Use of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material: CO2 mineralization coupled with mechanochemical pretreatment.

The use of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash, commonly referred to as "fly ash", as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM), has been explored to mitigate the CO2 emissions resulting from cement production. Nevertheless, the incorporation of fly ash as an SCM in mortar has been shown to weaken its compressive strength and increase the risk of heavy metal leaching. In light of these challenges, this study aims to comprehensively evaluate the influence of CO2 pressure, temperature, and residual water/binder ratio on the CO2 uptake and compressive strength of mortar when combined with fly ash. Additionally, this study systematically examines the feasibility of mechanochemical pretreatment, which enhances the homogenization of fly ash and augments the density of the mortar's microstructure. The results indicate that the use of mechanochemical pretreatment leads to a notable 43.6% increase in 28-day compressive strength and diminishes the leaching of As, Ba, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn by 17.9-77.8%. Finally, a reaction kinetics model is proposed to elucidate the CO2 sequestration process under varying conditions. These findings offer valuable guidance for incorporating fly ash as an SCM and CO2 sequestrator in mortar.

Effect of white jade snail secretion on antioxidant capacity and intestinal microbial diversity in mouse model of acute gastric ulcer.

BACKGROUND: In the present work, acute gastric ulcer models were constructed by administering hydrochloric acid/ethanol. The mice ingested white jade snail secretion (WJSS) through gastric infusion. Ulcer areas in gastric tissue were recorded, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also measured. Notably, high-throughput 16S rDNA analysis of intestinal flora and determination of amino acid composition in feces were performed to understand the effect of WJSS on model mice. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the ulcer area in the WJSS low-, medium- and high-concentration groups declined by 28.02%, 39.57% and 77.85%, respectively. MDA content decreased by 24.71%, 49.58% and 64.25%, and SOD relative enzyme activity fell by 28.19%, 43.37% and 9.60%, respectively. The amounts of amino acids in the low-, medium- and high-concentration groups were slightly lower, and probiotic bacteria such as Bacteroidetes and Lactobacillales increased in different-concentration WJSS groups. Adding WJSS contributes to the establishment of beneficial intestinal flora and the absorption of amino acids. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that WJSS has a beneficial effect on inhibiting hydrochloric acid-ethanolic gastric ulcers, suggesting that WJSS has excellent potential as a novel anti-ulcer agent. Combined with ulcer area, MDA content, SOD content, gut probiotics and other indicators, a high concentration of WJSS had the best protective effect on acute gastric ulcer. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

In Situ Sprayed Biotherapeutic Gel Containing Stable Microbial Communities for Efficient Anti-Infection Treatment.

Systematic administration of antibiotics to treat infections often leads to the rapid evolution and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Here, an in situ-formed biotherapeutic gel that controls multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and accelerates wound healing is reported. This biotherapeutic gel is constructed by incorporating stable microbial communities (kombucha) capable of producing antimicrobial substances and organic acids into thermosensitive Pluronic F127 (polyethylene-polypropylene glycol) solutions. Furthermore, it is found that the stable microbial communities-based biotherapeutic gel possesses a broad antimicrobial spectrum and strong antibacterial effects in diverse pathogenic bacteria-derived xenograft infection models, as well as in patient-derived multidrug-resistant bacterial xenograft infection models. The biotherapeutic gel system considerably outperforms the commercial broad-spectrum antibacterial gel (0.1% polyaminopropyl biguanide) in pathogen removal and infected wound healing. Collectively, this biotherapeutic strategy of exploiting stable symbiotic consortiums to repel pathogens provides a paradigm for developing efficient antibacterial biomaterials and overcomes the failure of antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.

Acacetin as a Potential Protective Compound against Cardiovascular Diseases.

Acacetin (5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone) is the major bioactive component of the traditional Chinese medicine "Snow lotus". As a natural flavonoid compound, it has been shown to have good pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-obesity. Among them, its prominent role in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has received extensive attention from scholars in recent years. In this review, the protective effects of acacetin on a variety of cardiovascular diseases, as well as the existing problems and prospects, are discussed and summarized. This review also highlights the great potential of acacetin, a natural-derived Chinese medicine, as a cardiovascular agent candidate.

2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine protects retinal photoreceptors against endoplasmic reticulum stress by modulating ATF4-mediated inhibition of PRP aggregation.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a common threat to photoreceptors during the pathogenesis of chronic retinopathies and often results in irreversible visual impairment. 2,3,5,6-Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP), which possesses many beneficial pharmacological activities, is a potential drug that could be used to protect photoreceptors. In the present study, we found that the cellular growth rate of 661 W cells cultured under low glucose conditions was lower than that of control cells, while the G2/M phase of the cell cycle was longer. We further found that the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was lower and that ER stress factor expression was increased in 661 W cells cultured under low glucose conditions. TMP reversed these trends. Visual function and cell counts in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) were low and the TUNEL-positive rate in the ONL was high in a C3H mouse model of spontaneous retinal degeneration. Similarly, visual function was decreased, and the TUNEL-positive rate in the ONL was increased in fasted C57/BL6j mice compared with control mice. On the other hand, ER stress factor expression was found to be increased in the retinas of both mouse models, as shown by reverse transcription real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. TMP reversed the physiological and molecular biological variations observed in both mouse models, and ATF4 expression was enhanced again. Further investigation by using western blotting illustrated that the proportion of insoluble prion protein (PRP) versus soluble PRP was reduced both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these results suggest that TMP increased the functions of photoreceptors by alleviating ER stress in vitro and in vivo, and the intrinsic mechanism was the ATF4-mediated inhibition of PRP aggregation. TMP may potentially be used clinically as a therapeutic agent to attenuate the functional loss of photoreceptors during the pathogenesis of chronic retinopathies. KEY MESSAGES: • Already known: TMP is a beneficial drug mainly used in clinic to enhance organ functions, and the intrinsic mechanism is still worthy of exploring. • New in the study: We discovered that TMP ameliorated retinal photoreceptors function via ER stress alleviation, which was promoted by ATF4-mediated inhibition of PRP aggregation. • Application prospect: In prospective clinical practices, TMP may potentially be used in the clinic as a therapeutic agent to attenuate the photoreceptors functional reduction in chronic retinopathies.

Potential Role of Hypothalamic and Plasma Ghrelin in the Feeding Behavior of Obese Type 2 Diabetic Rats with Intraventricular Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of central and peripheral ghrelin during an exendin-4 (Ex-4) intervention to feeding in obese type 2 diabetic rodents. METHODS: Animal models of diet-induced obesity (DIO) and type 2 diabetes were developed using male Sprague-Dawley rats fed with a high-fat diet and induced into DIO-streptozotocin diabetic rats. Ex-4 or the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist exendin fragment-[9-39] (Ex-9) was intracerebroventricularly (ICV) administered. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to investigate potential predictors of food intake after Ex-4 administration. RESULTS: ICV administration of Ex-4 significantly inhibited feeding and decreased weight, plasma active ghrelin, hypothalamic ghrelin, and gastric ghrelin levels. The changes in hypothalamic ghrelin and plasma ghrelin could predict the amount of 8-h average food intake. Central preadministration of Ex-9 followed by treatment with Ex-4 could inhibit the decrease in feeding at 0.5, 2, and 8 h. It could also inhibit the decrease in hypothalamic ghrelin at 0.5, 2, and 8 h, as well as in plasma and gastric ghrelin at 2 and 8 h. CONCLUSIONS: In a GLP-1 receptor-dependent manner, central and peripheral ghrelin play a vital role in the inhibition of feeding by Ex-4 administration. Hypothalamic ghrelin, but not plasma ghrelin, may be involved in central Ex-4 inhibition of feeding in the very early feeding period.

Development of phosphorus-based inhibitors for PCDD/Fs suppression.

Inhibition mechanisms of sulfur-, nitrogen- and phosphorus- based inhibitors on the de novo synthesis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) were studied by exploring speciation evolution of carbon, chorine and copper in fly ash under laboratory-scale experiments. Significant inhibition of PCDD/Fs by thiourea (TUA) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) was observed as 97.2% and 98.2%, respectively, except for potassium dihydrogen phosphate (PDP). ADP and PDP exhibited better inhibition on PCDFs than on PCDDs, whereas TUA exhibited the opposite effect. After adding inhibitors, the proportion of C-O/C=O/O-C=O bonds at the surface of fly ash increased, and stronger oxidation of carbon occurred, together with the conversion from Cu2+ to Cu+ and the inhibition of organic chlorine formation. Kinetic model results indicated that TUA might either suppress the carbon gasification or promote the decomposition of PCDD/Fs, resulting in a remarkable inhibition of PCDD/Fs formation. Simulated chemical reaction equilibrium further comfirmed that catalytic metal could be deactivated into CuS and Cu2S by sulfur, and into Cu2P2O7 by phosphorus. Moreover, NH3, decomposed from TUA and ADP, was able to convert Cl2 into HCl, albeit with a weaker chlorination ability. This study of inhibition mechanisms is useful for the exploration and utilization of efficient inhibitors in full-scale incinerators.

Aptamer-functionalized molybdenum disulfide nanosheets for tumor cell targeting and lysosomal acidic environment/NIR laser responsive drug delivery to realize synergetic chemo-photothermal therapeutic effects.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), one representative 2D nanomaterial, has recently emerged as a unique platform in the biomedical field. However, its application in drug delivery systems should be further exploited. Here, we report a novel tumor cell targeting and lysosomal acidic environment/NIR laser dual responsive drug delivery system for synergetic chemo-photothermal treatment of cancer cells. The MoS2 nanosheets were loaded with chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) and coated with polydopamine (PDA) layer. Then, thiolated aptamer AS1411 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were modified onto MoS2 nanosheets through Michael addition reaction to construct DOX@Apt-PEG-PDA-MoS2 nanosheets. The aptamer modification endowed the nanoplatform with targeting ability to breast cancer MCF-7 cells. MoS2 and PDA converted 808 nm NIR laser into heat and played the role of photothermal therapy (PTT). Tumor lysosomal acidic environment and NIR laser irradiation accelerated the release of DOX from the nanosheets. The nanocarrier Apt-PEG-PDA-MoS2 showed good biocompatibility, and DOX@Apt-PEG-PDA-MoS2 showed synergetic chemo-photothermal therapy effects with significantly enhanced anti-tumor efficacy, suggesting that this MoS2-based drug delivery platform is promising for targeted and synergetic treatment of cancer.

Tumor microenvironment and NIR laser dual-responsive release of berberine 9-O-pyrazole alkyl derivative loaded in graphene oxide nanosheets for chemo-photothermal synergetic cancer therapy.

A berberine 9-O-pyrazole alkyl derivative, a chemical compound (called B3) previously synthesized by our group, shows anti-cancer activity. However, B3 lacks targeting cytotoxicity to cancer cells, leading to obvious toxic side effects on normal cells. To solve this problem, here, we prepared a drug delivery system, namely, AS1411-GO/B3 for tumor targeting, in which nano-graphene oxide (GO) sheets were employed as the drug carrier, and the aptamer AS1411 was conjugated onto GO for tumor targeting. GO also had a photothermal effect, which helped the release of B3 from GO as well as the thermal cytotoxicity to cells. We found that the release of B3 could respond to acid conditions, indicating that the tumor intracellular environment could promote the release of B3, thus allowing it to perform chemotherapy effects. This system could also release B3 in response to photothermal heating, moreover, combined photothermal therapy and chemotherapy to improve the anticancer activity was achieved. This AS1411-GO/B3 platform with chemo-photothermal synergetic therapy provides a very promising treatment for tumors.

Recovery of phosphate as struvite from low-temperature combustion sewage sludge ash (LTCA) by cation exchange.

As a phosphorus-rich material, low-temperature combustion sewage sludge ash (LTCA) contains over 9 wt% content of phosphorus (P) and a large proportion of impurities, especially the content of Fe arrives at 14.59 wt%. To fully utilize LTCA as a fertilizer, this study investigated a procedure for P recovery from LTCA via struvite crystallization with fewer impurities. The adsorption characteristics of P and Fe by cation exchange resin (CER) were explored by simulating using the macroscopic parametric equation Thomas model. Optimum purification conditions for P-rich leachate by cation exchange column method were determined. Results showed that approximately 97.21 wt% of P was extracted from LTCA at HCl concentration of 0.8 M and liquid/solid ratio of 20.0 ml/g. More than 90 wt% of impurities could be detached by making P-rich leachate flow through cation exchange bed filled by CER at 300 ml/h. The macroscopic parametric equation Thomas model could clearly describe the adsorption characteristics of Fe in P-rich leachate by CER. Theoretical basis for purification of high concentration Fe in P-rich leachate by CER was provided. Approximately 84.04 wt% of total P in LTCA was recovered as struvite crystal which had low concentrations of heavy metals (5.96 mg/kg for Cr, 45.21 mg/kg for Cu, 29.67 mg/kg for Ni, 2.24 mg/kg for Pb, and 290.6 mg/kg for Zn) and could be eco-friendly for agricultural application. X-ray diffraction and SEM-EDS analysis validated the formation of struvite.

Improved utilization of phosphorous from sewage sludge (as Fertilizer) after treatment by Low-Temperature combustion.

The utilization of phosphorus from sewage sludge is an important method used to solve the shortage of phosphorus resources in the world. However, high levels of toxic compounds and low phosphorus bioavailability in sewage sludge are the main factors limiting its direct agricultural use. This paper proposes a low-temperature combustion method that can enrich the phosphorus in sludge ash. Low temperature-treated sewage sludge ash (LTSA) at different oxygen concentrations (20%, 60%, 100%) were obtained through a specific experimental device. Then, the species and leaching characteristics of phosphorus in LTSAs were analyzed and compared with pyrolysis sewage sludge char (PSSC) and incinerated sewage sludge ash (ISSA). Results show that low-temperature combustion of sludge increased the total phosphorus content in the bottom ash by 45.6%, and the bioavailable phosphorus content increased 2.9 times. Further, by increasing the concentration of oxygen while carrying out low-temperature combustion of sludge, part of the non-apatite inorganic P was converted to apatite P (AP), resulting in a 46.3% increase in AP in the sludge. Low-temperature combustion can also convert heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in the sludge from an easily leachable form (acid extractable fraction and reducible fraction) to a stable form (reducible fraction) and decrease the leaching of heavy metals. Leaching of Cr and Cu decreased by 97.56% and 98.52%, respectively.

The Effect of Feeding Behavior on Hypothalamus in Obese Type 2 Diabetic Rats with Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of intravoxel incoherent motion-diffusion weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) derived parameters in hypothalamus for monitoring the effect of Exendin-4 (Ex-4) intervention on the feeding behavior in obese diabetic rats within early feeding. METHODS: 21 obese and 19 non-obese rats which were treated with streptozotocin injections were initially divided into an obese diabetes group (OD, n = 10), a non-obese diabetes group (D, n = 8), an obese group (O, n = 9) and a non-obese group (N, n = 9). Then, the rats in the 4 groups received subcutaneous injections of Ex-4, and feeding behavior was examined at 5, 35, 65, 95, and 125 min. The hypothalamic function was evaluated by IVIM-DWI. Finally, the relationship between the hypothalamic function and the amount of food intake was analyzed. RESULTS: In comparison with the N group, the food intake significantly decreased in the O , OD, and D groups in response to Ex-4. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between food intake and D values at different times from 5 to 125 min after Ex-4 intervention in all 4 groups. CONCLUSION: A direct correlation between the change of hypothalamic function and feeding behavior was detected in OD rats with Ex-4 intervention in the early feeding period. The hypothalamic D value derived from IVIM-DWI is promising to reflect the dynamic change of hypothalamic function due to intervention.

Catalytic oxidation of PCDD/F on a V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst: Effect of chlorinated benzenes and chlorinated phenols.

Catalytic oxidation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) is a well-proven technique, applied in a rising number of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration plants, yet the simultaneous and possibly competitive co-oxidation of other compounds, such as chlorinated benzenes (CBz) or phenols (CP), is still poorly documented. In this study, a grinded commercial catalyst (vanadium-tungsten supported on titanium dioxide) was submitted to exploratory testing: the PCDD/F present in a gas test flow were catalytically oxidised (200°C, 10,000h-1), either as such or in the presence of benzene (Bz), monochlorobenzene (MCBz), and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCBz) and the effect of these additions on the catalytic destruction of PCDD/F was verified experimentally. Both removal efficiency (RE) and destruction efficiency (DE) declined during the exploratory testing and, importantly, some DCBz even converted into supplemental PCDD/F. Also, the occurrence of carbon deposition negatively influenced catalytic oxidation activity. Regeneration with oxygen or air allowed to remove the deposited carbon and the original catalytic activity was largely restored after calcination. In a second part of this study, the PCDD/F-formation from DCBz, hexachlorobenzene (HCBz), o-monochlorophenol (o-MCP) and pentachlorophenol (PeCP) was demonstrated and tentatively explored. To prepare for further elucidation of the reaction mechanism, a complete isomer-specific analysis was prepared.

Effect of HCl/SO23/NH3/O23and mineral sorbents on the partitioning behaviour of heavy metals during the thermal treatment of solid wastes.

The high concentration of heavy metals in solid wastes may cause serious pollution during thermal treatment. We have investigated, theoretically and experimentally, the effects of several important flue gas species and mineral sorbents on the partitioning behaviour of four major heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc and copper) which are often present in municipal solid waste (MSW). Their concentrations in bottom ash, fly ash and flue gas were quantified when model MSW samples were treated thermally under different conditions. The evaporation ratio of the four metals, excluding Cu, increased with decreasing oxygen concentration. The presence of HCl promotes heavy metal evaporation by preventing the formation of stable metallic species, especially for Zn (evaporation of more than 20%). An increase in oxygen concentration has a negative influence on the effect of HCl. In the presence of SO2, Cd and Pb exhibited a higher evaporation ratio, while Zn and Cu were insensitive to the change. SO2also inhibits Cd vaporization in an oxidative atmosphere. The effect of NH3 on reducing the metal volatilization rate was established indirectly. Calcium oxide addition enhances metal evaporation except for that of Zn (which shows a decrease of 38%). Although desulphurization by calcium injection decreases the volume of acid gas, calcium affects heavy metal pollution control adversely. The presence or addition of SiO2- or Al2O3-containing minerals can lead to the formation of stable metallic salts. This may favour the control of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu volatilization up to 13%, 50%, 17.5% and 19%, respectively.

Emission and control characteristics for incineration of Sedum plumbizincicola biomass in a laboratory-scale entrained flow tube furnace.

Experiments were conducted to investigate and control pollutant emission from incineration of Sedum plumbizincicola plants on a laboratory scale using an entrained flow tube furnace. Without control technologies, the flue gas contained 0.101 mg Nm(-3) of Cd, 46.4 mg Nm(-3) of Zn, 553 mg Nm(-3) of NOx, 131 pg Nm(-3) of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) and 35.4 mg Nm(-3) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In pollutants control experiments. Al2O3, CaO, and kaolin were compared as adsorbents and activated carbon was used as an end-of-pipe method for the capture of pollutants. Kaolin, the most effective of the three adsorbents, removed 91.2% of the Cd in flue gas. While 97.6% of the Cd and 99.6% of the PAHs were removed by activated carbon. Incineration may therefore be regarded as a viable option for the safe disposal of the biomass of the zinc and cadmium hyperaccumulator species S. plumbizincicola.

Industrial hazardous waste treatment featuring a rotary kiln and grate furnace incinerator: a case study in China.

As one of the fastest developing countries, China is facing severe problems concerning hazardous waste treatment and disposal. This paper presents a new incineration technology and demonstration project in eastern China. The incineration system includes a rotary kiln, a grate furnace for burning out the kiln residue and a flue gas post-combustion chamber. Flue gas treatment and emission control is based on: a quench tower, followed by dry hydrated lime and activated carbon injection, a dual bag filter system, and a wet scrubber. It demonstrated that this incineration technology can effectively dispose of industrial hazardous waste with variable and complex characteristics. Gas emissions meet the demands of the Chinese Environmental Protection Association standard.

High-throughput screening of novel antagonists on melanin-concentrating hormone receptor-1.

AIM: To find new antagonists on human melanin-concentrating hormone receptor-1 (MCHR-1) through high-throughput screening (HTS) of a diverse compound library. METHODS: MCHR-1, [3H]SNAP7941, and FlashBlue G-protein-coupled receptor beads were used to measure the receptor-binding activities of various compounds based on scintillation proximity assay (SPA) technology. The guanosine 5'(gamma-[35S]thio) triphosphate ([35S]GTPgammaS) binding assay was subsequently applied to functionally characterize the "hits" identified by the HTS campaign. RESULTS: Of the 48,240 compounds screened with the SPA method, 12 hits were confirmed to possess MCHR-1 binding activities, 8 were functionally studied subsequently with the [35S]GTPgammaS binding assay, and only 1 compound (NC127816) displayed moderate human MCHR-1 binding affinity (Ki=115.7 nmol/L) and relatively potent antagonism (KB=23.8 nmol/L). This compound shares a novel scaffold (1-ethoxy-2H-2-aza-1-phospha-naphthalene 1-oxide) with 3 other analogs in the group. CONCLUSION: Considering the marked difference in molecular shape and electrostatic status between NC127816 and the structures reported elsewhere, we anticipate that its derivatives may represent a new class of potent MCHR-1 modulators.

[Studies on extraction and isolation of active constituents from Psoralen corylifolia L. and the antitumor effect of the constituents in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents from Psoralea corylifolia L. and their antitumor activities. METHODS: The constituents were isolated on silica gel column chromatography and identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis. Morphological and MTT assays in vitro were used to explore the inhibiting effect of the active compounds on the proliferation of BGC-823 cancer cell. RESULTS: Two compounds were isolated from its chloroform extract and identified as psoralen (I) and isopsoralen (II). IC50 of psoralen and isoporalen were 5.82 micrograms/ml and 148.8 micrograms/ml respectively. CONCLUSION: Compound I and II having antitumor activity against BGC-823 cancer cell were obtained from this plant with the yields of 0.048% and 0.11%.