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Large-language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4 caught the interest of many scientists. Recent studies suggested that these models could be useful in chemistry and materials science. To explore these possibilities, we organized a hackathon. This article chronicles the projects built as part of this hackathon. Participants employed LLMs for various applications, including predicting properties of molecules and materials, designing novel interfaces for tools, extracting knowledge from unstructured data, and developing new educational applications. The diverse topics and the fact that working prototypes could be generated in less than two days highlight that LLMs will profoundly impact the future of our fields. The rich collection of ideas and projects also indicates that the applications of LLMs are not limited to materials science and chemistry but offer potential benefits to a wide range of scientific disciplines.

The aim of this work is to synthesize a magnetic magnetite/multi-walled carbon nanotube (Fe3O4/MWCNT) catalyst by a method combining co-precipitation and hydrothermal treatments for the efficient removal of diclofenac (DCF) by catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO). The support (MWCNTs) shows a moderate-large surface area and good adsorption capacity, leading to the improvement of the magnetite (Fe3O4) dispersion on its surface. The response surface methodology (RSM) was applied in order to find out the effect of the reaction parameters on DCF removal, allowing to establish the optimum operating conditions (T = 60 °C, [H2O2]0 = 2.7 mM, [catalyst] = 1.0 g L−1). The optimum CWPO experiment showed an outstanding catalytic activity at non-modified pH solution (6.7), obtaining a 95% of DCF removal after 3 h reaction time; this high efficiency can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the iron-based catalyst with the high quantity of •OH radicals generated on the surface of the catalyst. In addition, the Fe3O4/MWCNT material exhibited good reusability along three consecutive reaction cycles, finding a pollutant removal close to 95% in each cycle of 3 h reaction time. Additionally, a degradation mechanism pathway was proposed for the removal of DCF by CWPO. The versatility of the material was finally demonstrated in the treatment of different environmentally relevant aqueous matrices (a wastewater treatment plant effluent, surface water, and hospital wastewater), obtaining an effective reduction in the ecotoxicity values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycloaddition reactions between N-alkyl and N-arylsubstituted maleimides and furan derivatives have been carried out using the 'on-water' methodology. Transformations are faster and products can easily be isolated by simple workup protocols, often in quantitative yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studies the effects of rice bran extract (RBE) on pork burgers which were treated by hydrostatic high pressure, in order to increase their shelf‐life. Changes after processing and during the refrigerated storage were analyzed. High pressure processing (HPP) was effective in the reduction of microbiological counts; however, the addition of the extract did not show an important effect on this parameter. Burgers without RBE showed a significant increase of lipid oxidation during the storage while burgers with the RBE showed a less marked increase. RBE was effective in decreasing protein oxidation extent during storage. Panellists did not find significant differences among the different batches when the burgers were treated with HPP. These results suggest that the combination of the extracts obtained together with HPP could be effective in increasing the shelf‐life of pork burgers manufactured without synthetic additives. Practical applications: Several amounts of waste are produced every year in agri‐food industry, worsening the environmental situation. This study can contribute to reduce the problem and to improve the burger quality by the application of RBE in meat products which can be an interesting alternative for food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the production of alternative adsorbents from industrial residues and their application for the removal of a highly consumed antidepressant (citalopram) from water. The adsorbents were produced by pyrolysis of both primary and biological paper mill sludge at different temperatures and residence times. The original sludge and the produced chars were fully characterized by elemental and proximate analyses, total organic carbon, specific surface area (BET), N2 isotherms, FTIR, 13C and ¹H solid state NMR and SEM. Batch kinetic and equilibrium experiments were carried out to describe the adsorption of citalopram onto the produced materials. The fastest kinetics and the highest adsorption capacity were obtained using primary sludge pyrolysed at 800 °C during 150 min. The use of pyrolysed paper mill sludge for the remediation of contaminated waters might constitute an interesting application for the valorization of those wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, magnetic yeast (MY) was produced through an in situ one-step method. Then, MY was used as the core and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) as the template to produce highly selective magnetic yeast-molecularly imprinted polymers (MY@MIPs). The physicochemical properties of MY@MIPs were assessed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), specific surface area ( S BET ) determination, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to compare MY@MIPs with MY and MY@NIPs (magnetic yeast-molecularly imprinted polymers without template), with MY@MIPs showing a better performance in the removal of SMX from water. Adsorption of SMX onto MY@MIPs was described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm, with maximum adsorption capacities of 77 and 24 mg g -1 from ultrapure and wastewater, respectively. Furthermore, MY@MIPs displayed a highly selective adsorption toward SMX in the presence of other pharmaceuticals, namely diclofenac (DCF) and carbamazepine (CBZ). Finally, regeneration experiments showed that SMX adsorption decreased 21 and 34% after the first and second regeneration cycles, respectively. This work demonstrates that MY@MIPs are promising sorbent materials for the selective removal of SMX from wastewater.

The largest consumption of antimicrobials is concentrated in hospitals and within them, the intensive care units. The quality of antimicrobial use is not optimal, with up to 50% of prescriptions being unnecessary or inappropriate. Inappropriate antibiotic use leads to severe consequences, such as increased patient mortality and morbidity and bacterial resistance. The primary reason for inappropriate use is the insufficient knowledge of the increasingly vast and complex information about the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. There is general agreement on the need to improve the use of antimicrobials in hospitals but not on how to improve it. University Hospital Virgen del Rocío (Seville) has launched the Institutional Programme for the Optimisation of Antimicrobial Treatment (PRIOAM), inspired by the recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and adapted to the structural, functional and cultural characteristics of the hospital. PRIOAM is coordinated by a multidisciplinary team chosen by the Committee on Infections and Antimicrobials and has three basic characteristics: it is an institutional programme that has incentives linked to achieving goals; it is an educational programme in which training and knowledge are the basis for the proper use of antimicrobials; and it is a programme subject to results, in which the main objectives are clinical, not economic, to reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with infections and to delay the development of resistance., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España S.L. All rights reserved.)