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The global energy demand has been projected to rise over 28% by 2040, calling for more renewable resources such as lignocellulosic biomass to produce biofuels, and for green and efficient processing technologies. Actual limitations of processing technologies include high cost and high-energy consumption. Here, deep eutectic solvents appear as a green alternative to harmful organic solvents. For biomass pretreatment, deep eutectic solvent-based techniques require about 28% less energy and remove 40.7% of lignin. Deep eutectic solvents can be recycled up to five times. Here we review deep eutectic solvents with focus on properties, toxicity, recyclability, techno-economy and applications in biomass conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facile fabrication is reported of highly electrochemically active Ti3C2Tx MXene/MWCNT (3D/1D)-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPE) for the efficient simultaneous electrochemical detection of paracetamol, theophylline, and caffeine in human blood samples. 3D/1D Ti3C2Tx MXene/MWCNT nanocomposite was synthesized using microwave irradiation and ultrasonication processes. Then, the Ti3C2Tx/MWCNT-modified SPE electrode was fabricated and thoroughly characterized towards its physicochemical and electrochemical properties using XPS, TEM, FESEM, XRD, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. As-constructed Ti3C2Tx-MWCNT/SPE offers excellent electrochemical sensing performance with good detection limits (0.23, 0.57, and 0.43 µM) and wide linear ranges (1.0 ~ 90.1, 2.0 ~ 62.0, and 2.0–90.9 µM) for paracetamol, caffeine, and theophylline, respectively, in the human samples. Notably, the non-enzymatic electroactive nanocomposite-modified electrode has depicted a semicircle Nyquist plot with low charge transfer resistance (Rct∼95 Ω), leading to high ionic diffusion and facilitating an excellent electron transfer path. All the above results in efficient stability, reproducibility, repeatability, and sensitivity compared with other reported works, and thus, it claims its practical utilization in realistic clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first report showing reduction of particle matter and PAHs from incense burning by addition of oyster shell. Worshiping ancestors and gods by burning incense sticks and joss paper is a very important tradition in many Asian regions. More than 45 % of families in Taiwan burn incense twice a day. Unlike joss paper burning, most of the incense burning occurs indoors, thus creating a risk for human health. Previous reports have indeed evidenced toxicity of incense, notably due to particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, there are few methods to reduce particle matter and PAHs from incense burning. We hypothesize that oyster shell may be used to reduce incense fumes toxicity. Indeed a large amount of unused oyster shell is discarded due to increasing seafood consumption. Here, two types of incense were made in the laboratory, and then 5-30 % of oyster shells were added to the incense to study the reduction of particle matter and PAHs. Results show that reduction of particle matter and PAH emission increased with oyster shell addition. The reduction of emission factors is −35 % for mean particle matter, −21 % for particle-phase PAHs, and −37 % for benzo[a]pyrene equivalent concentration (BaP), using 30 % oyster shell additive. The addition of 10 % oyster shell reduces the burning time by 8.3 min, increases the burning rate by 3.4 mg/min, and reduces particle matter by 6.4 mg/g incense, particle-phase PAHs by 0.67 μg/g incense, and BaP by 0.23 μg/g incense. The reductions of particle matter, particle-phase PAHs, and BaP correspond to about 640 metric tons, 67, and 23 kg, respectively, per year. Our findings will help to produce safer and cleaner incense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]