Boosting exciton dissociation and charge transfer in CsPbBr3 QDs via ferrocene derivative ligation for CO2 photoreduction.

Photo-catalytic CO2 reduction with perovskite quantum dots (QDs) shows potential for solar energy storage, but it encounters challenges due to the intricate multi-electron photoreduction processes and thermodynamic and kinetic obstacles associated with them. This study aimed to improve photo-catalytic performance by addressing surface barriers and utilizing multiple-exciton generation in perovskite QDs. A facile surface engineering method was employed, involving the grafting of ferrocene carboxylic acid (FCA) onto CsPbBr3 (CPB) QDs, to overcome limitations arising from restricted multiple-exciton dissociation and inefficient charge transfer dynamics. Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy and XPS spectral confirmed successfully creating an FCA-modulated microelectric field through the Cs active site, thus facilitating electron transfer, disrupting surface barrier energy, and promoting multi-exciton dissociations. Transient absorption spectroscopy showed enhanced charge transfer and reduced energy barriers, resulting in an impressive CO2-to-CO conversion rate of 132.8 µmol g-1 h-1 with 96.5% selectivity. The CPB-FCA catalyst exhibited four-cycle reusability and 72 h of long-term stability, marking a significant nine-fold improvement compared to pristine CPB (14.4 µmol g-1 h-1). These results provide insights into the influential role of FCA in regulating intramolecular charge transfer, enhancing multi-exciton dissociation, and improving CO2 photoreduction on CPB QDs. Furthermore, these findings offer valuable knowledge for controlling quantum-confined exciton dissociation to enhance CO2 photocatalysis.

Nitrogen-Doped Biochar for Enhanced Peroxymonosulfate Activation to Degrade Phenol through Both Free Radical and Direct Oxidation Based on Electron Transfer Pathways.

Nowadays, super nitrogen-doped biochar (SNBC) material has become one of the most promising metal-free catalysts for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade organic pollutants. To understand the evolution of SNBC properties with fabrication conditions, a variety of SNBC materials were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. We systematically investigated the activation potential of these SNBC materials for PMS to degrade phenol. SN1BC-800 with the best catalytic performance was obtained by changing the activation temperatures and the ratio of biochar to melamine. The effects of catalyst dosage, the PMS concentration, pH, and reaction temperature on phenol degradation were studied in detail. In the presence of 0.3 g/L SN1BC-800 and 1 g/L PMS, the removal rate of 20 mg/L phenol could reach 100% within 5 min. According to electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and free radical quenching experiments, a nonfree radical pathway of phenol degradation dominated by 1O2 and electron transfer was proposed. More interestingly, the excellent catalytic performance of the SN1BC-800/PMS system is universally applicable in the degradation of other typical organic pollutants. In addition, the degradation rate of phenol is still over 80% after five reuses, which shows that the SN1BC-800 catalyst has high stability and good application prospects in environmental remediation.

The Status of Representative Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Since the invention of lithium-ion batteries as a rechargeable energy storage system, it has uncommonly promoted the development of society. It has a wide variety of applications in electronic equipment, electric automobiles, hybrid vehicles, and aerospace. As an indispensable component of lithium-ion batteries, anode materials play an essential role in the electrochemical characteristics of lithium-ion batteries. In this review, we described the development from lithium-metal batteries to lithium-ion batteries in detail on the time axis as the first step; This was followed by an introduction to several commonly used anode materials, including graphite, silicon, and transition metal oxide with discussions the charge-discharge mechanism, challenges and corresponding strategies, and a collation of recent interesting work; Finally, three anode materials are summarized and prospected. Hopefully, this review can serve both the newcomers and the predecessors in the field.

Targeting m6A binding protein YTHDFs for cancer therapy.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common mRNA modification in mammalians. The function and dynamic regulation of m6A depends on the "writer", "readers" and "erasers". YT521-B homology domain family (YTHDF) is a class of m6A binding proteins, including YTHDF1, YTHDF2 and YTHDF3. In recent years, the modification of m6A and the molecular mechanism of YTHDFs have been further understood. Growing evidence has shown that YTHDFs participate in multifarious bioprocesses, particularly tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarized the structural characteristics of YTHDFs, the regulation of mRNA by YTHDFs, the role of YTHDF proteins in human cancers and inhibition of YTHDFs.

Fermentative bioconversion of food waste into biopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) using Cupriavidus necator.

Dependency on plastic commodities has led to a recurrent increase in their global production every year. Conventionally, plastic products are derived from fossil fuels, leading to severe environmental concerns. The recent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has triggered an increase in medical waste. Conversely, it has disrupted the supply chain of personal protective equipment (PPE). Valorisation of food waste was performed to cultivate C. necator for fermentative production of biopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). The increase in biomass, PHBV yield and molar 3-hydroxy valerate (3HV) content was estimated after feeding volatile fatty acids. The fed-batch fermentation strategy reported in this study produced 15.65 ± 0.14 g/L of biomass with 5.32 g/L of PHBV with 50% molar 3HV content. This is a crucial finding, as molar concentration of 3HV can be modulated to suit the specification of biopolymer (film or fabric). The strategy applied in this study addresses the issue of global food waste burden and subsequently generates biopolymer PHBV, turning waste to wealth.

How Serratia marcescens HB-4 absorbs cadmium and its implication on phytoremediation.

A novel strain Serratia marcescens HB-4 with high Cadmium adsorption capacity was isolated from heavy metal contaminated soil in Hunan province, China. S. marcescens HB-4 reduced the concentration of Cd present in wastewater to less than 0.1 mg/L when the inlet stream contained no higher than 5.0 mg/L Cd. After treatment, wastewater meets Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard of China (GB8978-1996). The naturally dead S. marcescens HB-4 still maintained over 80% of its Cd adsorption capacity. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) results suggested that the mechanism of Cd adsorption can be explained as the synergy of extracellular adsorption, periplasm accumulation and intracellular absorption. The size of the accumulated Cd particular is at the nanometer scale, which can be washed out by EDTA without damaging cell integrity. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis experiment showed that the heavy metal binding protein (especially Fe binding protein), transporter, amino acid and histidine periplasmic binding proteins and oxidoreductases were responsible for Cd removal. The pot experiment of S. marcescens HB-4 combined with Houttuynia cordata to detoxify Cd contaminated soil showed that the cadmium content in the aboveground and underground parts of Houttuynia cordata increased by 34.48% and 59.13% (w/w), respectively. The cadmium accumulation in Houttuynia cordata increased by 44.27% compared with the blank group which was not combined with S. marcescens HB-4. This work demonstrates that microbial synergistic phytoremediation has a significant potential to treat heavy metal contaminated soil.

Overexpression and characterization of a glucose-tolerant ß-glucosidase from T. aotearoense with high specific activity for cellobiose.

Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense P8G3#4 produced ß-glucosidase (BGL) intracellularly when grown in liquid culture on cellobiose. The gene bgl, encoding ß-glucosidase, was cloned and sequenced. Analysis revealed that the bgl contained an open reading frame of 1314 bp encoding a protein of 446 amino acid residues, and the product belonged to the glycoside hydrolase family 1 with the canonical glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1) (ß/α)8 TIM barrel fold. Expression of pET-bgl together with a chaperone gene cloned in vector pGro7 in Escherichia coli dramatically enhanced the crude enzyme activity to a specific activity of 256.3 U/mg wet cells, which resulted in a 9.2-fold increase of that obtained from the expression without any chaperones. The purified BGL exhibited relatively high thermostability and pH stability with its highest activity at 60 °C and pH 6.0. In addition, the activities of BGL were remarkably stimulated by the addition of 5 mM Na(+) or K(+). The enzyme showed strong ability to hydrolyze cellobiose with a K m and V max of 25.45 mM and 740.5 U/mg, respectively. The BGL was activated by glucose at concentration varying from 50 to 250 mM and tolerant to glucose inhibition with a K i of 800 mM glucose. The supplement of the purified BGL to the sugarcane bagasse hydrolysis mixture containing a commercial cellulase resulted in about 20 % enhancement of the released reducing sugars. These properties of the purified BGL should have important practical implication in its potential applications for better industrial production of glucose or bioethanol started from lignocellulosic biomass.

Development of an estimation model for the evaluation of the energy requirement of dilute acid pretreatments of biomass.

This study aims to develop a mathematical model to evaluate the energy required by pretreatment processes used in the production of second generation ethanol. A dilute acid pretreatment process reported by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was selected as an example for the model's development. The energy demand of the pretreatment process was evaluated by considering the change of internal energy of the substances, the reaction energy, the heat lost and the work done to/by the system based on a number of simplifying assumptions. Sensitivity analyses were performed on the solid loading rate, temperature, acid concentration and water evaporation rate. The results from the sensitivity analyses established that the solids loading rate had the most significant impact on the energy demand. The model was then verified with data from the NREL benchmark process. Application of this model on other dilute acid pretreatment processes reported in the literature illustrated that although similar sugar yields were reported by several studies, the energy required by the different pretreatments varied significantly.

Marine yeast isolation and industrial application.

Over the last century, terrestrial yeasts have been widely used in various industries, such as baking, brewing, wine, bioethanol and pharmaceutical protein production. However, only little attention has been given to marine yeasts. Recent research showed that marine yeasts have several unique and promising features over the terrestrial yeasts, for example higher osmosis tolerance, higher special chemical productivity and production of industrial enzymes. These indicate that marine yeasts have great potential to be applied in various industries. This review gathers the most recent techniques used for marine yeast isolation as well as the latest applications of marine yeast in bioethanol, pharmaceutical and enzyme production fields.

Ligand-mediated exciton dissociation and interparticle energy transfer on CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots for efficient CO2-to-CO photoreduction.

Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) hold immense potential as photocatalysts for CO2 reduction due to their remarkable quantum properties, which facilitates the generation of multiple excitons, providing the necessary high-energy electrons for CO2 photoreduction. However, harnessing multi-excitons in PQDs for superior photocatalysis remains challenging, as achieving the concurrent dissociation of excitons and interparticle energy transfer proves elusive. This study introduces a ligand density-controlled strategy to enhance both exciton dissociation and interparticle energy transfer in CsPbBr3 PQDs. Optimized CsPbBr3 PQDs with the regulated ligand density exhibit efficient photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to CO, achieving a 2.26-fold improvement over unoptimized counterparts while maintaining chemical integrity. Multiple analytical techniques, including Kelvin probe force microscopy, temperature-dependent photoluminescence, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations, collectively affirm that the proper ligand termination promotes the charge separation and the interparticle transfer through ligand-mediated interfacial electron coupling and electronic interactions. This work reveals ligand density-dependent variations in the gas-solid photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of CsPbBr3 PQDs, underscoring the importance of ligand engineering for enhancing quantum dot photocatalysis.

Role of microbial laccases in valorization of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol.

The persistent expansion in world energy and synthetic compounds requires the improvement of renewable alternatives in contrast to non-sustainable energy wellsprings. Lignocellulose is an encouraging feedstock to be utilized in biorefineries for its conversion into value-added products, including biomaterials, biofuels and several bio-based synthetic compounds. Aside from all categories, biofuel, particularly bioethanol is the most substantial fuel derived from lignocellulosic biomass and can be obtained through microbial fermentation. Generally, extreme settings are required for lignocellulosic pretreatment which results in the formation of inhibitors during biomassdegradation. Occasionally, lignin polymers also act as inhibitors and are left untreated during the pretreatment, engendering inefficient hydrolysis. The valorization of lignocellulosic biomass by laccases can be viewed as a fundamental trend for improving bioethanol production. However, one of the main obstacles for developing commercially viable biofuel industries is the cost of enzymes, which can be resolved by utilizing laccases derived from microbial sources. Microbial laccases have been considered an exceptionally integral asset for delignification and detoxification of pretreated LCB, which amplify the resultant fermentation and saccharification processes. This review provides a summary of microbial laccases and their role in valorizing LCB to bioethanol, compelling enthralling applications in bio-refining industries all across the globe.

Strong Dipole Moments from Ferrocene Methanol Clusters Boost Exciton Dissociation in Quantum-Confined Perovskite for CO2 Photoreduction.

Perovskite nanocrystals (PCNs) exhibit a significant quantum confinement effect that enhances multiexciton generation, making them promising for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. However, their conversion efficiency is hindered by poor exciton dissociation. To address this, we synthesized ferrocene-methanol-functionalized CsPbBr3 (CPB/FcMeOH) using a ligand engineering approach. By manipulating the electronic coupling between ligands and the PCN surface, facilitated by the increased dipole moment from hydrogen bonding in FcMeOH molecules, we effectively controlled exciton dissociation and interfacial charge transfer. Under 5 h of irradiation, the CO yield of CPB/FcMeOH reached 772.79 µmol g-1, 4.95 times higher than pristine CPB. This high activity is due to the formation of hydrogen-bonded FcMeOH clusters on the CPB surface. The nonpolar disruption and strong dipole moment of FcMeOH molecules enhance electronic coupling between the FcMeOH ligands and the CPB surface, reducing the surface barrier energy. Consequently, exciton dissociation and interfacial charge transfer are promoted, efficiently utilizing multiple excitons in quantum-confined domains. Transient absorption spectroscopy confirms that CPB/FcMeOH exhibits optimized exciton behavior with fast internal relaxation, trapping, and a short recombination time, allowing photogenerated charges to more rapidly participate in CO2 reduction.

Preparation of N-doped porous biochar with high specific surface area and its efficient adsorption for mercury ion from aqueous solution.

Herein, a new type of super active nitrogen-doped biochar sheet (SNBC) was prepared by two-step pyrolysis and KOH chemical activation with melamine and cherry kernel powder as precursors of nitrogen and carbon source for removing Hg2+ from wastewater. The N2 adsorption/desorption and scanning electron microscope characterization revealed that the resulted SNBC under 600 °C calcination owned huge specific surface area of 2828 m2/g and plenty of well-developed micropores, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy analysis testified the existence of functional groups containing N and O, which could provide adsorption sites for Hg2+. The SNBC-600 showed high adsorption capacity for Hg2+ even at low pH, and interfering cations had little effect on the adsorption. The adsorption process was rapid and dynamic data fit the pseudo-second-order dynamic model well. The maximum adsorption capacity of Hg2+ on SNBC-600 calculated by Langmuir model was 230 mg/g. After six times of reuse, the adsorption capacity still exceeded 200 mg/g, exhibiting good reusability. The designed microfiltration membrane device base on SNBC-600 could remove low concentration of Hg2+ effectively from solution. This study provided a simple and environment-friendly method for manufacturing nitrogen-doped biochar sheet, which was of great significance in the practical application of Hg2+ pollution treatment.

Discover the Desirable Landscape Structure of Urban Parks for Mitigating Urban Heat: A High Spatial Resolution Study Using a Forest City, Luoyang, China as a Lens.

Urban parks can mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) and effectively improve the urban microclimate. In addition, quantifying the park land surface temperature (LST) and its relationship with park characteristics is crucial for guiding park design in practical urban planning. The study's primary purpose is to investigate the relationship between LST and landscape features in different park categories based on high-resolution data. In this study, we identified the land cover types of 123 parks in Luoyang using WorldView-2 data and selected 26 landscape pattern indicators to quantify the park landscape characteristics. The result shows that the parks can alleviate UHI in most seasons, but some can increase it in winter. While the percentage of bare land, PD, and PAFRAC have a positive impact on LST, AREA_MN has a significant negative impact. However, to deal with the current urban warming trend, a compact, clustered landscape configuration is required. This study provides an understanding of the major factors affecting the mitigation of thermal effects in urban parks (UP) and establishes a practical and feasible urban park renewal method under the idea of climate adaptive design, which provides valuable inspiration for urban park planning and design.

Genomic Analysis of Leptolyngbya boryana CZ1 Reveals Efficient Carbon Fixation Modules.

Cyanobacteria, one of the most widespread photoautotrophic microorganisms on Earth, have evolved an inorganic CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) to adapt to a variety of habitats, especially in CO2-limited environments. Leptolyngbya boryana, a filamentous cyanobacterium, is widespread in a variety of environments and is well adapted to low-inorganic-carbon environments. However, little is currently known about the CCM of L. boryana, in particular its efficient carbon fixation module. In this study, we isolated and purified the cyanobacterium CZ1 from the Xin'anjiang River basin and identified it as L. boryana by 16S rRNA sequencing. Genome analysis revealed that L. boryana CZ1 contains ß-carboxysome shell proteins and form 1B of Rubisco, which is classify it as belonging to the ß-cyanobacteria. Further analysis revealed that L. boryana CZ1 employs a fine CCM involving two CO2 uptake systems NDH-13 and NDH-14, three HCO3- transporters (SbtA, BicA, and BCT1), and two carboxysomal carbonic anhydrases. Notably, we found that NDH-13 and NDH-14 are located close to each other in the L. boryana CZ1 genome and are back-to-back with the ccm operon, which is a novel gene arrangement. In addition, L. boryana CZ1 encodes two high-affinity Na+/HCO3- symporters (SbtA1 and SbtA2), three low-affinity Na+-dependent HCO3- transporters (BicA1, BicA2, and BicA3), and a BCT1; it is rare for a single strain to encode all three bicarbonate transporters in such large numbers. Interestingly, L. boryana CZ1 also uniquely encodes two active carbonic anhydrases, CcaA1 and CcaA2, which are also rare. Taken together, all these results indicated that L. boryana CZ1 is more efficient at CO2 fixation. Moreover, compared with the reported CCM gene arrangement of cyanobacteria, the CCM-related gene distribution pattern of L. boryana CZ1 was completely different, indicating a novel gene organization structure. These results can enrich our understanding of the CCM-related gene arrangement of cyanobacteria, and provide data support for the subsequent improvement and increase in biomass through cyanobacterial photosynthesis.

Scale-dependent and driving relationships between spatial features and carbon storage and sequestration in an urban park of Zhengzhou, China.

Research indicates that urban ecosystems can store large amounts of carbon. However, few studies have examined how the spatial features of park greenspace affect its carbon-carrying capacity, and how those effects vary with the spatial scale. Lidar point clouds and remote sensing images were extracted for the 196 ha green space in the China Green Expo to study carbon storage and sequestration in parks. Full subset regression, stepwise regression, HP analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to examine the scale dependency and the driving relationship between carbon storage and carbon sequestration in parks. The results show that the optimal statistical sample diameters for carbon density and carbon sequestration density in parks are 100 m. Under the influence of impermeable surfaces and water bodies, the statistical values of carbon density were minimized when the sample plot diameter was 700 m. Biodiversity and forest structure are the main drivers of carbon density, with the influence of water bodies being more prominent on a larger scale. Texture characteristics explain more carbon density than the vegetation index, and RVI could better explain the variation of carbon sequestration than NDVI. This study explores scaled changes in carbon density, carbon sequestration density in parks, and their driving relationships, which can aid in developing carbon sequestration strategies based on parks.

The characterisation of Wickerhamomyces anomalus M15, a highly tolerant yeast for bioethanol production using seaweed derived medium.

Advanced generation biofuels have potential for replacing fossil fuels as society moves forward into a net-zero carbon future. Marine biomass is a promising source of fermentable sugars for fermentative bioethanol production; however the medium derived from seaweed hydrolysis contains various inhibitors, such as salts that affected ethanol fermentation efficiency. In this study the stress tolerance of a marine yeast, Wickerhamomyces anomalus M15 was characterised. Specific growth rate analysis results showed that Wickerhamomyces anomalus M15 could tolerate up to 600 g/L glucose, 150 g/L xylose and 250 g/L ethanol, respectively. Using simulated concentrated seaweed hydrolysates, W. anomalus M15's bioethanol production potential using macroalgae derived feedstocks was assessed, in which 5.8, 45.0, and 19.9 g/L ethanol was produced from brown (Laminaria digitata), green (Ulva linza) and red seaweed (Porphyra umbilicalis) based media. The fermentation of actual Ulva spp. hydrolysate harvested from United Kingdom shores resulted in a relatively low ethanol concentration (15.5 g/L) due to challenges that arose from concentrating the seaweed hydrolysate. However, fed-batch fermentation using simulated concentrated green seaweed hydrolysate achieved a concentration of 73 g/L ethanol in fermentations using both seawater and reverse osmosis water. Further fermentations conducted with an adaptive strain W. anomalus M15-500A showed improved bioethanol production of 92.7 g/L ethanol from 200 g/L glucose and reduced lag time from 93 h to 24 h in fermentation with an initial glucose concentration of 500 g/L. The results indicated that strains W. anomalus M15 and W. anomalus M15-500A have great potential for industrial bioethanol production using marine biomass derived feedstocks. It also suggested that if a concentrated high sugar content seaweed hydrolysate could be obtained, the bioethanol concentration could achieve 90 g/L or above, exceeding the minimum industrial production threshold.

Efficient biostimulants for bacterial quorum quenching to control fouling in MBR.

Quorum quenching (QQ), which disrupts bacterial communication and biofilm formation, could alleviate biofouling in MBR. QQ bio-stimulus possessing similar conserved moiety as the signal molecule could promote indigenous QQ bacteria, and thus successfully alleviate biofouling in MBR. However, efficient biostimulant has been barely explored for QQ enhancement in activated sludge system. This study extensively enumerated the potential QQ bio-stimuli, and examined their efficacy on QQ promotion for activated sludge. Moreover, the effect of the QQ consortia on fouling mitigation was also investigated. The results indicated that gamma-caprolactone (GCL), d-xylonic acid-1,4-lactone (XAL), gamma-heptalactone (GHL), urea, and acetamide proved effective in promoting AHLs inactivating activity of activated sludge. GCL, XAL, and GHL intensified the lactonase activity, while urea and acetamide augmented acylase activity. While coupled with beads entrapment, GCL consortia beads, XAL consortia beads, and urea consortia beads effectively disrupted quorum sensing (QS) and controlled membrane fouling in MBR. This work found out several optional bio-stimuli valid for tuning QQ in activated sludge system, and provided easily available and economical alternatives for QQ biostimulation, meanwhile the proposed QQ-MBR approach through QQ biostimulation and consortia entrapment also proved effective and practical.

ß-elemene affects angiogenesis of infantile hemangioma by regulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha.

Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common benign vascular tumor resulting from the hyper-proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. In treatment of various tumors including IH, ß-elemene, a compound extracted from Rhizoma zedoariae, has been reported to have anti-tumor effect. However, the underlying mechanisms of ß-elemene in hemangioma have remained uninvestigated. In this presented study, functional analysis showed that low concentrations of ß-elemene promoted the proliferation, migration and tube formation of human hemangioma endothelial cells (HemECs), while high concentrations of ß-elemene produced inhibitory effects. Further, we also found that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression was down-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels, while hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1-α) was up-regulated in infantile hemangiomas tissues and HemECs at both mRNA and protein levels. This result suggested that ACE2 and HIF-1-α play roles in IH. ACE2 expression was down-regulated with the treatment of ß-elemene at different dosage point. Interestingly, the expression of Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) increased with treatment of low concentrations of ß-elemene in HemECs, in contrary, the expression of VEGFA expression decreased with treatment of high concentrations of ß-elemene. Moreover, if the concentration of ß-elemene reached 40 µg/ml or higher, the expression of HIF-1-α decreased. Taken together, our data indicated that the different effects of ß-elemene on the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of hemangioma at different concentrations: The ACE2 signaling pathway dominates with treatment of low concentrations of ß-elemene, stimulating the expression of downstream VEGFA to promote the angiogenesis of hemangioma; under the condition of high concentrations of ß-elemene, the HIF-1-α signaling pathway inhibits the expression of VEGFA and further inhibits the angiogenesis of hemangioma.

Properties and heavy metal leaching characteristics of leachate sludge-derived biochar.

Heavy metals and metalloids, in sludge and sediments, are environmental pollutants of concern with long-term negative effects on human and ecological health. In this study, sludge from biological treatment of municipal waste leachate was pyrolyzed into leachate sludge-derived biochar (LSDB) at 300°C to 900°C, comprising complex organic and inorganic (particularly heavy metals) species formed from heterogeneous chemical reactions. Based on different advanced material analyses, that is, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, this study revealed that mass loss and microstructural changes of LSDBs occurred primarily due to decomposition of volatiles, aromatic rings, carbonates, and hydroxides. The leaching behaviors of heavy metals from LSDBs were evaluated using the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP). The final pH in SPLP increased from 7.5 to 12.5 with pyrolysis temperature. The pH increase favored the retention of heavy metals in the LSDBs due to the formation of low soluble precipitates at alkaline pH. The heavy metals and metalloids in the LSDBs were present as surface precipitates due to precipitation and cation exchange rather than surface complexation. The leaching contents of metals and metalloids, such as Cr, Cd, Ni, Pb, and As, were all below their respective maximum discharge standards for the first priority pollutants in China.