Removal of Pollutants by Ferrihydrite Nanoparticles Combined with Brij L4 Self-Assembled Nanostructures

Release of contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, dyes, pesticides, and industrial wastes due to anthropogenic activities is a threat to human health and the environment. Self-assembled nanostructures of nonionic surfactants are highly efficient in removing organic and inorganic pollutants from various environmental media. Here, we present an evaluation of the pollutant-removal efficiency of Brij L4 nonionic surfactant as a function of the surfactant concentration and self-assembled structures. In addition, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheology were employed to investigate interactions between the Brij L4 isotropic micellar phase and lyotropic liquid crystals and ferrihydrite nanoparticles (Fh NPs). Ferrihydrite nanoparticles in the micellar phase destabilized lyotropic liquid crystals at low surfactant concentrations, while remaining stable in lyotropic phases at high concentrations. Maximum pollutant-removal efficiency (22%) was obtained using a self-assembled nanostructure of pure Brij L4 at 1 wt %. However, Fh NPs are nanoporous and strongly interact with negatively charged organic matter, enhancing the pollutant-removal efficiency of 10 wt % Brij L4. We constructed binary and pseudo-binary phase diagrams at 25 °C of the surfactant in water and in the presence of ferrihydrite nanoparticles, respectively. The Brij L4/water binary phase diagram identified rod-shaped structures at 10 wt % of surfactant. The results of this study identify effective strategies for formulating highly efficient pollutant-removal systems using nanotechnology

Multilamellar Vesicle Formation from a Planar Lamellar Phase under Shear Flow

The formation of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) from the lamellar phase of nonionic surfactant system C₁₂E₅/D₂O under shear flow is studied by time-resolved small angle neutron and light scattering during shear flow. A novel small angle neutron scattering sample environment enables the tracking of the lamellae alignment in the velocity–velocity gradient (1–2) plane during MLV formation, which was tracked independently using flow small angle light scattering commensurate with rheology. During the lamellar-to-multilamellar vesicle transition, the primary Bragg peak from the lamellar ordering was observed to tilt, and this gradually increased with time, leading to an anisotropic pattern with a primary axis oriented at ∼25° relative to the flow direction. This distorted pattern persists under flow after MLV formation. A critical strain and critical capillary number based on the MLV viscosity are demonstrated for MLV formation, which is shown to be robust for other systems as well. These novel measurements provide fundamentally new information about the flow orientation of lamellae in the plane of flow that cannot be anticipated from the large body of previous literature showing nearly isotropic orientation in the 2,3 and 1,3 planes of flow. These observations are consistent with models for buckling-induced MLV formation but suggest that the instability is three-dimensional, thereby identifying the mechanism of MLV formation in simple shear flow

Characteristics at follow-up by the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner.

<p>Characteristics at follow-up by the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner.</p

Association between outcomes at follow-up (dependent variables) and the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner in multiple logistic regression models.

<p>Association between outcomes at follow-up (dependent variables) and the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner in multiple logistic regression models.</p

Baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics by the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner.

<p>Baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics by the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner.</p

Baseline lifestyle and dietary characteristics by the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner.

<p>Baseline lifestyle and dietary characteristics by the percentage of total daily caloric intake from dinner.</p

Complementary X-ray, ellipsometry and neutron data from Non-lamellar lipid assembly at interfaces: controlling layer structure by responsive nanogel particles

Figure S1. Effect of temperature on the lattice parameter, a, of a cubic phase composed of GMO-50/DGMO (40/60 weight ratio) alone (open markers) or containing 10 wt% nanogel (black solid markers). Figure S2. SAXS data for the formulations of nanogels dispersed in lipids (85 wt % lipids composed of GMO-50/DGMO at a 40/60 weight ratio) with 15 wt % ethanol at 25 °C and 40 °C. Figure S3. Spectroscopic ellipsometry parameters, Δ (pink circles) and ψ (black triangles), as a function of wavelength for a film of GMO-50:DGMO (40:60 wt%) on silica. Figure S4. (A) Schematic representation of magnetic contrast surfaces used in this study. Figure S5. Neutron reflectivity data for a spin coated film of GMO-50:DGMO (60:40 wt% ratio) containing nanogel (10wt%) at (A) 25°C and (B) 40°C. Figure S6. Diffraction pattern extracted from the off-specular neutron reflectivity patterns in Figure 6 of lipid-only and lipid-nanogel layers at 25 °C and 40 °C