Preparation of Green Biosorbent using Rice Hull to Preconcentrate, Remove and Recover Heavy Metal and Other Metal Elements from Water

Sodium hydroxide treated rice hulls were investigated to preconcentrate, remove, and recover metal ions including Be2+, Al3+, Cr3+, CO2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Sr2+, Ag+, Cd2+, Ba2+, and Pb2+ in both batch mode and column mode. Sodium hydroxide treatment significantly improved the removal efficiency for all metal ions of interest compared to the untreated rice hull. The removal kinetics were extremely fast for Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, and Ba, which made the treated rice hull a promising economic green adsorbent to preconcentrate, remove, and recover low-level metal ions in column mode at relatively high throughput. The principal removal mechanism is believed to be the electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged rice hulls and the positively charged metal ions. pH had a drastic impact on the removal for different metal ions and a pH of 5 worked best for most of the metal ions of interest. Processed rice hulls provide an economic alternative to costly resins that are currently commercially available products designed for metal ion preconcentration for trace metal analysis, and more importantly, for toxic heavy metal removal and recovery from the environment

PNet—A Deep Learning Based Photometry and Astrometry Bayesian Framework

Time-domain astronomy has emerged as a vibrant research field in recent years, focusing on celestial objects that exhibit variable magnitudes or positions. Given the urgency of conducting follow-up observations for such objects, the development of an algorithm capable of detecting them and determining their magnitudes and positions has become imperative. Leveraging the advancements in deep neural networks, we present PNet, an end-to-end framework designed not only to detect celestial objects and extract their magnitudes and positions, but also to estimate the photometric uncertainty. PNet comprises two essential steps. First, it detects stars and retrieves their positions, magnitudes, and calibrated magnitudes. Subsequently, in the second phase, PNet estimates the uncertainty associated with the photometry results, serving as a valuable reference for the light-curve classification algorithm. Our algorithm has been tested using both simulated and real observation data, demonstrating the ability of PNet to deliver consistent and reliable outcomes. Integration of PNet into data-processing pipelines for time-domain astronomy holds significant potential for enhancing response speed and improving the detection capabilities for celestial objects with variable positions and magnitudes

Disinfection of Swine Wastewater Using Chlorine, Ultraviolet Light and Ozone

Veterinary antibiotics are widely used at concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to prevent disease and promote growth of livestock. However, the majority of antibiotics are excreted from animals in urine, feces, and manure. Consequently, the lagoons used to store these wastes can act as reservoirs of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. There is currently no regulation or control of these systems to prevent the spread of these bacteria and their genes for antibiotic resistance into other environments. This study was conducted to determine the disinfection potential of chlorine, ultraviolet light and ozone against swine lagoon bacteria. Results indicate that a chlorine dose of 30 mg/L could achieve a 2.2-3.4 log bacteria reduction in lagoon samples. However, increasing the dose of chlorine did not significantly enhance the disinfection activity due to the presence of chlorine-resistant bacteria. The chlorine resistant bacteria were identified to be closely related to Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis. A significant percentage of lagoon bacteria were not susceptible to the four selected antibiotics: chlortetracycline, lincomycin, sulfamethazine and tetracycline (TET). However, the presence of both chlorine and TET could inactivate all bacteria in one lagoon sample. The disinfection potential of UV irradiation and ozone was also examined. Ultraviolet light was an effective bacterial disinfectant, but was unlikely to be economically viable due to its high energy requirements. At an ozone dose of 100 mg/L, the bacteria inactivation efficiency could reach 3.3−3.9 log

VUV/UV light inducing accelerated phenol degradation with a low electric input

This study presents the first evidence for the accelerated degradation of phenol by Fenton's reagent in a minifluidic VUV/UV photoreaction system (MVPS). A low-pressure mercury lamp used in the MVPS led to a complete degradation of phenol within 4-6 min. The HO center dot and HO2 center dot originating from both Fenton's reagent and VUV photolysis of water were identified with suitable radical scavengers. The effects of initial concentrations of phenol, H2O2 and Fe3+ as well as solution pH on phenol degradation kinetics were examined. Increasing the initial phenol concentration slowed down the phenol degradation, whereas increasing the initial H2O2 or Fe3+ concentration accelerated the phenol degradation. The optimal solution pH was 3.7. At both 254 and 185 nm, increasing phenol concentration enhanced its absorption for the incident photons. The reaction mechanism for the degradation of phenol was suggested consistent with the results obtained. This study indicates that the VUV/UV photo-Fenton process has potential applications in the treatment of industrial wastewater containing phenol and related aromatic pollutants

Accelerated methylene blue (MB) degradation by Fenton reagent exposed to UV or VUV/UV light in an innovative micro photo-reactor

This study presents the accelerated discoloration/degradation of methylene blue (MB) in solution by Fenton reagent under exposure to ultraviolet (UV) or Vacuum-UV/UV (VUV/UV) light in an innovative micro photo-reactor. The MB degradation was kinetically faster when using VUV/UV light at 254/185 nm compared to UV-irradiation at 254 nm. Oxidative radicals produced by the photo-Fenton process were identified with appropriate scavengers. The addition of benzoquinone (BQ) at millimolar (mM) concentrations to MB solutions precluded completely the MB photo-induced bleaching, while tert-butanol hindered to a lesser extent the MB degradation suggesting that HO2 center dot was the predominant intermediate leading to MB degradation. The VUV/UV micro photo-reactor comprised mercury resonance lines at 185 and 254 nm. The photon percentages absorbed by water were estimated to be 16.8% at 254nm and 78.3% at 185 nm by water, while those absorbed by H2O2 were 0.9% and 2.2%, correspondingly. The solution parameters affecting the features of MB degradation, such as MB, Fe, and H2O2 concentrations, were explored and reaction mechanism was proposed. The lifetimes of (OH)-O-center dot and HO2 center dot were estimated to be 2 ns and 0.38 s under an optimized solution with 0.016 mM MB, 0.147 mM H2O2 and 0.05 mM Fe3+. Moreover, an estimation of the mean free paths of these radicals in solution provided the evidence that it was the radical lifetimes and mean-free paths, not their oxidation potentials that controlled the MB degradation kinetics. This study shows the potential of this VUV/UV assistant photo-Fenton process for the degradation of diluted organic compounds in aqueous solution. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

ROS scavenging and ion homeostasis is required for the adaptation of halophyte Karelinia caspia to high salinity

The halophyte Karelinia caspia has not only fodder and medical value but also can remediate saline-alkali soils. Our previous study showed that salt-secreting by salt glands is one of main adaptive strategies of K. caspia under high salinity. However, ROS scavenging, ion homeostasis, and photosynthetic characteristics responses to high salinity remain unclear in K. caspia. Here, physio-biochemical responses and gene expression associated with ROS scavenging and ions transport were tested in K. caspia subjected to 100–400 mM NaCl for 7 days. Results showed that both antioxidant enzymes (SOD, APX) activities and non-enzymatic antioxidants (chlorogenic acid, α-tocopherol, flavonoids, polyamines) contents were significantly enhanced, accompanied by up-regulating the related enzyme and non-enzymatic antioxidant synthesis gene (KcCu/Zn-SOD, KcAPX6, KcHCT, KcHPT1, Kcγ-TMT, KcF3H, KcSAMS and KcSMS) expression with increasing concentrations of NaCl. These responses are beneficial for removing excess ROS to maintain a stable level of H(2)O(2) and O(2)(−) without lipid peroxidation in the K. caspia response to high salt. Meanwhile, up-regulating expression of KcSOS1/2/3, KcNHX1, and KcAVP was linked to Na(+) compartmentalization into vacuoles or excretion through salt glands in K. caspia. Notably, salt can improve the function of PSII that facilitate net photosynthetic rates, which is helpful to growing normally in high saline. Overall, the findings suggested that ROS scavenging systems and Na(+)/K(+) transport synergistically contributed to redox equilibrium, ion homeostasis, and the enhancement of PSII function, thereby conferring high salt tolerance

Cyclodepsipeptide Toxin Promotes the Degradation of Hsp90 Client Proteins through Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy

Promoting the degradation of Hsp90 client proteins by inhibiting Hsp90, an important protein chaperone, has been shown to be a promising new anticancer strategy. In this study, we show that an oxazoline analogue of apratoxin A (oz-apraA), a cyclodepsipeptide isolated from a marine cyanobacterium, promotes the degradation of Hsp90 clients through chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). We identify a KFERQ-like motif as a conserved pentapeptide sequence in the kinase domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) necessary for recognition as a CMA substrate. Mutation of this motif prevents EGFR degradation by CMA and promotes the degradation of EGFR through the proteasomal pathway in oz-apraA–treated cells. Oz-apraA binds to Hsc70/Hsp70. We propose that apratoxin A inhibits Hsp90 function by stabilizing the interaction of Hsp90 client proteins with Hsc70/Hsp70 and thus prevents their interactions with Hsp90. Our study provides the first examples for the ability of CMA to mediate degradation of membrane receptors and cross talks of CMA and proteasomal degradation mechanisms

Identification of fungal pathogens to control postharvest passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) decays and multi-omics comparative pathway analysis reveals purple is more resistant to pathogens than a yellow cultivar

Production of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is restricted by postharvest decay, which limits the storage period. We isolated, identified, and characterized fungal pathogens causing decay in two passion fruit cultivars during two fruit seasons in China. Morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequences of ITS-rDNA regions identified eighteen isolates, which were pathogenic on yellow and purple fruit. Fusarium kyushuense, Fusarium concentricum, Colletotrichum truncatum, and Alternaria alternata were the most aggressive species. Visible inspections and comparative analysis of the disease incidences demonstrated that wounded and non-wounded yellow fruit were more susceptible to the pathogens than the purple fruit. Purple cultivar showed higher expression levels of defense-related genes through expression and metabolic profiling, as well as significantly higher levels of their biosynthesis pathways. We also found fungi with potential beneficial features for the quality of fruits. Our transcriptomic and metabolomics data provide a basis to identify potential targets to improve the pathogen resistance of the susceptible yellow cultivar. The identified fungi and affected features of the fruit of both cultivars provide important information for the control of pathogens in passion fruit industry and postharvest storage