Inorganic Oxide-Based "Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic" Separators Systems for Long-Life Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Hydrogen reduction reaction (HER) and corrosion limit the long-life cycle of zinc-ion batteries. However, hydrophilic separators are unable to prevent direct contact between water and electrodes, and hydrophobic separators have difficulty in transporting electrolytes. In this work, an inorganic oxide-based "hydrophobic-hydrophilic-hydrophobic" self-assembled separator system is proposed. The hydrophobic layer consists of a porous structure, which can isolate a large amount of free water to avoid HER and corrosion reactions, and can transport electrolyte by binding water. The middle hydrophilic layer acts as a storage layer consisting of the GF separator, storing large amounts of electrolyte for proper circulation. By using this structure separator, Zn||Zn symmetric cell achieve 2200 h stable cycle life at 5 mA cm-2 and 1mAh cm-2 and still shows a long life of 1800 h at 10 mA cm-2 and 1mAh cm-2. The assembled Zn||VO2 full cell displays high specific capacity and excellent long-term durability of 60.4% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 2C. The assembled Zn||VO2 pouch full cell displays high specific capacity of 172.5mAh g-1 after 40 cycles at 0.5C. Changing the inorganic oxide materials, the hydrophobic-hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure of the separators still has excellent performance. This work provides a new idea for the engineering of water-based battery separators.

Laminating Layered Structures of 2D MXene and Graphene Oxide for High-Performance All-Solid-State Supercapacitors.

Graphene oxide (GO)-based all-solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) provide an important complement to liquid- and gel-electrolyte-based SCs in a variety of applications, including flexible electronics. Still, their mediocre capacitance and complex fabrication methods hold back the realization of their full potential. Here, a simple fabrication of all-solid-state SCs with layered GO as a solid electrolyte and MXene as electrodes is demonstrated. The resultant SCs show excellent energy storage capacitance comparable to other MXene-based SCs using liquid electrolytes. The outperformance is attributed to extra interlayer spacing expansion and improved ion transport kinetics thanks to a synergistic water-absorbing effect due to the hydrophilicity of both MXene and GO in combination, which interestingly satisfies the intrinsic surface-dominated pseudocapacitive behavior of MXene. The application of this SC in humidity sensing has also been demonstrated to be fast responsive. The findings describe in this work provide a means of improving the capacitance performance using GO as a solid electrolyte with MXene as the electrodes and exploit the potential application as electronic elements for smart devices.

Hydrophobicity: The door to drug delivery.

The engineering of intracellular delivery systems with the goal of achieving personalized medicine has been encouraged by advances in nanomaterial science as well as a greater understanding of diseases and of the biochemical pathways implicated in many disorders. The development of vectors able to transport the drug to a target location and release it only on demand is undoubtedly the primary issue. From a molecular perspective, the topography of drug carrier surfaces is directly related to the design of an effective drug carrier because it provides a physical hint to modifying its interactions with biological systems. For instance, the initial ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic surfaces and the changes brought about by external factors enable the release or encapsulation of a therapeutic molecule and the ability of the nanosystem to cross biological barriers and reach its target without causing systemic toxicity. The first step in creating new materials with enhanced functionality is to comprehend and characterize the interplay between hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules at the molecular level. Therefore, the focus of this review is on the function of hydrophobicity, which is essential for matching the complexity of biological environments with the intended functionality.

Cementum and enamel surface mimicry influences soft tissue cell behavior.

AIMS: To test whether titanium surface roughness disparity might be used to specifically guide the behavior of gingiva fibroblasts and keratinocytes, thereby improving the quality of soft tissue (ST) integration around abutments. METHODS: Titanium discs resembling the roughness of enamel (M) or cementum (MA) were created with normal or increased hydrophilicity and used as substrates for human fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Adhesion and proliferation assays were performed to assess cell-type specific responses upon encountering the different surfaces. Additionally, immunofluorescence and qPCR analyses were performed to study more in depth the behavior of fibroblasts and keratinocytes on MA and M surfaces, respectively. RESULTS: While enamel-like M surfaces supported adhesion, growth and a normal differentiation potential of keratinocytes, cementum-emulating MA surfaces specifically impaired the growth of keratinocytes. Vice versa, MA surfaces sustained regular adhesion and proliferation of fibroblasts. Yet, a more intimate adhesion between fibroblasts and titanium was achieved by an increased hydrophilicity of MA surfaces, which was associated with an increased expression of elastin. CONCLUSION: The optimal titanium implant abutment might be achieved by a bimodal roughness design, mimicking the roughness of enamel (M) and cementum with increased hydrophilicity (hMA), respectively. These surfaces can selectively elicit cell responses favoring proper ST barrier by impairing epithelial downgrowth and promoting firm adhesion of fibroblasts.

Functional Zwitterionic Polyurethanes: State-of-the-Art Review.

Recent advancements in bioengineering and medical devices have been greatly influenced and dominated by synthetic polymers, particularly polyurethanes (PUs). PUs offer customizable mechanical properties and long-term stability, but their inherent hydrophobic nature poses challenges in practically biological application processes, such as interface high friction, strong protein adsorption, and thrombosis. To address these issues, surface modifications of PUs for generating functionally hydrophilic layers have received widespread attention, but the durability of generated surface functionality is poor due to irreversible mechanical wear or biodegradation. As a result, numerous researchers have investigated bulk modification techniques to incorporate zwitterionic polymers or groups onto the main or side chains of PUs, thereby improving their hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. This comprehensive review presents an extensive overview of notable zwitterionic PUs (ZPUs), including those based on phosphorylcholine, sulfobetaine, and carboxybetaine. The review explores their wide range of biomedical applications, from blood-contacting devices to antibacterial coatings, fouling-resistant marine coatings, separation membranes, lubricated surfaces, and shape memory and self-healing materials. Lastly, the review summarizes the challenges and future prospects of ZPUs in biological applications.

Adsorption behavior and interaction mechanism of microplastics with typical hydrophilic pharmaceuticals and personal care products.

Microplastics (MPs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are two types of emerging contaminants widely present in the global aquatic ecosystem. The ecological risks associated with the coexistence of these two contaminants have garnered increasing attention from researchers. In this study, we selected 15 typical hydrophilic PPCPs, including Sulfacetamide (SA), Thiamphenicol, Florfenicol, Chloramphenicol (CHL), Ampicillin, Cephalexin, Ofloxacin, Fluorouracil, Phenytoin, Theophylline, Cimetidine, Methylparaben, Diethyltoluamide, Benzophenone-2 (BP-2), and Benzophenone-4, as adsorbates. We evaluated the adsorption potential of five traditional plastics (TPs), namely Polyamide 6 (PA6), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and Polyurethane (TPU), as well as three biodegradable plastics (BDPs), including Polylactic acid (PLA), Polybutylene succinate (PBS), and Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL), for these adsorbates. Out of the 120 combinations of MPs and PPCPs tested, only 24 exhibited significant adsorption behavior. Notably, the adsorption performance of the three BDPs was stronger than that of the three typical TPs (PS, PET, and PVC). Based on their adsorption potential, PA6, BDPs, phenytoin, and BP-2 were identified as potential sources of high ecological risk. To further explore the adsorption mechanism, we investigated the adsorption behaviors of SA, BP-2, and CHL on PA6. The conclusions were as follows: SA, BP-2, and CHL all reached adsorption equilibrium within 24 h, with the partition coefficient (Kd) following this order: BP-2 (8.051) â‰« SA (0.052) > CHL (0.018). The primary forces of adsorption were electrostatic interactions, intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interaction, respectively. Additionally, weak electrostatic effects were observed in the adsorption of CHL and BP-2. The effects of pH, ionic strength, and fulvic acid on adsorption capacity varied. These results highlight a complex adsorption mechanism between MPs and hydrophilic contaminants in the aquatic environment. This study provides a basis for further evaluating the ecological risks of MPs and PPCPs combined pollution.

Randomized investigation of increased dialyzer membrane hydrophilicity on hemocompatibility and performance.

BACKGROUND: Hemodialyzers should efficiently eliminate small and middle molecular uremic toxins and possess exceptional hemocompatibility to improve well-being of patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, performance and hemocompatibility get compromised during treatment due to adsorption of plasma proteins to the dialyzer membrane. Increased membrane hydrophilicity reduces protein adsorption to the membrane and was implemented in the novel FX CorAL dialyzer. The present randomized controlled trial compares performance and hemocompatibility profiles of the FX CorAL dialyzer to other commonly used dialyzers applied in hemodiafiltration treatments. METHODS: This prospective, open, controlled, multicentric, interventional, crossover study randomized stable patients on post-dilution online hemodiafiltration (HDF) to FX CorAL 600, FX CorDiax 600 (both Fresenius Medical Care) and xevonta Hi 15 (B. Braun) each for 4 weeks. Primary outcome was ß2-microglobulin removal rate (ß2-m RR). Non-inferiority and superiority of FX CorAL versus comparators were tested. Secondary endpoints were RR and/or clearance of small and middle molecules, and intra- and interdialytic profiles of hemocompatibility markers, with regards to complement activation, cell activation/inflammation, platelet activation and oxidative stress. Further endpoints were patient reported outcomes (PROs) and clinical safety. RESULTS: 82 patients were included and 76 analyzed as intention-to-treat (ITT) population. FX CorAL showed the highest ß2-m RR (76.28%), followed by FX CorDiax (75.69%) and xevonta (74.48%). Non-inferiority to both comparators and superiority to xevonta were statistically significant. Secondary endpoints related to middle molecules corroborated these results; performance for small molecules was comparable between dialyzers. Regarding intradialytic hemocompatibility, FX CorAL showed lower complement, white blood cell, and platelet activation. There were no differences in interdialytic hemocompatibility, PROs, or clinical safety. CONCLUSIONS: The novel FX CorAL with increased membrane hydrophilicity showed strong performance and a favorable hemocompatibility profile as compared to other commonly used dialyzers in clinical practice. Further long-term investigations should examine whether the benefits of FX CorAL will translate into improved cardiovascular and mortality endpoints. TRIAL REGISTRATION: eMPORA III registration on 19/01/2021 at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04714281).

Enhancement of sludge dewaterability using combined technology of bioleaching and Fenton: Microscopic structure and hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of sludge particles.

Bioleaching and Fenton technology are commonly used preconditioning techniques for sludge dewatering. This study compared the dewatering mechanisms of different conditioning technologies. The results showed that bound water, specific resistance to filtration (SRF), and capillary suction time decreased from 3.95 g/g, 6.16 × 1012 m/kg, and 130.6 s to 3.15 g/g, 2.81 × 1011 m/kg, and 33 s, respectively, under combined treatment condition. Moreover, the free radicals, including ·OH, O2-·and Fe (Ⅳ), further damaged the cell structure, thus increasing the concentration of DNA in the S-EPS layer. This intense degradation sludge particle size decreased by 15.6% and significantly increased zeta potential. Under the combined technology, the α-helix and ß-sheet decreased by 42.2% and 56.5%, respectively, destabilizing the spatial structure of proteins and promoting the release of bound water. In addition, the combined technology decreased (Ala/Lys) ratio in the TB-EPS layer by 67.6%, indicating the weakening of protein water-holding capacity. Moreover, the conversion of oxygen-containing compounds to nonpolar hydrocarbons increased the hydrophobicity of the sludge under a combined treatment, thus enhancing dewatering performance.

Enhancing oil-water emulsion separation via synergistic filtration using graphene oxide-silver oxide nanocomposite-embedded polyethersulfone membrane.

This study introduces an innovative approach for enhancing oil-water emulsion separation using a polyethersulfone (PES) membrane embedded with a nanocomposite of graphene oxide (GO) and silver oxide (AgO). The composite membrane, incorporating PES and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), demonstrates improved hydrophilicity, structural integrity and resistance to fouling. Physicochemical characterization confirms successful integration of GO and AgO, leading to increased tensile strength, porosity and hydrophilicity. Filtration tests reveal substantial improvements in separating various oils from contaminated wastewater, with the composite membrane exhibiting superior efficiency and reusability compared to pristine PES membranes. This research contributes to the development of environmentally friendly oil-water separation methods with broad industrial applications.

[The effect of surface modification strategies on biological activity of titanium implant].

The surface morphology of titanium metal is an important factor affecting its hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, and exploring the surface treatment strategy of titanium metal is an important way to improve its biocompatibility . In this study , titanium (TA4) was firstly treated by large particle sand blasting and acid etching (SLA) technology, and then the obtained SLA-TA4 was treated by single surface treatments such as alkali-heat, ultraviolet light and plasma bombardment. According to the experimental results, alkali-heat treatment is the best treatment method to improve and maintain surface hydrophilicity of titanium. Then, the nanowire network morphology of titanium surface and its biological property, formed by further surface treatments on the basis of alkali-heat treatment, were investigated. Through the cell adhesion experiment of mouse embryonic osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1), the ability of titanium material to support cell adhesion and cell spreading was investigated after different surface treatments. The mechanism of biological activity difference of titanium surface formed by different surface treatments was investigated according to the contact angle, pit depth and roughness of the titanium sheet surface. The results showed that the SLA-TA4 titanium sheet after a treatment of alkali heat for 10 h and ultraviolet irradiation for 1 h has the best biological activity and stability. From the perspective of improving surface bioactivity of medical devices, this study has important reference value for relevant researches on surface treatment of titanium implantable medical devices.

Dendrite-Free Zinc Anodes Enabled by Exploring Polar-Face-Rich 2D ZnO Interfacial Layers for Rechargeable Zn-Ion Batteries.

Zinc metal is a promising candidate for anodes in zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), but its widespread implementation is hindered by dendrite growth in aqueous electrolytes. Dendrites lead to undesirable side reactions, such as hydrogen evolution, passivation, and corrosion, causing reduced capacity during prolonged cycling. In this study, an approach is explored to address this challenge by directly growing 1D zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs) and 2D ZnO nanoflakes (NFs) on Zn anodes, forming artificial layers to enhance ZIB performance. The incorporation of ZnO on the anode offers both chemical and thermal stability and leverages its n-type semiconductor nature to facilitate the formation of ohmic contacts. This results in efficient electron transport during Zn ion plating and stripping processes. Consequently, the ZnO NFs-coated Zn anodes demonstrate significantly improved charge storage performance, achieving 348 mAh g-1 , as compared to ZnO NRs (250 mAh g-1 ) and pristine Zn (160 mAh g-1 ) anodes when evaluated in full cells with V2 O5 cathodes. One significant advantage of ZnO NFs lies in their highly polar surfaces, promoting strong interactions with water molecules and rendering them exceptionally hydrophilic. This characteristic enhances the ability of ZnO NFs to desolvate Zn2+ ions, leading to improved charge storage performance.

Phosphorus-Mediated Local Charge Distribution of N-Configuration Adsorption Sites with Enhanced Zincophilicity and Hydrophilicity for High-Energy-Density Zn-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors.

Tailor-made carbonaceous-based cathodes with zincophilicity and hydrophilicity are highly desirable for Zn-ion storage applications, but it remains a great challenge to achieve both advantages in the synthesis. In this work, a template electrospinning strategy is developed to synthesize nitrogen and phosphorous co-doped hollow porous carbon nanofibers (N, P-HPCNFs), which deliver a high capacity of 230.7 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 , superior rate capability of 131.0 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1 , and a maximum energy density of 196.10 Wh kg-1 at the power density of 155.53 W kg-1 . Density functional theory calculations (DFT) reveal that the introduced P dopants regulate the distribution of local charge density of carbon materials and therefore facilitate the adsorption of Zn ions due to the increased electronegativity of pyridinic-N. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations indicate that the doped P species induce a series of polar sites and create a hydrophilic microenvironment, which decreases the impedance between the electrode and the electrolyte and therefore accelerates the reaction kinetics. The marriage of ex situ/in situ experimental analyses and theoretical simulations uncovers the origin of the enhanced zincophilicity and hydrophilicity of N, P-HPCNFs for energy storage, which accounts for the faster ion migration and electrochemical processes.

Surface Functional Groups Affect Iron (Hydr)oxide Heterogeneous Nucleation: Implications for Membrane Scaling.

Because of its favorable thermodynamics and fast kinetics, heterogeneous solid nucleation on membranes triggers early-stage mineral scaling. Iron (hydr)oxide, a typical membrane scale, initially forms as nanoparticles that interact with surface functional groups on membranes, but these nanoscale phenomena are difficult to observe in real time. In this study, we utilized in situ grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering and ex situ atomic force microscopy to examine the heterogeneous nucleation of iron (hydr)oxide on surface functional groups commonly used in membranes, including hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), and fluoro (F) groups. We found that, compared to nucleation on hydrophilic OH- and COOH-surfaces, the high hydrophobicity of an F-modified surface significantly reduced the extents of both heterogeneously and homogeneously formed iron (hydr)oxide nucleation. Moreover, on the OH-surface, the high functional group density of 0.76 nmol/cm2 caused faster heterogeneous nucleation than that on a COOH-surface, with a density of 0.28 ± 0.04 nmol/cm2. The F-surface also had the highest heterogeneous nucleation energy barrier (26 ± 0.6 kJ/mol), followed by COOH- (23 ± 0.8 kJ/mol) and OH- (20 ± 0.9 kJ/mol) surfaces. The kinetic and thermodynamic information provided here will help us better predict the rates and extents of early-stage scaling of iron (hydr)oxide nanoparticles in membrane processes.

Deciphering the role of fungus in degradation of polypropylene from hospital waste.

Health and environmental consequences are unavoidable when it comes to management of hospital waste (HW) disposables. In order to eradicate the HW, this study isolated a novel fungus SPF21 from a hospital dumping yard to degrade Polypropylene (PP). We measured the attributes of PP inoculated with fungus using mass loss, Fourier trans-form infrared (FTIR), contact angle (CA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The weight of PP exposed to SPF21 was reduced by 25% in 90 days. The SEM images reveal that there are pores all over the sample surface; they alsocaused voids during the biodegradation of PP. FTIR analysis indicates that the spectra of treated mask pieces show the absence of peak at 1746 cm-1 and the appearance of a new peak at 1643 cm-1 . A period of 90-day exposure to the fungal isolate SPF21 reduced the CA of PP by 44.8% when compared to the nonexposed PP samples, suggesting that the surface of PP turned more hydrophilic after exposure. Moreover, our study on PP degradation by the fungus Ascotricha sinuosa SPF21 appears to be promising from the perspective of environmental, health, and economic hazards. Our results indicate that biodegradation greatly facilitates fungus deposition and changes PP film morphology and hydrophilicity.

Hydrophilic nanofibers with aligned topography modulate macrophage-mediated host responses via the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Successful biomaterial implantation requires appropriate immune responses. Macrophages are key mediators involved in this process. Currently, exploitation of the intrinsic properties of biomaterials to modulate macrophages and immune responses is appealing. In this study, we prepared hydrophilic nanofibers with an aligned topography by incorporating polyethylene glycol and polycaprolactone using axial electrospinning. We investigated the effect of the nanofibers on macrophage behavior and the underlying mechanisms. With the increase of hydrophilicity of aligned nanofibers, the inflammatory gene expression of macrophages adhering to them was downregulated, and M2 polarization was induced. We further presented clear evidence that the inflammasome NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) was the cellular sensor by which macrophages sense the biomaterials, and it acted as a regulator of the macrophage-mediated response to foreign bodies and implant integration. In vivo, we showed that the fibers shaped the implant-related immune microenvironment and ameliorated peritendinous adhesions. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that hydrophilic aligned nanofibers exhibited better biocompatibility and immunological properties.

Interaction of Water and Oxygen Molecules with Phosphorene: An Ab Initio Study.

Phosphorene, the 2D form of black phosphorus, has recently attracted interest for optoelectronic and tribological applications. However, its promising properties are affected by the strong tendency of the layers to oxidize in ambient conditions. A significant effort has been made to identify the role of oxygen and water in the oxidation process. In this work, we introduce a first-principles study of the phosphorene phase diagram and provide a quantitative estimate of the interaction of pristine and fully oxidized phosphorene layers with oxygen and water molecules. Specifically, we study oxidized layers with oxygen coverages of 25% and 50% that keep the typical anisotropic structure of the layers. We found that hydroxilated and hydrogenated phosphorene layers are both energetically unfavorable, leading to structural distortions. We also studied the water physisorption on both pristine and oxidized layers, finding that the adsorption energy gain doubled on the oxidized layers, whereas dissociative chemisorption was always energetically unfavorable. At the same time, further oxidation (i.e., the dissociative chemisorption of O2) was always favorable, even on oxidized layers. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of water intercalated between sliding phosphorene layers showed that even under harsh tribological conditions water dissociation was not activated, thus further strengthening the results obtained from our static calculations. Overall, our results provide a quantitative description of the interaction of phosphorene with chemical species that are commonly found in ambient conditions at different concentrations. The phase diagram that we introduced confirms the tendency of phosphorene layers to fully oxidize due to the presence of O2, resulting in a material with improved hydrophilicity, a piece of information that is relevant for the application of phosphorene, e.g., as a solid lubricant. At the same time, the structural deformations found for the H- and OH- terminated layers undermine their electrical, mechanical, and tribological anisotropic properties and, therefore, the usage of phosphorene.

Morphology and Properties of Polylactic Acid Composites with Butenediol Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer Formed by Melt Blending.

Due to its poor toughness and hydrophilicity, the application of polylactic acid (PLA) in the field of absorbent sanitary materials is restricted. A butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (BVOH) was used to improve PLA via melt blending. The morphology, molecular structure, crystallization, thermal stability, tensile property, and hydrophilicity of PLA/BVOH composites with different mass ratios were investigated. The results show that the PLA/BVOH composites possessed a two-phase structure with good interfacial adhesion. The BVOH could effectively blend into PLA without a chemical reaction. The addition of the BVOH promoted the crystallization of PLA, improved the perfection of the crystalline region, and increased the glass transition temperature and melting temperature of PLA in the heating process. Moreover, the thermal stability of PLA was markedly improved by adding the BVOH. The addition of the BVOH also had a significant effect on the tensile property of the PLA/BVOH composites. When the content of the BVOH was 5 wt.%, the elongation at the break of the PLA/BVOH composites could reach 9.06% (increased by 76.3%). In addition, the hydrophilicity of PLA was also significantly improved, and the water contact angles decreased with the increase in the BVOH content and time. When the content of the BVOH was 10 wt.%, the water contact angle could reach 37.3° at 60 s, suggesting good hydrophilicity.

Design, Synthesis, Computational and Biological Evaluation of Novel Structure Fragments Based on Lithocholic Acid (LCA).

The regulation of bile acid pathways has become a particularly promising therapeutic strategy for a variety of metabolic disorders, cancers, and diseases. However, the hydrophobicity of bile acids has been an obstacle to clinical efficacy due to off-target effects from rapid drug absorption. In this report, we explored a novel strategy to design new structure fragments based on lithocholic acid (LCA) with improved hydrophilicity by introducing a polar "oxygen atom" into the side chain of LCA, then (i) either retaining the carboxylic acid group or replacing the carboxylic acid group with (ii) a diol group or (iii) a vinyl group. These novel fragments were evaluated using luciferase-based reporter assays and the MTS assay. Compared to LCA, the result revealed that the two lead compounds 1a-1b were well tolerated in vitro, maintaining similar potency and efficacy to LCA. The MTS assay results indicated that cell viability was not affected by dose dependence (under 25 µM). Additionally, computational model analysis demonstrated that compounds 1a-1b formed more extensive hydrogen bond networks with Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) than LCA. This strategy displayed a potential approach to explore the development of novel endogenous bile acids fragments. Further evaluation on the biological activities of the two lead compounds is ongoing.

The Influence of Storage in Saline or Irradiation by Ultraviolet on Surface Hydrophilicity of Implant and Osseointegration: An Experimental Study in Rabbits.

Storage in aqueous solution or ultraviolet (UV) irradiation can retain or regain the hydrophilicity of titanium implant surface. In this study, 3 types of commercial titanium implants were used: ZBL (ZDI Bone Level), CEL (C-tech Esthetic Line), and modSLA (Straumann SLActive). ZBL and CEL implants were treated with UV irradiation for 4 hours. Surface characterization of the 4 groups (ZBL, ZBL-UV, CEL-UV, and modSLA) was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements. The in vivo bone response was evaluated by removal torque (RTQ) tests and histomorphometric analysis at 3, 6, and 12 weeks postimplantation. A total of 144 implants and 36 rabbits were used for experiments according to a previously established randomization sequence. The ZBL-UV, CEL-UV, and modSLA groups were hydrophilic, and nanostructures were observed on the modSLA implant surface. ModSLA achieved better RTQ value than ZBL at 12 weeks (P < .05). For histomorphometric analysis, ZBL-UV and CEL-UV implants showed higher bone area values in the cancellous bone zone at 6 weeks than did modSLA and ZBL implants (P < .05). In the cortical bone zone, all groups showed comparable bone-to-implant contact at all healing time points (P > .05). Both storage in saline and UV irradiation could retain or provoke hydrophilic surfaces and improve osseointegration. Compared with storage in saline, UV irradiation displayed slight advantages in promoting new bone formation in cancellous bone zone at an early stage.

Identification of key precursors contributing to the formation of CX3R-type disinfection by-products along the typical full-scale drinking water treatment processes.

Identification and characterization of disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors could help optimize drinking water treatment processes and improve the quality of finished water. This study comprehensively investigated the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM), the hydrophilicity and molecule weight (MW) of DBP precursor and DBP-associated toxicity along the typical full-scale treatment processes. The results showed that dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen content, the fluorescence intensity and the SUVA254 value in raw water significantly decreased after the whole treatment processes. Conventional treatment processes were in favor of the removal of high-MW and hydrophobic DOM, which are important precursors of trihalomethane and haloacetic acid. Compared with conventional treatment processes, Ozone integrated with biological activated carbon (O3-BAC) processes enhanced the removal efficiencies of DOM with different MW and hydrophobic fractions, leading to a further decrease in almost all DBP formation potential and DBP-associated toxicity. However, almost 50% of the detected DBP precursors in raw water has not been removed after the coagulation-sedimentation-filtration integrated with O3-BAC advanced treatment processes. These remaining precursors were found to be mainly hydrophilic and low-MW (< 1.0 kDa) organics. Moreover, they would largely contribute to the formation of haloacetaldehydes and haloacetonitriles, which dominated the calculated cytotoxicity. Since current drinking water treatment process could not effectively control the highly toxic DBPs, the removal of hydrophilic and low-MW organics in drinking water treatment plants should be focused on in the future.