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[Display omitted] • Molecular-level surface active centers are created on PCN. • Au-bpy/PCN composite can effectively impel spatial charge separation. • The photocatalytic CO 2 reduction performance is improved dramatically. • Au-bpy/PCN composite has about 100% selectivity for CO 2 reduction to CO. The directional design of constructing surface active centers has been a challenging issue in the development of efficient photocatalysts. In the contribution, the molecular-level surface active centers are created on polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) through π-π interaction with organic conjugated small molecule complex Au-bpy. In the prepared Au-bpy/PCN composite, Au-bpy is decorated on the surface of PCN in the molecular state and molecularly aggregated nanocrystal. Strikingly, the investigations of the optical properties and charge transport behaviors indicate that the modification of Au-bpy effectively extends the light response range, narrows the band gap and improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. At the same time, the structural evolution of Au-bpy/PCN composite reveals that the Au-bpy in the molecular state can be served as the surface active centers, and Au-bpy nanocrystal is reduced to Au nanoparticles that can induce local surface plasmonic resonance effect, thus significantly boosting the photocatalytic activity with about 100 % selectivity for CO 2 reduction to CO. As a consequence, the average CO evolution rate increases from 39.7 μmol g-1h−1 over primitive PCN up to 113.2 μmol g-1h−1 over the optimal Au-bpy/PCN-3 in the photocatalytic CO 2 reduction reaction. This work opens a new avenue for the design of surface active sites on the photocatalysts on the molecular scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC improved the adsorption properties of biochar effectively. • Nutrient removal was improved by inoculating γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC in MBR. • Effective membrane fouling alleviation was achieved in γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC-MBR. • Increase of sludge size and zeta potential in 500-MBR reduced gel layer formation. • The reduction PN/PS ratio in 500-MBR contributed to alleviate membrane fouling. In this study, a new type of iron–nitrogen doped biochar (γ- Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC) was developed to improve nutrient removal efficiency and mitigate membrane fouling in combination with MBR. The characteristion of γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC, N-BC, and BC revealed that the BET surface area (S BET) of γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC, which was 1320.86 m2/g, was greater than that of N-BC (702.75 m2/g) and BC (1033.63 m2/g). The excellent S BET exhibited by γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC compared to that of the other biochars is attributed to hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. Compared to the addition of N-BC or BC or the absence of biochar, the addition of γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) resulted in superior wastewater treatment performance, for which the average removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 +-N), and total phosphorus (TP) were 94.65 %, 82.56 %, and 65.90 %, respectively. Moreover, after inoculation with γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC, the TMP increase rate and time required to reach 42.37 kPa were 2.35 kPa/d and 18 d, respectively. The investigation of the effect of the γ-Fe 3 O 4 -N-BC concentration on MBR performance showed that the nutrient removal efficiency in the 500-MBR greater than that in the 350-MBR, 650-MBR, and 800-MBR, and that the membrane fouling was more ameliorative. A mechanistic investigation demonstrated that the 500-MBR had a beneficial influence on sludge biomass growth and helped to improve the nutrient removal capacity of the MBR. The 500-MBR improved the flocculability and stability of the sludge flocs in the MBR by increasing particle size and zeta potential. Changes in the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) concentration and the smaller protein (PN) / polysaccharide (PS) ratio in 500-MBR also had significant impacts on alleviating the adhesion and accumulation of fouling layers on the improved membrane surface. Consequently, this study provides a new method for nutrient removal and membrane fouling mitigation in the MBR process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional membrane distillation (MD) membranes are hydrophobic and challenged by severe membrane fouling and wetting. Current surface modification strategies for anti-fouling and anti-wetting purposes, usually complex and time-consuming, often compromise the MD flux. Herein, we propose a modified interfacial polymerization (mIP) approach to fabricate Janus membranes with rapid and robust MD performance. In the mIP process, a dry hydrophobic substrate is first immersed in an oil-phase monomer solution and then in contact with an aqueous monomer solution to trigger the mIP reaction. The as-fabricated Janus membrane (e.g., IP2@PTFE) comprised an ultrathin, underwater oleophobic, and defect-free polyamide (PA) layer and a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrate. Compared with the unmodified PTFE membrane, the vacuum MD flux of the IP2@PTFE membrane held a 177.4 % increase when tackling a NaCl solution (3.5 wt%) at 60 °C. When the NaCl solution contained sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant or/and mineral oil, the IP2@PTFE membrane exhibited fouling and wetting resistance simultaneously; conversely, severe oil fouling and quick SDS-induced wetting occurred on the pristine PTFE membrane. The mIP process does not require any pretreatment of the hydrophobic substrate, so it is facile and scalable. We believe that this study will facilitate the design of robust MD membranes. [Display omitted] • A facile construction strategy via mIP for preparing hydrophilic/hydrophobic Janus membranes • The Janus membranes have obviously higher VMD fluxes than the pristine PTFE membrane. • A two-step mIP process can effectively control the defects of hydrophilic top layer. • The IP2@PTFE membrane has both oil-fouling and SDS-wetting resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The effect of MK based materials on the steam cured high performance concrete is investigated. • The XRD and TG analysis were applied to quantify the content of CH and AFt after curing. • The MK based admixtures remarkably refines the ITZ and optimize the pore structure of concrete after heat treatment. Abstract High performance pipe piles are widely used in precast industry. In order to improve the production efficiency and performances of the products, steam curing and mineral admixtures are usually applied. This paper evaluates the performances of HPC pipe piles produced with metakaolin-based admixtures. Quantitative phase composition analysis shows that the addition of 10 wt% metakaolin reduces the portlandite content by up to 57.1%, while increases the content of ettringite to some extent. The addition of metakaolin or metakaolin-slag/limestone blends improves the mechanical properties, especially the hybrid usage of metakaolin and limestone filler. Pore structure and microscope analyze confirm the remarkably-refined pore characteristics caused by the addition of metakaolin-based admixtures, in which case the gel pores accounts up to 85% of the total pores. Those remarkably improved properties caused by the addition of metakaolin-based admixtures indicate a promising future for their applications in producing high performance pipe piles with further modified properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon monoxide is a promising anode material of lithium-ion battery, but the poor cycling performance caused by volume expansion and inferior electrical conductivity has been criticized. In this work, graphene-like carbon layers coated SiO particles as anode materials were rationally designed and originally prepared via a layer-by-layer strategy, in which the negatively charged SiO particles was firstly covered by a layer of positively charged ferric ions, and then the sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate was adsorbed on the surface of SiO particles due to the electrostatic force. After calcination, the graphene-like carbon layers were formed on the surface of SiO particles under the catalysis of iron by adjusting the amounts of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate. It is demonstrated that the swelling of SiO is inhibited and the electrical conductivity is enhanced by the graphene-like carbon layers. A reversible specific capacity of graphene-like carbon layers coated SiO particles can keep 699 mAh/g at a current density of 1 A/g after 700 cycles with a retention of 85%, which indicates the enhanced capacity and cycling stability of anode materials. This work might open a feasible door to practical applications for silicon monoxide as a good lithium-ion battery anode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel series of compounds containing fluoranthene and triphenylamine were designed and synthesized as electroluminescent materials or sensitizers. Photophysical and electrochemical measurements were carried out on these compounds. DPBF exhibited a maximum current efficiency of 1.3cd/A (1.00lm/W at 5.17V) and D2 had the maximum light-to-electricity efficiency of 4.57% under AM 1.5 solar simulator (100mWcm−2). The results suggest that bistriphenylamine-substituted fluoranthene derivatives have the potential application in optoelectronic materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this research, three highly efficient combination systems, including constructed wetland microbial fuel cell (CWMFC), hydrolytic sludge acidification coupling with constructed wetland microbial fuel cell (HSA-CWMFC) and hydrolytic filler acidification coupling with constructed wetland microbial fuel cell (HFA-CWMFC), were applied to the removal of pollutants from domestic sewage. The three combination systems could effectively treat domestic sewage and generate clean energy. The power generated by CWMFC, HSA-CWMFC, and HFA-CWMFC was 0.36 W/m2, 0.40 W/m2, and 0.43 W/m2, respectively. The results indicated that the removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorus (TP), ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 –N), and nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 −-N) in HFA-CWMFC could achieve the optimal values of 91.01%, 90.63%, 95.35%, 86.11%, and 91.01%, respectively. In addition, HFA-CWMFC produced more organic acids than HSA-CWMFC, which was beneficial to the follow-up reaction. Through qualcomm sequencing analysis, it could be seen that Firmicutes , which could enhance power generation capacity and increase removal rates of pollutants, played an important role in HFA-CWMFC. The results demonstrated that the three combined systems had excellent application prospects for sewage treatment and energy generation. [Display omitted] ● The hydrolytic combination systems had remarkable effect on pollutants removal. ● The hydrolytic filler combination system could obviously remove pollutants. ● Microbial community in the hydrolytic filler combination system was more abundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. belongs to Ranunculaceae, and its root can be divided into two categories according to different processing methods, which included that one was directly dried without peeling the root of the P. lactiflora (PR), and the other was peeled the root of the P. lactiflora (PPR) after boiled and dried. To evaluate the difference of chemical components, UPLC-ESI-Q-Exactive Focus-MS/MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS were applied. The distribution of chemical components in different tissues was located by laser microdissection (LMD), especially the different ingredients. A total of 86 compounds were identified from PR and PPR. Four kind of tissues were isolated from the fresh root of the P. lactiflora (FPR), and 54 compounds were identified. Especially the content of gallic acid, albiflorin, and paeoniflorin with high biological activities were the highest in the cork, but they were lower in PR than that in PPR, which probably related to the process. To illustrate the difference in pharmacological effects of PR and PPR, the tonifying blood and analgesic effects on mice were investigated, and it was found that the tonifying blood and analgesic effects of PPR was superior to that of PR, even though PR had more constituents. The material basis for tonifying blood and analgesic effect of the root of P. lactiflora is likely to be associated with an increase in constituents such as paeoniflorin and paeoniflorin lactone after boiled and peeled. The study was likely to provide some theoretical support for the standard and clinical application. [Display omitted] • 86 compounds were identified from two different processing root by LC-MS. • The different compounds were located in four tissues by LMD and LC-MS. • The content of compounds such as paeoniflorin and albiflorin were higher in PPR. • The effects of tonifying blood and analgesic became more pronounced in PPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng), a perennial plant cultivated extensively across the globe, exhibits diverse pharmacological properties and holds notable economic significance. Water stress can potentially impact the accumulation of ginsenosides, which are the primary pharmacological component of P. quinquefolium. In this study, the morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of two-year-old seedlings of P. quinquefolius cultivar "LYS1" under different soil relative water contents (RWCs) of 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% for 21 days were characterized. Additionally, the transcriptional responses to 30%, 70%, and 100% RWC were analyzed at 7 and 21 days. The results showed that both drought (30% and 50% RWC) and waterlogging (100% RWC) stress had a significant detrimental effect on root biomass and root activity, while simultaneously enhancing efficacy of the antioxidant protection system, which suggested that 70% RWC is optimal for the cultivation of P. quinquefolius. Drought stress induced – but waterlogging stress reduced – ginsenoside accumulation in P. quinquefolius root. In particular, drought stress changed the distribution of monomer saponins Rd, Re, Rb1, Rb2, and Rb3, while waterlogging stress altered the distribution of Rd, Re, and Rc. Drought and waterlogging specifically regulated genes involved in several pathways underlying stress tolerance, including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, signal pathways and ginsenoside biosynthesis in roots. The integration of physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic evidence resulted in a selection of candidate genes with potential for enhancing stress tolerance in P. quinquefolius. Meanwhile, some candidate genes were found to play potential roles in ginsenoside biosynthesis, including several CYP450s and UDP-dependent glycosyltransferase genes as well as AP2/ERF, bHLH, NAC, MYB, and WRKY transcription factor members. These findings may provide theoretical references for effectively implementing cultivation strategies by regulating soil water conditions and give valuable insights for further investigation into ginsenoside biosynthesis in P. quinquefolius. [Display omitted] • Experimental tests address the response of P. quinquefolius to soil water stress. • Drought and waterlogging stress influence ginsenoside accumulation. • Candidate genes that have the potential to enhance stress tolerance were identified. • Provides a new strategy to effectively implement cultivation for P. quinquefolius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Six new organic dyes, TBS1–TBS6, have been synthesized and characterized by optical, electrochemical, and theoretical studies. Among these dyes, DSSCs based on a dye containing N-hexylcarbazole and furan moieties (TBS4) showed the best performance, with light-to-electricity conversion efficiency up to 5.91% under AM 1.5 solar simulator, much higher than the reference dye TPS (4.24%). The high V oc contributed to the good performance for TBS4, which may be ascribed to the combined effects of twisted structure and hexyl chain. Additionally, for TBS4 based DSSCs, under optimized conditions, the light-to-electricity conversion efficiency was enhanced up to 7.09%. The results suggest that dibenzo heterocycles containing dyes are promising candidates for application in DSSCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The moderate KMnO 4 /Fe(Ⅱ) pre-oxidation process was quantified. • The KMnO 4 /Fe(Ⅱ) pretreatment delays the formation of cake layer blockage. • In-situ formed MnO 2 has the best effect for organic removal. • In-situ formed Fe(III) has the best effect on algal aggregation. Moderate KMnO 4 /Fe(II) pre-oxidation is a promising technique to mitigate membrane fouling and avoid the environmental risk brought by the breakage of algae cells, which often happens in the practical application of pre-oxidation techniques. Various components, i.e., KMnO 4 , in-situ formed MnO 2 and in-situ formed Fe(III), are involved in this technique, and how they mitigate membrane fouling is still unclear. In this work, we investigated their performances on the mitigation of membrane fouling and their influences on the physiochemical characteristics of the organic foulants and fouling layers individually. It was found that Fe(III) formed in situ showed the best performance in controlling membrane fouling among the various components, and the total fouling resistance was reduced by 87.6%. MnO 2 formed in situ was most effective in enhancing the organic matter removal performance of ultrafiltration, and the removal rate of the dissolved organic matter reached 39.9%. In addition, after the KMnO 4 /Fe(II) pretreatment, the electrostatic repulsion between algal foulants was decreased, facilitating the aggregation of foulants. Based on the physicochemical changes of the characteristics of foulants and fouling layers on the membrane surface, we concluded that KMnO 4 /Fe(II) alleviated the algae-derived membrane fouling mainly in two ways: (1) enhancing the interception effect of ultrafiltration membrane on hydrophobic organic matter, which reduced the blockage of membrane pores; (2) enhancing the sparseness of the cake layer on the membrane surface, which reduced the cake fouling resistance. Our work not only shows that the KMnO 4 /Fe(II) pretreatment technique has considerable applicative potential in alleviating the membrane fouling caused by algae-laden water, but also gives a comprehensive understanding of the fouling mitigation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ingenious strategy for the recycling of Cr(VI)-enriched sorbents is presented herein. These adsorbents, which are Zn/Al-based nanocomposites with a Zn to Al ratio of 4:1, have shown great promise as a type of “Janus material” in which they not only behave as a sorbent, but a photocatalytic function can be evolved by calcination. The Zn/Al composite sorbents were prepared via a co-precipitation method followed by calcination at 500 °C to show good removal capacity for Cr(VI) even after repeated absorption cycles. The Cr(VI)-saturated adsorbent could then be transduced to a highly crystallized Cr(VI)-containing ZnO/ZnAl 2 O 4 nanocomposite by calcination at 900 °C. It was found that the resultant Cr(VI)-containing ZnO/ZnAl 2 O 4 nanocomposites possess a photocatalytic performance that is very similar to titania P25 and not compromised by the co-localization of Cr(VI). In fact, the adsorbed Cr(VI) is sufficiently well bound to not easily release into aqueous medium, while also, it can be serendipitously photo-reduced to a less toxic valency, i.e., Cr(III), after the application of the nanocomposites as a photocatalyst. Therefore, the nanocomposites exhibit a very promising Janus-like chemical behavior as exhibited by absorption of highly toxic Cr(VI) and subsequent evolved photocatalysis and remediation of Cr(VI) to Cr(II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, Ti/SnO 2 –RuO 2 stable anode was successfully prepared by thermal decomposition method, and low concentration cefotaxime sodium (CFX) was degraded by green and sustainable electrocatalytic oxidation technology. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the Ti/SnO 2 –RuO 2 coating electrode were studied according to the polarization curve of oxygen and chlorine evolution. The effects of current density, initial concentration, pH, electrolyte concentration, and other technological parameters on the degradation efficiency were discussed. Orthogonal experiment results indicated that when the current density was 25 mA cm−2, concentration of electrolyte was 5 mM and the pH value was 7, the best CFX removal rate of 86.33% could be obtained. The degradation efficiency of electrocatalytic oxidation was discussed through electrochemical analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyze the different inlet and outlet stages before and after the degradation of CFX, and the possible degradation process was discussed. Therefore, the electrocatalytic oxidation of Ti/SnO 2 –RuO 2 electrode was a clean and efficient technology, which could be widely used in the treatment of CFX wastewater. [Display omitted] • SnO 2 and RuO 2 are used as dopant to DSA to the degradation of cefotaxime sodium. • Ti/SnO 2 –RuO 2 anode displays excellent stability and electrochemical activity. • ·OH and ClO− play a decisive role in the removal of cefotaxime sodium. • Cefotaxime sodium removal efficiency of 86.33% is reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Heavy metals and microplastics were treated through interpenetrating bipolar plate electrocoagulation (IBPE). • Changes of current density and initial pH value were proved to affect the experimental results. • Reaction mechanism of IBPE reactor for removing heavy metals and microplastics was analyzed. • IBPE reactor could effectively remove heavy metals and microplastics in secondary effluent of WWTP. In this study, the mixed pollutants of microplastics and heavy metals from secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were removed by interpenetrating bipolar plate electrocoagulation (IBPE) reactor. Heavy metals and microplastics in the wastewater were simultaneously removed during the experimental process with high removal efficiency. The influences of current density, initial pH and reaction time on the removal rate were analyzed. When the current density was 12 mA / cm2, the initial pH was 6 and the reaction time was 20 min, the optimal removal efficiency of heavy metals and microplastics were obtained with removal rates of 95.16% and 97.5%, respectively. Under the condition of different current densities, the change of removal rate with time was fitted through mathematical model. The complexation forms of heavy metals and surface groups of microplastics were analyzed through pseudo-voltammetry curve. The operation cost of removing microplastics and heavy metals through IBPE reactor was 0.91 $·L−1 under the optimal experimental conditions. The experimental results suggested that this process reduced the potential harm of microplastics and heavy metals to aquatic organisms and human beings. The IBPE could be applied as a clean technology for simultaneous removal of microplastics and heavy metals from secondary effluent of WWTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PVA modification has adverse effect on the compressive strength of ECC. • Nanomaterials act on the early stage of ECC toughness improvement. • Modified PVA act on the whole cycle of ECC toughness improvement. Nanomaterial modification and fiber reinforcement are both effective modifications for concrete toughening. In this study, the cement matrix was reinforced by a combination of nanomaterials and surface-modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The modification of PVA involves the treatment of interface weakening, which is based on the enhancement of the slip effect. The workability and static mechanical properties of engineered cementitious composites (ECCs) were studied, and the micromorphology of the fiber and matrix after bending failure was observed through scanning electron microscopy. Different nanomaterial contents and concentrations of PVA were designed in the experiment, the purpose of which is to investigate the mechanism of the effect of multiple superposed on the toughening effect of ECCs. The research demonstrated that the direct addition of traditional PVA fiber and nanomaterials adversely affects the workability of ECCs, but it can be improved by fiber modification and ultrasonic dispersion of nanomaterials. An experimental study on the compressive properties showed that, with the increase in PVA fiber modification concentration, the compressive strength decreased, but the addition of nano-CaCO 3 improved the strength of the matrix, thereby compensating for the strength loss. Four-point bending and tensile tests demonstrated that both PVA fiber modification and the addition of nano-CaCO 3 affected the flexural properties of ECCs to some extent. PVA fibers modified with 1% and 2% nano-CaCO 3 at vinyl acetate ethylene concentrations of 25% and 50% can improve the toughness of ECCs. Nano-CaCO 3 can improve the toughness of ECCs by improving the compactness of the matrix structure and fiber interface, while PVA fiber can supplement the defects of the matrix structure by bridging and sliding and have a positive superposition effect on the toughness of the material after proper treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quarry stone powder is one of the solid waste, which can create obvious environmental risks. To solve this problems, 22.2%–44.4% of cement is replaced by two types of quarry stone powder (basalt and limestone powders) in producing an environmentally-friendly ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) in this study. The material mix design is followed on the basis of the modified Andreasen and Andersen (MAA) model. Then, the impact of the quarry stone powders on fresh and hardened properties of UHPC are investigated, including flowability, compressive strength, early hydration kinetics, and durability. The results indicate that the incorporation of quarry stone powder can significantly improve the flowability, slow down the early hydration rate of cement and decrease autogenous shrinkage of UHPC during early age. Besides, the addition of quarry stone powder could decrease the strength of UHPC at 7 days, while its strength is comparable with the reference mix at 56 days. The carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions calculation shows that application of quarry limestone powder can significantly reduce the environmental burden of UHPC, which means the produced UHPC can be treated as a green building material with advanced properties in the near future. • Quarry stone powders can be used to produce eco-friendly UHPC. • The flowability of UHPC was improved by including stone powder. • Autogenous shrinkage of UHPC can be reduced by adding quarry stone powder. • The produced UHPC with quarry stone powders has good durability. • The microstructure of the produced UHPC with quarry stone powders is dense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Liquid-liquid-refining extraction assisted the bioassay-guided separation. • Consecutive HSCCC was used to prepare the active compound. • Separation efficiency was improved. • Luteolin with α-amylase inhibitory activity was obtained from T. mongolicum. • Theoretical explanation of luteolin against α-amylase was studied by docking. The research of natural active substances is facing the problems of low separation efficiency and active component loss due to the complex composition of natural extracts. In this study, a strategy based on liquid-liquid-refining extraction and high-speed counter-current chromatography was established to solve this problem. Separation of an active compound with the α-amylase inhibitory activity from Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. -Mazz. was presented as an example. The ethyl acetate extract (FA) from T. mongolicum exhibited the potential effect on α-amylase and was divided into 8 fractions (FB-FI) by liquid-liquid-refining extraction. The results showed that the activity of FE was higher than the others. According to the results of liquid-liquid-refining extraction, a two-phase solvent system with a slightly higher polarity was selected to separate the fraction by HSCCC, and 110 mg of compound was separated from 900 mg FA using the model of consecutive separation. The compound was identified as luteolin by 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The IC 50 of luteolin against α-amylase was 42.33±0.82 μg/mL. Then, molecular docking was introduced to study the relationship between the activity and the structure. The results showed that luteolin enfolded in the catalytic site of α-amylase through hydrogen bonds, van der Waals force and hydrophobic interaction, thus inhibiting the activity of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]