A Novel Non-Fullerene D-A Interface with Two Asymmetrical Electron Acceptors Facilitates Charge and Energy Transfer for Effective Carbon Dioxide Reduction.

Converting carbon dioxide (CO2 ) into high-value chemicals using solar energy remains a formidable challenge. In this study, the CSC@PM6:IDT6CN-M:IDT8CN-M non-fullerene small-molecule organic semiconductor is designed with highly efficient electron donor-acceptor (D-A) interface for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 . Atomic Force Microscope and Transmission Electron Microscope images confirmed the formation of an interpenetrating fibrillar network after combination of donor and acceptor. The CO yield from the CSC@PM6:IDT6CN-M:IDT8CN-M reached 1346 µmol g-1  h-1 , surpassing those of numerous reported inorganic photocatalysts. The D-A structure effectively facilitated charge separation to enable electrons transfer from the PM6 to IDT6CN-M:IDT8CN-M. Meanwhile, attributing to the dipole moments of the strong intermolecular interactions between IDT6CN-M and IDT8CN-M, the intermolecular forces are enhanced, and laminar stacking and π-π stacking are strengthened, thereby reinforcing energy transfer between acceptor molecules and significantly enhanced charge separation. Moreover, the strong internal electric field in the D-A interface enhanced the excited state lifetime of PM6:IDT6CN-M:IDT8CN-M. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analysis demonstrated that carboxylate (COOH*) is the predominant intermediate during CO2 reduction, and possible pathways of CO2 reduction to CO are deduced. This study presents a novel approach for designing materials with D-A interface to achieve high photocatalytic activity.

hROS-Responsive Behavior for Long-Term Stability of Cellulosic Gold Nanoclusters.

Understanding the gold core-ligand interaction in gold nanoclusters (GNCs) is essential for the on-demand tailoring of their photoluminescence properties and long-term stability. Here, inspired by the suckers arranged directionally on the tentacles of octopus, a series of GNCs with regulating ligand structures are grown and stabilized on the cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The carboxylated CNCs providing an electron-rich environment to promote the luminescence of GNCs and stabilize it within a long-term of 1 year through anchoring and diluting effects, and the highest quantum yields reaches 31.02% in ultrapure water. Interestingly, this bionic preparation strategy is generally applicable to various ligands for tailoring on-demand hROS-responsive and nonresponsive GNCs to construct tunable-emission wavelength dual GNCs ratiometric probes. The results show that designing a specific ligand structure to inhibit the transformation of Au-Au to Au (I)-ligand in GNCs is crucial to regulate the hROS-responsive characteristics. As expected, the interfacial compatible dual GNCs ratiometric probe with a hROS limit of detection of 0.74 µmol L-1 can diagnose certain diseases through intracellular hROS imaging. This work provides important insights for understanding the gold core-ligand interaction in GNCs during the oxidation process triggered by intracellular hROS.

A Transpiration-Driven Electrokinetic Power Generator with a Salt Pathway for Extended Service Life in Saltwater.

To ensure prolonged functionality of transpiration-driven electrokinetic power generators (TEPGs) in saltwater environments, it is imperative to mitigate salt accumulation. This study presents a salt pathway transpiration-driven electrokinetic power generator (SPTEPG), incorporating MXene, graphene oxide (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as active materials, along with cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as aqueous binders and nonwoven fabrics. This unique combination confers exceptional hydrophilicity and enhances the energy generation performance. When tested with deionized water, the SPTEPG achieved a maximum voltage of 0.6 V and a current of 4.2 µA. In simulated seawater conditions, the presence of conductive ions in the solution boosted these values to 0.64 V and 42 µA. The incorporation of the salt pathway mechanism facilitates the return of excess salt deposits to the bulk solution, thus extending the SPTEPG's service life in saltwater environments. This research offers a straightforward yet effective strategy for designing transpiration-driven power generators suitable for saline water applications.

Effects of additive on formation and electron transfer capacity of humic substances derived from silkworm-excrement compost during composting.

Amending biochar or MnO2 is a common strategy to regulate humification during manure composting. However, how these additives affect the formation, spectrum characteristics (UV-vis, FTIR, EEM) of humic substances (HSs) in silkworm-excrement (SE) compost and their electron transfer capacities (ETC) remains unclear. Thus, the SE composting pilot separately added with 10% corncob biochar (CB) (w/w) and 0.5% MnO2 (w/w) was run to investigate the effects. The results revealed that adding 10% CB slightly affected the HA/FA (humic acids/fulvic acids) ratios, UV-vis and FTIR spectra of the final SE-compost HSs and EEM components in the FA, but remarkably improved fulvic-like (C1)/quinone-like (C3) substances and reduced humic-like (C2)/protein-like substances (C4) in the HA. Meanwhile, 0.5% MnO2 had a noticeable positive effect on the aromatization of SE-compost FA and HA but only weak impact on SUVAs and EEM components in these HSs except C4 in the FA. Moreover, 10% CB obviously reduced EAC/EDC of FA and HA in the final SE compost by 31.1%/22.0% and 19.7%/24.0%, while MnO2 improved EDC of these HSs by 6.5%/9.1% (FA/HA). These results showed MnO2 can be used as a useful amendment to enhance the promotion effect of SE-compost HA in the soil remediation other than CB. Further investigation is suggested to focus on the effects of adding MnO2 on SE-compost HSs enhancing soil remediation and its effect on ETC derived from other manure compost.

Effects of Hydrophobic Biochar-Modified Landfill Soil Cover on Methane Oxidation.

Landfill cover soils play an important role in mitigating landfill methane (CH4) emissions. Incorporating biochar into the soil has proven effective in reducing CH4 emissions. However, the role of hydrophobic biochar in this context remains underexplored. This study investigated the CH4 removal efficiency of a biochar-modified landfill soil cover column (RB) and hydrophobic biochar-modified landfill soil cover column (RH) under varying CH4 influx gas concentrations (25 and 35%), simulated CH4 inflow rates (10, 15, and 20 ml/min), and temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 °C). RH consistently outperformed RB in terms of CH4 removal efficiency under these experimental conditions. The optimal conditions for CH4 degradation by both RB and RH were observed at a CH4 influx gas concentration of 35%, a simulated CH4 inflow rate of 10 ml/min, and a temperature of ~30 °C. RH achieved a CH4 removal rate of up to 99.96%. In summary, the addition of hydrophobic biochar enhanced the air permeability and hydrophobicity of landfill cover soils, providing a promising alternative to conventional cover soils for reducing CH4 emissions from landfills.

Long-Term Strategies for Poorly Water-Soluble Peptides: Combining Fatty Acid Modification with PAS Fusion.

Bulevirtide, an entry inhibitor for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV), is currently available on the European market. However, its clinical application is constrained by its short half-life and poor water solubility, rendering it unsuitable for fatty acid modification, aimed at achieving long-term effects. To address this limitation, we integrated a polypeptide chain consisting of Pro, Ala, and Ser at the C-terminus, which increased its hydrophilicity. To obtain the fusion sequence of A1 and A2, encompassing amino acids 1-47 of Bulevirtide and PAS, we used Escherichia coli fermentation expression. Subsequently, the N-terminal myristoyl groups of A1 and A2 were modified to yield Myr-A1 and Myr-A2, respectively. Five fatty acid moieties with the same hydrophilic spacers and different fatty acids were conjugated to analogs, generating 10 bioconjugations. The bioconjugates were then evaluated for their anti-HBV activity. Among them, HB-10 was selected for pharmacokinetic analysis and demonstrated a significantly prolonged half-life, with 5.88- and 13.18-fold increases in beagle dogs and rats, respectively. Additionally, higher drug doses resulted in substantially elevated liver concentrations. In conclusion, via fatty acid incorporation and PASylation, we successfully developed a novel Bulevirtide bioconjugate, HB-10, that exhibits an extended action duration. This compound holds substantial promise as a prospective long-acting entry inhibitor, warranting further investigation.

Direct start-up of aerobic granular sludge system with dewatered sludge granular particles as inoculant.

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a promising technology for engineering applications in the biological treatment of sewage. New objective is to skip the conventional granulation step to integrate it into a continuous-flow reactor directly. This study proposed a method for integrating spherical pelletizing granular sludge (SPGS) into a new patented aerobic granular sludge bed (AGSB), a continuous up-flow reactor. AGSB system could be startup directly, and after 120 days of operation, the SPGS maintained a relatively intact spherical structure and stability. With an initial high chemical oxygen demand (COD) volume loading of over 2.0 kg/(m3·d), this system achieved the desired effect as the same as a mature AGS system. The final mixed liquid suspended solids, and the ratio of 30 min-5 min sludge volume index (SVI30/SVI5) were 20,000 mg/L, and 0.84, respectively. Although hydraulic elution and filamentous bacteria (FBs) had a slightly negative impact on initial phase pollutant removal, the final removal rates for COD, total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-H), and total phosphorus (TP) were 90%, 70%, 95%, and 85%, respectively. The presence of specific functional microorganisms promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), from 90.65 to 209.78 mg/gVSS. The maturation process of SPGS altered the microbial community structures and reduced the species abundance of microbes in sludge.

Visible-light photocatalytic degradation of water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol in aqueous solution by Cu2O@TiO2: Optimization of conditions, mechanisms and toxicity analysis.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a water-soluble synthetic polymer, is one of the most prevalent non-native polyvinyl alcohols found in the environment. Due to its inherent invisibility, its potential for causing severe environmental pollution is often underestimated. To achieve efficient degradation of PVA in wastewater, a Cu2O@TiO2 composite was synthesized through the modification of titanium dioxide with cuprous oxide, and its photocatalytic degradation of PVA was investigated. The Cu2O@TiO2 composite, supported by titanium dioxide, facilitated photocarrier separation and demonstrated high photocatalytic efficiency. Under alkaline conditions, the composite exhibited a 98% degradation efficiency for PVA solutions and a 58.7% PVA mineralization efficiency. Radical capture experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analyses revealed that superoxide radicals primarily drive the degradation process within the reaction system. Throughout the degradation process, PVA macromolecules are broken down into smaller molecules, including ethanol, and compounds containing aldehyde, ketone, and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although the intermediate products exhibit reduced toxicity compared to PVA, they still pose certain toxic hazards. Consequently, further research is necessary to minimize the environmental impact of these degradation products.

Functional Bimetal/Carbon Composites Co/Zr@AC for Pesticide Atrazine Removal from Water.

Atrazine is a toxic and refractory herbicide that poses threats to human health and the ecological environment. In order to efficiently remove atrazine from water, a novel material, Co/Zr@AC, was developed. This novel material is prepared by loading two metal elements, cobalt and zirconium, onto activated carbon (AC) through solution impregnation and high-temperature calcination. The morphology and structure of the modified material were characterized, and its ability to remove atrazine was evaluated. The results showed that Co/Zr@AC had a large specific surface area and formed new adsorption functional groups when the mass fraction ratio of Co2+:Zr4+ in the impregnating solution was 1:2, the immersion time was 5.0 h, the calcination temperature was 500 °C, and the calcination time was 4.0 h. During the adsorption experiment on 10 mg/L atrazine, the maximum adsorption capacity of Co/Zr@AC was shown to be 112.75 mg/g and the maximum removal rate was shown to be 97.5% after 90 min of the reaction at a solution pH of 4.0, temperature of 25 °C, and Co/Zr@AC concentration of 60.0 mg/L. In the kinetic study, the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.999). The fitting effects of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were excellent, indicating that the process of Co/Zr@AC adsorbing atrazine also conformed to two isotherm models, so the adsorption of atrazine by Co/Zr@AC had multiple effects including chemical adsorption, mono-molecular layer adsorption, and multi-molecular layer adsorption. After five experimental cycles, the atrazine removal rate was 93.9%, indicating that Co/Zr@AC is stable in water and is an excellent novel material that can be used repeatedly.

Biofilm response and removal via the coupling of visible-light-driven photocatalysis and biodegradation in an environment of sulfamethoxazole and Cr(VI).

The widespread contamination of water systems with antibiotics and heavy metals has gained much attention. Intimately coupled visible -light-responsive photocatalysis and biodegradation (ICPB) provides a novel approach for removing such mixed pollutants. In ICPB, the photocatalysis products are biodegraded by a protected biofilm, leading to the mineralization of refractory organics. In the present study, the ICPB approach exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and biodegradation, providing up to ∼1.27 times the degradation rate of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and 1.16 times the Cr(VI) reduction rate of visible-light-induced photocatalysis . Three-dimensional fluorescence analysis demonstrated the synergistic ICPB effects of photocatalysis and biodegradation for removing SMX and reducing Cr(VI). In addition, the toxicity of the SMX intermediates and Cr(VI) in the ICPB process significantly decreased. The use of MoS2/CoS2 photocatalyst accelerated the separation of electrons and holes, with•O2- and h+ attacking SMX and e- reducing Cr(VI), providing an effective means for enhancing the removal and mineralization of these mixed pollutants via the ICPB technique. The microbial community results demonstrate that bacteria that are conducive to pollutant removal are were enriched by the acclimation and ICPB operation processes, thus significantly improving the performance of the ICPB system.

3D-Stretched Film Ni3 S2 Nanosheet/Macromolecule Anthraquinone Derivative Polymers for Electrocatalytic Overall Water Splitting.

For the first time, a new polymer electrode AQS/S is prepared by compositing Ni3 S2 nanosheets and macromolecular anthraquinone derivative (AQD) supported on nickel foam with flying colors. The AQS/S exhibits high crystalline structure and abundant S defects. Density of state calculation shows that AQD has stable internal bonding and easy external bonding with metals, conducive to the dispersion of metal reaction sites, ensuring excellent activity and high stability. Under 1.0 m KOH solution, ultralow overpotentials of 62 and 133 mV at 10 mA cm-2 on AQS/S for hydrogen evolution reaction and on activated AQS/S (A-AQS/S) for oxygen evolution reaction, respectively, are achieved. 100 h chronopotentiometry and the cyclic voltammetry tests show that catalysts have high durability. The AQS/S‖A-AQS/S two-electrode system is also found to have good electrocatalytic activity for 1.43 V to get 10 mA cm-2  in overall water splitting, better than the state-of-the-art 20% Pt/C‖RuO2 combination.

Degradation of chlorine dioxide bleaching wastewater and response of bacterial community in the intimately coupled system of visible-light photocatalysis and biodegradation.

Intimate coupling of visible-light photocatalysis and biodegradation (ICPB) offers potential for degrading chlorine dioxide bleaching wastewater. In this study, we reported a TiO2-coated sponge biofilm carrier with significant adhesion of TiO2 and the ability to accumulate biomass in its interior. Four mechanisms possibly acting in ICPB were tested separately: adsorption of chlorine dioxide bleaching wastewater to the carrier, photolysis, photocatalysis, and biodegradation by the biofilm inside the carrier. The carrier had an adsorption capacity of 17% and 16% for CODcr and AOX, respectively, in the wastewater. The photodegradation rate of wastewater was very low and could be ignored. Both biodegradation (AOX 30.1%, CODcr 33.8%, DOC 26.2%) and photocatalysis (AOX 65.1%, CODcr 71.2%, DOC 62.3%) possessed a certain degradation efficiency of wastewater. However, the removal rate of AOX, CODcr, and DOC in wastewater treatment by protocol ICPB reached 80.3%, 90.5%, and 86.7%. FT-IR and GC-MS analysis showed that the ICPB system had photocatalytic activity on the surface of the porous carrier in vitro, which could transform organic into small molecules for microbial utilization or complete mineralization. Moreover, the biofilm in the interior of the TiO2-coated sponge carrier could mineralize the photocatalytic products, which enhanced the removal of AOX, CODcr, and DOC by more than 15.2%, 20.0%, and 24.0%, respectively. The biofilm in the carrier of the ICPB system evolved, enriched in Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, microorganisms known to play active roles in the biodegradation of papermaking wastewater.

Structural Design of a Cellulose-Based Solid Amine Adsorbent for the Complete Removal and Colorimetric Detection of Cr(VI).

A cellulose-based solid amine adsorbent (MCC/TEPAA) with high amino density for the detection and removal of Cr(VI) was designed and prepared through using epichlorohydrin cross-linking with MCC (microcrystalline cellulose) and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA). The structure and amino density of the cellulose-based solid amine adsorbents could be tailored by adjusting the structure of the amines (triethylenetetramine or diethylenetriamine). The as-prepared cellulose-based solid amine adsorbents could detect and completely remove Cr(VI) from water, and the concentration of Cr(VI) solution after adsorption met the standard concentration of Cr(VI) solution for drinking water (0.05 mg/L). In particular, the MCC/TEPAA, supported by MCC with porosity as a framework, promoted the adsorption rate (adsorption equilibrium within only 10 min), removal rate (100%) of Cr(VI), and adsorption capacity (327.72 mg/g). In addition, the limit of colorimetric detection of Cr(VI) by MCC/TEPAA was 0.5 mg/L at 20 min when other interfering heavy metal ions exist. The adsorption and colorimetric detection mechanism of Cr(VI) on MCC/TEPAA was proposed to include electrostatic interactions, chelating reactions, and oxidation-reduction reactions, all of which contributed to the excellent adsorption and detection performance.

Efficacy of 50 Hz electromagnetic fields on human epidermal stem cell transplantation seeded in collagen sponge scaffolds for wound healing in a murine model.

To explore the possible efficacy of electromagnetic fields (EMF) for skin tissue engineering, effects of EMF exposure on epidermal stem cells (ESC) seeded in collagen sponge scaffolds for wound healing in a murine model were investigated. The wound models of a full-thickness defect established with 36 7 ∼ 8-week-old nude mice were randomly divided into three groups: a control group, an ESC-only group, and an ESC with EMF exposure group (frequency of 50 Hz, magnetic induction of 5 mT, 60 min per day for 20 days). ESC were separated from human foreskin and cultured in vitro, and then transplanted with collagen sponge scaffolds as a delivery vehicle to wounds of the ESC-only group, and ESC with EMF exposure group was exposed to EMF after ESC transplantation. Effects of EMF on morphological changes and expression of ß1 integrin in regenerated skins were observed. Wound healing rates and healing times were collected to evaluate the efficacy of repairment. Results showed that human ESC were successfully transplanted to nude mice, which facilitated the formation of intact skin on nude mice. In contrast to other groups, the wound healing of ESC with EMF exposure group was the fastest (P < 0.05), the structure of regenerated skins was more mature, and it contained more continuity in the number of viable cell layers and rich hair follicles' structure. These results suggest that the use of 50 Hz EMF as a non-invasive treatment can accelerate wound healing of ESC transplantation, and restore structural integrity of regenerated skin. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:204-212,2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

RNA Interference Protects Against 5-Lipoxygenase-Induced Cocarcinogen, Benzidine, Oxidation and Cytotoxicity in Human Tracheobronchial Epithelial Cells.

Lipoxygenase (LOX)-catalyzed cooxidation of the human carcinogen benzidine (BZD) has been shown in in vitro enzyme systems. This study aimed to determine whether BZD could be activated by arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) in the human tracheobronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) using RNA interference strategy and a 5-LOX-specific inhibitor, AA861. We show that the soybean LOX catalyzed the cooxidation of BZD, generating BZD diimine. Benzidine induced expression of ALOX5 messenger RNA and 5-LOX protein in HBECs, and significantly decreased cell proliferation, but enhanced DNA damage and apoptosis in HBECs which were significantly inhibited by lentiviral-mediated small hairpin RNA-knockdown of ALOX5 and by AA861. Thus, BZD could upregulate the expression of ALOX5 in HBECs, while inhibition of the protein or gene expression or enzyme activity could prevent BZD-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage in HBECs, which might be caused by the 5-LOX-catalyzed oxidative activation of BZD.

Synthesis of amino-functionalized nanocellulose by guanidine based deep eutectic solvent and its application in fine fibers retention.

A guanidine-based Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) consisting of 1,3-diaminoguanidine monohydrochloride and glycerol was utilized to prepare C-CNC from dissolving pulp. The pulp fibers were oxidized to dialdehyde cellulose by periodate, then fibrillated through the hydrogen bonds shear of DES and aminocationized through Schiff base effect of the amino groups in the DES solvent to obtain C-CNC. The results revealed that the characterization of the DES (such as viscosity, polarity, and pH) was related to the molar ratio of glycerol/guanidine-salts. The hydrogen bond network structure of DES solvent with optimal system was simulated by DFT and its damage to fiber hydrogen bond network was predicted. The C-CNC produced under the optimal reaction conditions (molar ratio of 1:2, 90 °C for 2 h) was highly dispersible with an average length and diameter of 85 ± 35 nm and 5.0 ± 1.2 nm, a charge density of 2.916 mol/g. C-CNC exhibited excellent flocculation when added to fine fiber suspensions of chemomechanical slurries, achieving rapid flocculation and settling onto fibers in <1 min. The DES solvent maintained its reactivity after 5 cycles. This study lays the foundation for the batch preparation of nanocellulose in an environmentally friendly manner and its application as a green additive in paper industry.

A time-multiplexed self-erasing nanopaper for water induced information transmission.

The progressive presentation of multilevel information enhances the security level of information storage and transmission. Here, a time-multiplexed self-erasing nanopaper was developed by integrating cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-stabilized gold nanoclusters and CNF-modified long afterglow materials. The orange fluorescence of gold nanoclusters on nanopaper was regulated by the reversible swelling and shrinking of CNF induced by water solution, while the cyan fluorescence of micron-long afterglow remained stable and acted as the background signal. It was noteworthy that the fluorescence colour and intensity of the nanopaper could be freely adjusted between orange and cyan on the time scale. Therefore, the array information on the nanopaper could be encoded by a water solution, iterated variation as the step-by-step solvent volatilized on the time scale measured by the time of the afterglow duration. This work provides a new approach for constructing time-multiplexed self-erasing nanopaper for confidential information storage and transmission.

A cellulosic multi-bands fluorescence probe for rapid detection of pH and glutathione.

The detection of pH and glutathione (GSH) is positively significant for the cell microenvironment imaging. Here, to assess the pH value and the concentration of GSH efficiently and visually, a cellulose-based multi-bands ratiometric fluorescence probe was designed by assembling MnO2-modified cellulose gold nanoclusters, fluorescein isothiocyanate-grafted cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and protoporphyrin IX-modified CNCs. The probe exhibits GSH-responsive, pH-sensitive and GSH/pH-independent fluorescent properties at 440 nm, 520 nm, and 633 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the probe identifies GSH within 4 s by degrading MnO2 into Mn2+ in response to GSH. Ingeniously, the green fluorescence of the probe at 520 nm was decreased with pH, and the red fluorescence at 633 nm remained stable. Therefore, the probe displayed distinguishing fluorescence colors from pink to blue and from green to blue for the synchronous detection of pH and GSH concentration within 4 s. The design strategy provides insights to construct multi-bands fluorescence probes for the rapid detection of multiple target analytes.

Preparation and characterization of cellulose nanofibril/chitosan aerogels with high-adsorbability and sensitive indication for indoor free formaldehyde.

The toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), especially formaldehyde (FA), released from decoration materials pose a great threat to human health. In this study, formaldehyde adsorption performance of the specially formulated nanocellulose/chitosan aerogel (CNFCA) was investigated in simulated atmosphere. The physicochemical property of the composite aerogel was characterized, which had a large specific surface area (153.67 m2/g), a rough surface and an ultra-thin and porous structure. The composite aerogel showed excellent adsorption capacity for the formaldehyde, its theoretical maximum adsorption capacity was as high as 83.89 mg/g, and the adsorption process was more in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetics. The chromogenic reaction between the 4-amino-3-benzo-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazolium (AHMT) and CNFCA was found that the color of the composite aerogel was depended on the free formaldehyde concentration. Based on this phenomenon, a colorimetric card was proposed and built to detection the formaldehyde in the atmosphere. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism research was found that the CNFCA with a multilayer structure belonged to physicochemical complex adsorption.

New breakthrough in rapid degradation of lignin derivative compounds · A novel high stable and reusable green organic photocatalyst.

The pulp and paper sectors are thriving yet pose significant environmental threats to water bodies, mainly due to the substantial release of pollutants. Lignin-derived compounds are among the most problematic of these contaminants. To address this issue, we present our initial results on utilizing organic semiconductor photocatalysis under visible light for treating lignin-derived compounds. Our investigation has been centered around creating a green and cost-effective organic semiconductor photocatalyst. This catalyst is designed using a structure of bagasse cellulose spheres to support PM6 (poly[(2,6-(4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)-4-fluorothiophen-2-yl)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene))-co-(1,3-di(5-thiophene-2-yl)-5,7-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c']dithiophene-4,8-dione))]: MeIC (3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-cyclopentane-1,3-dione[c]-1-methyl-thiophe))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2',3'-d']-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b']-dithiophene)). This photocatalyst demonstrates remarkable efficiency, achieving over 91 % degradation of lignin-derived compounds. The superior photocatalytic performance is attributed to three main factors: (1) The ability of PM6 to broaden MeIC's absorption range from 300 to 800 nm, allowing for effective utilization of visible light; (2) the synergistic interaction between PM6 and MeIC, which ensures compatible energy levels and a vast, evenly spread surface area, promoting charge mobility and extensive donor/acceptor interfaces. This synergy significantly enhances the generation and transport of carriers, resulting in a high production of free radicals that accelerate the decomposition of organic materials; (3) The deployment of PM6:MeIC on biomass-based carriers increases the interaction surface with the organic substances. Notably, PM6: MeIC showcases outstanding durability, with its degradation efficiency remaining between 84 % and 91 % across 100 cycles. This study presents a promising approach for designing advanced photocatalysts aimed at degrading common pollutants in papermaking wastewater.