Iron and steel slag valorization through carbonation and supplementary processes

Alkaline industrial wastes are considered potential resources for the mitigation of CO2 emissions by simultaneously capturing and sequestering CO2 through mineralization. Mineralization safely and permanently stores CO2 through its reaction with alkaline earth metals. Apart from natural formations, these elements can also be found in a variety of abundantly available industrial wastes that have high reactivity with CO2, and that are generated close to the emission point-sources. Apparently, it is the applicability and marketability of the carbonated products that define to a great extent the efficiency and viability of the particular process as a point source CO2 mitigation measure. This project investigates the valorization of iron- and steel-making slags through methods incorporating the carbonation of the material, in order to achieve the sequestration of sufficient amounts of CO2 in parallel with the formation of valuable and marketable products. Iron- and steel-manufacturing slags were selected as the most suitable industrial byproducts for the purposes of this research, due to their high production amounts and notable carbonation capacities. The same criteria (production amount and carbonation capacity) were also used for the selection of the iron- and steel-making slag types that are more suitable to the scope of this work. Specifically for the determination of the slag types with the most promising carbonation capacities, the maximum carbonation conversions resulting from recent publications related to the influence of process parameters on the conversion extent of iron- and steel-manufacturing slags, were directly compared to each other using a new index, the Carbonation Weathering Rate, which normalizes the results based on particle size and reaction duration. Among the several iron- and steel-manufacturing slags, basic oxygen furnace (BOF) and blast furnace (BF) slags were found to combine both high production volumes and significant affinity to carbonation. In the context of this research, two different procedures aiming to the formation of value added materials with satisfactory CO2 uptakes were investigated as potential BF and BOF slags valorization methods. In them, carbonation was combined either with granulation and alkali activation (BOF slag), or with hydrothermal conversion (BF slag). Both treatments seemed to be effective and returned encouraging results by managing to store sufficient amounts of CO2 and generating materials with promising qualities. In particular, the performance of the granulation-carbonation of BOF slag as a method leading to the production of secondary aggregates and the sequestration of notable amounts of CO2 in a solid and stable form, was evaluated in this work. For comparison purposes, the material was also subjected to single granulation tests under ambient conditions. In an effort to improve the mechanical properties of the finally synthesized products, apart from water, a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate was also tested as a binding agent in both of the employed processes. According to the results, the granules produced after the alkali activation of the material were characterized by remarkably greater particle sizes (from 1 to 5 mm) compared to that of the as received material (0.2 mm), and by enhanced mechanical properties, which in some cases appeared to be adequate for their use as aggregates in construction applications. The maximum CO2 uptake was 40 g CO2/kg of slag and it was achieved after 60 minutes of the combined treatment of alkali activated BOF slag. Regarding the environmental behavior of the synthesized granules, increased levels of Cr and V leaching were noticed from the granules generated by the combination of granulation-carbonation with alkali activation. Nevertheless, the combination of granulation with alkali activation or that of granulation with carbonation were found not to worsen, if not to improve, the leaching behaviour of the granules with regards to the untreated BOF slag. The formation of a zeolitic material with notable heavy metal adsorption capacity, through the hydrothermal conversion of the solid residues resulting from the calcium- extraction stage of the indirect carbonation of BF slag, was also investigated in this project. To this end, calcium was selectively extracted from the slag by leaching, using acetic acid of specific concentration (2 M) as the extraction agent. The residual solids resulting from the filtration of the generated slurry were subsequently subjected to hydrothermal conversion in caustic solution of two different compositions (NaOH of 0.5 M and 2 M). Due to the presence of calcium acetate in the composition of the solid residues, as a result of their inadequate washing, only the hydrothermal conversion attempted using the sodium hydroxide solution of higher concentration (2 M) managed to turn the amorphous slag into a crystalline material, mainly composed by a zeolitic mineral phase (detected by XRD), namely, analcime (NaAlSi2O6·H2O), and tobermorite (Ca5(OH)2Si6O16·4H2O). Finally, the heavy metal adsorption capacity of the particular material was assessed using Ni2+ as the metal for investigation. Three different adsorption models were used for the characterization of the adsorption process, namely Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models. Langmuir and Temkin isotherms were found to better describe the process, compared to Freundlich model. Based on the ability of the particular material to adsorb Ni2+ as reported from batch adsorption experiments and ICP-OES analysis, and the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity (Q0 = 11.51 mg/g) as determined by the Langmuir model, the finally synthesized product can potentially be used in wastewater treatment or environmental remediation applications

PMI: A Delta Psi(m) Independent Pharmacological Regulator of Mitophagy

Mitophagy is central to mitochondrial and cellular homeostasis and operates via the PINK1/Parkin pathway targeting mitochondria devoid of membrane potential (ΔΨm) to autophagosomes. Although mitophagy is recognized as a fundamental cellular process, selective pharmacologic modulators of mitophagy are almost nonexistent. We developed a compound that increases the expression and signaling of the autophagic adaptor molecule P62/SQSTM1 and forces mitochondria into autophagy. The compound, P62-mediated mitophagy inducer (PMI), activates mitophagy without recruiting Parkin or collapsing ΔΨm and retains activity in cells devoid of a fully functional PINK1/Parkin pathway. PMI drives mitochondria to a process of quality control without compromising the bio-energetic competence of the whole network while exposing just those organelles to be recycled. Thus, PMI circumvents the toxicity and some of the nonspecific effects associated with the abrupt dissipation of ΔΨm by ionophores routinely used to induce mitophagy and represents a prototype pharmacological tool to investigate the molecular mechanisms of mitophagy

Short-term effect of non-preserved cationic oil in-water ophthalmic emulsion on tear meniscus parameters of healthy individuals in a prospective, controlled pilot study

Background: This study investigated the effect of instilling a single drop of non-preserved cationic oil-in-water ophthalmic emulsion (Cationorm®) on the lower (LTM) and upper tear meniscus (UTM) parameters of normal eyes. Methods: In this prospective, single-center, non-randomized, controlled pilot study, optical coherence tomography was used to estimate the UTM and LTM height, depth, and cross-sectional area in participants without a history of dry eye disease. In the right eye (study eye), we instilled one drop of Cationorm® in the lower conjunctival sac. Scans of the tear menisci were acquired at baseline, before the instillation, and at 5, 15, and 30 min thereafter. Control scans of the left eye (control eye) were obtained at the same timepoints. The tear meniscus parameters of the study eye were compared with the control eye at each timepoint. Results: Twenty subjects (11 male and 9 female; mean ± standard deviation of age: 37.8 ± 10.9 years) were included in the study. Compared to the control eye, instillation of a single drop of Cationorm® resulted in significantly higher LTM parameter values and a higher UTM cross-sectional area up to 30 min after instillation (all P < 0.05). The UTM height and depth were significantly greater in the study eye than in the control eye up to 5 min (P < 0.001 and 0.007, respectively) and 15-min (P = 0.045, and 0.002, respectively) after Cationorm® instillation. In the study eye, Cationorm® resulted in a significant increase in LTM parameter values up to 30 min post-instillation (all P < 0.001). The UTM height was significantly greater up to 15 min post-instillation than at baseline. The UTM depth and area increased significantly from baseline to 5 min after instillation (P = 0.043, and 0.002, respectively). Conclusions: Cationorm® seems to have a prolonged residence time on the ocular surface of healthy subjects as indicated by LTM parameters and to a lesser extent by UTM parameters

Expression and Localization of Glycosaminoglycans/Proteoglycan in Pterygium: An Immunohistochemical Study

Pterygium is a triangle-shaped fibrovascular hyperplasia of the bulbar conjunctiva on the cornea. The purpose of this study was to analyze Proteoglycans (PGs) by Immunohistochemistry (IHC) in pterygium tissues and to compare the results with normal conjunctiva. Twenty-four patients (14 males) undergoing primary pterygium excision and 17 healthy individuals (10 males), undergoing extracapsular cataract surgery, were included. Pterygium tissues and normal conjunctiva tissues were surgically removed. The tissue sections were fixed in 2% paraformaldehyde and incubated with monoclonal antibodies against PGs anti-mouse IgG. Immunohistochemical study showed stronger expression of keratan sulfate in the stroma of the pterygium compared to normal conjunctiva. An increased expression of heparan sulfate was observed in the epithelial layer and around the pterygium vessels. On the other hand, dermatan sulfate showed an increased expression and localization not only in the sub-epithelial area of the pterygium and normal conjunctiva, yet throughout the stroma of the pterygium. The differences in the expression and localization of the studied extracellular matrix proteoglycans in the pterygium tissue compared to normal conjunctiva may explain the tissue hyperplasia, structure, and the functional properties in pterygium

Microbiology and atmospheric processes: Biological, physical and chemical characterization of aerosol particles

The interest in bioaerosols has traditionally been linked to health hazards for humans, animals and plants. However, several components of bioaerosols exhibit physical properties of great significance for cloud processes, such as ice nucleation and cloud condensation. To gain a better understanding of their influence on climate, it is therefore important to determine the composition, concentration, seasonal fluctuation, regional diversity and evolution of bioaerosols. In this paper, we will review briefly the existing techniques for detection, quantification, physical and chemical analysis of biological particles, attempting to bridge physical, chemical and biological methods for analysis of biological particles and integrate them with aerosol sampling techniques. We will also explore some emerging spectroscopy techniques for bulk and single-particle analysis that have potential for in-situ physical and chemical analysis. Lastly, we will outline open questions and further desired capabilities (e. g., in-situ, sensitive, both broad and selective, on-line, time-resolved, rapid, versatile, cost-effective techniques) required prior to comprehensive understanding of chemical and physical characterization of bioaerosols