Microplastic-antifouling paint particle contamination alters microbial communities in surrounding marine sediment.

Paint used to coat surfaces in aquatic environments often contain biocides to prevent biofouling, and as these coatings degrade, antifouling paint particles (APPs) end up in aquatic, and especially marine, sediments. However, it is currently unclear what further influence APPs in the sediment have on biotic communities or processes. This study investigates how a variety of commercially-available APPs effect the marine microbial community by spiking different laboratory-manufactured APPs to sediment. Following exposure for 30 and 60 days, APPs caused a clear and consistent effect on the bacterial community composition as determined by 16S metabarcoding. This effect was strongest between 0 and 30 days, but continues to a lesser extent between 30 and 60 days. APPs appear to inhibit the highly diverse, but in general rarer, fraction of the community and/or select for specific community members to become more dominant. 71 antifouling-presence and 454 antifouling-absence indicator taxa were identified by indicator analysis. The difference in the level of classification in these two indicator groups was highly significant, with the antifouling-presence indicators having much higher percentage sequence identity to cultured taxa, while the antifouling-absence indicators appear to be made up of undescribed taxa, which may indicate that APPs act as a proxy for general anthropogenic influence or that APP contamination selects for taxa capable of being cultured. Given the clear and consistent effect APPs have on the surrounding sediment microbial community, further research into how APPs affect sediment functional processes and how such effects scale with concentration is recommended to better assess the wider consequences of these pollutants for marine biogeochemical cycles in the future. SYNOPSIS: Microplastic-paint particles are commonly found in marine sediment but little is known about how these, especially antifouling, paint particles affect sediment microbial communities. This study demonstrates that antifouling paint particles fundamentally alter sediment microbial communities.

Management of water-based paint sludge originating from the automotive industry via composting.

Water-based paint sludge generated from the automotive industry is considered a hazardous waste due to its high carbon content and is challenging and costly to manage. This study investigates the management of water-based paint sludge through the composting process, considering its high carbon content. The water-based paint sludge was composted in five separate reactors with the addition of treatment sludge from the same industry as co-substrate and inoculum, as well as sunflower stalks as a bulking agent. The ratio of paint sludge added to the compost mixtures varied between 40% and 80%. The highest temperature was achieved in reactors where industrial sludge was added, and the bulking agent was used at a rate of 20% (R3 and R5). The most efficient composting process was conducted with the addition of 60% water-based paint sludge, 20% treatment sludge, and 20% sunflower stalks (w/w, wet weight basis) (R3). During this process, reductions in organic matter content were observed due to organic matter mineralization, resulting in a decrease in moisture during the maturation phase and consequently reducing waste volumes. The composting process can be a useful tool in addressing the challenges of paint sludge management. Utilizing the composting process not only reduces waste volumes, thereby minimizing environmental impacts, but also offers a sustainable approach to paint sludge management by lowering disposal costs. It is also possible to achieve more effective results by composting paint sludge with different recipes and the use of various bulking agents.Implications: Composting is a method that can be used to achieve stabilization, reduce the quantity, and enable biodrying of water-based paint sludge generated from the automotive industry. In this study, different ratios of paint sludge were mixed with treatment sludge from the same industry as co-substrate and inoculum, while sunflower stalks were added as a bulking agent, and a composting process was conducted. The addition of industrial wastewater treatment sludge and sunflower stalks has increased the efficiency of the paint sludge composting process. In the management of paint sludge, the composting process has emerged as a significant alternative that reduces disposal costs and environmental impacts.

Biofouling inhibition by Staphylococcus aureus extracts and their potential use for paints / Inhibición de la bioincrustación por extractos de Staphylococcus aureus y su uso potencial para pinturas

For the control of biofouling, some paints based on compounds that are toxic to marine organisms have been used. There is an intensive search for biodegradable solutions that are friendly to non-target organisms. Bacteria have been shown to be a source of compounds with antifouling potential. In this work, the antifouling activity of a strain of Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated. Extracts activity against biofilm-forming bacteria and the toxicity against Artemia franciscana were evaluated. The extracts were incorporated in a hard gel and a paint matrix, and they were exposed to the sea. In both the laboratory and field, we found that the compounds produced by S. aureus have antifouling activity. The non-toxicity of the tested extracts against Artemia franciscana nauplii suggests that the extracts obtained from S. aureus could have a low ecological impact over non-target organisms. Significant differences were found in the percentage of organisms cover in hard gels with extracts and control. After 90 days, important differences were also observed between the percentage of organisms cover of the paints that contained extracts and the control. Dichloromethane extract is the most effective for the inhibition or delay of the settlement of organisms For this reason, they could be used in matrices with different applications, such as in the shipping industry, aquaculture, or any other in which biofouling is a cause of inconvenience.(AU)

Dural mural cells paint an anti-inflammatory picture.

Mural cells directly contact macrophages in the dural layer of the meninges to suppress pro-inflammatory phenotypes, including antigen presentation and lymphocyte differentiation. These mechanisms represent new targets for modulating CNS immune surveillance and pathological inflammation (Min et al. 2024. J. Exp. Med.https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20230326).

Biofouling inhibition by Staphylococcus aureus extracts and their potential use for paints.

For the control of biofouling, some paints based on compounds that are toxic to marine organisms have been used. There is an intensive search for biodegradable solutions that are friendly to non-target organisms. Bacteria have been shown to be a source of compounds with antifouling potential. In this work, the antifouling activity of a strain of Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated. Extracts activity against biofilm-forming bacteria and the toxicity against Artemia franciscana were evaluated. The extracts were incorporated in a hard gel and a paint matrix, and they were exposed to the sea. In both the laboratory and field, we found that the compounds produced by S. aureus have antifouling activity. The non-toxicity of the tested extracts against Artemia franciscana nauplii suggests that the extracts obtained from S. aureus could have a low ecological impact over non-target organisms. Significant differences were found in the percentage of organisms cover in hard gels with extracts and control. After 90 days, important differences were also observed between the percentage of organisms cover of the paints that contained extracts and the control. Dichloromethane extract is the most effective for the inhibition or delay of the settlement of organisms For this reason, they could be used in matrices with different applications, such as in the shipping industry, aquaculture, or any other in which biofouling is a cause of inconvenience.

Toxicity of Aged Paint Particles to Soil Ecosystems: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans.

Despite the extensive global consumption of architectural paint, the toxicological effects of aged exterior paint particles on terrestrial biota remain largely uncharacterized. Herein, we assessed the toxic effect of aged paint particles on soil environments using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a test organism. Various types of paint particles were generated by fragmentation and sequential sieving (500-1000, 250-500, 100-250, 50-100, 20-50 µm) of paint coatings collected from two old residential areas. The paint particles exerted different levels of toxicity, as indicated by a reduction in the number of C. elegans offspring, depending on their size, color, and layer structure. These physical characteristics were found to be closely associated with the chemical heterogeneity of additives present in the paint particles. Since the paint particle sizes were larger than what C. elegans typically consume, we attributed the toxicity to leachable additives present in the paint particles. To assess the toxicity of these leachable additives, we performed sequential washings of the paint particles with distilled water and ethanol. Ethanol washing of the paint particles significantly reduced the soil toxicity of the hydrophobic additives, indicating their potential environmental risk. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the ethanol leachate revealed the presence of alkyl amines, which exhibited a high correlation with the toxicity of the paint particles. Further toxicity testing using an alkyl amine standard demonstrated that a paint particle concentration of 1.2% in soil could significantly reduce the number of C. elegans offspring. Our findings provide insights into the potential hazards posed by aged paint particles and their leachable additives in the terrestrial environment.

Near-field exposures and human health impacts for organic chemicals in interior paints: A high-throughput screening.

Interior paints contain organic chemicals that might be harmful to painters and building residents. This study aims to develop a high-throughput approach to screen near-field human exposures and health impacts related to organic chemicals in interior paints. We developed mass balance models for both water- and solvent-based paints, predicting emissions during wet and dry phases. We then screened exposures and risks, focusing on Sri Lanka where residential houses are frequently repainted. These models accurately predict paint drying time and indoor air concentrations of organic chemicals. Exposures of both painter and household resident were estimated for 65 organic chemicals in water-based and 26 in solvent-based paints, considering 12 solvents. Chemicals of concerns (CoCs) were identified, and maximum acceptable chemical contents (MACs) were calculated. Water-based paints generally pose lower health risks than solvent-based paints but might contain biocides of high concern. The total human health impact of one painting event on all household adults ranges from 1.5 × 10-3 to 2.1 × 10-2 DALYs for solvent-based paints, and from 4.1 × 10-4 to 9.5 × 10-3 DALYs for water-based paints. The present approach is a promising way to support the formulation of safer paint, and is integrated in the USEtox scientific consensus model for use in life cycle assessment, chemical substitution and risk screening.

Facile manufacture of high-purity CuSO4 from waste Cu-containing paint residue using combined processes of H2SO4 leaching and extraction stripping.

Waste copper-containing paint residue (WCPR) represents a typical hazardous waste containing both toxic organic substances and toxic heavy metals, but there are few reports on the recycling of heavy metals. The recovery of Cu from WCPR by H2SO4 leaching-extraction-stripping has the advantages of eco-friendliness, simplicity of operation, and high value-added product. The results show that under the optimal conditions, the leaching rate of Cu in WCPR is 94.31% (18.02 g/L), while the extraction and stripping rates of Cu in the leaching solution are 99.46 and 95.32%, respectively. Due to the high concentration of Cu2+ with fewer impurities in the stripping solution, the stripping solution is heated, evaporated, cooled, and crystallized to successfully produce high-purity dark blue CuSO4 crystal, accomplishing the high-value recycling of Cu in WCPR. In addition, the leach residue of WCPR contains acrylic resin and SiO2, which can be used in cement kilns for incineration, thus realizing the overall recycling and utilization of WCPR.

Direct Environmental Lead Detection by Photoluminescent Perovskite Formation with Nanogram Sensitivity.

Although the global ban on leaded gasoline has markedly reduced lead poisoning, many other environmental sources of lead exposure, such as paint, pipes, mines, and recycling sites remain. Existing methods to identify these sources are either costly or unreliable. We report here a new, sensitive, and inexpensive lead detection method that relies on the formation of a perovskite semiconductor. The method only requires spraying the material of interest with methylammonium bromide and observing whether photoluminesence occurs under UV light to indicate the presence of lead. The method detects as little as 1.0 ng/mm2 of lead by the naked eye and 50 pg/mm2 using a digital photo camera. We exposed more than 50 different materials to our reagent and found no false negatives or false positives. The method readily detects lead in soil, paint, glazing, cables, glass, plastics, and dust and could be widely used for testing the environment and preventing lead poisoning.

"Los Comedores de Patatas" de Vincent van Gogh, ejemplo visual de las carencias vitales durante la Revolución Industrial en Europa / "The Potato Eaters" by Vincent van Gogh, a Visual Example of Vital Shortages during the Industrial Revolution in Europe

El cuadro al óleo de Vincent van Gogh Los comedores de patatas tiene una riqueza expresiva única. Representa a su vez una de las preocupaciones del pintor y que no era otra que las malas condiciones de vida de la gente que habitaba en la escala más baja de la sociedad: los agricultores y el proletariado. Estampa visual que nos sirve perfectamente para entender la dureza de estas personas condenadas a mantenerse en la miseria más absoluta por la escasez retributiva de los responsables políticos durante la fase de afianzamiento de la Revolución industrial alemana y extensible a toda Europa. (AU)

Vincent van Gogh's oil painting The Potato Eaters has a unique expressive richness. In turn, it represents one of the painter's concerns and that was none other than the poor living conditions of the people who lived on the lowest scale of society: farmers and the proletariat. Visual print that perfectly serves us to understand the hardness of these people condemned to stabilize in the most absolute misery due to the scarcity of remuneration of political leaders during the consolidation phase of the German Industrial Revolution and extendable to all of Europe. (AU)

Las manifestaciones primordiales de la fibromialgia, dolor generalizado e insomnio, en la pintura de Remedios Varo / Fibromyalgia's main features, widespread pain, and insomnia in the paintings of Remedios Varo

La sensibilidad de las artistas plásticas ante el sufrimiento humano ha quedado plasmada de diversas maneras. Este artículo relata las circunstancias que llevaron a la pintora surrealista hispano-mexicana, Remedios Varo, a representar en forma original las 2 manifestaciones cardinales de la fibromialgia: dolor generalizado e insomnio. (AU)

The sensitivity of plastic artists to human suffering has been expressed in different ways. This article recounts the circumstances that led the Spanish-Mexican surrealist painter, Remedios Varo, to depict in an original way the 2 cardinal manifestations of fibromyalgia; widespread pain and insomnia. (AU)

Fostering Athletes' Mental Resilience: Artistic Innovation and AI in Sports / Fomento de la resiliencia mental de los atletas: innovación artística e inteligencia artificial en los deportes

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology rapidly advances, the world of artistic innovation in sports paintings encounters both unprecedented challenges and exciting opportunities. AI's capacity to learn pushes the boundaries of traditional creative thinking within the realm of sports art, introducing a more diverse and intelligent approach to the creative process. However, the actual ecosystem for creativity and its application within this context lacks a robust management model, necessitating fundamental theoretical innovation and standardized discipline.This exploration embarks on a journey to elucidate the practical applications of AI technology in the creation of sports art. It delves into the pivotal roles played by AI professionals, creative artists, and viewers in shaping the future of sports art innovation. It paves the way for an innovative approach to sports painting and decorative art, grounded in AI intelligence.Emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between human and AI capabilities, intelligent product development, artistic creation, and the constraints on creative behavior, this inquiry dives into emerging application areas. Through this lens, it seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the essential cycles of innovation in the field of sports plastic art, driven by the transformative power of artificial intelligence.(AU)

Varnish with S-PRG filler reduces dentin permeability after erosive/abrasive challenge.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of different varnishes on dentin permeability to erosive/abrasive challenges. METHODS: 60 superficial dentin discs were randomly allocated to six groups (n=10): Duraphat, PRG Barrier Coat, Clinpro XT, Profluorid, Fluor Protector S and untreated (control). Permeability tests were carried out: after acid conditioning, after treatment, and after abrasive/erosive challenges. The abrasive-erosive challenges were performed for 5 days (citric acid and in remineralizing saliva), as well as abrasion with toothpaste slurry (Colgate Total 12). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were obtained of the dentin surfaces (5,000x) after the treatments, and after the erosive/abrasive challenges. RESULTS: Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests showed that all the varnishes promoted a decrease in dentin permeability directly after application, with Clinpro XT showing the highest percentage (69.52%) of dentin sealing (P= 0.0188). After the erosive/abrasive challenge, only PRG Barrier Coat varnish showed dentin sealing ability with reduced dentin permeability (42.16%) (P= 0.0014). However, none of the applied varnishes promoted a statistically significant difference in the percentage of dentin sealing, compared with the control group (P> 0.05). Clinpro XT showed a higher percentage of dentin sealing, while only PRG Barrier Coat showed reduced dentin permeability after the erosive/abrasive challenge. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Varnish containing S-PRG filler has the efficacy needed to be used as a coating material to reduce dentin permeability in situations of erosive/abrasive challenges.

Effect of the Addition of Graphene Flakes on the Physical and Biological Properties of Composite Paints.

In this study, graphene flakes were obtained using an electrolytic method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM). Graphene-based composites with varying concentrations of 0.5%, 1% and 3% by weight were prepared with acrylic paint, enamel and varnish matrices. The mechanical properties were evaluated using micro-hardness testing, while wettability and antimicrobial activity against three pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus 33591, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 15442, Candida albicans 10231) were also examined. The results indicate that the addition of graphene flakes significantly enhances both the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of the coatings.

Enhancement of protein detection on cultural heritage samples after SYPRO™ Ruby staining by optical microscopy and micro-FTIR spectroscopy.

The paper investigates SYPRO™ Ruby staining in combination with external reflection micro-FTIR spectroscopy, for the detection of proteinaceous media in paint layers on cultural heritage, from unembedded micro-fragments and samples embedded in cross-sections. Combining FTIR spectroscopy with staining helped to verify that the FTIR mapping is accurate when performed by the integration of the main amide I and II bands, despite their naturally occurrent distortions due to the specular component and material absorption/surface properties. The research filled some gaps in the published literature on SYPRO™ Ruby interaction with different Cultural Heritage materials, including identifying drawbacks, e.g. swelling mechanisms in the sample after staining. The effects of the staining were investigated on different reference samples containing rabbit skin glue (proteinaceous), and samples from cultural heritage case studies undergoing technical examination as part of research projects, where identification of protein is an important aspect of understanding the sequence of complex multi-layers within a sample. Results showed that, when external reflection µ-FTIR is performed after the staining, the contribution from amide I and II, which occurs at higher wavenumbers than in transmission or attenuated total reflection, is more resolved and therefore easier to determine. When inorganic or organic compounds are present in the same layer, variation in the position of amide bands can occur. However, they can be used for chemical mapping using simple data-treatment strategies, as validated with the positive staining. This type of data processing gives a good estimation of the protein distribution in the layers, both in terms of morphology and thickness, on mock-up samples and cross-sections from real case studies.

Hidden mysteries in ancient Egyptian paintings from the Theban Necropolis observed by in-situ XRF mapping.

The material study of ancient Egyptian paintings began with the advent of Egyptology during the 19th century. By the 1930s, a lot had already been sampled and described. The limited palette for example has been analysed from actual painted surfaces but also from pigments and painting tools retrieved on site. However, most of these studies took place in museums while the painted surfaces, preserved in funerary chapels and temples, remained somewhat estranged from this primary physical understanding. The artistic process has been also reconstructed, mainly from the information presented by unfinished monuments, showing surfaces at different stages of completion. A lot of this modern and theoretical reconstruction is, however, based on the usual archaeological guessing game that aims at filling the remaining blanks. Our interdisciplinary project has decided to experiment on-site with state-of-the-art portable analysis tools, avoiding any physical sampling, to see if our knowledge of the work of the ancient Egyptian painters and draughtsmen could be taken at a further stage, while based on physical quantification that could be seen as a stronger and more reliable foundation for a redefined scientific hypothesis. The use of XRF mapping has, for instance, been applied to a known case of correction by surface repaint, something that is supposedly rare in the ancient Egyptian formal artistic process, while another fully unexpected one was discovered during the analytic exploration of a royal representation. In both cases, the precise and readable imaging of the physical composition of the painted surface offers a renewed visual approach based of chemistry, that can be shared through a multi- and interdisciplinary approach. However, this also leads to a more complex description of pigment mixtures that could have multiple meanings, where the practical often leads towards the symbolic, and from there hopefully to a renewed definition of the use of colours in complex sets of ancient Egyptian representations. At this stage, though the progress in this on-site material assessment of ancient works of art definitely means astonishing progress, one humbly has to face the fact that these ancient treasures shall still retain part of their defining mysteries.

Effect of graphene nanopaint on performance of solar air heater attached with inclined and winglet baffles.

Solar air heater is widely used for drying and industrial processing application. Different artificial roughened surfaces and coatings over the absorber plates are used to improve their performance of solar air heater by increasing absorption and heat transfer. In this proposed work, the graphene-based nanopaint is prepared by wet chemical and ball milling method and the prepared graphene nanopaint is characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The prepared graphene-based nanopaint is coated on the absorber plate by conventional coating method. The thermal performance of the solar air heater coated with traditional black paint and graphene nanopaint is evaluated and compared. The day's maximum energy gain by the graphene-coated solar air heater is 972.84 W, whereas traditional black paint is only 808.02 W. The average energy gain of graphene nanopaint is 655.85 W, which is 12.9% higher than the traditional black paint. The maximum thermal efficiency for solar air heater coated with graphene nanopaint is 81%. Also the average thermal efficiency of graphene-coated solar air heater is 72.5%, which has a 13.24% higher average thermal efficiency when compared to conventional black paint-coated solar air heater. The average top heat loss for solar air heater coated with graphene nanopaint is 8.48% lower than solar air heater with traditional black paint.