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[Display omitted] • The amine oxide membrane pore size was found to be reversibly tunable. • The "trade-off" effect of the membrane was interestingly eliminated by the introduction of side amine oxide. • These membranes showed good anti-fouling properties and stability after multi-acid/alkali cycle treatment. Creating advanced polymer membranes with adjustable pores for various separation methods has been challenging because of the lack of new materials with adaptable and reversible chemical structures. In this study, we designed membranes using polyarylene ether sulfone/amide tertiary amine (PAES/ATA) copolymerized with polyarylene ether sulfone and polyamide tertiary amine. These membranes incorporated amine oxide units into their molecular chains by oxidizing the TA unit in the PAES/ATA copolymer chain. Applying the oxidation process improved antifouling properties, with the oxidized membrane showing a permeance recovery rate (Frr) of 95.48 % and a total fouling ratio (R t) of 9.35 %. These units also functioned as switches, altering their charge in different pH environments, thereby allowing pore size adjustment in the membranes. Notably, with the formation of amine oxide, these membranes exhibited properties distinct from the traditional "trade-off" effect, which is a persistent challenge in membrane technology development. The permeance and rejection rate of these membranes demonstrated the "simultaneous rise phenomenon" following a facile oxidation treatment to form amine oxide. This study presents a novel approach to develop membranes with new functional and tunable filtration capabilities, potentially applicable in various separation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing functional membranes with switchable pores for the separation of contaminants with different sizes has been challenging due to the lack of novel materials with adaptable and adjustable structures. Polymers containing the tertiary amine (TA) unit can be transformed via oxidation into amine oxide (AO) structure that can modulate the membrane pore size. In this study, new monomers containing pH-responsive TA units and diacyl chloride containing reducible thioether (-S-) groups were used to yield pore-size-adjustable membrane resin polyarylene sulfide sulfone amide/amide tertiary amine (PASSA/ATA) at room temperature. By varying the polymerization ratio of the reaction solution, membranes could be prepared directly through non-solvent induce phase separation (NIPS) method without extra treatment. By oxidizing the TA units to AO through acid condition (H 2 O 2 /H 2 SO 4 /CH 3 COOH), the PASSA/ATA membrane can be switched from ultrafiltration to loose-nanofiltration with the rejection of RO16 and rhodamine B increased from 18.4% to 34.3 % (pristine membrane) to 91.7 % and 98.5 %. The permeance and rejection rate of the oxidized membrane were found to recover to the initial state after alkali-treatment. The mechanism of the switchable pore size was elucidated by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. Interestingly, the oxidized PASSA/ATA membrane showed good organic solvent resistance and in nanofiltration performance, as it was capable of retaining about 95 % of Congo red in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) with permeance of about 10 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. This work presents a facile and low-carbon approach to develop novel membranes with multiple filtration capabilities, potentially applicable in various separation processes. Switchable polyaryl sulfide sulfone amide membrane containing tertiary amine unit: oxidation and reversible acid-base treatment. [Display omitted] • PASSA/ATA membranes were fabricated with a facile and low-carbon route. • The membrane pore size could be reversibly adjusted from ultrafiltration to nano-filtration with different pH value. • The membranes were found to have good organic solvent resistance and nanofiltration performance after facile one-step oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MS detection improves dynamic range and sensitivity compared to ELSD and CAD. • Raw material impurities can transfer to drug substances in lipid nanoparticle therapies. • Hydrazone derivatization increases assay sensitivity for detection of aldehydes. • Aldehyde impurities above regulatory thresholds pose a risk to mRNA payloads. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are designed to protect and transport sensitive payloads or active pharmaceutical ingredients as part of new therapeutic modalities. As a multi-component particle, a high degree of quality control is necessary to ensure raw materials are free of critical impurities that could adversely impact the drug product. In this study, we demonstrate a reversed phase liquid chromatography method hyphenated with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (RPLC-MS) as an alternative platform to methods that incorporate evaporative light scattering or charged aerosol detectors in the detection and quantitation of critical impurities associated with LNPs. The proposed RPLC-MS method offers an increase of up to 2 orders of magnitude in dynamic range and 3 orders of magnitude in sensitivity in the analysis of impurities associated with LNPs compared to conventional detectors. Access to complementary mass data enabled the detection and identification of stability indicating impurities as part of stress studies carried out on an ionizable lipid. In addition to confirmation of peak identity, complementary mass data was also used to assess residual aldehydes in raw material and formulated LNPs in accordance with regulatory guidance. Following derivatization using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, aldehyde content in the ionizable lipid raw material was determined to exceed the reporting threshold of 0.05% in 30% of the test cases. The experimental findings observed in this study demonstrate the utility of the proposed RPLC-MS method in the identification and monitoring of stability-indicating attributes associated with LNPs as part of current Good Manufacturing Practices for improved consumer safety in drug products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide (6:2 FTSAm)-based compounds signify a prominent group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) widely used in contemporary aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) formulations. Despite their widespread presence, the biotransformation behavior of these compounds in wastewater treatment plants remains uncertain. This study investigated the biotransformation of 6:2 FTSAm-based amine oxide (6:2 FTNO), alkylbetaine (6:2 FTAB), and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (6:2 FTSA) in aerobic sludge over a 100-day incubation period. The biotransformation of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylamine (6:2 FTAA), a primary intermediate product of 6:2 FTNO, was indirectly assessed. Their stability was ranked based on the estimated half-lives ( t 1/2 ): 6:2 FTAB (no obvious products were detected) ≫ 6:2 FTSA ( t 1/2 ≈28.8 days) > 6:2 FTAA ( t 1/2 ≈11.5 days) > 6:2 FTNO ( t 1/2 ≈1.2 days). Seven transformation products of 6:2 FTSA and 15 products of 6:2 FTNO were identified through nontarget and suspect screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The transformation pathways of 6:2 FTNO and 6:2 FTSA in aerobic sludge were proposed. Interestingly, 6:2 FTSAm was hardly hydrolyzed to 6:2 FTSA and further biotransformed to perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs). Furthermore, the novel pathways for the generation of perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) from 6:2 FTSA were revealed.

A surfactant, R‐6‐AO, derived from dehydroabietic acid has been synthesized. It behaves as a highly efficient low‐molecular‐weight hydrogelator with an extremely low critical gelation concentration (CGC) of 0.18 wt % (4 mm). R‐6‐AO not only stabilizes oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions at concentrations above its critical micelle concentration (cmc) of 0.6 mm, but also forms gel emulsions at concentrations beyond the CGC with the oil volume fraction freely adjustable between 2 % and 95 %. Cryo‐TEM images reveal that R‐6‐AO molecules self‐assemble into left‐handed helical fibers with cross‐sectional diameters of about 10 nm in pure water, which can be turned to very stable hydrogels at concentrations above the CGC. The gel emulsions stabilized by R‐6‐AO can be prepared with different oils (n‐dodecane, n‐decane, n‐octane, soybean oil, olive oil, tricaprylin) owing to the tricyclic diterpene hydrophobic structure in their molecules that enables them to adopt a unique arrangement in the fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood is an environmentally friendly material for the construction of buildings, and it possesses great physical and mechanical properties. However, under certain circumstances, it needs to be protected from degradation. This can be achieved either by proper design or treatment. In this study, eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) were impregnated with propiconazole and 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate, which are two organic fungicides. Unlike most impregnation techniques, no pressure treatment was needed. Instead, an aqueous buffered amine oxide system was used to allow the fungicides to diffuse rapidly into the wood. Many combinations of fungicides and amine oxides, as well as different diffusion times were tested to study the effect of the treatment on the dimensional stability and resistance to decay fungi. It was found that only the amine oxide affected the dimensional stability of the treated wood, with anti-swelling and anti-shrinking efficiencies values up to 30%. Amine oxides and fungicides both had an impact on the weight loss caused by the brown rot fungi. The weight loss after 10 weeks of exposure to Rhodonia placenta was reduced by half when using amine oxides or fungicides, and it was completely inhibited when they were combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amine oxide (AO) surfactants are used widely in North American household detergents resulting in > 44,000 mtons disposed down the drain annually. Due to AOs substantial down the drain disposal volume, wide dispersive use, and high aquatic toxicity, there is a need to evaluate ecological exposure and corresponding risk. This study refined the current knowledge regarding the fate of AO disposed down the drain through laboratory simulation studies to evaluate biodegradation in the sewer and during activated sludge wastewater treatment. A monitoring program which measured effluent AO concentrations for the dominant carbon chain lengths, C12 and C14, at 44 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) across the continental US was also conducted. The study results were then used as input into probabilistic exposure models to predict US receiving stream concentrations. In three separate OECD 314A Sewer Water Die-Away studies AO was rapidly biodegraded with > 76% mineralized by study completion and the geometric mean of the primary biodegradation rates being 0.184 h − 1 . Two OECD 303A Activated Sludge WWTP Simulation studies showed rapid and complete biodegradation of AO with ≤ 0.09% of parent AO remaining in the effluent, ≤ 0.03% of parent AO sorbed to sludge solids, and > 97% complete mineralization of AO. Monitoring at US WWPTs confirmed low levels of AO in effluents with mean C12 and C14AO concentrations of 52.8 and 20.1 ng/L respectively. Based on the monitoring data, the 90th percentile concentrations of C12 and C14AO for 7Q10 low flow stream conditions were > 2 orders of magnitude lower than the predicted no effect concentrations indicating negligible aquatic risk from AO in US receiving streams. This study verifies that AO is safe for the aquatic environment even at the currently high usage volumes due to rapid biodegradation during transit through the sewer and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a new generation of polymer membranes with switchable pores for multiple separation processes remains challenging due to the lack of materials with reversible and adjustable chemical structures. Herein, amine oxide units were introduced in the chains of poly (arylene ether sulfone) via oxidizing the tertiary amine (TA) in poly (arylene ether sulfone)/amide tertiary amine (PAES/ATA) copolymer, and then served as switches to tune the pores of the prepared membranes. The smart membranes could be reversibly tuned between loose nanofiltration mode with water permeance of 178 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and dye (e.g., Rhodamine B) rejection of 95%, and ultrafiltration mode, with water permeance of 650 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and dye rejection of 55%, by cyclic acid-alkali treatment. The mechanism of the switchable pore size was elucidated by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, and the results were in good agreement with experimental results. This study provides a novel and facile route to fabricate functional membranes with reversibly tunable and highly efficient filtration performance, which could be applicable to multiple separations. [Display omitted] • Amine oxide derived from tertiary amine had excellent pH stimulation response. • These amine oxide membrane pore size was found to be reversible and tunable. • These membranes showed good mechanical performance after multi-acid/alkali cycle treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant is a kind of chemical that is widely used in the oilfield. It often serves as chemical oil displacement agents in the surfactant-polymer flooding or alkali-surfactant-polymer flooding. The commonly used surfactant is petroleum sulfonate. However, its unstable property often limits its use. In this paper, erucamidopropyl dimethyl amine oxide was prepared and its potential use in surfactant-polymer flooding was investigated. The results showed that the interfacial tension between crude oil and surfactant-polymer solution could be lowered to ultralow at a concentration of 0.05% (m/m) surfactant. The surfactant-polymer system (0.05% of surfactant and 1500 mg/L of polymer) could withstand adsorption twice. The core flood test indicated the above system could give 22.5% of incremental oil recovery over water flood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new kind of amine oxide surfactant – cocotriethoxylpropanediamine oxide (CTPDAO) – was synthesized by a two-step process. The molecular structure was characterized by FTIR spectra and1H NMR. The new surfactant showed high surface activity in aqueous solution in the surface tension measurement. Emulsifying capacity and wetting ability were studied in comparison to dodecyldimethylamine oxide (DDMAO). The results indicate that this new surfactant could reach the lowest surface tension of 30.4 mN m−1in aqueous solution with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.23 mmol L−1. The wetting ability of DDMAO is better than that of CTPDAO. Compared with CTPDAO, DDMAO shows a greater capacity to emulsify soybean oil, although CTPDAO is a better emulsifying agent for liquid paraffin. The foaming properties and thickening function of DDMAO and CTPDAO mixed with alcohol ether sulfate (AES) and dodecylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) were also investigated. The results show that CTPDAO is a superior foam stabilizer than DDMAO while CTPDAO and DDMAO both have excellent thickening functions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, a new category of copolymer was designed by side grafting of tertiary amines (TA) on polyaryl ether sulfone. The synthesized copolymers PES/ATA displayed superior thermal properties with a glass transition temperature of 200–225 °C. These copolymers with favorable film-forming properties were used to fabricate ultrafiltration membranes via a phase inversion approach. Surprisingly, it was found that the filtration performance of these resultant membranes could be reversibly tuned between a facile acid oxidation (CH 3 COOH:H 2 SO 4 :H 2 O 2 = 40:1:1) and alkali solution (solution of 20 wt% NaOH, immersed for 4–8 h) treatment. While the water flux of dye solution had a twofold reduction, the oxidized membranes showed distinctly enhancement of methylene blue rejection from 35% to 91.5% after oxidation treatment. Subsequently, alkali treatment of the oxidized membranes allowed their water flux to recover up to 89% as that of pristine membranes, and the methylene blue rejection can recover to almost the same as that of pristine membranes. This phenomenon was closely related to the introduced reactive TA units: the TA group in the polymeric membrane was converted into stimulus-responsive amine oxide (AO) unit, then its charge can be reversibly changed between the acid oxidation and alkali treatment, and that can be used to tune the electrostatic repulsion and further tuned the membrane pore size. In addition, compared with the polyarylene sulfone membrane, the mechanical properties of these membrane had almost no deterioration after several treatment cycle. This study supplies a novel and facile routine to fabricate functional membranes with reversible-tunable filtration properties. [Display omitted] • Tertiary amines can be facile oxidized to amine oxide which have typical excellent pH stimulation response. • These amine oxide membrane pore size was found to be reversible and tunable. • These membranes showed good mechanical performance after multi-acid-alkali cycle treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amine oxide (AO) is a cationically charged surfactant at environmental pH and has previously been assessed in the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals program. Typical of cationic chemicals, AO is highly aquatically toxic. In this study we vastly improve the knowledge of AO toxicity by developing acute Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSARs) for an alga ( Desmodesmus subspicatus ), an invertebrate ( Daphnia magna ) and a fish ( Danio rerio ) using the appropriate array of OECD Test Guidelines. A chronic toxicity QSAR was also determined for the most sensitive taxon, Desmodesmus . Pure AO spanning the chain lengths of C8 to C16 were tested individually with trace analytical confirmation of exposures in all tests. The QSARs were all of high quality (R 2 0.92–0.98) with slopes ranging from −0.338 to −0.484. QSARs were then used to normalize toxicity outcomes for a larger, previously published data set used in HPV, European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals), and peer reviewed publications. Two additional species, Lemna gibba (macrophyte) and Ankistrodesmus falcatus (alga) were studied in exposures to dodecyl (C12) AO to provide sufficient taxonomic diversity to conduct a Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD) analysis. The SSD 5th percentile hazardous concentration (HC5) to C12 AO was found to be 0.052 mg/L which is similar to an existing AO 28-d, 3-community periphyton community bioassay normalized to C12 AO (No-observed-effect-concentration or NOEC=0.152 mg/L). The statistical properties of the SSD was probed suggesting that new studies of additional taxa would be required that were at least 10-fold more sensitive than the most sensitive taxon to move the HC5 lower by a factor of 3. The overall AO hazard assessment suggests a large margin of safety relative to published environmental exposure data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]