Effect of different types of electrolyzed water on drying characteristics and quality of Spondias dulcis in oven drying.

Due to its less adverse impact on the environment as well as human health, electrolyzed water, a non-thermal method, has been recognized to be a promising alternative as a new disinfectant for the food industry, which does not change odor, texture, and flavor of foods. Spondias dulcis fruit is rich in bioactive compounds, vitamins and minerals, which are known to have many beneficial effects on health. Fresh S. dulcis has a short shelf life and drying is an option to preserve the fruit. In this study, the effects of electrolyzed water treatment on the quality characteristics of dried S. dulcis were investigated. Slices of fruit treated with four different electrolyzed waters (Anolyte NaCl, Catholyte NaCl, Anolyte Na2CO3, and Catholyte Na2CO3) were dried in a conventional oven at 70 °C. Color, Browning index, antioxidant characteristics, texture profile, rehydration capacity, pH, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyzes of dried S. dulcis were performed. The samples treated with electrolyzed water prior to drying showed higher antioxidant activity (59.46 ± 0.09), total phenolic content (287.00 ± 1.76), and rehydration capacity (4.52 ± 0.05) compared to the control samples. The findings of the current study showed that electrolyzed water treatment could prevent the browning of dried S. dulcis fruits and preserve bioactive compounds as well as chemical properties.

Effects of different types of electrolyzed waters on rheological characteristics of dough and quality properties of bread.

Water is an ingredient of considerable importance in bread dough. Effects of four different types of electrolyzed water (Anolyte NaCl, Catholyte NaCl, Anolyte Na2CO3, Catholyte Na2CO3) on quality characteristics of bread were investigated. For this aim, rheological and textural analysis of bread doughs and color, physical properties, water activity, moisture content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, texture profile analysis, and micrographic analysis of bread samples were performed. Electrolyzed water affected quality characteristics of dough and bread samples significantly (p < 0.05). Anolyte Na2CO3 increased the water-holding capacity of the dough from 60 ± 0.05 to 66 ± 0.07. The bread samples prepared with Anolyte Na2CO3 (363 ± 1.70) and Catholyte Na2CO3 (346 ± 1.61) electrolyzed water has higher loaf volume than the bread samples prepared with Anolyte NaCl (320 ± 1.00) and Catholyte NaCl (310 ± 1.52) electrolyzed water and control bread (270 ± 1.04) (p < 0.05). Electrolyzed water also increased the antioxidant activity (23.62 ± 0.05% inhibition) and total phenolic content (460.61 ± 2.12 GAE/100 g) of bread samples. The results of this study may be evidence that using electrolyzed water can improve the quality characteristics of bread.

Activation of inorganic peroxides with magnetic graphene for the removal of antibiotics from wastewater.

Magnetic graphene catalysts were prepared for the removal of antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, norfloxacin, tetracycline and flumequine) from water. Different proportions of magnetite-graphene from 1:0 to 0:1 were considered to study the catalytic activation of inorganic peroxides, i.e. peroxymonosulfate (PMS), peroxydisulfate and hydrogen peroxide. The presence of graphene was mainly responsible for the activation, which was most effective in the presence of PMS. A ratio of 20% of magnetite in the solid was enough to achieve complete degradation of antibiotics with high recovery by application of a magnetic field. The performance of the catalyst was further evaluated in a simulated urban wastewater, studying the main parameters affecting the process and the stability in sequential reuses. The non-radical mechanism during the catalytic activation of PMS was hypothesized from kinetic scavenging probes tests. The electron transfer was suggested as the mechanism of the reaction from electron paramagnetic resonance analysis in the presence of D2O. The prepared magnetic catalyst showed high catalytic activity and stability to remove antibiotics from water.

Influence of catalyst zeta potential on the activation of persulfate.

The effect of the zeta potential of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) and carbocatalyst on the activation of persulfate was investigated. The oxidation experiments were performed on three different compounds, with variously modified nZVI and three distinct carbocatalysts. From the obtained results, an evident linear correlation between nanoparticles' zeta potential and reaction rate constants of these three compounds oxidation may be observed. This phenomenon is not mechanism-specific and occurs for the radical and non-radical processes. The present work indicates the critical influence of the surface charge of nZVI and carbocatalysts on the persulfate catalytic activation.