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Arsenic contamination in groundwater poses serious health risks, as exemplified by the Blackfoot disease epidemic in Taiwan, which was caused by prolonged arsenic exposure. This study investigates the use of biochar derived from the wastewater treatment sludge of the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital (New Taipei City, Taiwan) as an efficient adsorbent for arsenic removal. A novel iron-doped sludge biochar (Fe-SBC) was developed to enhance arsenic adsorption efficiency, facilitate adsorbent recovery, and reduce operational costs. The adsorption mechanism of arsenic on Fe-SBC, modified with iron hydroxide complexes, was examined through Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations. The results demonstrate a high arsenic removal efficiency of approximately 90% using continuous adsorption systems. The DFT calculations revealed strong chemical interactions between arsenic and the biochar, evidenced by high adsorption energy (−156.8 kJ mol−1) and a short bond distance (1.48 Å), correlating with the high adsorption performance observed experimentally. Additionally, arsenic byproducts desorbed from the adsorbent were repurposed into antibacterial agents and pigments. Four distinct pigment colors—green, blue, gray, and orange—were produced through different preparation methods, with the antibacterial agents showing effective antimicrobial properties. This study highlights the potential of Fe-SBC for sustainable arsenic remediation and resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) is a prominent source of carotenoids, renowned for its exceptional concentration of these compounds. This study focuses on optimizing the extraction of active components from the aril of gac fruit by evaluating the effects of extraction temperature, solid–liquid ratio, and extraction time. The primary objective is to maximize the yield of gac oil while assessing its antioxidant capacity. To analyze the kinetics of the solid–liquid extraction process, both first-order and second-order kinetic models were employed, with the second-order model providing the best fit for the experimental data. In addition, the potential of gac fruit peel as a precursor for biochar production was investigated through carbonization. The resultant biochars were evaluated for their efficacy in adsorbing crystal violet (CV) dye from aqueous solutions. The adsorption efficiency of the biochars was found to be dependent on the carbonization temperature, with the highest efficiency observed for BCMC550 (91.72%), followed by BCM450 (81.35%), BCMC350 (78.35%), and BCMC250 (54.43%). The adsorption isotherm data conformed well to the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating monolayer adsorption behavior. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics were best described by the pseudo-second-order model. These findings underscore the potential of gac fruit and its byproducts for diverse industrial and environmental applications, highlighting the dual benefits of optimizing gac oil extraction and utilizing the peel for effective dye removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common organic pollutants that can cause adverse effects on human health. Treatment techniques, including photocatalytic oxidation, have been studied to remediate VOCs. Acetone was used as a model pollutant to investigate the photocatalytic degradation performance of electrospun photocatalytic nanofibers with synthesized flower-like titanium dioxide (F-TiO2) and cellulose acetate (CA). The synthesized F-TiO2 and photocatalytic nanofibers were characterized using FE-SEM, XRD, FTIR, UVVis, XPS, and a pore size and porosity analyzer. The addition of F-TiO2 decreases the diameter of the nanofibers. The photocatalytic degradation performance test showed an enhanced acetone degradation efficiency on F-TiO2/CA photocatalytic nanofibers (FT-CFs), with an up to 95.0% acetone degradation efficiency under optimum conditions, over P25 TiO2/CA photocatalytic nanofibers (T-CFs). The filtration efficiency of 3.0%FT-CF reached 99.9% with a filter basis weight of 0.660 g m−2 and face velocity of 5.0 cm−1 s. The filtration and photocatalytic degradation cycle tests revealed excellent reusability, with 97% particle filtration and no sign of material deterioration. Moreover, the biodegradability tests showed that the material can biodegrade in water and in soil for 30 and 40 days, respectively. This study demonstrates that electrospun FT-CFs exhibit exceptional photocatalytic degradation of acetone, a high filtration efficiency, excellent reusability, and biodegradability, making them a promising solution for VOC remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S–modified MXene (Ti3C2Tx@S–5) was prepared to improve the catalytic activity of MXene in the electrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). Here, S groups in the form of Ti–S and S–O species were anchored onto MXene, resulting in superior conductivity and surface activity. Ti3C2Tx@S–5 exhibited an excellent performance of 100% TC degradation under the conditions of 25 °C, a pH of 6, a TC concentration of 10 mg L−1, and an applied current of 20 mA. Radical quenching and EPR analyses revealed that ·O2− and 1O2 played dominant roles in Ti3C2Tx@S–5 and Ti3C2Tx systems. Furthermore, S modification promoted the triggering of ·OH and active chlorine, which contributed to the acceleration of TC degradation. The involvement of these active substances in degradation pathways was further proven. This research advances the S modification of MXene and improves TC degradation by promoting the triggering of ·OH and active chlorine, broadening the applicability of MXene material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the first attempt at employing catalytic biochar to remove ground-level ozone at ambient temperature. With the increase in human activity, ozone has become a critical inorganic pollutant that needs to be addressed, using more sustainable methods. Fe- and Mn-impregnated catalytic biochars were prepared from a sugarcane feedstock via the wet impregnation method and pyrolysis at various temperatures, where the optimum value was determined to be 550 °C. The metal-impregnated biochar samples demonstrated enhanced surface areas and pore volumes compared with the pristine biochar (SCB550), resulting in improved ozone-adsorption capacity. SCB550-Fe exhibited an ozone-adsorption capacity of 52.1 mg/g at 20 ppm, which was approximately four times higher than that of SCB550. SCB550-Fe demonstrated superior ozone-removal performance compared to SCB550-Mn; 122 mg/g capacity as opposed to 116.2 mg/g at 80 ppm, respectively. Isothermal and kinetic modeling are also presented to suggest a plausible mechanism of ozone removal by catalytic biochar. This includes physical adsorption, complexation, electrostatic interaction, and electron transfer during the redox reaction between ozone and metals. Overall, this study should provide preliminary insights into ozone removal using biochar and promote further research regarding material optimization and kinetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study prepares a novel phosphorene (PN) and loads it onto TiO2 to fabricate PN-TiO2 and effectively photodegrade the hydrophobic environmental hormone 17β-estradiol in aqueous solutions. The effect of the PN on degradation efficiency is systematically investigated. It is observed that the doping of TiO2 with PN significantly enhances its photocatalytic and adsorption properties compared with that in the absence of PN; that is, the addition improves the adsorption capability of the composite. The optimal PN weight content is found to be 0.5%. The performance of the PN-TiO2 photocatalyst in degrading E2 is around 67.5%. However, its photodegradation efficiency gradually decreases when the PN content is further increased. This optimal PN content directly suggests synergistic interactions affecting the photodegrading efficiency. Compared with other PN-based photocatalysts mentioned in the literature, this PN-based material possesses striking advantages, such as higher energy efficiency, greater removal capacity, and superior cost-effectiveness. Further, the decrease in the biotoxicity of the water after treatment is evident in observing the development of zebrafish embryos. The studies of the catalyst performed on the zebrafish show that it results in a higher mortality rate at 96 h with a superior hatching rate and healthy fish development. In summary, the prepared PN-based materials exhibited promising photocatalytic capabilities for the removal and biotoxicity reduction of 17β-estradiol in aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skeletal muscle progenitors' proliferation and migration are crucial stages of myogenesis. Identifying drug candidates that contribute to myogenesis can have a positive impact on atrophying muscle. The purpose of the study is to synthesize the Antrodia cinnamomea (AC)-β-cyclodextrin (BCD) inclusion complex (IC) and understand its in vitro pro-regenerative influence in murine skeletal C2C12 myoblasts. The IC was subjected to various nano-characterization studies. Fluorescent IC was synthesized to understand the cellular uptake of IC. Furthermore, 25 µg/mL, 12.5 µg/mL, and 6.25 µg/mL of IC were tested on murine C2C12 skeletal muscle cells for their anti-inflammatory, pro-migratory, and pro-proliferative action. The cellular internalization of IC occurred rapidly via pinocytosis. IC (252.6 ± 3.2 nm size and −37.24 ± 1.55 surface charge) exhibited anti-inflammatory action by suppressing the secretion of interleukin-6 and enhanced cell proliferation with promising cytocompatibility. A 12.5 μg/mL dose of IC promoted cell migration in 24 h, but the same dose of AC significantly reduced cell migration, suggesting modification by BCD. Molecular studies revealed that IC promoted C2C12 myoblasts migration by upregulating long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NEAT-1, SYISL, and activating the pPKC/β-catenin pathway. Our study is the first report on the pro-proliferative and pro-migratory effects of BCD-modified extracts of AC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global warming and the dangerous climate change arising from the massive emission of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels have motivated the search for alternative clean and sustainable energy sources. However, the industrial development and population necessities make the decoupling of economic growth from fossil fuels unimaginable and, consequently, the capture and conversion of CO2 to fuels seems to be, nowadays, one of the most promising and attractive solutions in a world with high energy demand. In this respect, the electrochemical CO2 conversion using renewable electricity provides a promising solution. However, faradaic efficiency of common electro-catalysts is low, and therefore, the design of highly selective, energy-efficient, and cost-effective electrocatalysts is critical. Carbon-based materials present some advantages such as relatively low cost and renewability, excellent electrical conductivity, and tunable textural and chemical surface, which show them as competitive materials for the electro-reduction of CO2. In this review, an overview of the recent progress of carbon-based electro-catalysts in the conversion of CO2 to valuable products is presented, focusing on the role of the different carbon properties, which provides a useful understanding for the materials design progress in this field. Development opportunities and challenges in the field are also summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major aspects and advantages of solar energy conversion is the photocatalytic hydrogen generation using semiconductor materials for an eco-friendly technology. Designing a low-cost efficient material to overcome limited light absorption as well as rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers is essential to achieve considerable hydrogen generation. In recent years, sulfide based semiconductors have attracted scientific research interest due to their excellent solar response and narrow band gap. The present review focuses on the recent approaches in the development of hierarchical ternary sulfide based photocatalysts with a special focus on ZnIn2S4. We also observe how the electronic structure of ZnIn2S4 is beneficial for water splitting and the various strategies involved for improving the material efficiency for photocatalytic hydrogen generation. The review places emphasis on the latest advancement/new insights on ZnIn2S4 being used as an efficient material for hydrogen generation through photocatalytic water splitting. Recent progress on essential aspects which govern light absorption, charge separation and transport are also discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]