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Walnuts (Juglans regia) have been associated with foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of bacteria on in-shell walnut surfaces from six representative provinces in China. The bacterial populations on walnut surfaces were investigated by high-throughput sequencing based on the bacterial 16 S rRNA hypervariable region V4. Twenty-eight samples were collected from fourteen regions in six provinces and harvested in different periods (the fresh in 2016 and the old in 2015). Proteobacteria was the most dominant phylum in all samples except for XJ1. In XJ1, and the most abundant phylum was Cyanobacteria, which also accounted for a large proportion of the abundance in YN1, YN11, XJ2 and SC11. In addition, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were also the abundant phyla in the given samples. Some genera belonging to the opportunistic pathogens were detected, such as Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Burkholderia and Bacillus. The results revealed that the composition and abundance of bacterial consortiums on walnut surfaces varied among the geographical sites where they were harvested. Moreover, the storage time of samples also had impact on the abundance of bacteria. This study may provide a better understanding of the bacterial communities' diversity on in-shell walnut surfaces.

This study was done to find a cheap, available and ecofriendly materials that can remove eosin y dye from aqueous solutions by adsorption in this study, two adsorbent materials were used, the shells of fresh water clam (Cabicula fluminea) and walnut shells. To make a comparison between the two adsorbents, five experiments were conducted. First, the effects of the contact time, here the nut shell removed the dye quickly, while the C. flumina need more contact time to remove the dye. Second, the effects of adsorbent weight were examined. The nut shell was very promising and for all used adsorbent weight, the R% ranged from 94.87 to 99.29. However C. fluminea was less effective in removing the dye with R% ranged from 47.59 to 55.39. The third experiment was initial dye concentration. The C. fluminea showed very low ability to remove eosin y , while the nut shell was more effective in removing the dye with R% up to 97.36 and an inverse correlation between the increase of initial dye concentration and R%. The fourth experiment was the effect of pH value of the solution and the adsorbent particles size. The results show that fine particles were more effective than granular particles. Throughout the whole study, the walnut shell was very promising in removing the dye, while the C. fluminea shell was much less effective than the walnut shell.

Environmental pollution increases due to the large amounts of waste production and raw material consumption depending on the increasing population. Agricultural and industrial wastes which are some of the sources of the pollution need to be reuse to reduce the negative impact on the environment and also contribute positive effect to the economy. In this context, industrial wastes such as clay types (red and green) and agricultural wastes such as egg shell, walnut shell and banana shell were used to prepare materials which can be used as replacement materials for construction industry. Radiation attenuation parameters (mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic number, linear attenuation coefficients, mean free path, half-value layer, exposure and energy absorption build up factors, fast neutron removal cross-section) were acquired by Phy-X/PSD code. Spectroscopic techniques (XRD, EPR, SEM-EDS) were performed for the structural analysis. The existence of calcite main phase peaks (≈29.7) as well as SiO2 (≈20° and 26°) and cellulose phases (≈16° and 34.7°) were observed by XRD. Mn+2 sextet lines with five weak doublets attributed to the forbidden transition lines of Mn+2 and a singlet with a g value of ≈2.00 and linewidth of ≈10 G were recorded by EPR. Among the samples, it was found that K1 (Red clay (20%)-eggshell waste (60%)-Bayburt stone waste (20%)), K3 (Red clay (60%)-eggshell waste (20%)-Bayburt stone waste (20%)), C3 (Red clay (60%)-eggshell waste (20%)-walnut shell waste (20%)) and Z3 (Green clay (60%)-egg shell waste (20%)-Bayburt stone waste (20%)) have the highest shielding potentials. All samples examined with good protection performances can be used as substitute materials instead of cement or aggregate for the aim of reusing the wastes and supporting the environmental and economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracycline is frequently found in various environments and poses significant ecological risks. Calcium hydroxide-modified biochar has shown potential as a material for removing multiple classes of pollutants from wastewater streams. The tetracycline-adsorption performance and mechanism of alkali-modified biochars derived from nine wastes (corn straw, rice straw, swine manure, cypress powder, wheat straw, peanut shell, walnut shell powder, soybean straw, and corncobs) were investigated in the study. Among the four alkalis tested, calcium hydroxide exhibited the most effective modification effects at a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C. Straw biomass was most suitable to be modified by calcium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide-modified biochar showed the highest adsorption performance for tetracycline. The maximum adsorption capacities were 8.22 mg g−1 for pristine corn straw biochar and 93.46 mg g−1 for calcium hydroxide-modified corn straw biochar. The tetracycline adsorption mechanism by calcium hydroxide-modified corn straw biochar involved hydrogen bonding, oxygen-containing functional groups, Ca2+ metal complexation, and electrostatic attraction. Consequently, calcium hydroxide-modified corn straw biochar emerges as an environment-friendly, cost-effective, and efficient tetracycline adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of high moisture content of freshly picked green walnuts, a walnut drying device model was designed to pre-dry green walnuts and determine the optimal walnut drying parameters. The effects of different inlet temperature, inlet velocity and drying time on the internal temperature, walnut temperature and velocity field of the drying device were explored through the 3-factor 3-level orthogonal test. Fluent software was used to model walnuts into a 3-layer sphere, which are walnut shell, walnut air gap, walnut kernel; The numerical simulation of the drying device and walnut under different drying parameters was carried out to obtain the distribution of the temperature field and velocity field inside the drying device and the temperature change law of walnut, and the temperature change curve between the drying device and the walnut was obtained. The results show that when the inlet temperature is 393 K, the inlet velocity is 1.7 m/s, and the drying time is 45 min, the temperature field distribution inside the drying device and walnuts is the best and the most uniform. The reliability of the simulation data is verified by experiments, and the test results are consistent with the change curve of the simulation results. The research results lay a theoretical basis for determining the optimal drying process parameters for walnut pre-drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of biochar amendments in agricultural systems has received much attention in recent years. In this study, we assess the 5‐year impacts of biochar application on soil water and plant interactions for an irrigated fresh market tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and a rainfed pasture (Poaceae) cropping system. In particular, we focus on three varieties of locally produced biochar from agricultural waste materials—almond shell, walnut shell, and almond pruning residues that are pyrolyzed using a mobile pyrolysis unit. We used the soil hydrological model HYDRUS‐1D to explicitly track seasonal and annual soil water fluxes through changes in water retention, drainage, evaporation, and plant water uptake under biochar application. Modeling results show that the application of biochar at 5% increased soil water availability within the top 20 cm for a rainfed system, irrespective of biochar amendment type. This is clearly indicative of higher plant water uptake and greater water use efficiency (WUE) under biochar application. In contrast, a similar biochar amendment for the irrigated system did not affect WUE, instead reducing seasonal soil evaporation loss and thereby reducing irrigation demand. In both cropping systems, year‐to‐year variability in precipitation significantly impacted the total amount of water saved under biochar application with certain amendments retaining more water than others. Given that biochar application increased water retention irrespective of cropping systems, we further used a simple approach to determine yield trade‐off, if any, between control and biochar treatments. Our economic balance clearly demonstrates that the water saved by amending soil with biochar does not offset the yield disparity if compensated with carbon credits and therefore, application of biochar should be actively considered for both its direct and indirect benefits to potential greenhouse gas mitigation (e.g., diverting orchard waste from open burning), water savings, and soil health. Core Ideas: A soil hydrological model was used to evaluate the midterm (5‐year) effects of three biochar types, derived from local agriculture waste using a mobile pyrolyzer, on soil water and plant uptake dynamics.Two common cropping systems with different irrigation schemes were assessed using the model.Biochar application reduced total predicted soil evaporation in both systems.More agronomic benefits are observed in the rainfed system as compared to the irrigated system.Indirect benefits linked to biochar application (e.g., carbon credit) must be considered for economic feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, chitosan (C), walnut (W), and almond shell (A) powder adsorbent (in different combinations as almond shells:walnut:chitosan 2:1:1 (AWC), chitosan:almond shell:walnut 2:1:1 (CAW), and walnut:almond shells:chitosan 2:1:1 (WAC)) powder were combined in different ratios to produce low-cost composite adsorbent beads for the removal of antibiotics gatifloxacin (GAT) from synthetic wastewater. The beads were characterized by a scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrum spectrophotometer, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The batch adsorption approach was employed to remove the antibiotic from the water. Moreover, isotherm and kinetics were conducted to illustrate the adsorption mechanism. Parameters like the effect of the adsorbent's dosage, pH, initial concentration, and contact time on antibiotic adsorption were evaluated. Adsorption percentage increased slightly with the increase in adsorbent dosage. The optimum pH for GAT adsorption on beads was 5–7. In addition, adsorption increased with initial antibiotic concentration and time rise. The adsorption isotherm data were successfully fitted to Langmuir isotherm for AWC and CAW beads, while WAC beads followed the Freundlich isotherm. The highest adsorption was attained at pH 5 on CAW beads and pH 7 on AWC and WAC beads. The optimal contact time for equilibrium studies was 120 min for all types of beads. The adsorption isotherm data in AWC beads fit well with the Langmuir model and Freundlich adsorption for CAW and WAC beads. The rate of adsorption on beads follows Lagergren pseudo-second-order kinetics. The results indicate that prepared combination beads can be used to remove antibiotics from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the technical feasibility of rawand activated carbon hazelnut shells for the removal of heavy metals and dyes from wastewaters has been reviewed. Adsorption has been proved to be an excellent way to treat industrial waste effluents, offering significant advantages like the low-cost, availability, profitability, convenience in operation and efficiency. There is a great potential of hazelnut shells to be used in adsorption applications. Nanotechnology is an advanced field of science having the ability to solve the variety of environmental challenges by controlling the size and shape of the materials at a nanoscale. Carbon nanomaterials are unique because of their nontoxic nature, high surface area, easier biodegradation and particularly useful environmental remediation. Textile industry effluents and heavy metal contamination in water are major problems and pose a great risk to human health. Carbon nanomaterials namely carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, graphene oxide and activated carbon have great potential for removal of heavy metals and dyes from water because of their large surface area, nanoscale size and availability of different functionalities and they are easier to be chemically modified and recycled. Activated carbon was also prepared using agricultural by-products such as palm-tree cobs, grape seeds, several nutshells (almond shell, hazelnut shell, walnut shell and apricot stone), olive-waste cakes and corn cob due to the fact that activated carbon made from conventional rawmaterials are expensive. This reviewreports the removal of heavy metals and dyes from wastewaters using raw and activated carbon hazelnut shells in order to provide useful information on various aspects of utilization of the agricultural waste materials and carbon nanomaterials. The adsorption capacities of raw and activated carbon hazelnut shells under different experimental conditions are also reported and compared with other agro-based adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction One of the most important and sensitive steps after walnut harvesting is the separation of the kernel from its shell. Walnut rupture force is an appropriate criterion for design with high performance and better quality, which can be used as the basis for designing and adjusting the various parts of machines that are in contact with walnut. The lower rupture force caused the less energy requirement to separate the walnut kernel &om the shell. The use of ultrasound in ambient fluids is well known to cause turbulence and biological cell rupture. These effects arise principally &om the phenomenon known as cavitation which can scour surfaces and damage cellular material. Therefore the object of this study is to find the effect of ultrasound factors on the amount of walnut rupture force and quality of kernel extraction. Materials and Methods Walnut paper variety was selected &om a Qazvin province orchard for this study. To determine the initial moisture content of the nuts, the samples were dried in an oven at 1O5٥C for 24 h. Initial moisture content was found 5.5 (%w.b). The ultrasounds bath system (D-78224 Singen/htw, Elma, Germany) was used with a nominal frequency of 50 kHz and power of 1000 w. In this research, based on the pretest results and previous studies (Cao et al., 2010؛ Entezari et al, 2004) walnut samples were treated with three ultrasound time duration (5, 10 and 15 min) and three ultrasound bath temperature (20, 35, and 5O٥C). Moisture content of the walnuts after ultrasound treatment was 8.8 (%w.b). After the walnut samples were treated by ultrasonic factors, a material testing machine (H50 K-S, Hounsfteld, England) was used to determine the rupture force of the walnuts. The walnut was placed between two plates, and loaded at three loading speeds (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mm s"i) and pressed until the walnut ruptured. Rupture force was applied along with X and Y axes. The X-axis was in the longitudinal axis through the hilum to the tip (length) and the Y-axis was in the latitudinal axis (width) at right angles to the X-axis. Kernel extraction quality was classified into grades according to size and number of broken pieces of the kernel. Central composite design (CCD) of resound surface method was used to optimize the effect of ultrasonic factors on walnut kernel extraction. Results ؛ml Discussion The results indicated that the loading speed, ultrasound time duration, loading direction, and moisture content had a highly significant effect (P<0.01) and ultrasound bath temperature (P-1 loading speed, 25 min ultrasound duration, 2O٥C bath temperature, and longitudinal loading direction. The proposed optimal point was obtained at 64.4 N rupture force, and two half of the kernel at 1.3 mm s-1 loading speed, 25 mln ultrasound duration, 5O٥C bath temperature, and longitudinal loading direction for wet walnut. Conclusions The walnut ultrasound treated samples had minimum rupture force and the best quality kernel extraction. It was observed that by increasing the loading speed and ultrasound time duration, the percentage of whole kernels and the quality degree of broken kernels increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four walnuts are quietly evocative among hyper-elite objects of women's life in the Late Qing Dynasty at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. This article explores the multiple worlds these objects unfold as we intentionally break from the catalog's preoccupation with "original use". Using concepts of mobility and materiality, I investigate artificially obscured relationships contained by these four walnuts. This circulatory rumination examines the American collector Sarah Pike Conger and elite collecting culture entrenched by the Late Qing Dynasty (1875–1912); the intertwined cultivation of health, wealth, and prestige through gifting; and the connections between pleasures of the past to modern phenomenon like the walnut speculation in China ca. 2008–2013. Through this rumination, I challenge the divisions constructed by assumptions of the museum and what is traditional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass has a wide range of uses due to its cost-effectiveness and enormous diversity of functional groups. This research investigates the production of an inexpensive and efficient adsorbent using the stem waste charcoal (FTCC) of Tinospora cordifolia and its use in water decontamination, with a focus on the elimination of metal ions and dyes. The study shows that chemically functionalizing the surface of charcoal with APTES (3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane) improves adsorption capabilities. Various characterization techniques, such as FTIR, FESEM, TGA, and BET studies, were used to evaluate the efficiency of FTCC. The results showed a considerable improvement in surface qualities that are favourable for adsorption. BET evaluations indicate that functionalized carbon has a high surface area of 1.45766 m2.g−1 and a pore volume of 0.534772 cm3.g−1. Adsorption data fit well with Langmuir model and follow pseudo-second-order kinetics. Thermodynamic parameters reveal the endothermic adsorption of Congo red dye and exothermic adsorption of Cr (VI) metal ion. The batch adsorption experiments revealed that FTCC was capable of removing various dyes and metal ions from aqueous solution, with adsorption capacity 65.22 mg/g for Congo red and 56.61 mg/g for Cr (VI). The FTCC showed good reusability potential up to 6th cycle. Additionally, tests with water samples containing contaminants have been conducted to demonstrate the best adsorbent quality of FTCC. The study highlights the feasibility of using functionalized charcoal FTCC derived from agricultural debris as a renewable alternative for restoring the environment and water remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how different tree species affect soil microbial communities is crucial for sustainable forestry and ecosystem management practices. Despite Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) forestry having a rich history, the overall comprehension of how this hardwood species influences soil remains incomplete. In earlier studies, we examined the effects of hardwood plantations on soil chemical properties and their interaction with microbial biomass, however, we highlight the importance of studying the soil microbial communities and their relationship with soil properties in greater depth. Building on this foundation, our research focused on evaluating microbiome compositions beneath J. nigra and another hardwood, Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) after a decade of establishment. We uncovered intriguing patterns within the soil bacterial/archaeal and fungal structures by conducting meticulous analyses utilizing amplicon sequencing alongside soil chemical properties. Our findings underscore that tree species play a pivotal role in shaping soil microbial structures, a role that surpasses even seasonal and depth influences. Most notably, J. nigra stands out for its ability to enhance microbial diversity, as evidenced by increased alpha-diversity indices compared to baseline values. Conversely, Q. rubra tends to decrease these indices. Significant disparities in microbial composition between the two tree species were evident, with J. nigra exhibiting enrichment in certain taxa such as Nitrospira , Geobacter , and Bacillus while Q. rubra showed enrichment in others like Acidobacteriota and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Furthermore, we also observed differences in co-occurrence networks by delving deeper into the interconnections within the soil microbiota. In both fungal and bacterial/archaeal communities, J. nigra and Q. rubra notably decreased the number of connections within their networks, while Q. rubra increased some, suggesting a more interconnected network. These differences were further highlighted by network metrics with Q. rubra displaying a higher mean degree and clustering coefficient. Additionally, our analysis revealed that tree species influence soil chemical properties, either directly or indirectly, thereby affecting soil bacterial and fungal communities. In conclusion, our study elucidates the intricate interplay between tree species and soil microbiota, emphasizing the need to consider these relationships in forestry and ecosystem management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) combine contact electrification and electrostatic induction effects to convert waste mechanical energy into electrical energy. As conventional devices contribute to electronic waste, TENGs based on ecofriendly and biocompatible materials have been developed for various energy applications. Owing to the abundance, accessibility, low cost, and biodegradability of biowaste (BW), recycling these materials has gained considerable attention as a green approach for fabricating TENGs. This review provides a detailed overview of BW materials, processing techniques for BW‐based TENGs (BW‐TENGs), and potential applications of BW‐TENGs in emerging bioelectronics. In particular, recent progress in material design, fabrication methods, and biomechanical and environmental energy‐harvesting performance is discussed. This review is aimed at promoting the continued development of BW‐TENGs and their adoption for sustainable energy‐harvesting applications in the field of bioelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quercus variabilis (Q. variabilis), a significant broadleaf species used in afforestation across high, sandy, and mountainous regions, presents unique challenges for transplantation. This species is characterized by its slow above-ground growth and rapid taproot development, which suppresses the proliferation of lateral and fibrous roots, negatively impacting post-transplant survival. Research indicates that targeted root pruning—specifically, the removal of one-third of the roots—promotes the development of lateral roots in these seedlings. This study involved pruning the root systems of Q. variabilis and assessing the subsequent root development in comparison to an unpruned control group. Our analysis, which included transcriptome sequencing and plant hormone metabolism assays conducted at 2, 12, and 25 days post-pruning, yielded 126.02 Gb of clean data and identified 7662 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These genes were primarily enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Further investigation of this pathway, along with hormone content measurements, elucidated the mechanisms that contribute to enhanced root growth following pruning. Additionally, through a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), we identified 20 key genes that are instrumental in promoting root development in Q. variabilis saplings. This research advances the theoretical framework for forestry seedling production and afforestation, laying the groundwork for scientifically informed vegetation restoration techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis is potentially an effective treatment of waste oil residues for recovery of petroleum hydrocarbons, and the addition of biomass is expected to improve its dewatering and pyrolysis behavior. In this study, the dewatering and low-temperature co-pyrolysis of oil-containing sludge in the presence of various agricultural biomasses, such as rice husk, walnut shell, sawdust, and apricot shell, were explored. As a result, the water content gradually decreases with the increase of biomass addition within 0-1.0 wt % in original oily sludge. Comparatively, the dewatering efficiency of sludge in the presence of four types of biomasses follows the order of apricot shell > walnut shell > rice husk > sawdust. On the other hand, rice husk and sawdust are relatively more efficient in the recovery of petroleum hydrocarbons compared with walnut shell and apricot shell. The recovery efficiency generally increased with the increase in the biomass content in the range of 0-0.2 wt %, then exhibited a gradually decreasing trend with the increase in the biomass content from 0.2 to 1.0 wt %. The results suggest that optimum amount of biomass plays an important role in the recovery efficiency. In addition, the addition of biomass (such as rice husk) also promotes the formation of CxHy and CO, increasing the calorific value of pyrolysis residue, and controlled the pollution components of the exhaust gas discharged from residue incineration. The present work implies that biomass as addictive holds great potential in the industrial dewatering and pyrolysis of oil-containing sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, methylene blue adsorption was investigated using different agricultural waste shells (chestnut shell, hazelnut shell, walnut shell). XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) analyzes were performed for the characterization of shells. The effects of mixing time, initial methylene blue concentration, temperature and adsorbent amounts were determined for methylene blue adsorption. Equilibrium isotherms for adsorption of methylene blue by chestnut, hazelnut and walnut shell were experimentally measured. The obtained data were analyzed using linear and nonlinear correlations for different temperatures using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, Frumkin, Temkin, Elovich, Hill, isotherms. The best results on methylene blue adsorption on these adsorbents were obtained in chestnut shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most common agricultural wastes in India, the state of Tamilnadu, is coconut shell (CS). The co-gasification of coconut shell and medical plastic waste (MPW), mixture appears to be a potential method for removing waste plastics. In a fluidized bed gasifier with an olivine catalyst as the bed material, the experimental works are carried out in air co-gasification of 50:50 wt% coconut shell:medical plastic waste combination. During the experiments, the effect of the equivalence ratio is examined in the range of 0.20–0.32, and the effect of bed temperature is determined in the range of 750–900 °C. In this present investigation, the experimental work are carried out in a 10 kW fluidized bed gasifier, and the following process parameters are analyzed such as H2/CO ratio, product gas composition, hydrocarbon gas composition, carbon conversion efficiency, cold gas efficiency, calorific value, tar content, and product yield. From the experiment result, it showed that tar and char yield decreased, but the gas yield, carbon conversion efficiency, and cold gas efficiency increased for different equivalence ratios and temperatures. Gas product like CO increases from 26.2 to 32.2%, H2 increases from 36.9 to 52.6%, and the H2/CO ratio increased from 0.15 to 0.45 mmol/g as a function of temperature. But the CO2 concentration decreases from 14.9 to 13.3%, and CH4 also shows a slightly decreased. According to experimental results, a higher bed temperature is favorable for syngas generation and other gasification performance parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of SO2 pollution in industrial flue gas has brought great pressure to environmental governance. In this study, a new type of activated carbon fixed bed device was designed and built for flue gas desulfurization. The results showed that activated carbons (AC1-AC5) were microporous activated carbons with abundant functional groups on the surface, and the desulfurization performance was ranked as AC1 > AC2 > AC3 > AC4 > AC5. The specific surface area of AC1 was as high as 624.98 m2/g, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 29.03 mg·g−1 under the optimum reaction conditions. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm model and Bangham pore diffusion model are more suitable for describing the dynamic adsorption process of SO2 on AC1. Combined with thermodynamic research, it is shown that the adsorption process of SO2 is a spontaneous, exothermic, and chaotic reduction process, which is mainly a physical adsorption between single-layer adsorption and multi-layer adsorption. Finally, the desulfurization-washing regeneration cycle experiment results showed that the regeneration rate of AC1 increases with the washing time and washing temperature, up to 95%, which provides data reference for industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant environmental issues at the moment is wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. Considering how persistent they are, heavy metal removal from the environment is very important. Adsorption techniques are being used by many researchers to remove heavy metals and one common adsorbent used in these procedures is activated carbon. The aim of this research has been to utilise activated carbon in batch investigations to remove Cadmium (Cd) ions. Several experimental conditions have been considered to see the effect of pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time. The pH and the adsorbent dose has been varied to find out the optimum pH and the optimum adsorbent dose. The Cd solutions has been prepared with varying concentrations at an optimum pH value for each solution. The initial and final absorbance has been noted before and after adding the optimum dose of activated carbon to each solution to study the effect of contact time and percentage removal efficiency of Cd. Maximum removal efficiency of 88.01% has been observed for Cd at a contact time of 60 minutes. The adsorption results has been validated by isotherm study and the Freundlich model gave a coefficient of regression (R2) value of 0.9504. Maximum Cd ions removal efficiency at the optimum pH and optimum dosage of activated carbon has been found to be 86.81% and 89.65%, respectively. According to the study's findings, activated carbon works well as an adsorbent when it comes to removing Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SDU Journal of Engineering Sciences & Design / Mühendislik Bilimleri ve Tasarım Dergisi is the property of Journal of Engineering Sciences & Design and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the escalating industry-wide requirement and based on the inherent properties, recently the polymeric composite is in more demand for tribo-application. Again, the development of eco-friendly material by inclusion of materials derived from natural resources is also becoming one of the promising areas of the interest. In this current study, an agricultural residue like pistachio shell particulates (PSP) is used as bio-filler to develop polymer matrix composites for tribo-application. The polyester matrix test specimens are fabricated with variation of PSP filler concentration ranging from 0 to 7 wt% by the hand lay-up method. The influence of filler content on both mechanical and sliding wear performances of the composites is studied. As per ASTM standard, several tests like tensile, flexural, impact and micro-hardness test have been carried out. To observe abrasive wear response of the developed composite, the dry sliding wear test has been conducted on a pin-on-disc wear tester in accordance with ASTM standard under five different normal loads, sliding distances and three distinct sliding velocities. The findings revealed that the mechanical performances of the composites are enhanced with the increase in the PSP filler concentration. Optimum properties such as hardness of 13 HV, tensile strength of 36.55 MPa, flexural strength of 43.66 MPa and impact strength of 16.36 kJ/m2 are obtained at 5 wt% reinforcement of PSP filler. Again, an improvement in sliding wear resistance by 39.57% is also noticed. During the examination of worn surface by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the appearance of cracks and the creation of grooves at the lower filler loading and formation of wear debris are noticed at the higher filler loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental Science & Technology (10036504) is the property of Editorial Board of Environmental Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the rapidly developing modern society, many raw materials, such as crushed limestone and river sand, which are limited, are consumed by the concrete industry. Naturally, the usage of waste materials in concrete have become an interesting research area in recent years, which is used to reduce the negative influence of concrete on the environment. Hence, this paper presents the development of a sustainable lightweight wet-mix shotcrete by replacing natural coarse gravel with a kind of byproduct, nut shell (walnut). Fibers made from dumped polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were mixed in the composite to improve the properties of the lightweight wet-mix shotcrete. The initial evaluation of the fresh concrete mixed with different volume fraction of walnut shell was carried out in terms of its performance capacities of mechanical properties (i.e., tensile and compressive strength), pumpability and shootability (i.e., slump, pressure drop per meter and rebound rate) and the results were compared with plain concrete. With increase of walnut shell, compressive and splitting tensile strength of casting concrete decreased, while slump and pressure drop reduced slightly. Additionally, appropriate dosage of walnut shell can improve the shootability of fresh concrete with low rebound rate and larger build-up thickness. In the second series tests, polypropylene (PP) fiber and multi-dimension fiber were also mixed in composite for comparative analysis. After mixing fibers, the splitting tensile strength had obtained marked improvement with slight reduction of compressive strength, along with acceptable fluctuation in terms of pumpability and shootability. Furthermore, relation of density and compressive strength, relation of rebound and density, build-up thickness and relation of compressive and splitting tensile strength were discussed. This study found wet-mix shotcrete incorporating PET fiber with walnut shell of about 35% coarse aggregate replacement could be used for roadway support as lightweight shotcrete per requirements of mine support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with low cost and high safety are considered as an electrochemical energy storage technology suitable for large-scale energy storage. Hard carbon, which is inexpensive and has both high capacity and low sodium storage potential, is regarded as the most promising anode for commercial SIBs. However, the commercialization of hard carbon still faces technical issues of low initial Coulombic efficiency, poor rate performance, and insufficient cycling stability, due to the intrinsically irregular microstructure of hard carbon. To address these challenges, the rational design of the hard carbon microstructure is crucial for achieving highperformance SIBs, via gaining an in-depth understanding of its structure--performance correlations. In this context, our review firstly describes the sodium storage mechanism from the perspective of the hard carbon microstructure's formation. We then summarize the state-of-art development of hard carbon, providing a critical overview of emergence of hard carbon in terms of precursor selection, microstructure design, and electrolyte regulation to optimize strategies for addressing practical problems. Finally, we highlight directions for the future development of hard carbon to achieve the commercialization of high-performance SIBs. We believe this review will serve as basic guidance for the rational design of hard carbon and stimulate more exciting research into other types of energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Machinery is the property of Food & Machinery Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The concern for the environmental hazards due to rapid utilization of non-biodegradable resources has persuaded the researchers to develop eco-friendly materials with noble categories of plant-based fibers and fillers. In view of this content, an effort has been initiated in the present work to explore the retrospective effect of PSP (Pistachio shell particles) on both mechanical as well as erosive wear performances of KG (kenaf/glass/kenaf/glass) hybrid polyester laminated composite. The KG laminate with different filler concentration, that is, 0 wt%, 1 wt%, 3 wt%, and 5 wt% were fabricated by using hand-lay-up technique and the mechanical properties of these laminates were determined by performing tensile, flexural and impact tests as per ASTM standard. A higher tensile value of 127.35 MPa with modulus of 7.658 GPa and hardness of 21.35 HV was obtained at 5 wt% reinforcement of PSP filler whereas 3 wt% filler reinforcement responded an optimum flexural strength of 112.42 MPa with modulus of 5.214 GPa and impact strength of 75.59 KJ/m2. To evaluate the wear performance of this laminates against high-speed solid particle, erosion wear test was carried out at different striking velocity and impingement angles. A noticeable reduction of 12.63% in wear rate was found due to increase with concentration PSP filler from 0% to 5 wt%. Further, the η (erosion efficiency) was also found to be limited within the range of 5.94% to 32.98%. From micrographic analysis of the fracture surface, micro-ploughing and micro-cutting actions were found to be most predominant primary wear mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The R2R3-MYB gene family, encoding plant transcriptional regulators, participates in many metabolic pathways of plant physiology and development, including flavonoid metabolism and anthocyanin synthesis. This study proceeded as follows: the JrR2R3-MYB gene family was analyzed genome-wide, and the family members were identified and characterized using the high-quality walnut reference genome "Chandler 2.0". All 204 JrR2R3-MYBs were established and categorized into 30 subgroups via phylogenetic analysis. JrR2R3-MYBs were unevenly distributed over 16 chromosomes. Most JrR2R3-MYBs had similar structures and conservative motifs. The cis-acting elements exhibit multiple functions of JrR2R3-MYBs such as light response, metabolite response, and stress response. We found that the expansion of JrR2R3-MYBs was mainly caused by WGD or segmental duplication events. Ka/Ks analysis indicated that these genes were in a state of negative purifying selection. Transcriptome results suggested that JrR2R3-MYBs were widely entangled in the process of walnut organ development and differentially expressed in different colored varieties of walnuts. Subsequently, we identified 17 differentially expressed JrR2R3-MYBs, 9 of which may regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis based on the results of a phylogenetic analysis. These genes were present in greater expression levels in 'Zijing' leaves than in 'Lvling' leaves, as revealed by the results of qRT-PCR experiments. These results contributed to the elucidation of the functions of JrR2R3-MYBs in walnut coloration. Collectively, this work provides a foundation for exploring the functional characteristics of the JrR2R3-MYBs in walnuts and improving the nutritional value and appearance quality of walnuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a quantitative risk assessment for the EU of Retithrips syriacus (Mayet) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a polyphagous thrips, regarded as a tropical/subtropical pest occurring in several countries of Africa, South America, Asia and in the EU in Cyprus. The current risk assessment focused on potential pathways for entry, the climatic conditions allowing establishment, the expected spread capacity and the impact considering a time horizon of 10 years (2023–2032). The Panel identified the import of cut roses, persimmons, table grapes, as well as plants for planting of the genera Acalypha and Terminalia from third countries and those of Persea americana (avocado) from Israel as the most relevant entry pathways to consider. Over the next 10 years, an annual median estimate of 95 (90% Certainty Range, CR, ranging from 13 to 1832) potential R. syriacus founder populations per year are expected to successfully transfer to a suitable host in the EU NUTS2 regions where the climatic conditions are predicted as suitable for establishment; this value drops to a median of 4.6 founder populations per year (90% CR: 1 every 1.9 years – 85.6 per year) after considering the actual probability of establishment of a potential founder population. The estimated number of founder population per year is mostly driven by the import of cut roses and plants for planting. If such founder populations were to establish, R. syriacus is estimated to spread at a median rate of 0.05 km/year (90% CR 0.02–2.30 km/year) after a median lag phase of 1.1 years (90% CR 0.3–3.3 years). The overall impact on yield (expressed as % of the total agricultural production) directly attributable to R. syriacus when considering: (i) the main R. syriacus hosts in the EU, (ii) the areas of the EU where establishment is possible, (iii) the current agricultural practices and (iv) the evidence of impact from the countries where the pest is established for a long time, was estimated at 0.065% as the median value of the uncertainty distribution (90% CR 0.001%–0.571%). Options for risk reduction are discussed, but the effectiveness was not quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil-palm shell wastes were successfully converted into useful activated carbons in a systematic and novel approach by optimizing the pyrolysis conditions and subsequent steam activation conditions to maximize the BET surface area. The optimal activation conditions were a steam flow rate of 1.13 kg/h, hold time of 1.5 h and temperature of 950 °C, yielding BET areas of 1432.94 and 1382.95 m²/g for nitrogen-pyrolyzed and vacuumpyrolyzed chars, respectively. In steam-chemical activation, one-step activation of oil-palm shell in steam with potassium carbonate (K2CO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) or potassium chloride (KCl) was conducted, resulting in BET area output order of shell/K2CO3 (710.56 m²/g) > shell/KCl (498.55 m²/g) > shell (366.7 m²/g) > shell/Na2CO3 (326.62 m²/g). This study reported the first use of KCl and Na2CO3 as chemical reagents in one-step steam-chemical activation of biomass. KCl-activated carbon exhibited retardation of tar formation property, resulting in better pore development than pure steam activated carbon. Phenol adsorption of activated carbon is not only a function of the BET surface area but also the type of pyrolysis used prior to physical activation. Activated carbon (BET area of 1192.29 m²/g) pyrolyzed under vacuum could adsorb 87% more phenol than that pyrolyzed in nitrogen flow which had a higher BET area of 1432.94 m²/g. Phenol adsorption capacities of activated carbons are: shell pyrolyzed under vacuum (275.5 mg/g) > shell pyrolyzed in N2 flow (147.1 mg/g) > shell/K2CO3 (145.7 mg/g) > shell without pyrolysis (12.1 mg/g). These activated carbons would be highly suitable in industry processes to remove phenolic contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Agrometeorology is the property of Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Agrometeorology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Walnut processing generates considerable quantities of by-products that could be reprocessed into value-added products that have food and non-food applications. In this context, the aim of this study is to characterize the 'Sorrento' and 'Tulare' walnut cultivars using the UPOV guidelines and analyze the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of their shells. Insight into the chemical composition of the different granulometric fractions of walnut shell, obtained by sieving, was obtained following ultrasound-assisted extraction by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin content and antiradical capacity, obtained by DPPH and ABTS assays, and the Fe(III) reducing power of the extracts were also evaluated. The UHPLC-HRMS analysis indicated the presence of thirty-two compounds ascribable to four major classes of specialized metabolites. Furthermore, the extraction efficiency of gallic acid, ellagic acid derivatives, as well as glansreginin A, increased with the decrease in shell matrix particle size in contrast to chlorogenic acids and flavonoid glycosides. This is the first study to highlight new knowledge on the chemical composition of walnut shells. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of recovering valuable bioactive components from agro-waste that may be further valorized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Measurement and analysis of the competitiveness of Mexican pecan nuts (Carya illinoinensis) and almonds (Prunus dulcis) in the international market with respect to the United States, during the period 2012-2021. Design/Methodology/Approach: The Revealed Comparative Advantage Index was used to identify the factors that influence its performance and propose strategies to improve its market position. Results: Mexican pecans to the United States are competitive (0.68 to 0.94) over the years. The IVCR of Mexican pecans to the United States remain consistently above zero (0.68 to 0.94) over the years. Study Limitations/Implications: Information on the trade of Mexican pecan nuts and almonds may be limited, making it difficult to calculate the IVCR. Findings/Conclusions: Mexican pecan nut shows favorable competitiveness in the U.S. market while almond its competitiveness is limited, it is not competitive with respect to the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural wastes (AWs) are available abundantly at no or low costs; however, in most cases, not used reasonably. Despite their interesting chemical properties, coconut shells (CS), almond shells (AS), walnut shells (WS), and peanut shells (PS) are usually burned in the fields or discharged without any valorization. These AWs were investigated as low-cost bio-adsorbents to remove copper ions (Cu2+) from aqueous solutions. The four adsorbents were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), the Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS). Characterization results revealed that the materials under investigation had porous surfaces, rich in fibers, and several potential adsorption sites. Therefore, their adsorption capacity for Cu2+ removal was evaluated under different operating conditions. Results showed that the CS had the best adsorption capacity among tested AWs. Under optimized parameters, the highest adsorption capacity was found 25, 18, 10, and 5 mg/g for WS, CS, PS, and AS, respectively. The adsorption of Cu2+ on the four adsorbents followed the second-order rate equation and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. After the adsorption process, the characterization of studied materials revealed no structural changes, proving the physical adsorption of Cu2+ on shells through long-range interactions between Cu2+ and reactive sites of adsorbents. The high adsorption capacity of the selected adsorbent was attributed to the presence of high content of cellulose compared to lignin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass is one the most abundant renewable energy sources, and it can be processed through different thermochemical methods to obtain oils that can replace the petroleum bitumen used in road construction. For the construction industry to accept the bitumen replacement with bio-oil, it is necessary to know its properties and determine the applicability of conventional testing methods. This research utilized a liquified wood heavy fraction (bio-oil) obtained from waste wood through an innovative thermochemical liquefaction process. The aim was to investigate a kind of bio-bitumen produced by blending this bio-oil with paving-grade bitumen. The rheological behaviour in a wide temperature range, the performance relative to fatigue cracking and permanent deformation sensitivity, and the evolution with oxidative ageing were evaluated for the bio-bitumen and paving-grade bitumens. The bio-oil significantly affected the rheological behaviour of bitumen through an overall decrease in the phase angle and by failing the time–temperature superposition principle. The strong elastic response of the bio-bitumen improved resistance to fatigue and permanent deformation accumulation; however, resistance to oxidative ageing declined. Linear viscoelastic rheological indicators proposed in the literature to assess the material's performance showed a similar trend of variation with oxidative ageing for bio-bitumen and paving-grade bitumen, though the indicators' values could not be directly compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food is one of the basic needs of human life. With the increasing population, the production and supply of safe and quality foods are critical. Foods can be classified into different categories including low moisture, intermediate moisture, and high moisture content. Historically, low‐moisture foods have been considered safe for human consumption due to the limited amount of moisture for microbial activity. Recalls of these foods due to pathogens such as Salmonella and undeclared allergens have brought attention to the need for improved cleaning and sanitization in dry food manufacturing facilities. In the food industry, cleaning and sanitation activities are the most efficient methods to prevent microbial contamination; however, water is most often required to deliver cleaning and sanitation agents. A well‐written and properly implemented sanitation standard operating procedure can take care of microbial and allergen cross‐contamination. Nevertheless, there are unique challenges to cleaning and sanitation processes for low‐moisture food manufacturing facilities. The introduction of moisture into a low‐moisture food environment increases the likelihood of cross‐contamination by microbial pathogens. Hence, the use of water during cleaning and sanitation of dry food manufacturing facilities should be limited. However, much less research has been done on these dry methods compared to wet sanitation methods. This review discusses recent foodborne outbreaks and recalls associated with low‐moisture foods the accepted methods for cleaning and sanitation in dry food manufacturing facilities and the limitations of these methods. The potential for air impingement as a dry‐cleaning method is also detailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]