manganese recovering from alkaline spent batteries by ammonium peroxodisulfate

The process of manganese removal from spent battery leaching solutions, with ammonium peroxodisulfate, prior to recovery of zinc by electrolysis is presented. The experiments were carried out according to a 2 3 full factorial design considering ammonium peroxodisulfate concentration, temperature and pH as factors investigated. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out on the precipitation yields of Mn and Zn after 30 min, 1h, 2h and 3h of reaction. Optimal conditions for obtaining Mn as MnO 2 were 20 % (NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 , 90 °C and pH 6. Data from XRF and AAS during the reaction at different time are presented to analyse the kinetic behaviour of the system. The MnO 2 precipitated and solutions have been characterized by XRF and XRD. The solid samples were kept at 800 °C for 1 h to produce chemical manganese dioxide (CMD) and were characterized by cyclic voltammetry for their electrochemical activity. The overall results denoted that chemical oxidation of manganese from spent batteries leaching solutions with ammonium peroxodisulfate is a suitable method for manganese removal as MnO 2 prior zinc recovery by electrolysis, also production of a suitable product (CMD) and it could be used in a process for recycling spent batteries

Surface-Sensitive Electrooxidation of Carbon Monoxide in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

International audienceElectrooxidation of CO at the Pt(hkl)-electrolyte interface in two differentroom temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) is probed to be surface-sensitive. Provided datareveal a specific surface structure, (110) sites, which selectively activate CO oxidation inRTILs. This new knowledge is crucial for designing the next generation of Pt nanosizedelectrocatalysts for the CO oxidation reaction by increasing that type of site on the catalystsurface

Using Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) to Compare Premature Mortality between Romanian Counties to Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in 2020 and 2021

This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on potential years of life lost (PYLL) in Romania’s counties in 2020 and 2021. PYLL highlights the burden of premature deaths in a community and is a useful tool for prioritizing community health issues. The study compares the PYLL variation between different counties, identifying disparities in premature mortality rates and highlighting areas that require specific public health interventions. The results indicate that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on potential years of life lost across the country. For the year 2020, the total number of deaths from confirmed COVID-19 cases was 19,455, of which 14,152 premature deaths caused 193,489 PYLL, with a crude rate of 1053.28 PYLL per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2021, there were 39,966 deaths from confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 28,777 premature deaths, 386,061 PYLL, and a crude rate of 2116.63 PYLL per 100,000 population. This study reveals significant variations only in some counties, based on BYLL rates, and in the two years analyzed. The proportion of premature deaths (<80 years) varied by county and gender. PYLL’s analysis by gender shows that men experienced a higher number of premature deaths than women in most counties, and this trend persisted in both years. The results are presented in the form of thematic maps, highlighting standardized PYLL rates for both genders in each county, facilitating a visual understanding of regional disparities. The identified variations can serve as a basis for developing and implementing more effective public health policies, based on the specifics of each county

Surface-Sensitive Electrooxidation of Carbon Monoxide in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

Electrooxidation of CO at the Pt­(<i>hkl</i>)-electrolyte interface in two different room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) is probed to be surface-sensitive. Provided data reveal a specific surface structure, (110) sites, which selectively activate CO oxidation in RTILs. This new knowledge is crucial for designing the next generation of Pt nanosized electrocatalysts for the CO oxidation reaction by increasing that type of site on the catalyst surface

Dissolution of Metals in Different Bromide-Based Systems: Electrochemical Measurements and Spectroscopic Investigations

The dissolution of the main metals (Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb and Fe) found in waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) was investigated by electrochemical corrosion measurements (potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)) in different bromide-based systems that could be used as lixiviants in hydrometallurgical route of metals recovery. The analysis of the corrosion products was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. All measurements showed that the addition of bromine in the electrolyte favors to great extents the dissolution process of all studied metals as compared to bromine-free electrolytes. In the investigated experimental conditions, the highest dissolution rates of the metals were obtained in acidic KBr solution containing 0.01 mol/L bromine and they decreased in the following order: Zn &gt;&gt; Sn &gt; Pb &gt; Fe &gt; Cu. The XRD and XPS chemical assessment allowed the identification of the dissolution products formed on the metallic surfaces after exposure to the electrolytes. They consisted mainly of oxides in the case of Cu, Zn, Sn and Fe, while the presence of PbBr2 was also noticed on the lead surface. Based on the results of EIS and surface investigations, several models explaining the corrosion behavior of the metals were proposed and discussed. The obtained results demonstrate that all studied metals could be successfully leached using brominated solutions, providing a viable alternative for the selective and efficient recovery of the base metals from WPCBs through a multi-step hydrometallurgical processing route

Evaluation of Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Nocturnal Epileptic Seizures in a Romanian Cross-Sectional Study

(1) Background: Based on the premise that epilepsy is frequently associated with hypnopathies, in this study we aim to analyze the prevalence of sleep disturbances among patients with epilepsy, with exclusively or predominantly nocturnal seizures, in relation to demographic factors as well as clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) aspects. (2) Methods: 69 patients with nocturnal epilepsy were included in our study. Sleep disturbances were measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, followed by a long-term video-EEG monitoring during sleep. We analyzed the PSQI results in relation to patients&rsquo; gender and age and determined the correlations between the PSQI scores and the modifications on video-EEG recordings, in comparison to a control group of 25 patients with epilepsy but without nocturnal seizures. (3) Results: We found a statistically significant difference between the PSQI of patients with nocturnal seizures compared to those without nocturnal epileptic manifestations. In the experimental group, the mean PSQI score was 7.36 &plusmn; 3.91 versus 5.04 &plusmn; 2.56 in controls. In women, the average PSQI score was 8.26, whilst in men it only reached 6.41, highlighting a statistically significant difference between genders (p &#706; 0.01). By examining the relationships between the PSQI scores and certain sleep-related factors, evidenced on the nocturnal video-EEG, we found a statistically significant difference between PSQI values of patients who reached the N2 stage, and those who reached the N3 stage of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, highlighting that those with a more superficial nocturnal sleep also had higher PSQI scores. There were no statistically significant differences regarding the PSQI scores between patients with or without interictal epileptiform discharges, and also in the few patients with nocturnal seizures where we captured ictal activity. (4) Conclusions: we evidenced in this study a poor quality of sleep in patients with nocturnal epilepsy, mostly in women, independent of age. We observed that sleep disturbances were due to superficial and fragmented sleep with frequent microarousals, not necessarily caused by the electrical epileptiform activity

Study on the Surface of Cobalt-Chromium Dental Alloys and Their Behavior in Oral Cavity as Cast Materials

This study presents the correct processing of Co&ndash;Cr alloys as a method of preserving the properties of the materials as-cast, and therefore they can be safely placed in contact with the oral cavity tissues as resistance frameworks. The basic materials analyzed in this study were five commercial Co&ndash;Cr dental alloys with different components obtained in three processing steps. The analysis of the electrochemical behavior at the surface of the Co&ndash;Cr alloys was performed by electrochemical measurements: impedance spectroscopy (EIS), open circuit electrical potential (OCP), and linear polarization (LP). In terms of validation, all five alloys had a tendency to generate a stable oxide layer at the surface. After the measurements and the graphical representation, the alloy that had a higher percentage of tungsten (W) and iron (Fe) in composition showed a higher tendency of anodizing. After the application of the heat treatment, the disappearance of the hexagonal phase was observed, with the appearance of new phases of type (A,B)2O3 corresponding to some oxide compounds, such as Fe2O3, Cr2O3, (Cr,Fe)2O3, and CoMnO3. In conclusion, the processing of Co&ndash;Cr alloys by melting and casting in refractory molds remains a viable method that can support innovation, in the context of technology advance in recent years towards digitalization of the manufacturing process, i.e., the construction of prosthetic frameworks conducted by additive methods using Co&ndash;Cr powder alloy