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Egypt, one of the world's biggest producers of cultured tilapia, is facing significant challenges in using drainage water for aquaculture due to the lack in freshwater. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of drainage water treatment on the growth and flesh quality of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), raised on five distinct fish farms in the El-Fayoum Governorate and irrigated with various drainage water sources. Fish growth characteristics, flesh quality, irrigation resources, drainage canals, and water quality of the investigated fish farms were all investigated. The Dayer El-Berka fish farm had the highest values of pH, total hardness, total alkalinity, salinity, and total ammonia, demonstrating the negative effects of the untreated drainage water on aquaculture water quality. All farms, with the exception of Dayer El-Berka and El-Bats fish farm (earthen pond), which showed a high lead content, had copper concentrations below detection limits. Wadi Al-Raian fish farm was recorded with higher cadmium concentrations. The El-Bats fish farm (concrete pond), which is watered with El-Bats drain's treated drainage water, showed the lowest levels of heavy metals. The maximum growth performance was found in the Nile tilapia raised on Wadi Al-Raian and Al-Wadi fish farms, whereas the lowest growth performance was found in Dayer El-Berka fish farms, according to productivity metrics. The current study's findings indicate that fish raised on farms that use treated drainage water for irrigation have great growth rates, superior meat quality, and safe flesh for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of hydroxyl functional groups in cellulose fibers has an important impact on the utilization of cellulose, and mechanical treatment is an effective means of regulation. Herein, we adopted the Valley pulper to mechanically treat the unbleached kraft softwood pulp to disclose the influence of different mechanical treatment pressure and mechanical treatment time on the accessibility of hydroxyl groups on unbleached kraft softwood pulp fibers. Specifically, the effects of mechanical treatment conditions on the hydroxyl group accessibility of unbleached kraft softwood pulp fibers were revealed by analyzing the water filtration and retention properties of the fibers, the morphological changes of the fibers, the stability of the fiber-water suspension system, and the fiber-binding properties, which are closely related to the hydroxyl group accessibility under different mechanical treatment conditions, and the changes of the hydroxyl group accessibility of the fibers were revealed by using the FTIR and ζ-potential analyses in the study. The results show that increasing the mechanical treatment pressure and prolonging the mechanical treatment time can effectively improve the accessibility of the hydroxyl group of unbleached kraft softwood pulp fibers, correspondingly, the fiber pulping degree is higher, the water filtration performance of the fiber is worse, the water retention performance is improved, the morphological parameters such as length, thickness and width of the fiber are reduced, the zeta potential value is increased, the fiber dispersion is improved, and the evenness index and tensile index of the cellulose fiber combined into the paper are significantly improved. The reason is that the fibers were cut and sheared during mechanical treatment, and more hydroxyl functional groups were released, which significantly improved the hydroxyl accessibility. The results also confirmed that increasing the mechanical treatment pressure was more effective than prolonging the treatment time. This study reveals the effect of mechanical treatment on the hydroxyl group accessibility in cellulose fibers, which is of great significance for the multifunctional application of cellulose materials, which has certain guiding significance for the research on the multifunctional application of cellulose materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Okara is a by-product obtained from soybean milk containing high dietary fiber. This study focused on how to add value to okara by converting it into okara cellulose powder. The feasibility of using mechanical energy from the extrusion process to produce cellulose powder from okara was compared with the traditional mechanical method, hydrothermal and untreated okara powder (SBM). The extrusion process was carried out at different screw speeds (350–450 rpm), amount of water (0.5–1 L per hour), and number of treatment cycles. The physicochemical and functional properties of the okara cellulose powder and specific mechanical energy were analyzed. Results showed that the particle size of samples treated by 6 cycles of extrusion reduced to three times lower than SBM. The sample subjected to hydrothermal and extrusion showed significantly increased swelling ratio, water solubility index (WSI), and antioxidant capacity. However, only the extrusion treatment could improve the rheological properties. Increasing the cycles of extrusion treatment increased the swelling ratio and WSI values. Extrusion altered the color and chemical composition by decreasing the lightness and total dietary fiber. Extrusion treatment was proved to be an effective mechanical method for improving okara properties and converting the by-product into a potentially value-added ingredient for use in future food applications.

This study aims to determine the highest cellulose purity based on variations in NaOH concentration and to characterize nanocellulose fiber from corn cob waste. Nanocellulose fiber was obtained using chemical-mechanical treatments. Chemical treatment consists of pretreatment, de-lignification, and bleaching stages. While mechanical treatment consists of stirrer and ultrasonication methods, The results showed that the highest cellulose purity was 75.32% using 60% NaOH. In addition, FTIR test results showed that lignin and hemicellulose compounds were successfully removed during chemical treatment, and functional groups from the typical structure of cellulose, which are OH, C-H, and C-O-C groups, with their respective wavenumbers, did not show significant changes during mechanical treatment. Nanocellulose fibers have been successfully formed. It was evident from the morphology of the fibers, which had an average diameter of 120.57±14.05 nm. Additionally, the nanocellulose fiber has excellent colloidal stability with a potential zeta value of -72.5 mV. Based on these results, biopolymer nanocellulose fiber has been successfully obtained from corn cob waste through chemical-mechanical treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of lithium-ion battery (LiB) recyclers is to create a closed-loop process to recover and reuse all the material as secondary sources of material to manufacture new batteries. Global LiB recycling companies apply pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, or direct recycling to meet this goal. Pyrometallurgy is very energy intensive, but hydrometallurgy requires a pretreatment process and a new version of direct recycling that shows more promise for automation would also require pretreatment. Currently, recycling companies appear to favor hydrometallurgy. This review summarizes the current state of development of the pretreatment process involving battery discharging and mechanical treatment series from the literature and its application in the industry, with particular attention on Asia Pacific recyclers. The key pretreatment steps of battery discharging and mechanical treatment are the focus of this review, but pretreatment of the black mass containing cathode material prior to leaching is also included. Discharging is important to reduce the risk of fire during mechanical treatment. An interesting finding is that despite promising laboratory results, there has been no reported commercial application of battery discharging using the submersion method in an electrolyte solution. An efficient mechanical treatment of discharged batteries is essential to remove the impurities which could adversely impact the subsequent LiB processing. Research into mechanical treatment should also include a method to evaluate the liberation of material. This review has highlighted a new potential flowchart for recycling of various cathode types of LiBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steamed bread, noodles, deep-fried dough sticks and other noodle foods are an important part of our diet, and gluten protein is an important component of noodle foods. Common food processing techniques used to prepare noodles, including heating, freezing, mechanical processing, fermentation, and electric field treatment, alter the hydrophobic disulfide bond of the protein, denature and aggregate the protein, and cause other intricate physical and chemical changes, all of which have an impact on the texture and flavor of the finished noodle product. This paper mainly introduces the current research status of the influence of processing methods such as heating, freezing, crushing, kneading, extrusion, fermentation, and electric field processing on the structure and properties of the gluten protein.

This study aimed to report the extraction of micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) from rice husk (RH) through a series of processes including alkalization, bleaching, chemical hydrolysis, and mechanical treatment. The chemical structure, morphology, and crystallinity were assessed using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that alkalization was more effective in removing unwanted substances such as silica, hemicellulose, and lignin compared to bleaching. Chemical or mechanical treatment was more targeted towards removing the amorphous phase while fibrillating MFC. Further mechanical treatment significantly enhanced the crystallinity index (CI) of MFC, reaching 87.47%, while chemical treatment remained at 78.54%. The mechanical treatment led to a larger void size due to rigorous fibrillation, resulting in increased water retention during extraction compared to chemically treated MFC with a negatively charged surface. Crystal extraction through mechanical treatment disrupted the hydrogen bond, transforming cellulose crystal from triclinic I? to monoclinic The comprehensive evaluation of MFC extracted from RH showed its potential for biomedical application.

The compound AgI crystallizes, depending on temperature and pressure, with various crystal structures. While α-AgI is the stable form at elevated temperatures, the β and the γ forms exist at lower temperatures. Variants with stacking sequences different than in pure β-AgI and γ-AgI enrich the complex crystallographic situation for AgI. In the study presented here, we converted a mixture of β-AgI and γ-AgI into nanostructured γ-AgI by mechanical treatment, that is, by high-energy ball milling of such a mixture under ambient conditions. Our work extends an earlier study by Ahmad (Z. Naturforsch. 2015, 70b, 17). We used variable-temperature, potentiostatic conductivity spectroscopy as well as electric modulus measurements to characterize the electric transport parameters. For the case that the sample is heated to temperatures near and above 420 K, preliminary information on the "resistance" of the electric conductivity against healing of defects are also collected. As compared to the unmilled but mixed sample, whose Ag+ ionic transport is dominated by those ions residing in the γ-phase of AgI (0.25 eV vs. 0.46 eV in β-AgI), ball milling only leads to a small increase in overall electric conductivity (by a factor of 3–4) for nanocrystalline γ-AgI (0.25 eV). This observation is perfectly in line with a recent observation for the fast ion conductor Li10GeP2S12 (Hogrefe et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 9597): In materials with already rapid diffusion pathways, nanostructuring and the introduction of defects and distortions do not lead to significantly enhanced ion transport. Here, a careful analysis of data from conductivity and modulus spectroscopy helps identify which dynamic parameters are mainly responsible for the change in the overall conductivity upon mechanical treatment of coarse-grained γ-AgI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Society of Powder Technology, Japan is the property of Society of Powder Technology, Japan 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.)

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.)

Since salmon lice have developed resistance to pesticides, non-medicinal delousing treatments have become increasingly used to remove the parasite from fish on salmon farms in Norwegian waters. These novel techniques are an important means of controlling epidemics of lice at farms for maintaining the health of farmed fish and for preventing the spread of lice to wild salmonid populations. However, some treatments are associated with higher mortality rates and negative welfare impacts on the host fish. Furthermore, it is unclear how effective each treatment is in removing lice compared to alternatives. Here, in a controlled laboratory environment, we tested the efficacy of mechanical, warm water (28 °C and 34 °C), and freshwater treatments alone and in combination, and examined their welfare impact on host fish. Regardless of treatment group or control, the handling of fish through the experiment led to a reduction in lice load and decline in fish welfare. Among the treatments examined, the freshwater bath alone and in combination with other treatments had the greatest delousing efficacy. The 34 °C warm water baths also significantly reduced lice loads but led to worse welfare outcomes with fish having a higher prevalence of injuries and reduced growth and condition factor. Delousing treatments were however not associated with long-term effects on neuroendocrine parameters or stress coping ability, suggesting that immediate welfare impacts from these procedures are generally reversible. It was also found that sedating fish prior to treatment was shown to mitigate the welfare impact. These findings are useful for the needed optimization of delousing strategies for greater delousing efficacy and reduced welfare impact on fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient utilization of low-cost carbon feedstocks, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), in biorefineries has become increasingly important for reducing GHG emissions and meeting the growing demand for renewable energy sources. However, MSW as a feedstock presents several challenges, including high moisture content, compositional variability, particle size and shape, density, and ash content. To address these challenges, the potential of mechanical dewatering and high-moisture pelleting processes for densifying MSW fractions, such as paper, cardboard, thin plastic, and thick plastic, into low-cost carbon feedstocks with improved handling and conversion properties were investigated. The effect of these preprocessing technologies on the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of the resulting pellets, including bulk density, durability, and size uniformity, were evaluated. The results showed that with these preprocessing technologies, the paper and cardboard fractions could be pelleted at moisture contents over 40% (w.b.) while achieving >99% durability and >300 kg/m3, while the high moisture plastic fractions were not suitable for pelleting. The thick plastic fraction processed in a screw press was shown to remove up to 30% of the moisture content in a single pass. These findings suggest that these mechanical preprocessing technologies can improve the physical properties of low-cost municipal solid waste fractions for biofuels production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the performance of quality-controlled recycled concrete aggregates (QRAs) with fly-ash-based cement. Compared to concrete made from untreated recycled concrete aggregates (URC), quality-controlled recycled aggregate concrete (QRC) has superior physical, mechanical, and durability prop)erties. Except for sorptivity, the physical, mechanical, and dura)bility properties of QRC are almost identical to those of natural aggregate concrete (NC). The compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, fracture energy, and modulus of elasticity of QRC are higher than those of URC by 18.0%, 16.8%, 60.0%, 27.17%, and 43.46%, respectively. The abrasion resistance of QRC is approximately 60% higher than URC. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) anal)ysis prove that quality control produces denser old interfacial tran)sition zones (OITZ) with fewer microvoids. The QRA improves not only the pore structure but also the weak mortar structure attached to the aggregate. There is also a strong correlation between the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, fracture energy, and modulus of elasticity of QRC. QRA can be used to compute the mixture proportions for concrete (certainly up to medium-strength concrete) according to either the Indian standard or the international standard. It is challenging to improve the sorptivity of recycled concrete aggregates closer to NC. In addition, QRC has an initial sorptivity of two times (initial) and a final sorptivity of 1.8 times higher than NC, whereas URC has an initial sorptivity of 3.5 times (initial) and a final sorptivity of 2.35 times higher than NC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, using density functional theory (DFT), we investigate the impact of mechanical treatment in terms of uniaxial and biaxial strains on both hydrogenation states of magnesium compounds i.e. H 2 -free magnesium (Mg) and preliminarily hydrogenated magnesium (MgH 2). The thermodynamic properties calculation shows that applying uniaxial and biaxial strains on the H 2 -free magnesium does not significantly affect the formation enthalpy and decomposition temperature of the hydride phase. On the other hand, strain energy contributions on preliminarily hydrogenated magnesium are found able to decrease and improve the formation enthalpy and the decomposition temperature, making it feasible for the operational conditions of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells at 289 – 393 K. Also, the findings demonstrate that the kinetic properties in terms of hydrogen atom diffusion show a decrease in the activation energy barrier, which means an improvement in the kinetics properties faster than that of strain-free magnesium hydride. These results potentially provide better clues for the development of a magnesium-based metal hydride for hydrogen storage applications. [Display omitted] • Magnesium hydride has high thermodynamic properties and slow kinetics. • Strains on H 2 -free Magnesium does not affect its thermodynamic properties. • Pre-hydrogenated Magnesium under strain shows better thermodynamic properties. • The achieved results meet practical requirements for H 2 -storage in PEM fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study outlines a method for identifying high-quality recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) obtained after mechanical treatment. In the present approach, the physical and mechanical properties of RCA are considered as quality parameters. As a first step, mechanically treated (Los Angeles) RCA is produced with 28 combinations of charges and drum revolutions. Twenty-eight sets of mechanically treated RCA are produced, each with different physical and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the 28 sets of RCAs are compared using the performance-based quality optimization approach. The performance index for each set of RCAs is calculated applying a multicriteria decision-making approach named "technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution." This approach considers physical and mechanical properties as a response and the combination of charges and drum revolutions as alternatives to obtain the performance index of alternatives. Based on its performance, the leading rankings RCAs are selected for an experimental study to validate the methodology. As a result of RCA's optimized quality, recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) has excellent physical, mechanical, and durability characteristics that agree with natural aggregate concrete (NAC) composed of parent aggregate. The 28- and 91-day compressive strengths of RAC exceed those of NAC by 8.5% and 30.65%, respectively. Flexural strength, split tensile strength, fracture energy, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) values, rapid chloride-ion penetration test values, water absorption, and abrasion resistance are comparable with NAC. The quality optimization approach identifies RCA with superior shape, texture, and elastic properties. An RCA with optimized qualities also strengthens the new interfacial transition zone and old interfacial transition zone as well as RAC's associated properties. The RAC's dynamic modulus of elasticity is superior to the reported values and is 0.95 fractions of NAC. Optimized quality of RCA reduces the sorptivity of RAC compared with the reported values. The RAC may not have equivalent sorptivity to NAC without lowering RCA parts, whether mortar-attached, mortar-covered, or mortar-only type aggregate or applying other treatments that may increase the production cost. This research presents a standard procedure for identifying mechanically treated recycled concrete aggregate with properties (physical properties and mechanical properties) similar to those of the parent aggregate (natural aggregate). The method demonstrated in this study may be adapted to real-life worksite conditions—but not exactly. In Los Angeles abrasion machines, recycled concrete aggregates obtained from a source can be processed by varying drum revolutions and charges. Based on the charges and drum revolutions selected for treatment, treated recycled concrete aggregate can be prepared with different sets of physical and mechanical properties. Based on the present research, the physical and mechanical properties of treated recycled concrete aggregate can be compared between these sets. In this way, recycled concrete aggregates can be produced that resemble their parent aggregates. Using this process, recycled concrete aggregates may be used to replace natural aggregates without compromising the concrete's physical, mechanical, or durability properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marshall properties are one of the major requirements for designing hot asphalt mixtures. These properties need to be evaluated to make sure that asphalt pavement performs well over its service life. The evaluation of the Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures containing coarse recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) was the study's main target. RCA properties differ from virgin aggregate in the presence of cement mortar. To improve RCA properties, two methods were adopted. The first, termed pre-soak treatment, consisted of soaking RCA in acetic acid for 24 hours at a concentration of 0.1 M. The second one, termed mechanical treatment, involved placing RCA inside the Los Angeles machine with balls and running it for 500 cycles. RCA was incorporated into asphalt mixtures at percentages 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of coarse virgin aggregate. The results of the study showed that replacing virgin aggregate with RCA led to economic feasibility. Despite the amount of asphalt binder increasing as coarse RCA content increased, the characteristics of HMA were not significantly altered except for Marshall stability. The maximum increase in Marshall stability happened in the mixture containing 60% untreated RCA; it was 14.78% greater than the control mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasses are potential candidate to replace wood as a raw material for pulping and paper making, and several processes have been developed to produce grass pulp. In this study, wheat straw was used as raw material, and the possibility of sequential treatment with a mechanical method and deep eutectic solvent (DES) to prepare high-quality dissolving pulp was explored. Firstly, the wheat straw was mechanically treated, and then the wheat straw was delignified using a choline chloride–lactic acid deep eutectic solvent. The results showed that the optimal treatment conditions of deep eutectic solvent were 110 °C, 6 h, and a solid–liquid ratio (ratio of pulp to DES) of 1:40. The removal rate of lignin was 82.92%, the glucose content of pulp was increased by 11.42%. The DES recovery rate was further calculated, and the results showed that the DES recovery rate was more than 50% with rotary evaporation. The pulp viscosity after bleaching was 472 mL/g, and the α-cellulose accounted for 81.79%. This treatment has advantages in biomass refining, and the total utilization rate of wheat straw reaches 72%. This study confirmed that combined mechanical and deep eutectic solvent treatment can effectively remove lignin from wheat straw to produce high-quality wheat straw dissolving pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Starch nanoparticle derivatives are gaining popularity as drug delivery vehicles because of their biocompatibility, better mechanical characteristics, heat stability properties, impediment qualities, permeability capabilities, and flexibility to be changed for specific predetermined functions. The effect of techniques and processing time on the physiochemical and drug release characteristics of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) starch nanoparticles and their ciprofloxacin-loaded nanoformulations was studied. Results Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the treated starch formed nanoparticles and also revealed significant changes in the morphology of the treated starches. The water absorption capacity of chemically treated starch nanoparticles (CTSN)-3 days was the highest, whereas CTSN-6 days had the maximum solubility. The functional groups present in the starch nanoparticles were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman. The thermal characteristics of starch nanoparticles were established using hot-stage microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The percentage drug content and loading efficiency of the model drug were extensively boosted by the chemical and mechanical treatment of Ipomoea batatas starch. In comparison with the untreated potato starch (UPS), release times for loaded drug were significantly longer for the chemically treated starch nanoparticles and mechanically treated starch nanoparticles (MTSN) starches in the rank order of T 80%, CTSN-3 days > MTSN-3 days > CTSN-6 days > MTSN-6 days > UPS. The main kinetics of drug release were Fickian diffusion. Conclusion After 3 days of acid hydrolysis, sweet potato starch yielded nanoparticulate carriers that can be employed for controlled or extended release of medicines that are poorly water soluble.

Chitin is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature. Herein, we report the successful preparation of chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) from shrimp shell waste using a partial deacetylation process with NaOH and high-speed blending. The effects of the deacetylation reaction with NaOH concentrations (0–40 wt%) on the degree of acetylation (DA), crystallinity, zeta potential, thermal stability, and morphology of the ChNFs were investigated. With the more aggressive deacetylation reaction (higher NaOH concentration), ChNFs had the lower DA, crystallinity degree, and thermal stability, and their widths and lengths became smaller and shorter. The presence of amino groups in the chitin molecule caused by deacetylation generated repulsive forces with aids of acetic acid, efficiently leading to the individualization of ChNFs using high-speed blending. The individualized ChNFs deacetylated with 30 wt% NaOH had an average width of 8.07 ± 1.80 nm and length of less than 500 nm, whereas bundles of aggregated fibers with widths in the range of 30–100 nm and lengths of up to several μm were extracted from chitin without deacetylation. Additionally, the deacetylation with 40 wt% NaOH completely converted chitin to chitosan. The ChNFs could be efficiently used for composites, biomaterials, and packaging applications.

Cellulose from vegetable sources is the most abundant biopolymer on earth. In plants, cellulose is a reinforcement element that conforms to a hierarchical structure. Cellulose micro-/nanofibers can be isolated from the cell wall by top-down strategies involving mechanical processes to be used in applications as a reinforcing material. Nonetheless, its use has been limited as its extraction in an aqueous medium is unfavorable when employed in low-hydrophilic matrices. Therefore, this work proposes a novel homogenization route in which cellulose micro-/nanofibers are directly obtained and dispersed in propylene glycol (PG), which generates more possibilities for these (nano) structures in applications that require water-free environments. Moreover, the influence on the cycle numbers in the morphological, chemical, thermal, and rheological properties was researched. Thus, the obtained micro-/nanofibers presented TEM diameters even below 20 nm. XRD analysis evidenced crystalline planes located at 1 1 ¯ 0 , 110, and 200, and crystallinity degree values up to 80%. Also, FTIR spectra bands in 3340 cm−1, 2890 cm−1, 1314 cm−1, and in the fingerprint region corresponded to native cellulose Iβ. FTIR and TGA confirmed no influence of mechanical cycles on cellulose fibers' chemical and thermal properties. Furthermore, the increase in the cycle number evidenced a shear-thinning rheological behavior of the suspensions. Considering the above results, it was concluded that the proposed high-pressure homogenization within PG is an approach for vegetable nanocellulose homogenization while maintaining high crystallinity, thermal, and chemical features with huge importance for subsequent processes in the development of nanocomposites with hydrophilic matrices for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the dormancy characteristics of Osmanthus fragrans seeds and break dormancy to shorten the sowing and seedling raising cycle, in this study, Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii seeds were used as test materials to identify the dormancy types through the determination of water absorption and the effect of endogenous inhibitors on the germination of cabbage seeds. The dormancy breaking test was carried out by means of mechanical treatment, low-temperature sand storage, lanthanum nitrate, and GA3 soaking. The results showed that the water absorption of shelled seeds and scratched seeds were higher than that of intact seeds, indicating that the seed shell had a certain blocking effect on the water absorption of seeds. The germination rates of cabbage seeds cultured with seed shell and endosperm extract were significantly lower than that of the control. The extract had a significant inhibitory effect on the germination and elongation of cabbage seed roots, indicating that the seed shell and endosperm contained substances inhibiting the germination of cabbage seeds. In the single factor experiment, the seed shell scratching treatment, soaking seeds in 1 000 mg/L of GA3 and 30 mg/L of lanthanum nitrate solution for 48 h respectively, and low-temperature sand storage for 90 d had the most significant effect on breaking seed dormancy, and the seed germination rate was significantly higher than that of the control. In the comprehensive factor test, the germination rate(87.78%) was the highest in the treatment of GA3 1 000 mg/L + 50 mg/L of lanthanum nitrate + 5 ℃ sand storage for 60 d + seed scratching. The seed of Osmanthus fragrans var. thunbergii belonged to the type of compound dormancy. The main reason for dormancy was the physiological post ripening of embryos, which could be solved by GA3, lanthanum nitrate soaking and low-temperature stratification. The secondary reason was the mechanical obstruction of the seed shell, which could be solved by removing the seed shell and scratching the seed shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the heat supplied during electron beam additive manufacturing on the tribological characteristics of aluminum bronze is studied in laboratory experiments. The influence of heat treatment, with or without mechanical treatment, on the tribological characteristics of the printed samples is established. The slipping friction coefficients and wear of the samples are determined as a function of the structural state and mechanical properties of the samples. The state of the sample's wear surfaces is investigated. It is found that the characteristics of printed aluminum bronze samples may be significantly improved by appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crasspies) was used as a renewable cellulose source to prepare nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Due to the porous structure and low lignin content of water hyacinth, a 10 min-treatment time using the high-speed homogenization was sufficient to disintegrate nanofibers. The average width of the NFC treated for 40 min was 16.8 nm. With longer treatment times, a slight decrease in thermal stability of NFC was found while no changes in the crystallinity index of NFC were detected. Moreover, paper was formed from NFC with respect to mechanical treatment times. Results showed NFC treated with longer treatment times could prepare the paper with lower pore sizes between adjacent fibrils and porosity, resulting in higher wettability and mechanical properties. The contact angle of the 40 min-treated NFC paper was 36.0° while this contact angle result could not be measured from the samples of 0 min-treated NFC due to occurrence of large pores between fibers. The tensile strength of the NFC paper with 40 min-treatment time was ~18 times stronger than that of the 0 min-treated NFC paper. Mechanical energy consumption of the high-speed homogenization used to disintegrate NFC was also compared to that of the industrial defibrillation techniques.

Surface treatment before the bonding process for carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CFRP) laminate is an effective method to improve the adhesive bonding strength of the joint. In this paper, UV laser treatment and mechanical treatment were implemented to regulate the surface condition of CFTP laminate, and then the treated zone was characterized to research the reasons why adhesive joints exhibit different mechanical properties under various surface treatments. The surface resin was thoroughly and evenly removed by UV laser while the carbon fibers remained intact. Additionally, the UV laser treatment could reduce the contact angle of the CFRP surface, leading to an improvement in wettability and surface free energy. The CFRP adhesive joints treated by UV laser reach an average shear strength of 31.51 MPa, which is 42.32% greater than joints treated by mechanical grinding with an average shear strength of 22.14 MPa. The main fracture mode of the adhesive joint with UV laser treatment is the cohesive failure of adhesive film, as compared to the joint with mechanical treatment, whose fracture mode includes cohesive failure and adhesion failure between the adhesive film and CFRP laminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the problem of sewage sludge management and the relevant energy consumption, which represent the main cost items in wastewater treatment plants. Therefore, implementation of technologies that can reduce sludge production and ensure a positive impact on the energy of the entire sewage treatment plant has gained considerable importance in the scientific and technical community. The objective of this study was thus to screen full-scale sludge reduction technologies integrated into both the water line and the sludge line of a municipal sewage treatment plant with a sustainable impact on the overall balance of the plant. The results showed that, within the water line, ultrasound in the recirculation line of the activated sludge allowed for greater reductions in sludge production than the Cannibal and UTN systems, despite the higher energy consumption. CAMBITM, BioThelysTM, ExelysTM and TurboTec® enabled the greatest reductions in sludge production among the technologies integrated into the sludge line, and although they required a large amount of energy, this was partially offset by energy recovery in terms of additional biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitin is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature. Herein, we report the successful preparation of chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) from shrimp shell waste using a partial deacetylation process with NaOH and high-speed blending. The effects of the deacetylation reaction with NaOH concentrations (0–40 wt%) on the degree of acetylation (DA), crystallinity, zeta potential, thermal stability, and morphology of the ChNFs were investigated. With the more aggressive deacetylation reaction (higher NaOH concentration), ChNFs had the lower DA, crystallinity degree, and thermal stability, and their widths and lengths became smaller and shorter. The presence of amino groups in the chitin molecule caused by deacetylation generated repulsive forces with aids of acetic acid, efficiently leading to the individualization of ChNFs using high-speed blending. The individualized ChNFs deacetylated with 30 wt% NaOH had an average width of 8.07 ± 1.80 nm and length of less than 500 nm, whereas bundles of aggregated fibers with widths in the range of 30–100 nm and lengths of up to several μm were extracted from chitin without deacetylation. Additionally, the deacetylation with 40 wt% NaOH completely converted chitin to chitosan. The ChNFs could be efficiently used for composites, biomaterials, and packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increased photovoltaic installations, it is essential to explore more efficient recycling alternatives. This study for the first time demonstrates the inhibition by polymeric encapsulation layers on the metal dissolution and highlights the advantages of a simple crush-and-sieve procedure in size-selective separation to obtain polymer-retained fractions and silver-enriched fraction without the use of burning processes. [Display omitted] • Deployment of photovoltaics (PV) has increased tremendously over the past decades. • Conventional PV recycling uses thermal treatment to free PV cells for metal recovery. • Thermal treatment emits harmful and noxious by-products. • Crush and sieve results in silver-rich fraction for higher efficient recycling. The shift towards renewable energy mix has resulted in an exponential growth of the photovoltaic (PV) industry over the past few decades. Parallelly, new recycling technology developments are required to address the incoming volume of waste as they gradually approach their end-of-life (EoL) to realize the concept of a circular economy. Typical recycling processes involve high-temperature burning for separation and release of the PV cells for metal recovery processes. However, this thermal process generates gaseous by-products that cause serious health and environmental issues. Eschewing the need for burning, we demonstrate a simple crush-and-sieve methodology to strategically aids the separation of polymeric and metallic contents. The proposed approach showcased the efficient size-selective separation and generated polymer- and metal-rich fractions. More than 90 % of the total polymer present within the studied wastes was found to be retained in larger sized-particle fractions (F1 and F2). Metal content analysis highlighted the enrichment of highly valuable silver into the smallest sized-particle fraction (F4), accounting up to 70 % and 80 % of total silver present respectively for EVAc and MP. The benefits ripe through this simple crush-and-sieve method offers an attractive pathway for PV recycling process to obtain metal-rich fractions and allow focused recovery of valuable materials through an environmentally friendlier manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient utilization of low-cost carbon feedstocks, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), in biorefineries has become increasingly important for reducing GHG emissions and meeting the growing demand for renewable energy sources. However, MSW as a feedstock presents several challenges, including high moisture content, compositional variability, particle size and shape, density, and ash content. To address these challenges, the potential of mechanical dewatering and high-moisture pelleting processes for densifying MSW fractions, such as paper, cardboard, thin plastic, and thick plastic, into low-cost carbon feedstocks with improved handling and conversion properties were investigated. The effect of these preprocessing technologies on the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of the resulting pellets, including bulk density, durability, and size uniformity, were evaluated. The results showed that with these preprocessing technologies, the paper and cardboard fractions could be pelleted at moisture contents over 40% (w.b.) while achieving >99% durability and >300 kg/m3, while the high moisture plastic fractions were not suitable for pelleting. The thick plastic fraction processed in a screw press was shown to remove up to 30% of the moisture content in a single pass. These findings suggest that these mechanical preprocessing technologies can improve the physical properties of low-cost municipal solid waste fractions for biofuels production.

• The environmental impact of the recovery options of repulping rejects was identified. • Waste incineration had the maximum negative environmental impact. • Mechanical recycling processes showed a better environmental impact. • Composite material could be another option for mechanical recycling. • Mechanical and chemical recycling should complement each other. Liquid packaging board is one of the highly demanded packaging mediums for liquid food and beverages, generating substantial waste each year. Even though the fibre part of the liquid packaging board is recycled through a repulping process, the plastic and aluminium are usually used for energy recovery and as alternative raw materials in cement factories. This practice reduces the life span and economic value of plastic and aluminium, which does not fit within a circular economy. The plastic and aluminium from liquid packaging board waste can be recycled mechanically and chemically. This study used the consequential life-cycle assessment method to compare the environmental impact of the recovery options of rejected materials from liquid packaging board waste treatment. Four scenarios were established: (1) energy recovery by waste incineration, (2) composite pallet production by mechanical recycling, (3) plastic pallet production by mechanical recycling, and (4) plastic pallet production by chemical recycling. The study showed that when the consumed energy was supplied from renewable sources, plastic pallet production by mechanical recycling process had the lowest environmental impact, and energy recovery by waste incineration had the highest impact. A sensitivity analysis revealed that composite pallet production by mechanical recycling process showed the best impact if the energy was sourced from the average production mix, and plastic pallet production by chemical recycling had the lowest impact when mechanically recycled plastic substituted for 0%, 30%, and 50% of virgin plastic. These results should be of interest to liquid packaging board manufacturers and other related stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the development of hydrogen-containing, environmentally safe, fire-resistant, and corrosion-protected lubricant cooling liquids (LCLs) from vegetable oils with improved sanitary and hygienic parameters for the machining of parts and equipment made from high-strength steels for application during the interoperation period in turbine halls. The use of plant raw materials as ecologically and fire-safe LCLs increased the efficiency of LCLs when evaluating drilling steel in terms of the dependence of the stability of the cutting tool on the drilling speed. Chips formed from LCLs during turning had a compact, cylindrical appearance, and the addition of both water and coolant during turning significantly changed the morphology of the cutting particles. Using water and LCL intensified the physical and chemical destruction processes. After the use of water and LCL, the concentration of hydrogen in the cutting products of 38KHN3MFA steel increased, which indicated its participation in facilitating the destruction during machining. In the chips formed when using LCL, the amount of hydrogen increased by 2.25 times compared to the chips obtained with the dry treatment, while with coolants, it increased by 2.6 times, indicating the intense flow of decomposition products of LCL through diffusion processes in the cutting zone. Hydrogen reduces the energy costs for the destruction of structural and phase components and promotes their dispersion. The creation of 2D and 3D images allowed for a more detailed approach to the study of the influence of LCL on surface treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crasspies) was used as a renewable cellulose source to prepare nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Due to the porous structure and low lignin content of water hyacinth, a 10 min-treatment time using the high-speed homogenization was sufficient to disintegrate nanofibers. The average width of the NFC treated for 40 min was 16.8 nm. With longer treatment times, a slight decrease in thermal stability of NFC was found while no changes in the crystallinity index of NFC were detected. Moreover, paper was formed from NFC with respect to mechanical treatment times. Results showed NFC treated with longer treatment times could prepare the paper with lower pore sizes between adjacent fibrils and porosity, resulting in higher wettability and mechanical properties. The contact angle of the 40 min-treated NFC paper was 36.0° while this contact angle result could not be measured from the samples of 0 min-treated NFC due to occurrence of large pores between fibers. The tensile strength of the NFC paper with 40 min-treatment time was ~18 times stronger than that of the 0 min-treated NFC paper. Mechanical energy consumption of the high-speed homogenization used to disintegrate NFC was also compared to that of the industrial defibrillation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ductile iron is a high-strength cast iron material. The spherical graphite obtained by inoculation treatment effectively improves the mechanical properties of cast iron, resulting in higher strength than carbon steel. However, severe corrosion may occur under specific circumstances, especially in thermal water pipelines. In this paper, the corrosion mechanisms at the main defective points of ductile iron were investigated using microscopic morphological characterization after accelerated tests combined with numerical simulations. The influence law of each environmental factor on the corrosion kinetics of ductile iron in a complex water quality environment was studied using dynamic potential polarization tests. The results showed that the main causative factors leading to the increased corrosion of ductile iron were the presence of tail-like gaps on its surface, and the crescent-shaped shrinkage and loosening organization around the graphite spheres. After mechanical treatment was applied to eliminate the obvious defects, the number of corrosion pits was reduced by 41.6%, and the depth of the pits was slowed down by 40% after five days. By comparison, after ten days, the number of pits was reduced by 51%, and the depth of the pits was slowed down by 50%. The dynamic potential polarization test results show that the dissolved oxygen concentration has the greatest influence on the corrosion of ductile iron in the simulated water environment; meanwhile, the water hardness can slow down the corrosion of ductile iron. The relative influence of each environmental factor is as follows: dissolved oxygen concentration > temperature > immersion time > water hardness > pH > Cl−. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the aim was to evaluate the effects of the adjuvant piperacillin–tazobactam solution in the mechanical treatment of periodontitis. A single-blind split-mouth randomized study, it included 24 participants. All of them presented periodontitis stage III according to the 2018 World Workshop classification and the presence of at least one of the following periodontal pathogens: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; Porphyromona gingivalis; Treponema denticola; Tannerella forsythia; Prevotella intermedia. The study established two groups: a control group (SRP: scaling and root planing) and a test group (SRP plus local piperacillin–tazobactam). The final recruitment included 11 women (45.8%) and 13 men (54.2%). The age range was between 25 and 72 years, and the mean age was 57 ± 10.20 years. Clinical controls were performed at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, repeating the SRP and applying the piperacillin–tazobactam solution again at the 3-month appointment. The clinical attachment level decreased by a mean of 2.13 ± 0.17 mm from the baseline to 6 months in the test group versus 1.63 ± 0.18 mm in the control group. The mean probing pocket depth decreased from 1.32 ± 0.09 mm in the test group, versus from 0.96 ± 0.14 mm on the control side. The plaque index in the test group decreased by 0.46 ± 0.04, while it decreased by an average of 0.31 ± 0.04 in the control group. In conclusion, the local use of piperacillin–tazobactam as complementary therapy produces better clinical results in patients with periodontitis. However, these results are not maintained over time, and so a more persistent local application is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the geometric modification (GM) of fumed nanoscale silica A300 (NS) on the adsorption capacity of human serum albumin (HSA) as well as the physicochemical and textural properties of the protein/nanosilica system was analyzed. An effective medical enterosorbent based on fumed nanosilica was designed and produced in the Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. To design an effective nanomaterial for biomedical applications as a wound-healing material, the adsorption, physicochemical and surface properties of the initial nanosilica (NS), nanosilica after geometric modification (GM-nanosilica), and HSA/nanosilica biocomposites were characterized. The differences in sorption capacities, acid-base, textural, and surface properties of the obtained materials were monitored using the diffuse UV–vis reflectance spectroscopy, the potentiometric titration of suspension, the nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, the scanning electron microscopy with the energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis and the digital optical microscope. For a deeper understanding of the nature of immobilized HSA molecules on the nanosilica and GM-nanosilica, the surface functional groups were characterized by the FTIR spectroscopy. It was found that the adsorption properties, physicochemical and textural characteristics of fumed nanoscale silica depend on the mechanical treatment time (t MT) and bulk density (d b). In fact, as the t MT increases, the d b of initial fumed nanosilica increases, and the protein adsorption capacity decreases, however, it remains at an acceptable level: 0.075 g/g, 0.056 g/g, 0.032 g/g for GM-nanosilica after 1, 4, and 7 h of mechanical treatment, respectively. HSA adsorption significantly changes the surface morphology, acid-base character, and structure of both unmodified and modified nanosilica. [Display omitted] • Mechanical treatment leads to significant changes in enterosorbents bulk density. • Methods for the production of fumed silica based bionanocomposites have been developed. • Decrease of protein adsorption with an increased nanosilica bulk density observed. • Physicochemical properties change of biocomposites HSA/NS and HSA/GM-nanosilica. • Topography, nanostructure, chemical composition of HSA/nanosilica surface analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argan nut shell represents the most generated by-product during the process of the extraction of argan oil. For the first time, argan nut shell was characterized and assessed as a new potential feedstock for bioethanol production using a combination of mechanical and enzymatic pretreatment. Argan shell samples were first disintegrated using the Star Burst system, which involves a high-pressure water jet system. Then, the pretreated argan nut shell was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using Viscozyme L (30 FBGU/g). Afterwards, the fermentation of the hydrolysate by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Argan nut shell, as a feedstock plentiful in carbohydrates, conferred a high yield of saccharification (90%) and an optimal ethanol bioconversion (45.25%) using Viscozyme L (30 FBGU/g) at 2%w/v of argan feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues of soil fertility preservation are relevant in all countries of the world. There are proposed concrete actions, technological and organisational solutions allowing to overcome this complex and continuous phenomenon by using exclusively agroengineering approaches. The preservation of the structure of agricultural soils requires urgent adoption of technological and organisational decisions in the following areas: maximum limitation of immobilisation of nitrogen in the soil after introduction of organic residues into the soil; development of technological methods and tools for the soil cultivation, aimed at loosening the surface layer of the soil with a minimum area of its contact with the airborne environment; improvement of the fundamentals of aggregation of agricultural machines, taking into account the maximum permissible slipping of wheeled energy facilities at the level of 15%, and a conceptual approach to their ballasting with respect to the requirements of the tire ecophilicity; application of a soil structure indicator when determining the ploughing frequency by means of ploughs with skimmers or their two-tier analogs; wide practical application of the controlled traffic farming system; adoption of a legislative document on specific conformity of the land users for the level of soil fertility for agricultural purposes.

To mitigate the potential environmental and human health impacts of waste Copper–indium–gallium–diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, effective recycling management measures are imperative. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the structural characteristics of CIGS and various recycling technologies. Through an analysis of methods such as mechanical crushing and sorting, pyrolysis, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and electro-deposition, their effectiveness in CIGS recycling is elucidated. Mechanical crushing and sorting, as a straightforward technique, achieve a certain degree of separation between glass and metal, though further enhancement of product purity is warranted. Pyrolysis emerges as an effective recycling method, particularly excelling in polymer decomposition. Pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy emerge as crucial pathways for the recovery of Cu, In, Ga, and Se in CIGS, with pyrometallurgy achieving selenium removal through oxidative roasting, and hydrometallurgy requiring further optimization of solution systems and extractant selection. Electro-deposition technology efficiently accomplishes the high-yield recovery of multiple elements through differences in metal solubility and working potential yet faces challenges in scaling up production. The introduction of life cycle assessment analyzes the environmental impact of different technologies, providing a directional guide for module recycling research. In conclusion, this study delves deeply into the recycling, utilization, and resource recovery of waste CIGS, offering a scientific reference and guidance for future endeavors in clean and green recycling. [Display omitted] • It is necessary to carry out standardized recycling management of waste CIGS. • Comparative analysis of different CIGS recycling technologies. • Pyrolysis can serve as the mainstream method for industrial application in CIGS recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasses are potential candidate to replace wood as a raw material for pulping and paper making, and several processes have been developed to produce grass pulp. In this study, wheat straw was used as raw material, and the possibility of sequential treatment with a mechanical method and deep eutectic solvent (DES) to prepare high-quality dissolving pulp was explored. Firstly, the wheat straw was mechanically treated, and then the wheat straw was delignified using a choline chloride–lactic acid deep eutectic solvent. The results showed that the optimal treatment conditions of deep eutectic solvent were 110 °C, 6 h, and a solid–liquid ratio (ratio of pulp to DES) of 1:40. The removal rate of lignin was 82.92%, the glucose content of pulp was increased by 11.42%. The DES recovery rate was further calculated, and the results showed that the DES recovery rate was more than 50% with rotary evaporation. The pulp viscosity after bleaching was 472 mL/g, and the α-cellulose accounted for 81.79%. This treatment has advantages in biomass refining, and the total utilization rate of wheat straw reaches 72%. This study confirmed that combined mechanical and deep eutectic solvent treatment can effectively remove lignin from wheat straw to produce high-quality wheat straw dissolving pulp.

A method for the polymerization modification of nanoscale fumed silica by crosslinking a lignin layer adsorbed on a nanosilica surface under a gas dispersion medium is described. A mixture of phenol and formaldehyde in the presence of HCl proved to be the most effective crosslinking agent. It has been suggested that the crosslinking of lignin molecules occurs by a mechanism similar to the production of phenol-formaldehyde resins.

Cement is a widely used building material, with more than 4.4 billion metric tons produced in 2021. Unfortunately, the excessive use of cement raises several environmental issues, one of which is the massive amounts of CO2e produced as a by-product. Using recycled materials in the concrete mix is widely employed to solve this problem. A method for minimizing the use of natural cement by substituting it with secondary cementitious material that consists of wood–cement board manufacturing waste has been studied in this paper. The cement in the waste stream was reactivated by a mechanical treatment method—the use of a planetary mill, allowing it to regain its cementitious properties and be used as a binder. Physical and mineralogical analysis of the binder material was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis; granulometry and compressive strength tests were also carried out. The results show that the grinding process did not significantly change the mineralogical composition and the specific surface area; it did, however, affect the compressive strength of the samples prepared by using the reactivated binding material; also, the addition of plasticizer to the mix increased compressive strength by 2.5 times. Samples were cured in high-humidity conditions. The optimal water-to-binder (W/B) ratio was found to be 0.7 because of the wood particles that absorb water in their structure. Compressive strength increased as the grinding time increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]