Influence of carboxy-terminated hyperbranched polyester and polyethylene glycol on the mechanical and thermal properties of polylactic acid/straw flour composites.

Polylactic acid (PLA) wood-plastic composites have a significant advantage over traditional petroleum-based plastics due to their biodegradability. However, PLA has several shortcomings, including high brittleness, low heat resistance, slow crystallization, and poor compatibility with biomass materials, which have limited its potential applications. In this paper, we investigated the effects of carboxy-terminated hyperbranched polyester (CHBP) on the mechanical, crystalline, and thermal properties of PLA/straw flour (SF) blends through extrusion injection molding. Additionally, we added the traditional plasticizer polyethylene glycol (PEG) to synergize with CHBP to enhance the toughness of PLA/SF composites. Our results showed that the appropriate addition of CHBP effectively improved the interfacial bonding between PLA and straw flour. The incorporation of CHBP also improved the tensile strength, bending strength, impact strength, elongation at break, thermal stability, and crystallization rate of the composites. Furthermore, the addition of both CHBP and PEG significantly improved the impact strength of the composites compared to using PEG alone. This method also improved the heat resistance of the material and reduced the migration of plasticizers. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using hyperbranched polymers and plasticizers to enhance the toughness, thermal stability, and crystalline properties of PLA wood-plastic composites, providing a new approach to improving the properties of these composites.

Eliminating drug target interference with specific antibody or its F(ab')2 fragment in the bridging immunogenicity assay.

Background: DB-1003 is a humanized anti-IgE monoclonal antibody with higher affinity than omalizumab. In the affinity capture elution (ACE)-based bridging electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) for antibodies to DB-1003, monkey serum IgE caused false-positive results. Materials & methods: The target-specific antibody or its F(ab')2 fragment was used to mitigate drug target interference in an ACE-based bridging ECLIA for the detection of anti-DB-1003 antibodies. Results: The sensitivity of the developed assay was at least 100 ng/ml. When the anti-drug antibody concentration was 250 ng/ml, the assay tolerated at least 20.0 µg/ml of the monkey IgE. Conclusion: Incorporating the target-specific antibody or its F(ab')2 fragment can overcome the interference from monkey serum IgE in ACE-based bridging ECLIA for anti-DB-1003 antibody detection.

Lead recovery from waste CRT funnel glass by mechanochemical reaction with reductive Al powder.

The safe disposal of waste cathode ray tubes (CRTs) has always been a serious problem due to the stable microstructure of toxic lead (Pb) located in glass. Thousands of researches have been trying to explore environmental and efficient ways to dispose of waste CRTs. To recycle lead from waste CRT funnel glass effectively, a mechanochemical reduction method has been developed in this research. Aluminum was used as a reductant, and the hydrochloric acid solution was used in the leaching process to separate lead from the solution. After mechanochemical ball milling with aluminum, lead ion in CRT funnel glass was transferred into nano-sized element lead. Lead recovery from CRT funnel glass increased significantly as compared to non-activated leaded glass. Approximately 40 % of lead was leached after mechanical activation without aluminum, while over 96 % of lead in the CRT funnel glass could be recovered after mechanochemical reduction with aluminum. Lead chloride (PbCl2) can be recycled from the leaching solution after cooling crystallization. Nano-sized Pb formation and the structural changes of leaded CRT funnel glass by mechanochemical reduction process contributed to obvious improvement in lead recovery. This research provided a high-efficiency and feasible approach for recovering lead in form of PbCl2 crystal from leaded glass.

Thermal separation of plastic components from waste crystalline silicon solar cells: Thermogravimetric characteristics and thermokinetics.

Thermal treatment is a mainstream technique to separate plastic components from waste crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules. In this study, the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted for a better understanding of the characteristics of plastic components mainly poly(ethylene-co-vinyl) acetate (EVA) binder and polyfluoroethylene composite membrane (TPT) backsheet in waste c-Si PV panels through thermal treatment at four different heating rates (5-20°C·min-1) under nitrogen and air conditions, respectively. The thermal process of the EVA binder whether in a nitrogen or air atmosphere could be divided into two phases, which were 300-400°C and 400-515°C in nitrogen with the total weight loss reached 99.64%; the two phases in the air were 270-405°C and 405-570°C with the total weight loss was 99.68%. The thermal weight loss of TPT in nitrogen has only one phase occured between 380°C and 520°C, and the weight loss rate is about 83%. There are two weight loss phases in the air atmosphere, which the first phase starts from 265°C to 485°C and the second phase ends at 635°C with a final weight loss reaching 97%. Furthermore, the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) method was chosen to calculate the pyrolysis kinetic parameters. The activation energy for EVA in nitrogen (261.16 kJ·mol-1) was higher than in air (209.04 kJ·mol-1), also the TPT in nitrogen (188.28 kJ·mol-1) higher than in air (172.21 kJ·mol-1). That indicated that the thermal decomposition of EVA binder was accelerated at first phase in nitrogen, but there is little difference in air atmosphere. Moreover, the activation energy of PVF of the TPT backsheet in the first phase was lower than that in the second phase. This study provides the fundamental basis to develop efficient thermal separation for the plastic components EVA and TPT in waste PV panels.Implications: This study mainly aims to explore the thermal separation of plastic components of waste c-Si panels for heating treatment, so that developing an accurate heat treatment approach that is efficient to implement for the separation of secondary raw material i.e., glass and silicon wafer from end-of-life PV panels. Therefore, this research findings have significant implications for providing the basic data support for waste PV panels management recycling standards, specifications, or policy documents.

Quantitative monitoring and potential mechanism of the secondary corrosion risk of PAH-contaminated soil remediated by persulfate oxidation.

The proportion of activated persulfate (PS) oxidation technology in the remediation of domestic organic contaminated sites has increased every year, and the potential corrosion risk of site reuse caused by residual oxidants and by-products has also attracted the attention of researchers. In this work, the potential corrosion degree such as the mass reduction rate and surface crack width of standard iron flakes under different conditions, including with different PS dosages and release times, was monitored quantitatively over a long period, and the corresponding corrosion risk was quantitatively assessed. The results showed that when n (Na2S2O8):n (PAHs) increased from 5:1 to 100:1, the higher the oxidizer dosage, the more severe the corrosion weight loss and surface crack width, indicating that the oxidizer dosage was positively correlated with the potential corrosion risk. In addition, the corrosion crack width of the standard iron flake had a significant positive correlation with the reaction time and a significant negative correlation with the mass change. According to the changes in the standard iron flake, the corrosion process could be divided into three stages, in which the corrosion risk from high to low followed the order of oxidant corrosion stage > oxidant and salt corrosion stage > salt and microbial corrosion stage. Therefore, the dosage of chemicals should be controlled, the molar ratio of oxidizer to contaminant should not exceed 25:1, and a natural recovery period of at least one year should be left post remediation. During the reuse of the remediation sites in the future, the potential corrosion risks should also be calculated based on the dosage and time, to avoid redevelopment and use of the restoration site in the high corrosion risk stage.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in exon 3 of the alpha-A-crystallin gene and susceptibility to age-related cataract.

BACKGROUND: The mutations in the αA-crystallin (CRYAA) gene may contribute to the development of age-related cataract (ARC). In this study, we searched for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in exons of CRYAA and investigated the associations between the identified SNPs and the subtypes of ARC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peripheral venous blood was collected for the extraction of genomic DNA. Three exons of CRYAA were sequenced to detect SNPs. The frequency distributions of alleles and genotypes were compared between the ARC and control groups. RESULTS: There were 618 patients with various subtypes of ARC (nuclear cataract [NC], cortical cataract [CC], posterior subcapsular cataract [PSC]). The control group comprised 236 patients. The incidence of early-onset cataract was significantly greater in PSC patients (P = .002 for NC; P = .036 for CC). One SNP was detected in exon 3 of CRYAA (rs76740365 G>A). When the distribution of rs76740365 was compared among the ARC subtypes, only the difference between the PSC group and the control group was statistically significant (allele frequency: P = .000057, OR 2.945; genotype distribution frequency: P = .000458). The heterozygote genotype (GA) carried a significantly greater risk than the homozygous wild-type genotype (GG) by 1.742 times for all types of cataracts and 2.369 times for the PSC subtype. CONCLUSIONS: The SNP rs76740365 G>A in exon 3 of the CRYAA gene is associated with greater susceptibility of ARC, particularly the PSC subtype. Individuals carrying the SNP rs76740365 G>A may be more likely to develop PSC at a younger age than other subtypes.

Ion exchange to immobilize Cd(II) at neutral pH into silicate matrix prepared by co-grinding kaolinite with calcium compounds.

A novel silicate-based composite material was simply prepared by co-milling kaolinite and calcium compounds to endow the well studied clay minerals with active calcium for efficient removal of heavy metals. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the main affecting factors such as raw material ratio, ball milling time, contact time, etc.. Even at a neutral solution pH, the silicate adsorbent exhibited excellent performance for the adsorption of Cd(II), reaching equilibrium in 30 min with a removal efficiency over 95%, and allowed a direct discharge of the treated solution without the need of acidic neutralization as usually used in the alkaline precipitation. A set of analytical methods including SEM/EDS and 29Si MAS NMR etc. were used to analyze the adsorption mechanism of Cd(II), revealing that the adsorption process was mainly dominated by ion exchange to accommodate Cd ions inside silicate matrix, accompanied with partial hydroxide precipitation, rather than normally reported surface adsorption on pristine minerals. Furthermore, the as-prepared adsorption material exhibited similar excellent immobilization capacity for multiple heavy metals including Cu(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II). These findings provide a novel concept for the activation of the widely available cheap silicate minerals by the same widely available cheap calcium compounds and high contribution may be expected on its potentials to the environmental purification of heavy metal pollution in water and soil.

Composition changes, releases, and potential exposure risk of PBDEs from typical E-waste plastics.

Since Stockholm Convention listed polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as persistent organic pollutants and banned their addition, alternative halogen flame retardants (AHFRs) have been substituted for PBDEs. This study systematically investigates the change trends of PBDEs and AHFRs from typical e-waste plastics and dust, as well as clarifying human exposure risks of PBDEs in formal and informal e-waste recycling enterprises, repair store and residential building. The results show that the PBDEs levels in five typical types of e-waste vary in the range of 1.08 × 10-3-30.8 µg/g, meeting the requirements of RoHS regulation. Compared with the residential buildings (1.49-1.68 µg/g), PBDEs in the dust from the formal and informal e-waste recycling enterprises are much higher, ranging from 4.70 to 536 µg/g. BDE-209 is the main congener in most e-waste plastic and dust samples. Meanwhile, AHFRs have become the important composition (3.5-61.5%) in e-waste plastics, while its contribution is lower in dust, implying the higher enrichment efficiency of PBDEs. For PBDEs exposure, the dust intake risk of PBDEs is much higher than skin contact for the workers, and the highest hazard quotient (HQ) value (1.40 × 10-1) and cancer risk (CR) value (1.21 × 10-7) both imply safe exposure levels.

Electronically modulated nickel boron by CeOx doping as a highly efficient electrocatalyst towards overall water splitting.

Exploiting economic, efficient and durable non-noble metal electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is promising, but still faces enormous challenges. Herein, the strategy of doping a metal boride with a rare earth metal oxide has been explored to develop a highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst. The novel electrocatalyst CeOx-NiB consists of CeOx-doped NiB supported on nickel foam, and was fabricated by a one-step mild electroless plating reaction. Remarkably, the CeOx-NiB@NF electrode delivers a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at overpotentials of only 19 mV and 274 mV for the HER and OER, respectively. Two-electrode electrolyzers with the CeOx-NiB@NF electrode require only 1.424 V to deliver 10 mA cm-2 for overall water splitting in 1.0 M KOH, outperforming the Pt-C/NF∥IrO2/NF electrolyzer. Meanwhile, the electrode also has good stability (can work for 100 hours at 10 mA cm-2) and industrial-grade current density. This work provides a new idea for the development of efficient and durable non-precious metal catalysts.

Choline-based deep eutectic solvent combined with EDTA-2Na as novel soil washing agent for lead removal in contaminated soil.

Lead-contaminated soil was cleaned through ethylene-diamine-teraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA-2Na) combined with diluted deep eutectic solvent (DES) which was prepared by mixing choline chloride with ethylene glycol. The influences of leaching temperature, leaching time, liquid-solid (L/S) ratio, concentration of EDTA-2Na, water-DES ratio, and the molar ratio of choline chloride-ethylene glycol (Ch-E) on the leaching rate of lead were investigated. The mineral phases of the soil and DES before and after washing were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The changes to the DESs before and after dissolving lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) were analyzed by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Hydrogen bonds and EDTA-2Na in the Ch-M system resulted in the conversion of Pb(NO3)2 to other complex ions such as [Pb·Ch-E]- and [Pb·EDTA-2Na]- and other complex ions due to the dissolution of the washing agent. The results showed that the soil mineral phase did not change significantly and up to 95.79% of Pb could be washed under temperature, time, L/S ratio, EDTA-2Na concentration, DES/water ratio, Ch-E molar ratio, and stirring speed conditions of 40 °C, 2 h, 6, 0.02 M, 2, 0.75 and 300 rpm, respectively. The hydrogen bonds and EDTA-2Na may play a key role in the remediation of lead-contaminated soil by a washing agent. This research describes a rapid, efficient, and environmentally friendly method for remediation of lead-contaminated soil.

Microwave-assisted chemical recovery of glass fiber and epoxy resin from non-metallic components in waste printed circuit boards.

An efficient, microwave-assisted chemical recovery approach for epoxy resin and glass fiber from non-metallic components (NMC) in waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) for resource reutilization was developed in this research. HNO3 was selected as the chemical reagent because epoxy resin has low corrosion resistance to HNO3. The influence of reaction parameters such as reaction time, temperature, concentration of HNO3, liquid-solid ratio, and power of the microwave synthesizer on the separation efficiency of NMC (epoxy resin and glass fiber) and the reaction mechanism were investigated. The physical and chemical properties of NMC, reaction solvent, and decomposed products were analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that up to 88.42% of epoxy resin and glass fiber ((5 g) 10 mL/g) could be separated under the action of 300 W microwave power at 95 ℃ for 12 h and a HNO3 concentration of 7 mol/L. During the reaction, C-N bonds formed by the crosslinking agent and the three-dimensional network structure of the thermosetting epoxy resin were destroyed. The carbon chain structure and chemical properties of epoxy resin did not change significantly and the functional groups of ethyl acetate maintained the chemical structure before and after the reaction. This uncomplicated and efficient inorganic acid chemical microwave-assisted process holds promise for use as a feasible recovery technology for epoxy resin and glass fibers in NMC. The proposed process is particularly appealing because of its high selectivity, considerable economic advantages, and environmental benefits.

Dissolution and separation of non-metallic powder from printed circuit boards by using chloride solvent.

Non-metallic components (NMC) in waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) are made of the thermosetting epoxy resin and glass fiber, which has been a research concern in the waste recycling area. The recycling of thermosetting epoxy resin is a serious challenge due to their permanent cross-linked structure. An efficient approach to chemical recycling of epoxy resin for resource reutilization was developed in this research. ZnCl2/CH3COOH aqueous solution was selected as catalysts system to decompose epoxy resin under a mild reaction condition. The influence of reaction parameters such as reaction temperature, time, liquid-solid ratio and ZnCl2 amount on the decomposition efficiency of epoxy resin and reaction mechanism were investigated. The physical and chemical properties of NMC, reaction solvent and decomposed products were analyzed using scanning electron microscope(SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results showed that up to 81.85% of epoxy resin could be dissolved by using a temperature of 190 °C during 8 h with a mixture of acetic acid (15 wt%): ZnCl2 (5 g) 20 mL/g. Incompletely coordinated zinc ions enables the cleavage of CN, CBr and CO bonds in the thermosetting brominated epoxy resin, which was mainly converted to phenol, 2-Bromophenol and 2, 4-Dibromophenol with high resource value. And the functional groups of ethyl acetate and acetic acid maintained chemical structure before and after reaction. This research provided a practical approach to the dissolution and reutilization of NMC in WPCBs.

Human exposure to PBDEs in e-waste areas: A review.

Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are commonly added to electronic products for flame-retardation effects, and are attracting more and more attentions due to their potential toxicity, durability and bioaccumulation. This study conducts a sysmtematic review to understand the human exposure to PBDEs from e-waste recycling, especially exploring the exposure pathways and human burden of PBDEs as well as investigating the temporal trend of PBDEs exposure worldwide. The results show that the particular foods (contaminated fish, poultry, meat and breast milk) ingestion, indoor dust ingestion and indoor air inhalation may be key factors leading to human health risks of PBDEs exposure in e-waste recycling regions. Residents and some vulnerable groups (occupational workers and children) in e-waste recycling areas may face higher exposure levels and health risks. PBDE exposure is closely related to exposure level, exposure duration, e-waste recycling methods, and dietary customs. High levels of PBDEs are found in human tissues (breast milk, hair, blood (serum), placenta and other tissues) in e-waste areas, at far higher levels than in other areas. Existing data indicate that PBDE exposure levels do not present any apparent downward trend, and will possibly cause serious human diseases. More epidemiological studies are still needed to provide a solid basis for health risk assessment.

Migration characteristics of heavy metals during simulated use of secondary products made from recycled e-waste plastic.

Recycling of plastics from e-waste can conserve resources, however, aging during the use of plastic products can cause the migration of heavy metals in additives. This study presents a methodology for evaluating the risks of heavy metals in waste plastic secondary products during long term use associated with heavy metal migration. The study processes were investigated by: (1) recycling waste plastics and producing secondary products; (2) thermal aging of secondary products; and (3) toxic leaching used to quantitatively analyse the dissolution of heavy metals. Combined with the changes in mechanical properties and microstructure, the effect of aging on the migration of heavy metals was observed. The results showed that the polymer appeared to delaminate, the adhesion of waste plastics to additives decreased, and the mechanical properties clearly decreased after the thermal aging experiment. Leaching experiments showed that the leached concentrations of Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Sb in the three types waste plastic products increased over time. After 8 d of aging, the leached concentrations of Ni, Sb, and Pb exceeded the third, fourth, and third class of the groundwater quality standard, respectively. Specifically, the concentrations of Sb were 141, 289, and 21.1 times higher than the maximum permissible level. Therefore, management hierarchy and safe environmental recycling methods should be developed to reduce the risk of heavy metals in waste plastic secondary products.

Mechanochemical immobilization of lead contaminated soil by ball milling with the additive of Ca(H2PO4)2.

Lead (Pb) pollution in the soil is becoming more and more serious, and lead poisoning incidents also constantly occur. Therefore, the remediation of lead pollution in the soil has attracted widespread attention. In this study, heavy metal lead in soil was remediated by mechanochemical methods. The effects of different ball milling conditions on the toxic leaching concentration and morphological distribution (BCR sequential extraction procedure) of lead in contaminated soil were analyzed, including the addition of calcium dihydrogen phosphate (Ca(H2PO4)2), ball milling time, and ball milling speed. The reaction mechanism was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a laser particle size analyzer. The results show that the optimal conditions for mechanochemical immobilization were 10% additive (Ca(H2PO4)2), milling speed of 550 rpm, and ball milling time for 2 h. Under this condition, the toxic leaching concentration of lead from contaminated soil was 4.36 mg L-1, and in the BCR sequential extraction procedure, Pb was mainly present in the residual fraction (54.96%). The mechanism of mechanochemical solidification of heavy metal lead in soil is that, during the ball milling process, the lead precipitates with Ca(H2PO4)2 to produce dense agglomerates (Pb3(PO4)2 and PbxCa10-x(PO4)6(OH)2), which fixes the lead in the soil and hampers its leaching.

Uncovering residents' behaviors, attitudes, and WTP for recycling e-waste: a case study of Zhuhai city, China.

China is among the countries facing the most serious pollution effects of e-waste. Many studies have focused on e-waste recycling laws and regulations, recycling technologies, and the pollution situation in China. However, there is a lack of case studies from the perspective of the residents' attitudes and opinions about e-waste recycling. Based on 474 families surveyed by questionnaire, this study, taking Zhuhai City as one example, investigated residents' behaviors and attitudes toward e-waste disposal, and their willingness to pay (WTP) for e-waste recycling. A majority (76.4%) of respondents realized that the improper treatment of e-waste would cause serious threats to the environment and human health. Only 38.2% of respondents were willing to pay for e-waste recycling. Most respondents believed that the fee should be borne by government and manufacturers. These results imply that income level and satisfaction with management will promote WTP significantly, whereas the recovery price is a negative influence on the respondents' WTP. The WTP values were positively correlated with environmental awareness and income at 5% and 10%, respectively. Finally, the estimated average monthly WTP value per household in Zhuhai City is 10.2 RMB ($1.6).

Migration of heavy metal in electronic waste plastics during simulated recycling on a laboratory scale.

Recycling is the primary method to handle electronic waste plastics, however, little attention has been paid to the risk posed by heavy metal migration in waste plastic products. The effect of multistage recycling processes on heavy metal migration and the environmental risk posed by heavy metals during recycling processes were investigated by: (1) Recycling waste plastics and determining the heavy metal contents in secondary products; (2) Using toxic leaching experiments to assess environmental risks of heavy metal migration in secondary products; and (3) Evaluating the effect of recycling processes on the mechanical properties and microstructure of plastics. Results showed that the contents of some harmful heavy metals in processed products exceeded the Safety of Toys Standard. Toxic leaching tests showed that Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Sb migrated outward during secondary products use. With increased recycling times, concentrations of migrated Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Sb increased, and the leached concentrations exceeded the limits stipulated in the Groundwater Quality Standard. Increased recycling times also accelerated waste plastics aging and caused the deterioration of mechanical properties. Furthermore, adhesion between layers decreased, stratification and cracking in polymers appeared, and adhesion of waste plastics to additives decreased. Therefore, the environmental risks of waste plastic recycling should be carefully considered.

Source apportionment of heavy metal and their health risks in soil-dustfall-plant system nearby a typical non-ferrous metal mining area of Tongling, Eastern China.

The agricultural land-atmospheric dustfall-plant system around the mining area is at high risks of heavy metal pollution caused by mining-smelting activities. In this study, 118 samples (including rhizospheric soils, background soils, soil-forming parent rocks, crops, vegetables, medicinal plants and atmospheric dustfall) were collected nearby Tongling Cu-Fe-Au mining area, Eastern China. We studied the concentrations, migration, sources, and health risks through consumption of two main crops (corn and rice), six kinds of vegetables, and medicinal plants (Fengdan, Paeonia ostii) for six metal elements (Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Pb and Hg). Results revealed Cr and Cd in soils, and Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu and Zn in dustfall showed a relatively high contamination degree. The mean contents of Cr and Pb in corn kernels, as well as Cd, Cr and Pb in rice grains and all vegetables, and Cr in Fengdan cortex moutan exceeded the corresponding food safety limits in China. The transfer capability of Cr in corn kernels and rice grains, Pb in edible vegetables, and Cd in cortex moutan were the strongest, respectively. Health risk assessment results showed Cr had the greatest non-carcinogenic risk, followed by Pb and Cd. The results of pearson's correlation analysis (CA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA) indicated Zn-Cr, Pb and Cd-Cu-Hg in the plants might derive from different geochemical end-members. Source apportionment based on lead isotope showed that mining-smelting activities were the major source of Pb in atmospheric dustfall and agricultural soils, with the average contribution rates of 66% and 50%, respectively. Vehicle emissions from diesel fuels (50%-68%) and mining-smelting activities (16%-25%) contributed mainly to Pb accumulation in plants. Hence, our study suggested the accumulations of Pb in plants might be mainly from the direct foliar uptake of atmospheric Pb related to vehicle emissions and mining-smelting activities.

Improved bioleaching efficiency of metals from waste printed circuit boards by mechanical activation.

The low bioleaching efficiency of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans results in its sparse industrial application for metal extraction from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). To improve the bioleaching efficiency of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, we propose the use of mechanical activation to dispose WPCBs prior to performing bioleaching. Response surface methodology (RSM), scanning electron microscope- energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), and laser particle size analyzer (LPSA) were used to optimize and analyze the mechanical activation process, respectively. The optimal conditions for mechanical activation was a milling time of 2 h, milling speed of 340 r min-1, and ball material ratio (w/w) of 10/1; the bioleaching rates of Cu, Ni, and Zn were 94.33%, 90.69%, and 90.78%, respectively. The bioleaching rates of Cu, Ni, and Zn were 74.75%, 70.46%, and 71.05%, respectively, without mechanical activation pretreatment. SEM-EDS and LPSA analyses indicated that mechanical activation could lead to a smaller particle size and expose wrapped metals, thus improving the bioleaching efficiency oyf tyhe metals inside the WPCBs. The electrode potential of the metals was likely changed by the mechanical activation, resulting in an improvement of their bioleaching efficiency. Additionally, the bioleaching rates of Pb, Cr, and Cd after mechanical activation pretreatment were 10.29%, 74.89%, and 54.12%, respectively. Contrastingly, the bioleaching rates of Pb, Cr, and Cd without mechanical activation pretreatment were 5.18%, 59.97%, and 37.12%, respectively. Thereinto, the precipitation of PbSO4 may result in a decrease of leached Pb. We propose a mechanical activation process for improving the bioleaching efficiency of metals from WPCBs.

Administration of losartan preserves cardiomyocyte size and prevents myocardial dysfunction in tail-suspended mice by inhibiting p47phox phosphorylation, NADPH oxidase activation and MuRF1 expression.

BACKGROUND: Spaceflight or microgravity conditions cause myocardial atrophy and dysfunction, contributing to post-flight orthostatic intolerance. However, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood and preventive approaches are limited. This study investigated whether and how losartan, a blocker of angiotensin-II receptor, preserved cardiomyocyte size and prevented myocardial dysfunction during microgravity. METHOD: Adult male mice were suspended with their tails to simulate microgravity. Echocardiography was performed to assess myocardial function. Heart weight and cardiomyocyte size were measured. NADPH oxidase activation was determined by analyzing membrane translocation of its cytosolic subunits including p47phox, p67phox and Rac1. Heart tissues were also assayed for oxidative stress, p47phox phosphorylation (Ser345), MuRF1 protein levels and angiotensin-II production. RESULTS: Tail-suspension for 28 days increased angiotensin-II production in hearts, decreased cardiomyocyte size and heart weight, and induced myocardial dysfunction. Administration of losartan preserved cardiomyocyte size and heart weight, and prevented myocardial dysfunction in tail-suspended mice. These cardioprotective effects of losartan were associated with inhibition of p47phox phosphorylation (Ser345), NADPH oxidase and oxidative stress in tail-suspended mouse hearts. Additionally, the NADPH oxidase inhibitor, apocynin, also reduced oxidative stress, preserved cardiomyocyte size and heart weight, and improved myocardial function in tail-suspended mice. Furthermore, losartan but not apocynin attenuated tail-suspension-induced up-regulation of MuRF1 protein in mouse hearts. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of losartan preserves cardiomyocyte size and prevents myocardial dysfunction under microgravity by blocking p47phox phosphorylation and NADPH oxidase activation, and by inhibiting MuRF1 expression. Thus, losartan may be a useful drug to prevent microgravity-induced myocardial abnormalities.