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Superabsorbent materials based on potato starch (St) grafted polyacrylamide (PAM) were synthesized by radical polymerization with ammonium persulfate as initiator. The N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) was a crosslinking agent. Starch grafted polyacrylamides (St-g-PAM) and their hydrolyzed analogues were specified by XRay Diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal analysis. The studies confirmed the grafting of PAM into the starch backbone and partial alkaline hydrolysis of PAM. The sorption of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions was investigated depending on the initial concentration of the MB solution, the contact time, the amount of PAM grafted onto starch and the structure of the sorbent (hydrolyzed or non-hydrolyzed material). In the case of non-hydrolyzed material, satisfactory sorption results (adsorption efficiency - 42 mg MB/g of sorbent and swelling mass - 1600%) were obtained for St-g-PAM with 40 wt.% of PAM (St 40PAM). On the other hand, the best results were achieved for the hydrolyzed material (H St 40PAM): 88 mg MB/g of sorbent and 2100%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Activated carbon injection technology is the primary method used to control the mercury emissions from coal‐fired power plants. The preparation of sulfur‐loaded carbon‐based adsorbents through SO2 modification of the surface of activated carbon (the primary component) provides an effective solution to enhancing the mercury removal performance of adsorbents. However, there remains a lack of clarity on the adsorption performance and mechanism of mercury on the newly formed active sites of the carbon surface after SO2 sulfur loading modification. In this study, four potential structures of SO2 loaded onto the surface of activated carbon were constructed. Quantum chemical calculation methods were applied to calculate the adsorption process of Hg in these four models, with those important characteristics identified such as bonding properties, adsorption energy, electrostatic potential, and molecular orbitals. As indicated by those results, the adsorption bonds of the SO2‐modified activated carbon were mainly C‐O‐S and C‐S‐C. After the carbon cluster model adsorbed SO2 molecules, the sulfur in SO2 exhibited a strong positive potential that facilitated the loss of electrons from Hg due to the potential difference. Consequently, HgO was firmly adsorbed onto the surface of the carbon cluster. As revealed by the molecular orbital calculations performed after Hg adsorption on the two carbon cluster models, SO2‐modified and elemental sulfur‐modified activated carbons, in the SOAC‐Arm‐1 configuration, there was a clear exchange orbital around the adsorbed Hg atom in the LUMO, with a small HOMO–LUMO energy gap of only 0.01713 eV. At this point, the free electrons on the molecule were prone to orbital transitions, promoting the occurrence of adsorption reactions. The SOAC‐Arm‐3 conformation exhibited the shortest C‐Hg bond length and had an adsorption energy of up to −70.42 kJ/mol, indicating a stronger chemical bonding ability and a higher likelihood of adsorption reactions. These results demonstrate the feasibility of sulfur‐loaded modified activated carbon to mitigate Hg pollution through SO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevance. The continued dependence on the combustion of carbon-based fuels for energy and industry leads to the need to develop various categories of technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Aim. Development of carbon capture and storage technologies for all stages of fuel conversion and processing, ensuring a low-carbon cycle for the production of electrical and thermal energy, as well as industrial and social facilities. Methods. Chemical, physical adsorption and absorption. Results and conclusions. For large industrial and energy producers, for small energy consumers, it is necessary to be guided by the principles of environmental friendliness and efficiency when implementing the production process, and to increase the percentage of carbon dioxide removal, implement decarbonization technologies at all stages of producing electricity and thermal energy. For the category of CO2 removal at the stage of preliminary fuel conversion, adsorbent compositions using predominantly environmentally friendly and inexpensive natural materials based on bentonite have been developed and tested. The collection capacity of the developed adsorbents is 85–98%. For the category of CO2 removal at the stage of fuel use, a hybrid energy system is presented, including a microgas turbine with heat recovery, a high-temperature fuel cell and other devices and material flows connecting them. A pilot industrial prototype of a 30 kW hybrid energy system will produce heat, electricity, steam, and hot water. In this embodiment, the hybrid system can work as an autonomous energy source for small social and commercial facilities, representing a pilot stage of the engineering and design implementation of the results of an industrial-level hybrid system. For the category of carbon dioxide removal at the stage of CO2 separation from the flue gas mixture after fuel conversion, a block for removing CO2 from flue gases using the absorption method was proposed. Solutions of 15% monoethanolamine, 15% ammonia solution, and 6% sodium hydroxide solution showed the best absorption capacity. It is proposed to equip the hybrid energy system with a CO2 capture unit for complete decarbonization of gas emissions based on closed-cycle technology. The proposed technology for capturing and storing carbon dioxide at the post-fuel conversion stage is characterized by ease of implementation and economic accessibility.

BACKGROUND: At present, the chemical absorption method of CO2 capture is considered to be an effective means to reduce carbon emissions. The development of blended amine systems with excellent CO2 capture performance is the focus of research. RESULT: The hybrid behaviors of N,N‐diethylethanolamine (DEEA) with addition of monoethanolamine (MEA), 2‐(methylamino)ethanol(MAE) and 2‐((2‐aminoethyl)amino)‐ethanol(AEEA) as absorbents were investigated and developed to reduce the energy consumption for solvent regeneration in the CO2 capture process. The equilibrium solubility of CO2 for blended DEEA/MEA, DEEA/MAE and DEEA/AEEA with a series of molar ratios (0.0:2.0, 0.5:1.5, 1.0:1.0, 1.5:0.5 and 2.0:0.0) was examined. The experimental results showed that the values of CO2 equilibrium solubility of amine blends exhibited a compromise behavior between each individual amine solution. Additionally, the effects of molar ratios on the relative CO2 absorption rate, regeneration rate and CO2 cyclic capacity for the tested amine blends were studied using an improved rapid absorbent screening method. CONCLUSION: The experimental data showed that the blended DEEA/MAE solution exhibits much higher CO2 cyclic capacity than that of DEEA/AEEA under the nitrogen atomic conservation. However, the mixing DEEA and AEEA could obviously reduce the CO2 equilibrium solubility and CO2 cyclic capacity compared with that of individual AEEA solution, indicating the DEEA had an inhibiting effect on AEEA. Furthermore, the mass transfer performances of DEEA, DEEA/MAE and DEEA/AEEA were tested in order to validate the accuracy of the improved rapid absorbent screening method. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), also called chronic kidney failure, is increasingly recognized as a global public health problem in the entire world. It is characterized by slow, progressive, and irreversible loss in kidney physiology. Today, the prevalence of CKD is increasing dramatically. CKD can affect almost every organ system, including the cardiovascular system. Many treatments have been attempted for CKD, such as renal transplantation, hemodialysis (HD), and peritoneal dialysis (PD). At the end stage of CKD, HD is the most widely used therapy throughout the world. However, these options can decrease volume expansion and uremic solute retention and also increase patient survival. Furthermore, there are certain complications associated with the use of these methods. Previous studies have reported that the main side effects are headaches, muscle cramps, abdominal pain, hypotension, hypertension, vomiting, and constipation. Therefore, the investigation for better and more convenient dialysis techniques should continue, as well as the search for a better material to enhance the clearance of nitrogenous waste products from the body. The intestine has a significant effect on the clearance of nitrogenous waste products from the body, making it a potentially appropriate site for CKD management. The potential mechanism of the intestinal dialysis technique is that it can absorb excess fluids, uremic toxins, and electrolytes within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and exert them in the feces before they can be absorbed into the blood. In the present review, we will focus on different absorbents as a conservative treatment to remove uremic waste metabolites from the GI tract for the improvement of kidney function in CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To rapidly eliminate toluene from aqueous environments during leakage accidents, this paper synthesized porous silico-aluminate nanoparticles (SANs) via a hydrothermal method, using cost-effective and non-toxic natural kaolin as the basic raw material. The morphology and structure of the porous SANs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and BET-specific surface area tests. The effects of different conditions, such as the dosage of porous SANs, initial concentration of toluene, temperature, capture time, and pH, on the adsorption performance of porous SANs were analyzed. The as-prepared SANs exhibited a high removal efficiency and rapid adsorption performance toward toluene in aqueous solution. Finally, the kinetics of the adsorption of toluene in aqueous solution by porous SANs were investigated. The mechanism of the adsorption of toluene by porous SANs was further discussed. These findings provide a cost-effective and highly efficient absorbent for the emergency disposal of toluene leakage accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Iran is considered a water-scarce country and a large part of its water resources evaporates. According to research, about 90% of the country's water is used in agriculture, of which more than 60% is wasted due to choosing wrong methods for irrigation and some other cases. This issue has caused the farmers to seriously face water shortage, increase in cost and decrease in the amount of cultivation. To prevent this problem, researchers have made polymers that can greatly reduce the occurrence of these problems. These polymers are called water absorbent powder. Super absorbents are compounds that can play a very effective role in water crises. On the other hand, due to the fact that absorbents are a place to store moisture in the soil, they can provide fertilizers and other inputs used in agriculture more effectively to plants. Materials and Methods: This study is to investigate the effect of strengthening different types of moisture absorbents (no use of super absorbent, use of natural super absorbent and use of synthetic super absorbent) with different types of hormones (no use of hormone, use of auxin hormone and use of cytokine hormone), and whole foods (no use of fertilizer, use of chemical fertilizer and use of Nano fertilizer) were on the growth and quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron. The experiment was conducted in two crop years 1401 and 1402 as a randomized complete block design in three replications. Results and Discussion: Based on the results of this study, the use of artificial and natural super absorbents, fertilizers and hormones led to an increase in flower production and stigma weight of saffron. The combination of these treatments, especially the combination of super absorbents with hormones and fertilizers, had a more positive effect on improving growth and product quality. In addition, the use of these treatments led to an increase in the content of chlorophyll and nutrients required by the plant, an increase in the percentage of safranal and antioxidant properties of the product, and an improvement in the amount of nutrients in saffron leaves. Also, it has been observed that the use of super absorbents and fertilizers along with hormones can significantly improve the amount of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and iron in saffron leaves. This increase in nutrients leads to the improvement of plant growth and development and finally leads to increase in production and improvement of product quality. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the use of moisture absorbents, especially artificial moisture absorbents reinforced with Nano fertilizer and cytokine hormone, can play a very effective role in reducing water consumption and improving the growth and production of saffron. In addition, the strengthening of absorbents with hormones and food can be a very effective achievement in increasing the production of plants, especially medicinal plants such as saffron in dry conditions. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no potential conflict of interest related to the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surge in greenhouse gas emissions, predominantly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) spurred by the Industrial Revolution, has surpassed the critical threshold of 400 ppm, fueling global warming, ocean acidification, and climate change. To mitigate the adverse effects of these emissions and limit the global temperature rise to below 2 °C, the ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 was established in the Paris Agreement. Current state-of-the-art technologies, such as amine scrubbing, remain problematic owing to their high energy requirements, susceptibility to corrosion, and other operational challenges. Owing to the lack of suitable technologies coupled with escalating energy demand, there is still a significant amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for the development of alternative technologies that offer high efficiency, low energy consumption, cost-effective installation, and operation. In this review, we delve into the emerging technologies poised to address these challenges, evaluating their maturity levels in comparison to existing commercially available solutions. Furthermore, we provide a brief overview of ongoing efforts aimed at commercializing these innovative technologies.

The removal and detection of toxic analytes, including monomers and plasticizers, is important for both health and the environment. Potential absorbents and/or sensing materials are successfully made from polyaniline (PANI) and PANI doped with 10 wt.% of aluminum oxide (PANI‐Al2O3) and titanium dioxide (PANI‐TiO2). The amount of metal oxide incorporated into the surface layers of the polymer and the total amount incorporated are confirmed by energy dispersive X‐rays (EDX) and microwave plasma‐ atomic emission spectroscopy (MP‐AES), respectively. All three materials are evaluated as potential sensing materials and/or absorbents for styrene, monobutyl phthalate (MBP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) at 100 ppm in aqueous solutions. It is found that incorporating TiO2 into PANI improved both the sensitivity and selectivity to styrene, making PANI‐TiO2 a good absorbent and potential sensing material for styrene. Additionally, incorporating Al2O3 into PANI improved the sorption to MBP, but reduced the selectivity. As a proof‐of‐concept, the responses of the polymeric nanocomposites are combined and analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as such an algorithm. The output reveals good separation of the responses to each analyte, thereby demonstrating how sensing materials with poorer selectivity can be used together to overcome limitations in selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the food industry, the problem of food safety has become a common concern for people all over the world. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of functional materials with unique physical and chemical properties, have shown promising applications in food preservation due to their porous structure as well as remarkable antibacterial properties. MOFs have been developed as antimicrobial agents to extend the shelf life and delay quality deterioration of food products as well as improve the performance of food packaging materials. In this review, we discuss the application of MOFs as antimicrobial agents, oxygen scavengers, and ethylene scavengers in food packaging, and highlight future prospects and problems in this field. This review aims to provide reference for the application of MOFs in food packaging.

CO2 capture, use, and storage have been identified as significant strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions induced by the usage of fossil fuels. The current review focuses on the concepts of post-combustion capture technologies based on absorption mechanisms. Among all other developed technologies, researchers have proposed absorption as the most mature carbon capture technology for industrial-scale application. Absorption-based carbon capture can be classified into chemical and physical absorption, and researchers have developed different solvents and absorbent materials to investigate their performance in CO2 capture. This paper comprehensively reviewed these established solvents and absorbents with their performance parameters in the CO2 absorption approach. Besides the improvement in widely applied absorbents such as amine-based absorbents, recently, researchers have been working to develop some advanced nanomaterials such as nanofluids and nano-emulsions. This review focuses on the application of such absorption mechanisms that can contribute to capturing CO2 in a compact, environment-friendly, and safe way. This paper also provides future research direction for further development in absorption-based CO2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur has been used for a long time as a vulcanizing agent for polybutadiene and polyisoprene rubber. The presence of sulfur in the used crumb rubber powder reduces its dispersion in the bitumen and favors its separation from the colloidal structure of the bitumen. For this reason, it does not allow the use of this waste to modify the road bitumen. In this paper, the desulfurization of used crumb rubber is studied by reactive adsorption in the presence of metal oxide adsorbents in pulverized form. Metal oxide adsorbents were prepared based on Fe, Cu and a mixture of the two metal oxides with a bimodal particle size distribution and an average particle diameter between 500 and 800 nm, by the sol-gel precipitation method, in the presence of a Pluronic® surfactant. The morphology of the prepared adsorbents was investigated by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen porosimetry analyses (BET method). The desulfurization of crumb rubber experiments was carried out in a high-pressure Parr stainless steel reactor with electric heating and stirring in an inert gas atmosphere (nitrogen). The conversion in the desulfurization process of vulcanized rubber was influenced both by the size of the adsorbent particles and also by the nature of the adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's world, owing to industrial expansion, urbanization, the rapid growth of the human population, and the high standard of living, the utilization of the most advanced technologies is unavoidable. The enhanced anthropogenic activities worldwide result in a continuous increase in global warming potential, thereby raising a global concern. The constant rise in global warming potential forces the world to mitigate greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is considered as the primary contributor responsible for global warming and climatic changes. The global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere can eventually deteriorate the environment and endanger the ecosystem. Combating global warming is one of the main challenges in achieving sustainable development. Carbon capture and storage is a potential solution to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions. There are three main methods for carbon capture and storage: post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxy-fuel combustion. Among them, post-combustion is used in thermal power plants and industrial sectors, all of which contribute a significant amount of carbon dioxide. Different techniques such as physical and chemical absorption, physical and chemical adsorption, membrane separation, and cryogenic distillation used for carbon capture are thoroughly discussed and presented. Currently, there are various materials including absorbents, adsorbents, and membranes used in carbon dioxide capture. Still, there is a search for new and novel materials and processes for separating and capturing carbon dioxide. This review article provides a comprehensive review of different methods, techniques, materials, and processes used for separating and capturing carbon dioxide from significant stationary point sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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[Display omitted] • Preparation of a biochar-iron oxide (BC-IO) composite via ultrasonication. • High specific surface area of BC-IO enables high heavy metal adsorption. • BC-IO outperformed unmodified BC in adsorption capacity. • BC-IO composite can be reused through adsorption and desorption. In this study, we aimed to develop an absorbent for efficient removal of heavy metals. We developed a composite (BC-IO x) using biochar (BC) obtained by carbonizing rice hull, a type of biomass, and iron(III) nitrate nonhydrate (IO). The bonding strength between BC and IO was increased through ultrasonication with high energy at 25 ℃ and a 2-h heat treatment process at 350 ℃. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis showed that BC-IO x had an increased specific surface area, which was proportional to iron loading and provided an abundance of active heavy metal adsorption sites. This composite effectively removed Pb(II) and As(V). The addition of BC-IO 3 to Pb(II)-contaminated water for 120 min increased Pb(II) absorption capacity to 90.21 mg/g from 18.12 mg/g with unmodified BC. The As(V) adsorption capacity increased from 8.33 mg/g for unmodified BC to 65.34 mg/g for BC-IO 10. In addition, the potential adsorption mechanism was discussed using detailed chemical and physical analyses. The synthesis of a composite from biochar and iron oxide can inspire the cost-effective and straightforward production of heavy metal absorbents that can be utilized on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by various filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus , Fusarium , Penicillium , Alternaria , Claviceps , Mucor , Trichoderma , Trichothecium , Myrothecium , Pyrenophora , and Stachybotrys. They can contaminate various plants or animal foods, resulting in a significant loss of nutritional and commercial value. Several factors contribute to mycotoxin production, such as humidity, temperature, oxygen levels, fungal species, and substrate. When contaminated food is consumed by animals and humans, mycotoxins are rapidly absorbed, affecting the liver, and causing metabolic disorders. The detrimental effects on humans and animals include reduced food intake and milk production, reduced fertility, increased risk of abortion, impaired immune response, and increased occurrence of diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to implement strategies for mycotoxin control, broadly classified as preventing fungal contamination and detoxifying their toxic compounds. This review aims to discuss various aspects of mycotoxins, including their occurrence, and risk potential. Additionally, it provides an overview of mycotoxin detoxification strategies, including the use of mycotoxin absorbents, as potential techniques to eliminate or mitigate the harmful effects of mycotoxins and masked mycotoxins on human and animal health while preserving the nutritional and commercial value of affected food products. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatomitic and clastic-volcanoclastic marly samples from the Paranisia area of Limnos Island, were studied mineralogically by X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemically by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and morphologically by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), together with some physical properties such as the insulation block density, specific surface area and porosity. The diatomaceous samples were classified as porcelaneous or clayey (moler type) diatomite. Opal-CT forms microplates disseminated in the groundmass and are diagenetically formed in expense of opal-A dissolution. The purest diatomaceous beds have been transformed into opaline beds (opal-CT-rich rocks), whereas the clayey beds were not influenced by diagenetic transformations. The studied diatomites from Limnos Island are suitable materials for environmental uses, as an absorbent, for the production of insulation bricks or as lightweight aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano subunits self‐assembly provides a powerful approach for creating unique architectures of relevance for applications. While the use of organic surfactants to direct the assembly of nanoparticles is most popular, it remains a challenge to manipulate the order‐assembly of a large number of nanoparticles along desirable facets. Here, we describe a fluoride‐mediately solvothermal approach for building 3D monocrystalline ZrO2 architectures through oriented attach of ZrO2 nanoparticles in three dimensions, the preferential adsorption of fluoride on specific crystallographic planes may be critical to promoting the oriented aggregation of ZrO2 nanoparticles along rigid directions. After calcination, the dense monocrystalline architectures are transformed into porous monocrystalline structures with inherited morphology, uniform and well‐dispersed open pores. The sample before calcination exhibits a better performance in photocatalytic degradation of conge red in aqueous solution, while the sample after calcination shows a better adsorption effect in dark, the mechanism is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of different absorbent types on changes in benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and volatiles in sesame oil during filtration processes were investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. The BaP content was greatly reduced after filtration using powdered activated carbons (activated carbon made from peat: PP, activated carbon made from coconut shell: PC, activated carbon made from wood: PW) in comparison to granular activated carbons (activated carbon made from coconut shell: GC, activated carbon made from wood: GW). The BaP content in sesame oil was also considerably reduced when filtrated with a PW–acid clay mixture in comparison to PW–kaolin and PW–celite mixtures. Most volatile compounds were also greatly reduced after filtration using powdered activated carbons (PP, PC, and PW) in comparison to granular activated carbons (GC and GW). These results might be due to the relatively ionic structure on the surface and internal surface area of absorbent pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude oil spill accidents pose a worldwide environmental threat. Oleophilic and hydrophobic absorbents that can selectively absorb oil from water have shown promising application potential in oil spill remediation. Simultaneous optimization of the absorption and desorption speed of absorbents towards oil is highly desirable for their recyclable usage, but remains a great challenge, because these two properties are generally conflicting. Here, a facile and ingenious strategy is proposed to tackle the above challenge via surface modification of porous sponges with highly flexible linear polydimethylsiloxane (LPDMS) brushes. The LPDMS brushes feature liquid‐like properties at room temperature owing to its extremely low glass transition temperature, and act as a covalently‐grafted lubrication layer throughout the 3D network channels of the sponge, which can minimize contact angle hysteresis and reduce friction between oil and sponge channel. Compared to the prevalent cross‐linked polydimethylsiloxane (CPDMS) modification strategy, sponges modified with LPDMS brushes not only shows significantly enhanced absorption speed, but also exhibits superior desorption dynamics towards viscous crude oils. The design strategy of slippery sponges with liquid‐like molecules may open a new avenue for developing advanced absorbents with simultaneously enhanced absorption and desorption performances for liquid separation and purification applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable compositions based on low-density polyethylene and polylactide containing arabinogalactan are obtained. Their mechanical properties are studied. It is shown that the development of absorbents based on arabinogalactan is complicated by specific features of the structure of its macromolecules, and possible methods of for overcoming them are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrated a robust methodology to upcycle plant waste into diverse gels as promising fat replacers. Pomelo peel (Citrus grandis L.; PP) was valorised to create gel-like sorbents resembling hydrogels and oleogels. PP were dried and ground into 125, 250, and 500 μm particles. The PP powder (10–40% w/w) was mixed with oil or distilled water for 2 min without heating. Self-sustaining gels were formed from 125 to 250 μm particles. Analyses revealed that the driving forces behind the gelling rely on the substantial fibre component within PP powder and the interactions between powder particles and solvent droplets. Larger particles exhibited higher antioxidant properties and formed gels through particle interaction, resulting in hard yet brittle sorbents with minimal oil/water loss. In contrast, smaller particles formed uniform gels due to solvent interaction but with higher water/oil loss. Increasing the powder concentration led to stiffer gels due to the filling effect. • Pomelo peel (PP) powders of different sizes were used as oil and water absorbents. • Gel-like substance was formed with PP powder having particle sizes of 125 & 250 um. • PP powders showed amphiphilic gelling capacity but favoured water. • FTIR confirmed that the sorption processes did not involve in chemical reactions. • Increasing particle size and powder concentration leads to firm yet brittle gels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, all-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) sponges were prepared via acid assisted freeze–thaw method. The sponges were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate that the carboxylate groups of the resulting CMC sponges were protonated. The formed carboxylic acid groups revealed high capabilities for a stable network crosslinked by hydrogen bonds. Adsorption experiments showed that the sponges with CMC concentration of 1.0% exhibited the highest adsorption capacity for heavy metals, and the adsorption capacity toward Ag+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ was 7.7, 6.8, and 7.2 mg/g, respectively. Moreover, the CMC sponges can be easily regenerated up to 76.5, 99.6, and 92.3% for the above ions, respectively. This work unlocks new possibilities in designing absorbents based on biomass without using petrochemical polymer components, organic solvents, chemical crosslinkers and any high energy beams. All-carboxymethyl cellulose sponges were prepared via acid assisted freeze−thawing method which revealed excellent capability to adsorb and re-adsorb heavy metal ions including silvers, coppers and nickels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menarche is a milestone in a woman’s life as it denotes the start of reproductive capacity. The experience of first menstruation is often horrifying and traumatic to an adolescent girl. Menstrual health has a close link with women’s fecundity and other reproductive health risks. Women having appropriate knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene and safe practices are less vulnerable to RTI and its consequences. Objectives: The present study aims to find out menstrual characteristics and its association with socio-economic factor among a group of rural Nepali adolescent girls. Materials and Method: Data was collected from Nepali adolescent girls aged 10-16 years residing in the rural area of Sombaria village of West Sikkim. Data on age at menarche, menstrual characteristics and menstrual health were collected from 106 participants using structured schedule. Results: The mean age at menarche of the participants was 12.6±1.17 years. 76.6 percent of the participants have irregular periods. In present study, 85.8 percent of participants have premenstrual syndrome (PMS) like breast sore, legs cramps, mood swing and back pain. The heavy discharge and menstrual problems shows 30.1 percent and 69.8 percent respectively. Conclusions: The average age at menarche shows gradually increase with increasing the age of adolescent girls. Maximum numbers of participants show higher percentage of irregular period and premenstrual syndrome. The socioeconomic conditions especially the mother’s education and family income did play an important role in determining the menstrual characteristics of the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With aggravated abiotic and biotic stresses from increasing climate change, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as versatile toolboxes for developing environmentally friendly agrotechnologies aligned with agricultural practices and safety. Herein, we have explored MOF-based agrotechnologies, focusing on their intrinsic properties, such as structural and catalytic characteristics. Briefly, MOFs possess a sponge-like porous structure that can be easily stimulated by the external environment, facilitating the controlled release of agrochemicals, thus enabling precise delivery of agrochemicals. Additionally, MOFs offer the ability to remove or degrade certain pollutants by capturing them within their pores, facilitating the development of MOF-based remediation technologies for agricultural environments. Furthermore, the metal-organic hybrid nature of MOFs grants them abundant catalytic activities, encompassing photocatalysis, enzyme-mimicking catalysis, and electrocatalysis, allowing for the integration of MOFs into degradation and sensing agrotechnologies. Finally, the future challenges that MOFs face in agrotechnologies were proposed to promote the development of sustainable agriculture practices.

A kind of glucose‐derived carbon‐rich silicon oxycarbide (glucose‐SiOC) nanocomposite with excellent electromagnetic wave absorbing performance is obtained via solvothermal method, and then pyrolyzed at high temperature (1300°C and 1400°C) under argon atmosphere. The structural evolutions and the electromagnetic wave absorbing capabilities of the nanocomposites have been systematically investigated. The resultant 3 mol/L glucose‐SiOC ceramic exhibits a heterostructure, in which nanosized glucose‐derived carbon and SiC particles decorate on amorphous SiOC network. Benefitting from the nanosized carbon, SiC particles and the heterostructure attributes, the 3 mol/L glucose‐SiOC ceramic displays a strong electromagnetic wave‐absorbing property. The minimum reflection coefficient of the 3 mol/L glucose‐SiOC ceramic pyrolyzed at 1400°C reaches −27.6 dB at 13.8 GHz. The widest effective absorption bandwidth attains 3.5 GHz in Kμ‐band. This work opens up a novel and simple route to fabricate polymer‐derived ceramics with excellent electromagnetic wave‐absorbing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TiO 2 nanoparticles can compensate damages induced by ultraviolet-B radiation. • The application of TiO 2 nanoparticles increased content of total phenolics and total flavonoids in saffron stigmas. • TiO 2 nanoparticles enhanced the antioxidant activity of saffron stigmas. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most commonly known and expensive medicinal and aromatic plants in the world from which dried stigmas are consumed. Saffron includes 85 species and has a special place among industrial and export commodities. Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation causes the generation of oxygen free radicals, which disrupt the balance of metabolism in cells. The present study aimed to explore the application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) on saffron exposed to harmful UV-B radiation, in order to evaluate their effect against photo – oxidative stress. Saffron plants were grown in the hydroponic system in a greenhouse for 45 days. After the three-leaf stage, they were exposed to UV-B radiation for 30 and 45 min on a daily basis for one month. TiO 2 NPs were used at two concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/L as the foliar application before UV-B exposure every day. The plants were harvested 75 days later and their growth, chemical and antioxidant parameters were measured. The results showed that UV-B exposure was related to lower plant length, fresh and dry weight, and leaf number. The simultaneous UV-B exposure and TiO 2 NPs application resulted in the loss of dissolved sugars and the increased content of total anthocyanins and malondialdehyde (MDA) in saffron leaves. Besides, content of UV-B absorbents (total phenolics and total flavonoids) and radical scavenging activity ((DPPH) in saffron stigmas were increased. The foliar application of TiO 2 NPs counterbalanced some plant traits impaired by UV-B exposure as compared with plants only exposed to UV-B radiation. Due to the increased antioxidant activity of saffron stigmas, it could be assumed that the use of TiO 2 NPs enhances the nutritive value of saffron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The prepared δ -MnO 2 /HCS possessed hollow nanostructure. • The δ -MnO 2 /HCS showed high specific capacitances and prominent cycling stability • The δ -MnO 2 /HCS possessed excellent degradation capacity for bisphenol A. Abstract In this study, birnessite manganese oxide nanosheets (δ -MnO 2) are growth on hollow carbon sphere (HCS) by a facile hydrothermal reaction to prepare a novel multifunctional nanocomposite (δ -MnO 2 /HCS). The obtained δ -MnO 2 /HCS nanocomposite possesses a unique hollow structure, which exhibited excellent adsorption of electrolyte ions and macromolecules. When used as electrode for supercapacitors (SCs), it exhibits excellent electrochemical ability. The specific capacitance is 370 F/g at 5 mV/s, and 93.3% of the initial capacitance is retained after 5000 cycles. Additionally, when δ -MnO 2 /HCS acted as a catalyst for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA), the removal rate is 95% within 10 min and BPA is almost entirely decomposed in 30 min. This multifunctional δ -MnO 2 /HCS composite may find novel applications in future environmentally friendly energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of the Ma-kieng seed extract after treatments with different absorbents and the application on inhibition of microbial contaminants on fresh-cut cantaloupe. The phenolic compounds of MKSE were absorbed and desorbed with Diaion® HP-2MG, polyvinyl-polypyrrolidone and powdered activated carbon. The HPLC analysis of treated products showed the increase in flavonoid content except the treatment with powdered activated carbon, increased in phenolic content. All phenolic enriched extract showed increasing in antimicrobial activity efficacy. The phenolic compounds enriched extract with Diaion® and powdered activated carbon demonstrated the improvement in antimicrobial efficacy up to 4 times. Soaking in the 1 MBC equivalent of enriched extract solution for 2 min was able to reduce 1 log CFUg−1 of the spiked bacteria from the surface of fresh-cut cantaloupe and to control the number of tested bacteria during cold storage. Highlights • MKSE treated with powder activated carbon is increased in phenolic acids content. • MKSE treated with PVPP and Diaion® HP-2MG are increased in flavonoids content. • Different type of absorbents provide variation of improvements on antimicrobial activities. • The PMKSE shows good potential for bacterial number controlling in fresh-cut cantaloupe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural and anthropogenic sources of nitrous oxide were considered, and their contribution to environmental pollution was determined. The effect of N2O on Earth's ozone layer was described. The commercial method of production of technical and medical nitrous oxide, based on decomposition of a hot solution of ammonia nitrate, was considered. Application areas of nitrous oxide were described, and examples of its use in organic and inorganic synthesis reactions, as well as in medicine, food industry, and technology were given. Methods employed for neutralizing process gases containing nitrogen oxides, in particular absorption and adsorption methods, were reviewed. Particular attention was paid to catalytic tail gas purification in various industries; high- and low-temperature reduction of N2O by natural gas and ammonia were described; analytical review of the literature dedicated to catalytic systems and individual compounds that show activity in the decomposition and reduction of nitrous oxide was provided; and mechanisms of nitrous oxide decomposition over various catalysts were considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]