Ca-Mg modified attapulgite for phosphate removal and its potential as phosphate-based fertilizer.

The urgent concerns of controlling water body eutrophication and the alleviating phosphorus shortage have led to an urgent need for action. The removal of phosphate from polluted waters and its reuse are essential for the prevention of eutrophication and for the sustainable utilization of phosphate resources. In this study, modified attapulgite with different Ca:Mg molar ratios was synthesized to facilitate the recovery of phosphate, with subsequent use of soil fertilizer. Ca-Mg modified attapulgite with the optimal ratio (ACM-5:3) exhibited an exceptional adsorption quality, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 63.2 mg/g. The pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir model could well describe the adsorption kinetics and isotherms, respectively. The adsorption mechanism analyses suggested that the interaction between ACM-5:3 and phosphate depended mainly on ion exchange and electrostatic attraction. Moreover, phosphate-laden-ACM-5:3 demonstrated a significant potential as a phosphorus-releasing fertilizer. It could promote corn growth by ensuring a continuous supply of phosphorus and minimizing phosphorus runoff losses. The above results suggested that ACM-5:3 was a potential adsorbent for efficient phosphate removal and recovery.

Improving feed intake and rumen fermentation in lambs using mixed-dimensional attapulgite clay to adsorb naturally occurring mycotoxins.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of including a mixed-dimensional attapulgite clay (MDA) into a naturally moldly diet for Hu lambs. Fifty male Hu lambs with similar initial body weight (28.24 ±â€…1.80 kg) were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments: a basal diet containing naturally occurring mycotoxins with 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kg/t MDA, and basal diet with a commercial mycotoxin adsorbent Solis with montmorillonite as the major component at 1 kg/t. Both MDA and Solis increased average daily gain (ADG) and dry matter intake (DMI; P ≤ 0.004), and there was no difference in growth performance between MDA and Solis (P ≥ 0.26). The final body weight, DMI, and ADG were linearly increased with increasing MDA supplementation (P < 0.01). Lambs treated with both MDA and Solis demonstrated greater apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), and energy compared with the control group (P ≤ 0.03), and there were no differences in nutrient digestibilities between MDA and Solis (P ≥ 0.38). Digestibility of CP was linearly increased with the increasing MDA supplementation (P = 0.01). Neither MDA nor Solis affected rumen total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) concentration (P ≥ 0.39), but decreased the acetate-to-propionate ratio and molar proportion of n-butyrate (P ≤ 0.01), and MDA also increased the concentration of ammonia (P = 0.003). Besides, increasing MDA supplementation linearly reduced the acetate-to-propionate ratio and molar proportion of n-butyrate (P = 0.01), but linearly and quadratically increased the concentration of ammonia (P ≥ 0.003). These results showed that the incorporation of MDA into a naturally moldy diet of Hu lambs yielded comparable results to the Solis product, with higher growth performance and nutrient digestibility but lower acetate-to-propionate ratio observed. In conclusion, including ≥ 1 kg/t of MDA in high mycotoxin risk diets for growing lambs improves feed intake and rumen fermentation.

The issue of mycotoxin-contaminated animal feed has consistently presented a significant challenge in relation to animal health and production. The mixed-dimensional attapulgite clay (MDA) has been proven effective in binding polar mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, while also effectively adsorbing hydrophobic or weakly polar mycotoxins such as zearalenone (ZEN) and ochratoxin. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the impact of MDA inclusion in mycotoxin-contaminated diets on performance and rumen fermentation variables in lambs. The results indicated that MDA not only significantly improved the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of Hu lambs but also enhanced the molar proportion of propionate and ammonia concentration, and reduced the acetate to propionate ratio and the molar proportion of n-butyrate.

State-of-the-art silicon carbide diode dosimeters for ultra-high dose-per-pulse radiation at FLASH radiotherapy.

Objective.The successful implementation of FLASH radiotherapy in clinical settings, with typical dose rates >40 Gy s-1, requires accurate real-time dosimetry.Approach.Silicon carbide (SiC) p-n diode dosimeters designed for the stringent requirements of FLASH radiotherapy have been fabricated and characterized in an ultra-high pulse dose rate electron beam. The circular SiC PiN diodes were fabricated at IMB-CNM (CSIC) in 3µm epitaxial 4H-SiC. Their characterization was performed in PTB's ultra-high pulse dose rate reference electron beam. The SiC diode was operated without external bias voltage. The linearity of the diode response was investigated up to doses per pulse (DPP) of 11 Gy and pulse durations ranging from 3 to 0.5µs. Percentage depth dose measurements were performed in ultra-high dose per pulse conditions. The effect of the total accumulated dose of 20 MeV electrons in the SiC diode sensitivity was evaluated. The temperature dependence of the response of the SiC diode was measured in the range 19 °C-38 °C. The temporal response of the diode was compared to the time-resolved beam current during each electron beam pulse. A diamond prototype detector (flashDiamond) and Alanine measurements were used for reference dosimetry.Main results.The SiC diode response was independent both of DPP and of pulse dose rate up to at least 11 Gy per pulse and 4 MGy s-1, respectively, with tolerable deviation for relative dosimetry (<3%). When measuring the percentage depth dose under ultra-high dose rate conditions, the SiC diode performed comparably well to the reference flashDiamond. The sensitivity reduction after 100 kGy accumulated dose was <2%. The SiC diode was able to follow the temporal structure of the 20 MeV electron beam even for irregular pulse estructures. The measured temperature coefficient was (-0.079 ± 0.005)%/°C.Significance.The results of this study demonstrate for the first time the suitability of silicon carbide diodes for relative dosimetry in ultra-high dose rate pulsed electron beams up to a DPP of 11 Gy per pulse.

Development of natural attapulgite derived ferromanganese spinel oxides as heterogeneous catalysts for persulfate activation of tetracycline degradation.

Ferromanganese spinel oxides (MnFe2O4, MFO) have been proven effective in activating persulfate for pollutants removal. However, their inherent high surface energy often leads to agglomeration, diminishing active sites and consequently restricting catalytic performance. In this study, using Al-MCM-41 (MCM) mesoporous molecular sieves derived from natural attapulgite as a support, the MFO/MCM composite was synthesized through dispersing MnFe2O4 nanoparticles on MCM carrier by a simple hydrothermal method, which can effectively activate persulfate (PS) to degrade Tetracycline (TC). The addition of Al-MCM-41 can effectively improve the specific surface area and adsorption performance of MnFe2O4, but also reduce the leaching amount of metal ions. The MFO/MCM composite exhibited superior catalytic reactivity towards PS and 84.3% removal efficiency and 64.7% mineralization efficiency of TC (20 mg/L) was achieved in 90 min under optimized conditions of 0.05 mg/L catalyst dosage, 5 mM PS concentration, room temperature and no adjustment of initial pH. The effects of various stoichiometric MFO/MCM ratio, catalyst dosage, PS concentration, initial pH value and co-existing ions on the catalytic performance were investigated in detail. Moreover, the possible reaction mechanism in MFO-MCM/PS system was proposed based on the results of quenching tests, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and XPS analyses. Finally, major degradation intermediates of TC were detected by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry technologies (LC-MS) and four possible degradation pathways were proposed. This study enhances the design approach for developing highly efficient, environmentally friendly and low-cost catalysts for the advanced treatment process of antibiotic wastewater.

Antifungal Agents in Wood Protection-A Review.

The biodegradation of wood and wood products caused by fungi is recognized as one of the most significant problems worldwide. To extend the service life of wood products, wood is treated with preservatives, often with inorganic compounds or synthetic pesticides that have a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, the development of new, environmentally friendly wood preservatives is being carried out in research centers around the world. The search for natural, plant, or animal derivatives as well as obtaining synthetic compounds that will be safe for humans and do not pollute the environment, while at the same time present biological activity is crucial in terms of environmental protection. The review paper presents information in the literature on the substances and chemical compounds of natural origin (plant and animal derivatives) and synthetic compounds with a low environmental impact, showing antifungal properties, used in research on the ecological protection of wood. The review includes literature reports on the potential application of various antifungal agents including plant extracts, alkaloids, essential oils and their components, propolis extract, chitosan, ionic liquids, silicon compounds, and nanoparticles as well as their combinations.

[Attapulgite can improve yield and total ferulic acid content of Angelica sinensis by adjusting source-sink relationship].

Attapulgite(ATP), as a fertilizer slow-release agent and soil conditioner, has shown remarkable effect in improving the utilization rate of fertilizer and the yield and quality of agricultural products and Chinese medicinal materials. This study aims to explore the effect of ATP on the growth and root quality of Angelica sinensis. To be specific, Mingui 1 was used, and through the pot(soil culture) experiment in the Dao-di producing area, the effects of conventional chemical fertilizer added with ATP on the morphology, photosynthesis, soil respiration, and content of ferulic acid and volatile oil in roots of Mingui 1 were detected. The underlying mechanism was discussed from the perspective of source-sink relationship. The results showed that ATP, via the fertilizer slow-release effect, could meet the needs of A. sinensis for nutrients at the root expansion stage, improve the net photosynthetic rate of leaves and aboveground biomass of plants, and promote the transfer and accumulation of nutrients from the aboveground part(source) to the underground root(sink) in advance during the dry matter accumulation period of roots, so as to improve the root weight per plant. ATP can increase the content of total ferulic acid(the sum of free ferulic acid and coniferyl ferulate), the main effective component of Angelicae Sinensis Radix, by promoting the synthesis of ferulic acid in the roots and the transformation to coniferyl ferulate. However, it had little effect on the content of volatile oil. ATP had certain influence on soil respiration, which needs to be further explored from root activity, rhizosphere microorganisms, and soil microorganisms. This study can lay a basis for soil remediation and improvement and ecological cultivation of A. sinensis.

Wide bandgap semiconductor nanomembranes as a long-term biointerface for flexible, implanted neuromodulator.

Electrical neuron stimulation holds promise for treating chronic neurological disorders, including spinal cord injury, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. The implementation of ultrathin, flexible electrodes that can offer noninvasive attachment to soft neural tissues is a breakthrough for timely, continuous, programable, and spatial stimulations. With strict flexibility requirements in neural implanted stimulations, the use of conventional thick and bulky packages is no longer applicable, posing major technical issues such as short device lifetime and long-term stability. We introduce herein a concept of long-lived flexible neural electrodes using silicon carbide (SiC) nanomembranes as a faradic interface and thermal oxide thin films as an electrical barrier layer. The SiC nanomembranes were developed using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process at the wafer level, and thermal oxide was grown using a high-quality wet oxidation technique. The proposed material developments are highly scalable and compatible with MEMS technologies, facilitating the mass production of long-lived implanted bioelectrodes. Our experimental results showed excellent stability of the SiC/silicon dioxide (SiO2) bioelectronic system that can potentially last for several decades with well-maintained electronic properties in biofluid environments. We demonstrated the capability of the proposed material system for peripheral nerve stimulation in an animal model, showing muscle contraction responses comparable to those of a standard non-implanted nerve stimulation device. The design concept, scalable fabrication approach, and multimodal functionalities of SiC/SiO2 flexible electronics offer an exciting possibility for fundamental neuroscience studies, as well as for neural stimulation-based therapies.

Fibrous palygorskite clays as versatile nanocarriers for skin delivery of tea tree oils in efficient acne therapy.

This paper presents a facile approach to develop palygorskite (Pal), a fibrous clay mineral, as a delivery system of tea tree oil (TTO) for topical acne therapy. The obtained TTO-Pal composite showed an efficient loading of TTO (27.4%) with a selective accumulation of terpine-4-ol and 1,8-cineole (two major antimicrobial TTO constituents), sustained release of TTO at skin physiological conditions (pH5.4, 32 °C) and superior skin sebum (2.2 g/g) absorbability. In vitro toxicological assessments showed that the Pal incorporation strategy significantly reduced the acute contact toxicity of TTO. The antimicrobial results revealed a preferable bacteriostatic effect for the TTO-Pal system towards opportunistic dermal pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes) over the beneficial bacterium (Staphylococcus epidermis). Moreover, TTO-Pal based formulations exhibited pronounced clinical therapeutic efficacy in treating facial acne by rapidly reducing inflamed lesions, modulating skin sebum overproduction and restoring barrier function. This is the first report of using fibrous clay as a biocompatible nanocarrier system for topical delivery of essential oils in efficient management of facial acne with both in vitro and in vivo evidences, which may open perspectives for fibrous clay-drug delivery system in topical application and expand the high added value development of this mineral resource in the advanced healthcare fields.

Efficient removal of phosphorus from constructed wetlands using solidified lanthanum/aluminum amended attapulgite/biochar composite as a novel phosphorus filter.

Developing a suitable substrate with high phosphorus (P) sorption capacity, low solubility, and high hydraulic loading for constructed wetlands (CWs) is crucial for their functions. In this study, we used attapulgite and biochar as base materials to prepare a lanthanum/aluminum (La/Al) amended attapulgite/biochar composite as a novel P filter using a one-step drying process and subsequent high-temperature thermal treatments. Results indicated that the solidified poly aluminum chloride (PAC) amended attapulgite/biochar (SAl@AB) has a higher solubility than the solidified La-modified attapulgite/biochar (SLa@AB) and the solidified PAC and La co-modified attapulgite/biochar (SAlLa@AB). Therefore, SAl@AB is not suitable to be used as a substrate for constructed wetlands (CWs). Batch studies indicated that SLa@AB and SAlLa@AB have maximum P sorption capacities of 12.8 mg/g and 21.3 mg/g, respectively. The P sorption rates are higher than those found in most substrates used in constructed wetlands. Additionally, pH and coexisting ions exert minor effects on the P removal performance of SAlLa@AB. Column experiments indicated that longer hydraulic retention time (HRT) favors the removal of influent P. A 120-day column experiment indicated that an average of 95% of the P influent (10 mg P/L) could be removed by the SAlLa@AB with an HRT of 8 h. The P forms analyzed by sequential extraction indicated that P removed by SAlLa@AB occurs through the formation of calcium-bound and Al-bound P fractions, which can account for 68.7% and 18.8% of the total phosphorus, respectively. The formation of lanthanum/aluminum phosphate precipitation was the main P removal mechanism of SAlLa@AB. This was further confirmed by an XPS analysis, showing a formation of La-O-P and Al-O-P inner-sphere complexes after P sorption by SAlLa@AB. The results of this study indicate that SAlLa@AB was a promising substrate for future CWs.

Dietary palygorskite-based antibacterial agent supplementation as an alternative to antibiotic improves growth performance, intestinal mucosal barrier function, and immunity in broiler chickens.

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of palygorskite-based antibacterial agent (PAA) as an alternative to antibiotic on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and immunity in broilers. Three hundred and eighty-four mixed-sex 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated into 6 groups of 8 replicates with 8 birds each. Birds were given a basal diet, an antibiotic diet (50 mg/kg chlortetracycline), and the basal diet supplemented with 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg PAA for 42 d, respectively. Compared with control group, supplementing 1,000 mg/kg PAA reduced overall feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), with its value being similar to that of antibiotic group (P > 0.05). However, a higher level of PAA (2,000 mg/kg) increased feed conversion ratio during the late period (P < 0.05). The 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg PAA decreased plasma endotoxin and D-lactate levels at 42 d (P < 0.05) to comparable values (P > 0.05). The 1,000 mg/kg PAA decreased jejunal crypt depth, while 500 and 1,000 mg/kg PAA increased the ratio between jejunal villus height and crypt depth at 42 d (P < 0.05), with their values being similar to antibiotic group (P > 0.05). The highest level of PAA increased 42-d jejunal mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin M concentrations (P < 0.05). The 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg PAA reduced 21-d interleukin-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in serum and ileal mucosa and 42-d interferon-γ level in serum and jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05), which did not differ from antibiotic group (P > 0.05). Moreover, PAA administration, regardless of its dosage, reduced 42-d serum TNF-α concentration, and 500 to 2,000 mg/kg PAA decreased 21-d and 42-d jejunal and 42-d ileal mucosal TNF-α levels (P < 0.05), with their values being comparable with antibiotic group (P > 0.05). The results suggested that PAA as an alternative to antibiotic could improve growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and immunity of broilers, and its optimal dosage was 1,000 mg/kg.

Oil-in-water emulsion separation: Fouling of alumina membranes with and without a silicon carbide deposition in constant flux filtration mode.

Ceramic membranes have drawn increasing attention in oily wastewater treatment as an alternative to their traditional polymeric counterparts, yet persistent membrane fouling is still one of the largest challenges. Particularly, little is known about ceramic membrane fouling by oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions in constant flux filtration modes. In this study, the effects of emulsion chemistry (surfactant concentration, pH, salinity and Ca2+) and operation parameters (permeate flux and filtration time) were comparatively evaluated for alumina and silicon carbide (SiC) deposited ceramic membranes, with different physicochemical surface properties. The original membranes were made of 100% alumina, while the same membranes were also deposited with a SiC layer to change the surface charge and hydrophilicity. The SiC-deposited membrane showed a lower reversible and irreversible fouling when permeate flux was below 110 L m-2 h-1. In addition, it exhibited a higher permeance recovery after physical and chemical cleaning, as compared to the alumina membranes. Increasing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentration in the feed decreased the fouling of both membranes, but to a higher extent in the alumina membranes. The fouling of both membranes could be reduced with increasing the pH of the emulsion due to the enhanced electrostatic repulsion between oil droplets and membrane surface. Because of the screening of surface charge in a high salinity solution (100 mM NaCl), only a small difference in irreversible fouling was observed for alumina and SiC-deposited membranes under these conditions. The presence of Ca2+ in the emulsion led to high irreversible fouling of both membranes, because of the compression of diffusion double layer and the interactions between Ca2+ and SDS. The low fouling tendency and/or high cleaning efficiency of the SiC-deposited membranes indicated their potential for oily wastewater treatment.

Effects of essential oil/palygorskite composite on performance, egg quality, plasma biochemistry, oxidation status, immune response and intestinal morphology of laying hens.

The current study aimed to assess the effects of different levels of essential oil/palygorskite composite (EO-PGS) supplementation on performance, egg quality, oxidative status, immunity and intestinal morphology of laying hens. A total of 480 laying hens aged 65 wk were randomly assigned into 4 groups (6 replicates of 20 hens each). Hens were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS for 56 d. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA. Results showed that birds fed with diet supplemented with EO-PGS had increased the egg production (P < 0.05) more than birds fed with control diet. The yolk index and shell thickness were increased in 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS groups at d56 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma biochemical parameters among all groups. Compared with the control group, supplementation of EO-PGS increased the immunoglobulin-G and interleukin-2 levels in plasma (P < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity in plasma and liver, the plasma catalase concentration, the activity of total superoxide dismutase in the liver and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the spleen were increased in the EO-PGS groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of malondialdehyde in the liver was decreased with the increasing level of EO-PGS (P < 0.05). The crypt depth of ileum and duodenum of birds fed with EO-PGS supplemented diet had a tendency to decrease (0.05

Calcium-modified granular attapulgite removed phosphorus from synthetic wastewater containing low-strength phosphorus.

Traditional biological processes combined with chemical precipitation methods can effectively reduce phosphate concentration in wastewater. However, discharge standards required additional advanced treatment technologies, and the removal of low phosphorus concentration is complicated and expensive. This study proposes application of a simple and recyclable adsorbent to remove low-concentration phosphorus from water. The removal efficiency of phosphorus from low-strength synthetic wastewater was investigated and the adsorption mechanism was analyzed. When the initial phosphorus concentration was 2.0 mg/L, the phosphorus adsorption capacity of Ca-GAT increased to 0.891 mg/g from 0.074 mg/g for GAT at 298 K and pH of 7. Phosphorus adsorption on Ca-GAT performs well when the solution pH is in the range of 5-10, and it is not conducive to the adsorption reaction when the solution pH exceeds 11. The competing anions (such as NO3-, SO42-, HCO3- and F-) existed, Ca-GAT still performed better in removing phosphorus. Then, the saturated absorbents could be effectively regenerated with a 0.5 mos/L NaOH solution, while desorption efficiency was reduced from 97.11% to 33.06% after fifth regeneration cycle. Finally, Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis demonstrated that the Ca2+ content on the Ca-GAT surface played an important role in capturing phosphate ions from wastewater. Phosphorus was mainly removed via the formation of Ca-phosphorus precipitation. To some extent, ligand exchanges of CO32- and OH- with HPO42- and H2PO4- were also beneficial for phosphorus removal. The present work shows that attapulgite has sustainable and beneficial potential in the removal of low-strength phosphorous in wastewater, and the phosphorus loaded adsorbent can be used in the agriculture as slow-release fertilizer.

Speed of sound in the IEC tissue-mimicking material and its maintenance solution as a function of temperature.

Tissue-Mimicking Material (TMM) is defined on IEC International Standards and applied in assessing ultrasonic diagnostic and therapeutic equipment's basic safety and essential performance. One of the TMM that fits IEC standards specification has its recipe described at IEC 60601-2-37, and it is fabricated using glycerol (11.21 %), deionized water (82.95%), benzalkonium chloride (0.47 %), silicon carbide (0.53 %), aluminum oxide 0.3 µm (0.88%), aluminum oxide 3.0 µm (0.94 %), and agar (3.08 %). Glycerol is the component responsible for adjusting the TMM's speed of sound. Moreover, it is recommended to store TMM in a closed container immersed in a mixture of water (88.1 %)/glycerol (11.9 %) to prevent it from drying out and avoiding air contact. The literature points out TMM measurements underwater can alter the speed of sound property as TMM tends to lose glycerol. Herein, the authors proposed to assess the viability of measuring the TMM speed of sound in the water/glycerol maintenance solution. First, the authors characterized the maintenance solution's speed of sound for a temperature range of 20 °C to 45 °C. Then, the group velocity of a set of TMM was measured underwater and in the maintenance solution for the same temperature range. The respective group velocity expanded uncertainty was calculated. The results indicate it is feasible to measure TMM in the maintenance solution, achieving group velocity values with no statistical difference from the ones measured underwater in the temperature range of 20 °C to 40 °C.

Contrasting effect of zirconium-, iron-, and zirconium/iron-modified attapulgites capping and amendment on phosphorus mobilization in sediment.

In this research, the sorption characteristics and mechanism of phosphate on zirconium-modified attapulgite (Zr-ATP), iron-modified attapulgite (Fe-ATP), and zirconium/iron co-modified attapulgite (Zr/Fe-ATP) prepared by a simple impregnation method were studied, and the impacts of Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP amendment and capping on the migration of phosphorus (P) from sediments to overlying waters were investigated. The results showed that Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP possessed stronger adsorption ability for phosphate in aqueous solution than Fe-ATP. The ligand replacement of the hydroxyl group with the phosphate anion to form the inner-sphere phosphate complex played a crucial role in the adsorption process of phosphate on Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP. Most of the phosphate ions bound by Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP were in the form of caustic soda solution-extractable inorganic P (NaOH-IP) and residual P (Res-P), and it is hard for these P species to be re-released into water under the circumstances of reducing environment and normal pH (5-9). The ratio of mobile P to total P of Fe-ATP loaded with phosphate was much higher than those of Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP loaded with phosphate, indicating that Fe-ATP-bound phosphate has a higher re-releasing risk than Zr-ATP-bound and Zr/Fe-ATP-bound phosphate. Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP amendment all can reduce the releasing risk of P from sediments to overlying waters. The amendment of sediment with Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP can both induce the conversion of redox-sensitive P (BD-P) to NaOH-IP and Res-P in the sediment, making the phosphorus in the sediment more stable. However, the amendment of sediment with Fe-ATP can only induce the conversion of HCl-P to NaOH-IP in the sediment and had a negligible effect on the inorganic P activity in the sediment. Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP capping all can reduce the risk of P release from sediment into the overlying water, and Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP capping had a better reduction efficiency of internal P liberation to the overlying water than Fe-ATP capping. Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP capping all can give rise to the reduction of pore water SRP and diffusive gradient in thin-film (DGT)-labile P in the upper sediment. This is beneficial to the control of P releasing from sediment into the overlying water by the Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP capping. The findings of this work suggest that Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP are promising active capping or amendment materials for internal P loading management in surface water bodies.

Recovering metal ions from oxalic acid leaching palygorskite-rich clay wastewater to fabricate layered mixed metal oxide/carbon composites for high-efficient removing Congo red.

This study developed a sustainable way to transform metallic residues in wastewater and spent adsorbents that adsorbed organic pollutants into novel high-efficiency adsorbents to treat water pollution again. The metal ions recovered from oxalic acid leaching palygorskite-rich clay wastewater was used to construct the hydrotalcite-like composites, after adsorbing organic pollutants, which was calcined and carbonized to convert into the mixed metal oxide/carbon composites (MMO/Cs). The fabricated MMO/Cs showed outstanding adsorption performance for the anionic azo dye Congo Red (CR). Especially, the MMO/C2 with the M2+/M3+ molar ratio of 2, which adjusted by supplementing Mg2+, had ultra-high adsorption capacity and ultra-clean removal efficiency for CR. The adsorption capacity was as high as 3303 mg/g, and only 0.5 g/L MMO/C2 dosing treatment for 6 h could completely decolor and remove the 2000 mg/L CR aqueous solution. Moreover, MMO/Cs exhibited the ability to simultaneous remove CR and Methylene blue (MB) mixed dye contaminants, and demonstrated the excellent recyclability. This work provides a promising method for the high-value conversion of waste resources and the synthesis of high-efficiency adsorbents.

Effect of pectin and attapulgite filler on swelling, network parameters and controlled release of diltiazem hydrochloride from polyacrylic copolymer gel.

Pectin grafted polyacrylic copolymer hydrogels were made by free radical crosslink copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM) in an aqueous solution of pectin. N'N-methylene bis acrylamide (MBA) was used as a crosslinker. During the polymerization reaction the attapulgite (APG) filler was also incorporated in situ into the network of the copolymer gel. Several filled hydrogels were prepared by varying the amount of pectin and APG filler. These hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, 13C NMR, XRD, TGA, SEM, mechanical properties, DMA, swelling, diffusion characteristics and network parameters. The release kinetics of a model drug diltiazem hydrochloride (DT) was studied with these hydrogels. The wt% of pectin, APG and MBA was optimized with a central composite design (CCD) model of response surface methodology (RSM) with equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR), drug adsorption (mg/100 mg gel) and drug release% in 16 h as response. Accordingly, the hydrogel prepared with 5:1 AA:AM molar ratio, 25 wt% monomer concentration, 1% each of initiator and MBA concentration, 18 wt% pectin and 2 wt% APG showed an optimized ESR of 17.75, drug loading of 27.58 and a drug release % of 92.5 in 16 h at a solution pH of 7.4.

Photothermal treatment of oropharyngeal cancer with carbon-defective silicon carbide.

Oral squamous carcinoma (OSCC) is a clinical common tumor with high recurrence rate and low 5 year survival rate. In this work, photothermal antitumor treatment has been performed to treat OSCC by taking anti-wound infection into consideration. By introducing C defects, we have successfully converted the semi-conductive SiC into metallic carbon-defective silicon carbide (SiC1-x), and endowed it with the near infrared absorption property for photothermal therapy (PTT). The results revealed that SiC1-x mediated PTT treatment could remove solid OSCC tumor in a biosafe way, showing low hematotoxicity, cytotoxicity and tissue toxicity. Moreover, the low invasion of PTT treatment could not only prevent the invasion of bacteria, but also realize an antibacterial effect on the wound, both of which are important for oral surgery. SiC1-x could be excreted from the body post treatment, which thus reduces the long-term potential toxicity. On the whole, this study provided a promising way to treat OSCC in an effective and safe way.

Enhanced biomaterials: systematic review of alternatives to supplement spine fusion including silicon nitride, bioactive glass, amino peptide bone graft, and tantalum.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal fusions are among the most common and effective spinal surgical practices; however, the current model presents some cost and safety concerns within the patient population. Therefore, enhanced biomaterials have been presented to be an innovative yet underutilized tool to supplement the success of spinal fusion surgery. Herein, the authors discuss these biomaterials, their compositions, clinical outcomes, and cost analysis through a systematic review of the literature to date. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria and guidelines. Article selection was performed using the PubMed electronic bibliographic databases. The search yielded 1168 articles that were assessed and filtered for relevance by the four authors. Following the screening of titles and abstracts, 62 articles were deemed significant enough for final selection. RESULTS: To date, silicon nitride, bioactive glass, amino peptide bone grafts, and tantalum are all biomaterials that could have significant roles in supporting spinal fusion. Their unique compositions allow them to be biocompatible in the spine, and their mechanisms of action stimulate osteoblast formation and support fusion success. Moreover, these biomaterials also present positive clinical and cost outcomes that support their application in spinal procedures. However, further studies with longer follow-ups are necessary to fully understand these biomaterials prior to their incorporation in mainstream spinal practice. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of their positive clinical outcomes, biocompatibility, and cost-effectiveness makes these biomaterials valuable, innovative, and effective treatment modalities that could revolutionize the current model of spinal fusion.

A silicon nitride ISFET based immunosensor for tumor necrosis factor-alpha detection in saliva. A promising tool for heart failure monitoring.

According to the European statistics, approximately 26 million patients worldwide suffer from heart failure (HF), and this number seems to be steadily increasing. Inflammation plays a central role in the development of HF, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) represents inflammation gold-standard biomarker. Early detection plays a crucial role for the prognosis and treatment of HF. An Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET) based on silicon nitride transducer and biofunctionalized with anti-TNF-α antibody for label-free detection of salivary TNF-α is proposed. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used for TNF-α detection. Our ImmunoFET offered a detection limit of 1 pg mL-1, with an analytical reproducibility expressed by a coefficient of variance (CV) resulted < 10% for the analysis of saliva samples, and an analyte recovery of 94 ± 6%. In addition, it demonstrated high selectivity when compared to other HF biomarkers such as Inteleukin-10, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, and Cortisol. Finally, ImmunoFET accuracy in determining the unknown concentration of TNF-α was successfully tested in saliva samples by performing standard addition method. The proposed ImmunoFET showed great promise as a complementary tool for biomedical application for HF monitoring by a non-invasive, rapid and accurate assessment of TNF-α.