Assessing the life cycle environmental impacts of titania nanoparticle production by continuous flow solvo/hydrothermal synthesis

Continuous-flow hydrothermal and solvothermal syntheses offer substantial advantages over conventional processes, producing high quality materials from a wide range of precursors. In this study, we evaluate the “cradle-to-gate” life cycle environmental impacts of alternative titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticle production parameters, considering a range of operational conditions, precursors, material properties and production capacities. A detailed characterisation of the nano-TiO₂ products allows us, for the first time, to link key nanoparticle characteristics to production parameters and environmental impacts, providing a useful foundation for future studies evaluating nano-TiO₂ applications. Five different titanium precursors are considered, ranging from simple inorganic precursors, like titanium oxysulphate (TiOS), to complex organic precursors such as titanium bis(ammonium-lactato)dihydroxide (TiBALD). Synthesis at the laboratory scale is used to determine the yield, size distribution, crystallinity and phase of the nanoparticles. The specifications and operating experience of a full scale plant (>1000 t per year) are used to estimate the mass and energy inputs of industrial scale production for the life cycle assessment. Overall, higher process temperatures are linked to larger, more crystalline nanoparticles and higher conversion rates. Precursor selection also influences nano-TiO₂ properties: production from TiOS results in the largest particle sizes, while TiBALD achieves the smallest particles and narrowest size distribution. Precursor selection is the main factor in determining cradle-to-gate environmental impacts (>80% in some cases), due to the production impact of complex organic precursors. Nano-TiO2 production from TiOS shows the lowest global warming potential (GWP) (<12 kg CO₂-eq. per kg TiO₂) and cumulative energy demand (CED) (<149 MJ kg¯¹ TiO₂) due to the low environmental impact of the precursor, the use of water as a solvent and its high yield even at lower temperatures. Conversely, the TiBALD precursor shows the highest impact (86 kg CO₂-eq. per kg TiO₂ and 1952 MJ kg¯¹ TiO₂) due to the need for additional post-synthesis steps and complexity of precursor manufacturing. The main purpose of this study is not a direct comparison of the environmental impacts of TiO₂ nanoparticles manufactured utilizing various precursors under different conditions, but to provide an essential foundation for future work evaluating potential applications of nano-TiO₂ and their life cycle environmental impacts

Associations between mood states in high-risk infants and later neurodevelopmental outcomes

This retrospective study examined the possibility of associations between twovariables: "neurodevelopmental outcome" (cerebral palsy, developmental delays and non-handicapped) and "mood states" (fussy/skittish, calm, sunny, and too variable to rate) in a sample of 208 high-risk infants. It was based on the premise that predominantly negative or variable moods (i.e., "fussy/skittish" or "too variable to rate") among high-risk infants might be considered neurobehavioural markers for later neurodevelopmental disabilities,such as cerebral palsy. The main hypothesis of the study expected the two variables to be related, that is, that there would be an overall association between "neurodevelopmental outcome" between the ages of 3 to 8 years and "mood states," at 4 months' corrected age. Should the main hypothesis have been confirmed, four subsequent hypotheses predicted specific associations between the outcome category of cerebral palsy and irritable and labile "mood states," as well as specific associations between the outcome category of developmental delays and irritable and labile "mood states". A chi-square analysis conducted to test the overall association between "neurodevelopmental outcome" and"mood states" showed no association between them. For that reason, specific associations were not tested. Because more sensitive statistical analyses could not be used, some caution is necessary in drawing final conclusions. However, interesting tendencies were observed in the distribution of the ratings of "mood states" among the categories of "neurodevelopmental outcome," which call for further evaluation in the testing of the distribution. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the main research hypothesiswas rejected, the results of the present study suggest the need for additional research. The fact that no significant relationships could be found is an important finding, and suggests the need for prospective longitudinal research on this topic.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat

Proteomics of Parma Dry-Cured Ham: Analysis of Salting Exudates

The production of Parma dry-cured ham involves the steps of salting, drying, and ripening. Although sea salt is the only preserving agent, there are strategies being developed with the goal of reducing salt content in order to decrease its negative impact on consumer health. A 24 h pressure treatment was applied before salting to reduce thickness and inequalities in shape. To evaluate the potential impact of the pressure step on the process outcome, differential proteomic analyses by complementary 2D-PAGE and LC MS/MS were carried out on exudates collected at day 1, 5, and 18 of the salting phase for hams treated or untreated with pressure. Specific proteins were found differentially abundant in exudates from pressed vs unpressed hams and as a function of time. These changes include glycolytic enzymes and several myofibrillar proteins. These findings indicate that pressure causes a faster loosening of the myofibrillar structure with the release of specific groups of proteins