydrates when heat supply from the surrounding sediments was limited.

Orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oil inclusion in high-energy diets for feedlot lambs: productivity, eating behavior, carcass characteristics, rumen morphometry, and fatty acid profile of the meat

This study evaluated the effect of different orange essential oil (OEO) inclusion rates on live weight gain, eating behavior, carcass characteristics, morphology of the ruminal epithelium, and fatty acid profile in the meat of feedlot lambs. Forty uncastrated Dorper × Santa Inês ram lambs with an initial average body weight of 21.8 ± 4.7 kg and average age of 86 ± 15 days were allocated to one of five dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. Dietary treatments consisted of a 90:10 concentrate-to-forage ratio total mixed ration supplemented as follows: 1. non-additive supplementation (Control), and 2. additive supplementation with 100, 500, and 1000 mg OEO/kg diet DM (OEO100, OEO500, and OEO1000) or with 25 mg sodium monensin/kg diet DM (MON). The feeding lasted 84 d. Supplementation with OEO increased linearly dry matter intake (DMI), growth rate and feed efficiency (FE). Because of the linear increases in growth rate and the efficiency of energy utilization of the diet, lambs receiving OEO exhibited a greater (increasing linear effect) hot carcass weight (HCW), Longissimus muscle area (LMA), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), and body wall thickness (BWT) than lambs fed with Control. Lambs fed MON had lower DMI, growth rate and FE than Control and OEO. Compared to Control and OEO supplemented, lambs that received MON showed lower HCW, LMA, SFT, and BWT. Lambs fed with MON had lower oocyst counts than lambs fed with all other treatments. Lambs fed with MON spent more time eating and ruminating, with higher chewing rates than lambs fed all other diets. Rumen morphometry was unaffected by dietary treatment. The OEO supplementation increased the sum of monounsaturated fatty acids, improved the human health promotion index (HP index), and reduced the thrombogenicity index in the meat relative to lambs fed the MON treatment. Under the conditions in which the experiment was conducted, the inclusion of up to 1000 g/kg diet DM in high-energy finishing diets promotes DMI and improved growth performance and FE. Improvements in the carcass (HCW, LMA, and BTF) with OEO supplementation were mainly due to improvements in growth rate rather than effects on gain composition. Based on growth performance and carcass characteristics, OEO was a superior feed additive to sodium monensin. The OEO supplementation has a discreet effect on the fatty acid profile of the meat, but it is sufficient to improve the HP index. These findings highlight its potential as an effective additive for enhancing lamb productivity.

Unravelling the intricate language of fish guts: Impact of plant-based vs. plant-insect-poultry-based diets on intestinal pathways in European seabass

The long-term sustainability of aquaculture depends on finding economically viable and environmentally friendly feed ingredients to reduce the use of fishmeal and fish oil. An optimal strategy for the industry is not to identify substitutes or alternatives, but to find a combination of complementary raw materials that together meet the specific nutritional requirements for a given farmed fish species. The study aimed to examine the effects of different diets on the pyloric caeca and distal intestine of subadult European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) by applying transcriptomics and transmission electron microscopy. The study examined three dietary approaches: the classic fishmeal-based diet, a plant-based diet, and a plant-insect-poultry-based diet. The distal intestine was more sensitive to dietary changes than the pyloric caeca. The differentially expressed genes in both experimental diets were mainly involved in the digestion and absorption of proteins, fats, and vitamins. The overall transcriptomic changes were greater in the plant-based group than in the plant-insect-poultry-based group and included a greater number of overrepresented metabolic and signalling pathways. In contrast to the transcriptomic results, the ultrastructural findings showed decreased inflammation and/or evidence of tissue repair in the plant-based group, particularly in the pyloric caeca. Since the nutritional quality of all fish groups in this study was previously evaluated positively, the detected transcriptome-level changes can serve as evidence supporting the efficient nutrient utilisation and adaptability in European seabass. The study provides valuable insight into the potential benefits and implications of these dietary modifications on intestinal health and pathway regulation in European seabass. This can serve as a basis for further development of sustainable European seabass aquaculture practices and optimisation of diet formulations.

Fulvic acid application increases rice seedlings performance under low phosphorus stress

BackgroundFulvic acid enhances plant growth and interacts synergistically with phosphate fertilizer to alleviate the agricultural production problem of low phosphorus fertilizer utilization efficiency. However, the underlying mechanism of its action remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of fulvic acid application with varying concentrations (0, 40, 60, 80 and 120 mg/L) on rice performance in plants grown in a hydroponic system subjected to low phosphorus stress. The rice growth phenotypes, biomass, root morphology, phosphorus uptake, and the impact of fulvic acid on the rhizosphere environment of rice, were assessed.ResultsThe findings showed that adding appropriate concentrations of exogenous fulvic acid could promote the growth performance of rice under low phosphorus stress. Particularly at T1 (40 mg/L) and T2 (60 mg/L) over the control effectively increased rice biomass by 25.42% and 24.56%, respectively. Fulvic acid treatments stimulated root morphogenesis, up-regulated phosphate transporter genes, and facilitated phosphorus absorption and accumulation. Especially T1 (20.52%), T2 (18.10%) and T3 (20.48%) treatments significantly increased phosphorus uptake in rice, thereby alleviating low phosphorus stress. Additionally, fulvic acid elevated organic acids concentration in roots and up-regulated plasma membrane H+-ATPase genes, promoting organic acids secretion. This metabolic alteration can also alleviate low phosphorus stress in rice.ConclusionsThe effect of exogenous fulvic acid on physiological indicators is concentration-dependent under low phosphorus stress, enhances rice performance and reduces reliance on phosphorus fertilizer. This provides new insights to shed light on the mechanism of alleviating low phosphorus stress in rice through fulvic acid application, an eco-friendly tool.

Hybrid Local and Charge-Transfer Material with Ultralong Room Temperature Phosphorescence for Efficient Organic Afterglow Light-Emitting Diodes.

Organic ultralong room temperature phosphorescence (OURTP) materials capable of combining various emission behaviors for diversified optoelectronic properties and applications have recently gained a vigorous development, but it remains a forbidden challenge in designing OURTP molecules with hybrid local and charge-transfer (HLCT) feature, possibly due to the elevated difficulties in simultaneously meeting the stringent requirements of both HLCT and OURTP emitters. Here, through introducing multiple heteroatoms into one-dimensional fused ring of coumarin with moderate charge transfer perturbation in donor-π-acceptor architecture, we demonstrate a HLCT-featured OURTP molecule showing both promoted fluorescence with a quantum yield of 77% in solution and long-lived OURTP with a lifetime of 251 ms in conventional host material used in electroluminescent device. Thus, efficient OURTP organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) were fabricated, exhibiting bright electroluminescence with an exciton utilization efficiency of 85% and yellow OURTP lasting over 2 s for afterglow. Impressively, the HLCT OURTP-OLEDs can be further optimized to reach an unprecedented total external quantum efficiency (EQE) of ~12% and OURTP EQE up to 3.11%, representing the highest performance among the reported OURTP-OLEDs. These impressive results highlight the significance to fuse HLCT and OURTP together in enriching OURTP materials and improving the afterglow OLED performances.

A study on the impact of diet supplementation of fermented dried seaweed powder (Kappaphycus alvarezii) on healthy cat gut performance, skin and hair coat conditions, and behaviour.

One of the key goals the feed industry emphasizes when exploring the incorporation of novel substances into animal diets is to enhance feed utilization efficiency, to bolster animal health and well-being. Fermented seaweed powder holds promise as a valuable and sustainable component of animal feed, owing to its rich nutrient profile and purported benefits for livestock and aquaculture species. This study provides some interesting and original preliminary data regarding the benefits of supplementing cats' diets with fermented dried seaweed. Using a broad investigative approach to measure and analyse multiple health benefits of feeding fermented dried macroalgae to cats as a nutritional supplement, the results of this 8-week study identified several positive health attributes related to body coat quality, nutrient digestibility, behavioural changes, a healthy gut microbiota ratio, and enhanced immunity. There were no adverse effects observed in the cats after supplementation with the fermented seaweed powder. The sample size in this study with cats should be increased, but this preliminary work showed that the seaweed-supplemented cats exhibited improvements in the measured health parameters over the control cats. As a result of this 8-week trial, key information has been provided regarding future research direction focusing on skin health application which is essential to the overall animal wellbeing.