ß-endorphin suppresses ultraviolet B irradiation-induced epidermal barrier damage by regulating inflammation-dependent mTORC1 signaling.

Solar ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation triggers excessive inflammation, disrupting the epidermal barrier, and can eventually cause skin cancer. A previous study reported that under UVB irradiation, epidermal keratinocytes synthesize the proopiomelanocortin-derived peptide ß-endorphin, which is known for its analgesic effect. However, little is known about the role of ß-endorphin in UVB-exposed skin. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore the protective role of ß-endorphin against UVB irradiation-induced damage to the skin barrier in normal human keratinocytes (NHKs) and on a human skin equivalent model. Treatment with ß-endorphin reduced inflammatory responses in UVB-irradiated NHKs by inactivating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Additionally, we found that ß-endorphin treatment reversed UVB-induced abnormal epidermal proliferation and differentiation in NHKs and, thus, repaired the skin barrier in UVB-treated skin equivalents. The observed effects of ß-endorphin on UVB-irradiated NHKs were mediated via blockade of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. These results reveal that ß-endorphin might be useful against UVB-induced skin injury, including the disruption of the skin barrier function.

Postoperative outcomes of ovarian preserving surgery in premenopausal women with adnexal torsion.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine whether ovarian-preserving surgery for adnexal torsion helps preserve ovarian function without increasing the risk of postoperative complications. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 71 women who were surgically diagnosed with adnexal torsion between January 2015 and December 2019 at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine (ovarian preservation group, 56; oophorectomy, 15). Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels measured within 6 months before surgery were compared to levels measured 6-24 months after surgery. Surgical findings and postoperative complications were compared between the groups. RESULTS: There was a borderline significant difference in the decrease in serum AMH levels between the oophorectomy group and ovarian preservation group before and after surgery. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of fever, infection, or duration of admission. Discoloration of the twisted ovary was found in 27.3% and 33.3% of the patients in the ovarian preservation and oophorectomy groups, respectively. There was no difference in the decrease in serum AMH levels between patients with and those without discoloration. CONCLUSION: Ovarian-preserving surgery may not increase postoperative complications in patients with adnexal torsion, even if a twisted mass is suspected to be necrotic. Moreover, the ovarian reserve may not be affected by torsion if the ovary is preserved. Conservative ovarian surgery can be safely performed to preserve the reproductive potential of women with adnexal torsion and cystic masses.

Ex-situ biomethanation for CO2 valorization: State of the art, recent advances, challenges, and future prospective.

Ex-situ biomethanation is an emerging technology that facilitates the use of surplus renewable electricity and valorizes carbon dioxide (CO2) for biomethane production by hydrogenotrophic methanogens. This review offers an up-to-date overview of the current state of ex-situ biomethanation and thoroughly analyzes key operational parameters affecting hydrogen (H2) gas-liquid mass transfer and biomethanation performance, along with an in-depth discussion of the technical challenges. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review article to discuss microbial community structure in liquid and biofilm phases and their responses after exposure to H2 starvation during ex-situ biomethanation. In addition, future research in areas such as reactor configuration and optimization of operational parameters for improving the H2 mass transfer rate, inhibiting opportunistic homoacetogens, integration of membrane technology, and use of conductive packing material is recommended to overcome challenges and improve the efficiency of ex-situ biomethanation. Furthermore, this review presents a techno-economic analysis for the future development and facilitation of industrial implementation. The insights presented in this review will offer useful information to identify state-of-the-art research trends and realize the full potential of this emerging technology for CO2 utilization and biomethane production.

Mitigation of benzoic acid-driven autotoxicity in waste nutrient solution using O3 and O3/H2O2 treatments: Seed germination and root growth of Lactuca sativa L.

Benzoic acid (BA), a secondary metabolite released through root exudates, is considered to be the most common inhibitor that leads to plant autotoxicity, even at low concentrations in closed hydroponic systems. In this study, to mitigate BA-driven autotoxicity, the effects of O3 and O3/H2O2 oxidation treatment (O3 concentration: 1, 2, 4, 8 mg L-1, H2O2 concentration: 4, 8 mg L-1) on waste nutrient solution (WNS) were investigated in terms of BA degradation, the rate of germination inhibition (GI), and the rate of root growth inhibition (RI). In the case of O3 treatment, the BA degradation rate improved up to 14.1% as the O3 concentration increased, while alleviation of GI was insignificant (94.6-100%), confirming that a single O3 treatment was unsuitable for mitigating autotoxicity. On the other hand, O3/H2O2 treatment increased BA degradation by up to 24.8%, thereby significantly reducing GI (up to 7.69%) and RI (up to 0.88%). Both the highest BA mineralization rate and phytotoxicity mitigation was observed at BA125 (4-4) (BA mineralization: 16.7%, GI: 12.82%, RI: 11.69%) and BA125 (1-8) (BA mineralization: 17.7%, GI: 7.69%, RI: 0.88%) at each H2O2 concentration. In addition, the operating costs were evaluated by a chemical and electricity cost analysis at the different treatments. As a result, the operating costs of BA125 (4-4) and BA125 (1-8) were calculated to be 0.40 and 0.42 $ L-1 mg-1 of mineralized BA, respectively. After consideration of the mineralization rate, autotoxicity mitigation, and operating cost, BA125 (1-8) was suggested for the optimal treatment condition and our findings would contribute to the alleviation of BA-driven autotoxicity.

Elucidation of microbial interactions, dynamics, and keystone microbes in high pressure anaerobic digestion.

High-pressure anaerobic digestion (HPAD) is a promising technology for producing biogas enriched with high methane content in a single-step process. To enhance HPAD performance, a comprehensive understanding of microbial community dynamics and their interactions is essential. For this, mesophilic batch high-pressurized anaerobic reactors were operated under 3 bars (H3) and 6 bars (H6). The experimental results showed that the effect of high-pressure (up to 6 bar) on acidification was negligible while methanogenesis was significantly delayed. Microbial analysis showed the predominance of Defluviitoga affiliated with the phylum Thermotogae and the reduction of Thiopseudomonas under high-pressure conditions. In addition, the microbial cluster pattern in H3 and H6 was significantly different compared to the CR, indicating a clear shift in microbial community structure. Moreover, Methanobacterium, Methanomicrobiaceae, Alkaliphilus, and Petrimonas were strongly correlated in network analysis, and they could be identified as keystone microbes in the HPAD reactor.

Acute effects of (-)-gallocatechin gallate-rich green tea extract on the cerebral hemodynamic response of the prefrontal cortex in healthy humans.

Objective: The benefits of long-term consumption of green tea on the brain are well known. However, among many ingredients of green tea, the acute effects of (-)-gallocatechin gallate-rich green tea extract (GCG-GTE), have received comparatively less attention. Herein, we investigated the acute effects of oral ingestion of green tea with GCG-GTE, which contains close replicas of the ingredients of hot green tea, on task-dependent hemodynamics in the prefrontal cortex of healthy adult human brains. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group trial, 35 healthy adults completed computerized cognitive tasks that demand activation of the prefrontal cortex at baseline and 1 h after consumption of placebo and 900 mg of GCG-GTE extract supplement. During cognitive testing, hemodynamic responses (change in HbO2 concentration) in the prefrontal cortex were assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results: In fNIRS data, significant group x session interactions were found in the left (p = 0.035) and right (p = 0.036) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In behavioral data, despite the numerical increase in the GCG-GTE group and the numerical decrease in the Placebo group, no significant differences were observed in the cognitive performance measure between the groups. Conclusion: The result suggests a single dose of orally administered GCG-GTE can reduce DLPFC activation in healthy humans even with increased task demand. GCG-GTE is a promising functional material that can affect neural efficiency to lower mental workload during cognitively demanding tasks. However, further studies are needed to verify this.

Kaempferol tetrasaccharides restore skin atrophy via PDK1 inhibition in human skin cells and tissues: Bench and clinical studies.

Skin aging is a major risk factor for the dermal diseases, and interventions to attenuate cellular senescence are expected to reduce the risk for age-related diseases involving skin atrophy. However, blocking cell death or extending proliferation causally results in side effects and an increased cancer risk. For identification of a safer approach, we focused on PDK1 inhibition, which could revert cellular senescence and reduce senescence factors in skin in vitro, in a human skin equivalent model and in an exploratory, placebo-controlled, interventional trial. Natural phytochemical kaempferol tetrasaccharides resulted in a significant reduction in cellular senescence, and an increase in collagen fiber was observed in the skin cell and human skin equivalent. Clinical enhancement in skin appearance was noted in multiple participants, and an immunohistochemical study revealed improvement in the histological appearance of skin tissue and extracellular matrix. This change was associated with relative improvement in histological markers of senescence and clinical appearance of the aged skin and an increase in collagen fiber, an essential factor for preventing skin atrophy and consistency of the basement membrane. These results indicate that PDK1 inhibition is a potentially effective antiaging intervention, suggesting a diagnostic role and preventive actions of PDK1 in senescence-associated skin atrophy.

A critical review on biomass-based sustainable biorefineries using nanobiocatalysts: Opportunities, challenges, and future perspectives.

Biocatalysts, including live microbial cells/enzymes, have been considered a predominant and advantageous tool for effectively transforming biomass into biofuels and valued biochemicals. However, high production costs, separation, and reusability limit its practical application. Immobilization of single and multi-enzymes by employing different nano-supports have gained massive attention because of its elevated exterior domain and high enzymatic performance. Application of nanobiocatalyst can overcome the drawbacks mainly, stability and reusability, thus reflecting the importance of biomass-based biorefinery to make it profitable and sustainable. This review provides an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of nanobiocatalysts systems concerning nano supports and biocatalytic performance characteristics. Furthermore, the effects of nanobiocatalyst on waste biomass to biofuel and valued bioproducts in the biorefinery approach and their critical assessment are discussed. Lastly, this review elaborates commercialization and market outlooks of the bioconversion process using nanobiocatalyst, followed by different strategies to overcome the limitations and future research directions on nanobiocatalytic-based industrial bioprocesses.

Asymmetric Influence of Dual-Task Interference on Anticipatory Postural Adjustments in One-Leg Stance.

This study investigated the differences of anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) in a one-leg stance (OLS) that appear according to lower-extremity dominance and dual-task interference. Thirteen young, healthy, male volunteers performed the OLS task under the following six conditions: (1) dominant leg (DL), single-task; (2) DL, dual-task, with a low level of cognitive load (DT1/2); (3) DL, dual-task, with a high level of cognitive load (DT + 1); (4) non-dominant leg (NDL), single-task; (5) NDL, DT1/2; and (6) NDL, DT + 1. In order to measure the subjects' APA, we used the medial-lateral displacement of their centers of pressure and gravity from the force plate and the time-series data of joint angular motions, recorded using a 3D motion analysis system. In the NDL under the dual-task condition, the onset of APA was delayed and the amplitude declined, which resulted in an increase in the duration of the APA period. The number of components identified by principal component analysis differed according to the dominant foot, and the change caused by cognitive load was found only in the NDL. As the cognitive load increased, the variance of the principal component decreased. These findings show that dual-task interference asymmetrically influences APA according to limb dominance, which reorganizes the coordination strategy of joints' angular motion.

Developing Microbial Co-Culture System for Enhanced Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production Using Acid Pretreated Lignocellulosic Biomass.

In the growing polymer industry, the interest of researchers is captivated by bioplastics production with biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This study examines the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production performance of individual Lysinibacillus sp. RGS and Ralstonia eutropha ATCC 17699 and their co-culture by utilizing sugarcane bagasse (SCB) hydrolysates. Initially, acidic (H2SO4) and acidified sodium chlorite pretreatment was employed for the hydrolysis of SCB. The effects of chemical pretreatment on the SCB biomass assembly and its chemical constituents were studied by employing numerous analytical methods. Acidic pretreatment under optimal conditions showed effective delignification (60%) of the SCB biomass, leading to a maximum hydrolysis yield of 74.9 ± 1.65% and a saccharification yield of 569.0 ± 5.65 mg/g of SCB after enzymatic hydrolysis. The resulting SCB enzymatic hydrolysates were harnessed for PHA synthesis using individual microbial culture and their defined co-culture. Co-culture strategy was found to be effective in sugar assimilation, bacterial growth, and PHA production kinetic parameters relative to the individual strains. Furthermore, the effects of increasing acid pretreated SCB hydrolysates (20, 30, and 40 g/L) on cell density and PHA synthesis were studied. The effects of different cost-effective nutrient supplements and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) with acid pretreated SCB hydrolysates on cell growth and PHA production were studied. By employing optimal conditions and supplementation of corn steep liquor (CSL) and spent coffee waste extracted oil (SCGO), the co-culture produced maximum cell growth (DCW: 11.68 and 11.0 g/L), PHA accumulation (76% and 76%), and PHA titer (8.87 and 8.36 g/L), respectively. The findings collectively suggest that the development of a microbial co-culture strategy is a promising route for the efficient production of high-value bioplastics using different agricultural waste biomass.

Lignin-Mediated Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis for Photocatalytic Degradation of Reactive Yellow 4G and In Vitro Assessment of Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Antibacterial Activities.

This study explored the potential of abundantly available sodium lignosulfonate (LS) as a reducer and fabricating agent in preparing silver nanoparticles (LS-Ag NPs). The operational conditions were optimized to make the synthesis process simpler, rapid, and eco-friendly. The prepared LS-Ag NPs were analyzed via UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Results demonstrated that LS-Ag NPs were of crystalline structure, capped with LS constituents, and spherical in shape with a size of approximately 20 nm. Under optimized conditions, LS-Ag NPs exhibited significant photocatalytic activity in Reactive Yellow 4G degradation. The effects of photocatalyst (LS-Ag NPs) dosage, dye concentration, and its reusability for dye degradation were studied to make the process practically applicable in textile wastewater treatment. Additionally, the synthesized LS-Ag NPs displayed significant free radical scavenging against 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with an IC50 value of (50.2 ± 0.70 µg/mL) and also exhibited antidiabetic activity in terms of inhibition in the activity of carbohydrate-degrading marker enzyme α-glucosidase with an IC50 value of (58.1 ± 0.65 µg/mL). LS-Ag NPs showed substantial antibacterial potential against pathogenic strains, namely E. coli and S. aureus. In conclusion, LS-Ag NPs can be a reliable and eco-friendly material for their possible application in the treatment of dye-containing wastewater and have a great perspective in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors.

An Overview of Recent Advancements in Microbial Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production from Dark Fermentation Acidogenic Effluents: A Path to an Integrated Bio-Refinery.

Global energy consumption has been increasing in tandem with economic growth motivating researchers to focus on renewable energy sources. Dark fermentative hydrogen synthesis utilizing various biomass resources is a promising, less costly, and less energy-intensive bioprocess relative to other biohydrogen production routes. The generated acidogenic dark fermentative effluent [e.g., volatile fatty acids (VFAs)] has potential as a reliable and sustainable carbon substrate for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis. PHA, an important alternative to petrochemical based polymers has attracted interest recently, owing to its biodegradability and biocompatibility. This review illustrates methods for the conversion of acidogenic effluents (VFAs), such as acetate, butyrate, propionate, lactate, valerate, and mixtures of VFAs, into the value-added compound PHA. In addition, the review provides a comprehensive update on research progress of VFAs to PHA conversion and related enhancement techniques including optimization of operational parameters, fermentation strategies, and genetic engineering approaches. Finally, potential bottlenecks and future directions for the conversion of VFAs to PHA are outlined. This review offers insights to researchers on an integrated biorefinery route for sustainable and cost-effective bioplastics production.

Hormone autocrination by vascularized hydrogel delivery of ovary spheroids to rescue ovarian dysfunctions.

The regeneration potential of implantable organ model hydrogels is applied to treat a loss of ovarian endocrine function in women experiencing menopause and/or cancer therapy. A rat ovariectomy model is used to harvest autologous ovary cells while subsequently producing a layer-by-layer form of follicle spheroids. Implantation of a microchannel network hydrogel with cell spheroids [vascularized hydrogel with ovarian spheroids (VHOS)] into an ischemic hindlimb of ovariectomized rats significantly aids the recovery of endocrine function with hormone release, leading to full endometrium regeneration. The VHOS implantation effectively suppresses the side effects observed with synthetic hormone treatment (i.e., tissue overgrowth, hyperplasia, cancer progression, deep vein thrombosis) to the normal levels, while effectively preventing the representative aftereffects of menopause (i.e., gaining fatty weight, inducing osteoporosis). These results highlight the unprecedented therapeutic potential of an implantable VHOS against menopause and suggest that it may be used as an alternative approach to standard hormone therapy.

A comprehensive overview and recent advances on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production using various organic waste streams.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are appealing as an important alternative to replace synthetic plastics owing to its comparable physicochemical properties to that of synthetic plastics, and biodegradable and biocompatible nature. This review gives an inclusive overview of the current research activities dealing with PHA production by utilizing different waste fluxes generated from food, milk and sugar processing industries. Valorization of these waste fluxes makes the process cost effective and practically applicable. Recent advances in the approaches adopted for waste treatment, fermentation strategies, and genetic engineering can give insights to the researchers for future direction of waste to bioplastics production. Lastly, synthesis and application of PHA-nanocomposites, research and development challenges, future perspectives for sustainable and cost-effective PHB production are also discussed. In addition, the review addresses the useful information about the opportunities and confines associated with the sustainable PHA production using different waste streams and their evaluation for commercial implementation within a biorefinery.

Efficient bioconversion of sugarcane bagasse into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Lysinibacillus sp. and its characterization.

In this study, Lysinibacillus sp. RGS was evaluated to synthesize polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) from a broad range of pure carbon sources and residual sugars of chemically pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) hydrolysates. Effects of supplementation of nutrients and various experimental variables to enhance PHB accumulation were investigated. Results of optimized parameters were identified as 48 h, 37 °C, pH 7; inoculums concentration (2.5% v/v) and shaking condition (100 rpm). Growth kinetics and bioprocess parameters of Lysinibacillus sp. using SCB hydrolysates with corn steep liquor (2%) accounted for the maximum cell growth (8.65 g/L) and PHA accumulation (61.5%) with PHB titer of (5.31 g/L) under optimal conditions. The produced biopolymer was studied by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and the results revealed the obtained to be PHB. Thus Lysinibaciluus sp. exhibits high potential in industrial scale manufacture of PHB using SCB as an inexpensive substrate.

EEG Revealed That Fragrances Positively Affect Menopausal Symptoms in Mid-life Women.

During mid-life, women experienced not only physical but also neurological transition. Because of this, many women suffer from physiological and/or psychological menopausal symptoms. Although hormone therapy (HT) was broadly used to alleviate menopausal symptoms, HT showed inconsistent effects in case of psychological symptoms. Moreover, mid-life women's brains have distinct characteristics than in other periods of life, it is needed to study psychological symptoms in shifted brain network of mid-life women. As an alternative, inhalation of fragrances may alleviate psychological menopausal symptoms. To characterize the alleviation mechanism by fragrances, we tested the effect of fragrances on menopausal symptoms using electroencephalographic (EEG) methods. We hypothesized that fragrance could restore mid-life women's brain response to stressful situations. We tested six fragrance conditions, including no-odor condition (solvent only) in twenty-eight mid-life women (49.75 years±3.49). Our results showed that fragrances increased alpha power and decreased ß/α ratio depending on the severity of menopausal symptoms in a stressful situation. Our study would be helpful in psychological menopausal symptom alleviation as well as fragrance screening for well-being in mid-life.

Inhibition of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) can revert cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts.

Cellular senescence is defined as a stable, persistent arrest of cell proliferation. Here, we examine whether senescent cells can lose senescence hallmarks and reenter a reversible state of cell-cycle arrest (quiescence). We constructed a molecular regulatory network of cellular senescence based on previous experimental evidence. To infer the regulatory logic of the network, we performed phosphoprotein array experiments with normal human dermal fibroblasts and used the data to optimize the regulatory relationships between molecules with an evolutionary algorithm. From ensemble analysis of network models, we identified 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) as a promising target for inhibitors to convert the senescent state to the quiescent state. We showed that inhibition of PDK1 in senescent human dermal fibroblasts eradicates senescence hallmarks and restores entry into the cell cycle by suppressing both nuclear factor κB and mTOR signaling, resulting in restored skin regeneration capacity. Our findings provide insight into a potential therapeutic strategy to treat age-related diseases associated with the accumulation of senescent cells.

Effect of sex hormones on coronavirus disease 2019: an analysis of 5,061 laboratory-confirmed cases in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of female sex hormones on the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 patients using national claims data. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the Health Insurance Review and Assessment data of 5,061 adult patients with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 in South Korea from January 20 to April 8, 2020. To evaluate the effect of hormone therapy on clinical outcomes among women, subgroup analyses using age-matched case-control data were performed. RESULTS: Coronavirus disease 2019 was most prevalent in women in the 20-39 years age group (1,250 [44.14%]). Men were more likely to receive oxygen therapy (144 [6.46%] vs 131 [4.63%], P = 0.004), be admitted to the intensive care unit (60 [2.69%] vs 53 [1.87%], P = 0.049), and have a longer length of stay after admission to the intensive care unit (19.70 ± 11.80 vs 14.75 ±â€Š9.23, P = 0.016). However, there was no significant difference in the mortality rate (men vs women: 42 [1.88%] vs 42 [1.48%], P = 0.267). In the multivariable Cox analysis, older age and underlying comorbidities, but not sex, were independent risk factors for mortality. Hormone therapy was not significantly associated with clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study, using nationwide data, suggests that female sex hormones are not associated with the morbidity and clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in South Korea.

Utilization of Noxious Weed Water Hyacinth Biomass as a Potential Feedstock for Biopolymers Production: A Novel Approach.

This study aims to utilize a noxious weed water hyacinth biomass (WH) for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production. Alkaline and peracetic acid pretreatment was employed for the hydrolysis of WH and consequently enzymatic saccharification to produce fermentable sugars for PHB production. The pretreatment competence was determined using various operational parameters. By applying ambient conditions, alkaline pretreatment gave higher lignin removal of 65.0%, with 80.8% hydrolysis yield, and on enzyme hydrolysis (40 FPU/g of dry WH), produced total reducing sugar of about 523 mg/g of WH. The resulted WH enzymatic hydolysates were evaluated for the production of PHB by Ralstonia eutropha (ATCC 17699). The WH hydrolysates cultivation was compared to synthetic hydrolysates that contain a similar carbon composition in terms of bacterial growth and PHB synthesis. The effects of various supplements to enhance PHB production were estimated. Supplementation of corn steep liquor (CSL) as a cheap nitrogen source with WH hydrolysates favored a higher amount of PHB synthesis (73%), PHB titer of 7.30 g/L and PHB yield of 0.429 g/g of reducing sugar. Finally, using standard analytical tools, the physical and thermal characteristics of the extracted PHB were evaluated. The findings revealed WH was a promising and technically feasible option for transforming biomass into sustainable biopolymer conversion on a large scale.

Synergistic effect of Cu loading on Fe sites of fly ash for enhanced catalytic reduction of nitrophenol.

A novel Cu catalyst was developed using water-washed coal fly ash (WFA) as a support material for catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (p-NP) in the presence of NaBH4. Cu/WFA showed ~ × 105 times higher estimated rate constant kobs-p-NP/CCu (L min-1 gCu-1) compared with Cu/SiO2, Cu/Al2O3, and other Cu catalysts previously reported. Surprisingly, we obtained a significant lower price value (Price'/K) (0.027-0.068 USD/L min-1) for Cu/WFA in comparison with other Cu catalysts and precious metallic catalysts (Pd, Au, Ag, and Pt). Various surface analyses and additional experiments using Fe/SiO2, Cu/Fe2O3/SiO2, and Cu/HCl-treated WFA demonstrated that Cu(0) nanoparticles were well loaded on the surface of WFA, where Fe elements were abundant, resulting in a dramatic enhancement of the Cu/WFA catalytic activity. Particularly, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the abundance of Cu(0)/Fe(III) and Cu(0)/Fe(II) in the WFA surface. This indicates that Cu(0) was the main driving force for the activation of Had molecule, and that the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) by NaBH4 can accelerate the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(0). Recycling and phytotoxicity tests showed that Cu/WFA can be applied as a reusable catalyst with low environmental impact, revealing the remarkable potential of non-precious metal/WFA catalyst in the field of environmental remediation.