Food 3D printing allows for the production of personalised foods in terms of shape and nutrition. In this study, we examined whether protein-, starch- and fibre-rich fractions extracted from faba beans can be combined to produce fibre- and protein-rich printable food inks for extrusion-based 3D printing. Small amplitude oscillatory shear measurements were used to characterise the inks while compression tests and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterise the freeze-dried samples. We found that rheological parameters such as storage modulus, loss tangent and yield stress were related to ink printability and shape stability. Investigations on the effect of ink composition, infill pattern (honeycomb/grid) and direction of compression on textural and microstructural properties of freeze-dried 3D-printed objects revealed no clear effect of infill pattern, but a strong effect of direction of compression. Microstructure heterogeneity seemed to be correlated with the textural prope... [more]

Raw mushroom waste has been an enormous solid waste, not only causing a huge cut on profit margin of mushroom industries but also leading to environmental pollution. Unfortunately, the current utilization methods, such as pharmaceutical extractions, are unable to keep up with the waste generation rate due to the large-scale mushroom production. Yet, the utilization of raw mushroom waste to produce biomass pellets for energetic purposes and the role of an electric composter on shortening the processing time remain unexplored. This is important because conventional composting, which takes a relatively long period (e.g., weeks to months), is less practical when it comes to commercial use of the biomass pellets. To explore this issue, an industrial composter with initial compost was utilized to process the raw mushroom waste, followed by pelletization. Extraction of the material inside the composter at different timing was carried out to determine the optimal processing time for optimal te... [more]

Metal-conducting polyaniline (PANI)-based nanocomposite materials have attracted attention in various applications due to their synergism of electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the initial components. Herein, metal-PANI nanocomposites, including silver nanoparticle-polyaniline (AgNP-PANI), zinc oxide nanoparticle-polyaniline (ZnONP-PANI), and silver-zinc oxide nanoparticle-polyaniline (Ag−ZnONP-PANI), were prepared using the two processes. Nanocomposite-based electrode platforms were prepared by depositing AgNPs, ZnONPs, or Ag−ZnONPs on a PANI modified glass carbon electrode (GCE) in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-Hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS, 1:2) as coupling agents. The incorporation of AgNPs, ZnONPs, and Ag−ZnONPs onto PANI was confirmed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, which showed five absorbance bands at 216 nm, 412 nm, 464 nm, 550 nm, and 831 nm (i.e., transition of π-π*, π-polaron band transition, polaron-π* electronic transition, and... [more]

The remediation of bromate in water is a concern due to the reported health issues caused by its ingestion. Catalytic processes, wherein bromate is reduced to non-hazardous bromide, have been studied. In the present work, catalysts of 1% palladium supported in electrospun carbon fibers (Pd-CFs) using different methods for palladium incorporation were prepared. The textural properties, morphology, crystalline structure, and hydrogenation capacity by H2 chemisorption analysis of the Pd-CFs catalysts were characterized. The catalytic tests were performed in a semi-batch reactor, and the obtained results showed different catalytic activity by each prepared Pd-CFs catalyst. The catalysts prepared by incipient wetness impregnation—1% Pd/CF1 and 1% Pd/CF2, using CFs obtained with electrospinning flow rates of 0.5 mL h−1 and 2 mL h−1, respectively—achieved total bromate reduction after 120 min of operation; however, 1% Pd/CF1 obtained total reduction as early as 30 min. Taking into account the... [more]

In order to prepare a new type of landfill covering material for closure, we used industrial calcium-containing waste (construction rubbish, slag, desulfurized gypsum and fly ash) to modify the dredged urban sludge. Shrink, unconfined compression, shear and infiltration tests were performed to obtain the volume shrinkage, compressive strength, shear strength and permeability coefficient of the modified sludge, as well as the permeability coefficient under the action of wet and dry cycles. Comprehensive characterization of the modified sludge using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy detection methods, resulted in the hydration products, molecular groups and microstructure characteristics of the modified sludge and revealed the modification mechanism of calcium-containing waste to sludge. After natural curing for 28 d, the volume shrinkage rate of the modified sludge sample was 2.6~8.3%, the unc... [more]

This study investigates chromium removal onto modified maghemite nanoparticles in batch experiments based on a central composite design. The effect of modified maghemite nanoparticles on the adsorptive removal of chromium was quantitatively elucidated by fitting the experimental data using artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) modeling approaches. The ANN and ANFIS models, relating the inputs, i.e., pH, adsorbent dose, and initial chromium concentration to the output, i.e., chromium removal efficiency (RE), were developed by comparing the predicted value with that of the experimental values. The RE of chromium ranged from 49.58% to 92.72% under the influence of varying pH (i.e., 2.6−9.4) and adsorbent dose, i.e., 0.8 g/L to 9.2 g/L. The developed ANN model fits the experimental data exceptionally well with correlation coefficients of 1.000 and 0.997 for training and testing, respectively. In addition, the Pearson’s Chi-square measure (χ2)... [more]

Imidacloprid, acephate, and carbaryl are common insecticides that are extensively used in planting mango, a well-known fruit in Vietnam, to ease mango hopper issues. The accurate detection of pesticide residues is critical for mango export to meet quality criteria. This study developed a novel SERS platform by using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to simulate the rose petal structure incorporated with a silver coating layer and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to detect imidacloprid, acephate, and carbaryl in mango fruits. In this paper, the rose petal PDMS/Ag-AgNPs replica was considered the most efficient substrate for SERS measurement with an EF of 4.7 × 107. The Raman spectra of the three insecticides obtained from the PDMS/Ag-AgNPs substrate were clearly observed with their characteristic peaks of 1105 cm−1 for imidacloprid, 1083 cm−1, and 1579 cm−1 for acephate, and 727 cm−1 and 1378 cm−1 for carbaryl. The application of PDMS/Ag-AgNPs substrate in quantitative analysis of the three pesti... [more]

Modern agriculture uses pesticides to improve the quality and quantity of crops. However, pesticide residues can remain on agricultural products, posing very serious risks to human health and life. It is recommended to wash fruits and vegetables before consumption. To assess the removal efficacy of pesticide residue, a sensitive and reliable method based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed and optimized for the simultaneous determination of four pesticide residues (acetamiprid, boscalid, pyraclostrobin, and pendimethalin). Isotope-labeled standards were used to validate the method in terms of recovery, linearity, matrix effects, precision, and sensitivity. The mean recovery values for both low-quality control (LQC) and high-quality control (HQC) transitions were in the range of 89−105%, and the intra-day precision was less than 13.7%. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.003 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg, r... [more]

Photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization has attracted much attention in recent years due to the continuous tightening of the sulfur content requirements in motor fuels and the disadvantages of the industrial hydrodesulfurization process. This work is devoted to the investigation of the photocatalytic activity of Bi2WMo1−xO6 solid solutions (x = 1, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25, 0) in the oxidative desulfurization of hydrocarbons under visible light irradiation using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. The synthesized photocatalysts were characterized in detail using XRD, SEM, EDS, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption−desorption, and DRS. It was shown that the use of solid solutions Bi2WMo1−xO6 with x = 0.5−0.75 leads to the complete oxidation of organosulfur compounds to CO2 and H2O within 120 min. The high photocatalytic activity of solid solutions (x = 0.5−0.75) is attributed to their ability to absorb more visible light, the presence of the corner-shared [Mo/WO6] octahedral layers, which may promote... [more]

Here, FeAlOx catalytic deconstruction of polyethylene in a domestic microwave oven is reported. With the starting weight ratio of FeAlOx to polyethylene at 1:1, the concentration and yield of H2 reach up to 67.85 vol% and 48.1 mmol g−1plastic, respectively. CNTs@Fe3O4/Fe3C/Fe composite, which exhibits excellent microwave absorption properties, is generated simultaneously. The minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of the solid product reaches −54.78 dB at 15 GHz with an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.5 GHz at the thickness of 1.57 mm.

This research topic aims at enterprise-wide modeling and optimization (EWMO) through the development and application of integrated modeling, simulation and optimization methodologies, and computer-aided tools for reliable and sustainable improvement opportunities within the entire manufacturing network (raw materials, production plants, distribution, retailers, and customers) and its components [...]

“High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)” methods for gefitinib (GFT) estimation are scarce in the literature. In addition, greener analytical techniques for GFT estimation are also lacking in the literature. Accordingly, an attempt was undertaken to invent and validate a sensitive and greener normal-phase HPTLC method for GFT analysis in commercial tablets in comparison to the routine normal-phase HPTLC method. The greenness index for both methods was assessed using “Analytical GREENness (AGREE)” methodology. GFT detection was carried out using both methods at 332.0 nm. In the 30−700 ng/band and 20−1400 ng/band ranges, the routine and greener HPTLC assays were linear for GFT estimation. The greener HPTLC method was highly sensitive, more accurate, more precise, and more robust than the routine HPTLC assay for GFT estimation. Both methods were able to detect GFT in the presence of its degradation products, suggesting the stability-indicating property of both methods. The ass... [more]

TC21 titanium alloy is a new high damage-tolerant structural material for aerospace applications; its welding performance is very critical for the manufacturing of structural parts. In this research, the inertia friction welding (IFW) process of TC21 alloy was conducted, and the microstructure and mechanical properties of IFW joints were investigated. In tensile tests, specially designed tensile samples with grooves were utilized to achieve the tensile properties of IFW joints. The results show that the microhardness and tensile strength of IFW joints are higher than that of the base metal, but the plasticity of joints is worse compared with the base metal. The SEM results reveal that the weld zone has a dynamic recrystallization microstructure with uniform fine-needle α phases. The microstructure evolution in the weld is the key factor that results in the change of the mechanical properties of TC21 IFW joints.

Cu-based bimetallic materials have been widely reported as efficient catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction. However, the faradaic efficiency and selectivity are still far from satisfactory. Herein, Cu-Fe bimetallic nanoalloys with adjustable Cu/Fe ratios are successfully prepared through a reactive mechanical milling approach with CuCl2, FeCl3 and Na as the starting materials. The optimized Cu3Fe exhibits excellent nitrate conversion efficiency of 81.1% and 70.3% ammonia selectivity at −0.7 V vs. RHE within 6 h under 0.1 M Na2SO4 and 100 ppm NO3−. The Fe-introduction-induced upshift of the d-band center is identified to be beneficial for promoting nitrate adsorption on Cu3Fe. Moreover, favorable H generation under the assistance of Fe could effectively accelerate the stepwise hydrogenation during electrocatalytic nitrate reduction, resulting in significantly improved NH4+ selectivity. This work supplies valuable insights for the rational design of transition-metal-based bime... [more]

The growing interest in innovations regarding the treatment of oily wastewater stems from the fact that the oil industry is the largest polluter of the environment. The harm caused by this industry is seen in all countries. Companies that produce such wastewater are responsible for its treatment prior to disposal or recycling into their production processes. As oil emulsions are difficult to manage and require different types of treatment or even combined methods, a range of environmental technologies have been proposed for oil-contaminated effluents, such as gravity separation, flotation, flocculation, biological treatment, advanced oxidation processes, and membranes. Natural materials, such as biopolymers, constitute a novel, sustainable solution with considerable potential for oily effluent separation. The present review offers an overview of the treatment of oily wastewater, describing current trends and the latest applications. This review also points to further research needs and... [more]

Micro-cutting is different from conventional cutting in its mechanics. The workpiece material is not considered to be homogeneous in the micro-cutting process. As a result, it is critical to comprehend how microstructure affects surface integrity, cutting forces, and chip formation. In this paper, we experimented with micro-turning on oxygen-free high-conductivity (OFHC) copper with different microstructures after annealing. Feed rate parameters were smaller than, larger than, and equal to the grain size, respectively. Experimental results show that when the feed rates are equivalent to the grain size, the surface roughness of the machined surface is low and the width of the flake structure on the free surface of chips is minimal, and the explanations for these occurrences are connected to dislocation slip.

Oil−water emulsions are widely generated in industries, which may facilitate some processes (e.g., transportation of heavy oil, storage of milk, synthesis of chemicals or materials, etc.) or lead to serious upgrading or environmental issues (e.g., pipeline plugging, corrosions to equipment, water pollution, soil pollution, etc.). Herein, the sources, classification, formation, stabilization, and separation of oil−water emulsions are systematically summarized. The roles of different interfacially active materials−especially the fine particles−in stabilizing the emulsions have been discussed. The advanced development of micro force measurement technologies for oil−water emulsion investigation has also been presented. To provide insights for future industrial application, the separation of oil−water emulsions by different methods are summarized, as well as the introduction of some industrial equipment and advanced combined processes. The gaps between some demulsification processes and ind... [more]

Levulinic acid (LA), a platform chemical with high added value, can be obtained by deep hydrolysis of cellulose, but accompanied by the production of formic acid (FA). Due to its high water content, the recovery of levulinic acid and formic acid from aqueous solution consumes a lot of energy in industry. This paper will use the method of reactive extraction to explore the optimal conditions for the recovery of levulinic acid and formic acid from deep hydrolysate. First, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the reaction process were studied. Then, the effects of different parameters, such as temperature, catalyst dosage, and raw material ratio, on the reaction extraction process were investigated. Finally, through the simulation and optimization of the process, the optimized recovery conditions were chosen to realize the recovery of formic acid and levulinic acid. It is found that reactive extraction can achieve the purpose of efficiently separating levulinic acid and formic acid... [more]

Extensive research on the production of energy and valuable materials from plastic waste using pyrolysis has been widely conducted during recent years. Succeeding in demonstrating the sustainability of this technology economically and technologically at an industrial scale is a great challenge. In most cases, crude pyrolysis products cannot be used directly for several reasons, including the presence of contaminants. This is confirmed by recent studies, using advanced characterization techniques such as two-dimensional gas chromatography. Thus, to overcome these limitations, post-treatment methods, such as dechlorination, distillation, catalytic upgrading and hydroprocessing, are required. Moreover, the integration of pyrolysis units into conventional refineries is only possible if the waste plastic is pre-treated, which involves sorting, washing and dehalogenation. The different studies examined in this review showed that the distillation of plastic pyrolysis oil allows the control of... [more]

Egg white-induced auto combustion has been used to synthesize undoped and Fe-doped CuO/Cu2O/Cu4O3 nanocomposites in a soft, secure, and one-pot procedure. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) investigations have been used to identify functional groups and the structural properties of crystalline phases present in the as-synthesized composites. Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM/EDS) elemental mapping analyses and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to explore the morphological and compositional properties of these composites. N2-adsorption/desorption isotherm models have been used to examine the surface variables of the as-prepared systems. Based on the Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) technique, the magnetic properties of various copper-based nanocomposites were detected due to being Fe-doped. XRD results showed that the undoped system was composed of CuO as a major phase with Cu2O and Cu4O3 as se... [more]

Pollution by polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is a major concern due to their bioaccumulation, persistence, and carcinogenicity. This study aimed to investigate the decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209) photodegradation in soil suspensions. The results indicate BDE-209 can degrade in soil suspensions and its degradation follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. The light sources and intensity effects were studied and the photodegradation rates were 500 W Mercury Lamp > 300 W Mercury Lamp > 500 W Xenon Lamp > 300 W Xenon Lamp, which indicates UV light is the main reason for BDE-209 degradation. Soil particle inhibits BDE-209 photodegradation due to the light-shielding effect. BDE-209 photodegradation rates increased from 0.055 to 0.071 h−1 with pH value increasing from 3.5 to 9.5. This may be because the products are more easily produced in higher pH soil suspensions. The presence of humic acid (HA) may inhibit BDE-209 photodegradation by photo-shielding. Fe3+ and Cu2+ have an advers... [more]

The convenient synthetic strategy for the one-pot synthesis of silver nanoparticles capped by tartaric acid with a controlled size is reported here. Their characterization is revealed through spectroscopic protocols, such as UV/Vis and FTIR, while SEM, DLS and a Zetasizer revealed the surface morphology, size distribution and surface charge on the nanoparticles. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band was observed at 406 nm with 1.07 a.u absorbance, the image for SEM shows that the particles were monodispersed and spherical in shape, while the z-average size distribution of AgNPs/TA in a colloidal solution was found to be 79.20 nm and the surface charge was monitored as −28.2 mV. The antibacterial activities of these capped nanoparticles alone and in synergism with selected fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and gemifloxacin) and macrolides (erythromycin and azithromycin) were assessed on selected Gram-negative as well as Gram-positive organisms by employing the... [more]

This paper presents a novel dual-band substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) sensor that is designed to measure the complex permittivities of liquids or solid powders at two industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) frequencies simultaneously. Resonant frequencies and quality factors are obtained from S-parameter measurements with the proposed SIW sensor, and applied to reconstructing the permittivities of materials under test through an artificial neural network. The water−ethanol mixed liquids were measured with the proposed sensor. The maximum deviations of the measured permittivities at 2.45 and 5.8 GHz are within 3% of literature results. The measurement by the proposed SIW sensor with artificial neural network reconstruction is accurate and efficient.

Preparative chromatography is a well-established operation in chemical and biotechnology manufacturing. Chromatography achieves high separation performances, but often has to deal with the yield versus purity trade-off as the optimization criterium regarding through-put. The initial trade-off is often disturbed by the well-known phenomenon of chromatogram shifts over process lifetime, and has to be corrected by operators via adjustment of peak fraction cutting. Nevertheless, with regard to autonomous operation and batch to continuous processing modes, an advanced process control strategy is needed to identify and correct shifts from the optimal operation point automatically. Previous studies have already presented solutions for batch-to-batch variance and process control options with the aid of rigorous physico-chemical process modeling. These models can be implemented as distinct digital twins as well as statistical process operation data analyzers. In order to utilize such models for... [more]

László Zechmeister, one of the most important pioneers of carotenoid chemistry, died 50 years ago. He founded a carotenoid research group in Pécs (Hungary), which is the only place in the world where carotenoid research has been conducted continuously over the past 95 years. This review presents the life of Zechmeister and gives a summary about the evolution of the methods of analysis, isolation, and structure elucidation of carotenoids from the 1930s until today, based on the results of the research group founded by Zechmeister.