Physicochemical properties of pre-treated cuttlebone powder and its potential as an alternative calcium source

This study was aimed to investigate the potential use of pre-treated cuttlebone powder (CBP) as an alternative calcium source by evaluating the physicochemical properties of CBP pre-treated with distilled water (CBP1), 1% acetic acid (CBP2), and 2% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions (CBP3). Proximate analysis revealed ash as the major component of all samples. The presence of phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and glycosides were detected but tannins appeared to be absent in cuttlebones. Mineral analysis indicated that CBP was rich in calcium, which means the material may be considered as a potential calcium source for food products or calcium supplements. The bulk density of CBP2 was significantly lower (p < .05) than those of CBP1 and CBP3, and the water holding capacity (WHC) of CBP1 was significantly higher (p < .05) than those of CBP2 and CBP3. The high bulk density, water and oil holding capacities of CBP demonstrated its potential use as a functional food ingredient.     

Preparation of grape seed polypeptide and its calcium chelate with determination of calcium bioaccessibility and structural characterisation

Grape seed polypeptide (GSPP) was obtained by liquid fermentation with Bacillus subtilis TK15.015 from waste grape seed pomace. Its chelation ability with calcium ions was excellent. Simulation of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion showed that GSPP and calcium chelate (GSPP-Ca) slowly released calcium and decreased stomach stimulation. The solubility and transmission rate of GSPP-Ca after digestion in the gastrointestinal tract for 8 h maintained high levels of 74.4% and 46.4%, respectively, which far exceeded the levels achieved by other calcium supplements. Structural characterisation showed that calcium ions mainly react with binding sites present in peptides such as carboxyl oxygen, hydroxyl oxygen, amino nitrogen and amide bonds. GSPP-Ca may be a state in which a calcium-encapsulating complex formed, leaving calcium ions in a soluble state, suggesting its possible use as a high-quality calcium supplement.     

多相流管输体系中水合物沉积机理研究进展

国内外对多相流管输体系中水合物沉积的研究虽然很多，但水合物沉积机理仍有待进一步研究。本文根据水合物沉积实验开展条件的不同，将多相流管输体系分为气体主导体系、油基体系、部分分散体系、水主导体系，总结了各体系的水合物沉积的主要机理，并提出了未来的发展方向。管输体系中水合物沉积机理包括水润湿沉积表面、水合物颗粒聚并、水合物的管壁膜生长、水合物颗粒的管壁粘附和水合物的颗粒着床沉积等。大多数学者认为：水合物的管壁膜生长是气体主导体系水合物沉积的主要机理；油基体系水合物沉积的主要机理是水合物颗粒的着床沉积；而部分分散体系和水主导体系的水合物沉积机理尚无统一定论，需进一步研究。多相流管输体系中水合物沉积研究未来的发展方向如下。①搭建全透明的流动环路，观测水合物在管路内实际的形成过程及沉积过程，对水合物沉积机理进行深入研究。②量化研究油水分层、油包水(或水包油)乳状液、自由水层对水合物沉积、堵塞的影响。③对于气体主导体系，除环状流和分层流外，有必要对段塞流、气泡流等其他常见的流型下沉积机理进行研究，重点在于开发一个综合模型来描述水合物沉积过程。④对于水主导体系，水合物形成过程出现的油水破乳的具体机理应是未来水合物沉积过程进行定量研究的方向。⑤国内外对垂直管、弯管及管阀件处水合物沉积堵塞理论研究较少，未来应着重这方面。     

Reactivity of industrial wastes as measured through ICP-OES: A case study on siliceous Indian biomass ash

An untapped source of amorphous SiO₂, industrially generated Indian biomass ash (SA)—90% amorphous, with composition of ~60% SiO₂ and ~20% unburnt carbon—can be used to produce cementitious and alkali-activated binders. This study reports dissolution of amorphous Si from SA in 0.5 mol/L and 1 mol/L aqueous NaOH, with and without added Ca(OH)₂, at SA:Ca(OH)₂ wt% ratios of 100:0, 87.5:12.5, and 82.5:17.5. Monitoring of elemental dissolution and subsequent/simultaneous product uptake by ICP-OES offers an effective process for evaluating utility of industrial wastes in binder-based systems. After 28 days in solution, up to 68% of total Si is dissolved from SA in 1 mol/L NaOH, with values as much as 38% lower in the presence of Ca(OH)₂, due to the formation of tobermorite-like C-S-H. FTIR, ²⁹Si MAS-NMR, and XRD are used to characterize solid reaction products and observe reaction progress. Product chemistries calculated from ICP-OES results and verified by selective dissolution in EDTA/NaOH—namely, Ca/Si of 0.6-1 and Na adsorption of 1-2 mmol/g—are found to be consistent with those indicated by aforementioned techniques. This indicates the efficacy of ICP-OES in estimating product chemistry via such a methodology.     

Evaluation of maleic acid-based copolymers containing polyoxyethylene ether as inhibitors for CaCO3 scale

Polymer scale inhibitors have been widely used to reduce the loss caused by mineral scaling in circulating cooling water systems. In this article, four maleic acid-based copolymers [hydrolyzed polymaleic anhydride (HPMA)-AEO] containing different fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (such as AEO-9, AEO-10, AEO-15, and AEO-20) are prepared by the way of free-radical copolymerization and characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ¹H NMR, and gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) techniques. The effects of HPMA-AEO on CaCO₃ scale are studied in several aspects (such as dose, Ca²⁺ concentration, temperature, inhibition time, pH, the ratio of EO:carboxyl, and the relative supersaturation of CaCO₃ solution) by static experiments. The CaCO₃ scaling process with dosing of HPMA-AEO-9 is investigated under dynamic tests. CaCO₃ deposits and precipitate in the presence of HPMA-AEO-9 are analyzed using scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the performance of HPMA-AEO against CaCO₃ scale highly depends upon the ratio of EO:carboxyl; the introduction of AEO group can significantly improve the performance of HPMA-AEO to tolerate high alkalinity, high hardness, and high temperature; the presence of HPMA-AEO-9 can obviously affect the CaCO₃ scaling process on the tube wall through interfering with nucleation process and crystal growth process and significantly alter the surface morphology and crystal form of CaCO₃ deposits. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47470     

Nonmonotonic Coupled Dissolution-Precipitation Reactions at the Mineral–Water Interface

Dissolution is inherent to fluid-mineral systems. Yet its impact on minerals reacting with electrolytes is overlooked. Here, a novel nonmonotonic behavior for the surface interactions of carbonates (calcite and Mg-calcite) with organic acids is reported. Applying a bioinspired approach, Mg-calcite sensors via amorphous precursors, avoiding any preconditioning with functional groups are synthesized. A quartz crystal microbalance is used to study the mass changes of the mineral on contact with organic acids under varying ionic conditions, temperatures, and flow velocities. Supported by confocal Raman microscopy and potentiometric titrations, nonmonotonous mass developments are found as a function of Ca²⁺ concentration and flowrate, and attributed to three coupled chemical reactions: i) carbonate dissolution via Ca²⁺ ion complexation with organic molecules, and the formation of organo-calcium compounds as ii) a surface phase at the mineral–water interface, and iii) particles in the bulk fluid. These processes depend on local ion contents and the precipitation onset (i.e., saturation index) of organo-calcium salts, both of which substantially differ in the bulk fluid and in the fluid boundary layer at mineral interfaces. This continuum between dissolution and precipitation provides a conceptual framework to address reactions at mineral interfacial across disciplines including biomineralization, ocean acidification and reservoir geochemistry.     

Highly disordered ionic distribution in α-dicalcium silicate for structure relaxation

Dicalcium silicate, which is found in steelmaking slag for dephosphorization, exists as the hexagonal α phase at high temperatures. The α-dicalcium silicate forms a solid solution with tricalcium phosphate in the entire composition range, although the reason for high solubility of phosphorus remains unclear in view of the crystal structure. It has previously been reported that the crystal structure of α-dicalcium silicate consists of a symmetric arrangement of Ca²⁺ ions and SiO₄⁴⁻ tetrahedra, although other polymorphs exhibit asymmetric arrangements. However, because the occupation probability of each atomic site in the α polymorph is not limited to unity, it has not been qualified how these ions are exactly arranged. In this study, the ionic distribution in the α polymorph of dicalcium silicate was evaluated by first-principles calculation based on density functional theory (DFT), as well as by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with a polarizable ion model optimized by DFT calculation. The results indicated that the completely symmetric ionic arrangement, as reported for the α phase, is the most unstable. Electronic-state calculation and MD simulation indicated that a highly disordered ionic arrangement spontaneously forms in the α-phase crystal for structure relaxation when held at high temperatures, or when phosphorus is incorporated.     

Multi-Functional Black Bioactive Glasses Prepared via Containerless Melting Process for Tumor Therapy and Tissue Regeneration

Tissue regeneration in complex lesions such as the site of tumors, bacterial infection, and sites lacking blood vessels, has been a huge challenge. Therefore, developing bioactive implantable materials with multi-functional properties such as tumor destruction, bacteria growth inhibition, and angiogenesis promotion is of great significance. In this study, black CaO-SiO₂-TiO₂ (CST) glasses are prepared through the containerless melting approach, by which heterogeneous nucleation can be avoided and thereby glass formation becomes possible via fast quenching. This approach enables the formation of trivalent titanium (Ti³⁺) without using a reducing atmosphere or reducing agents. The black CST glasses are found in this study to possess a strong ability to inhibit bacteria and tumors by their excellent photothermal and photocatalytic effects. Strikingly, these glasses also promote the formation of blood vessels and accelerate the healing of chronic wounds by the synergistic effects of the photothermal effect and Si ions. Thus, this glass system can be a promising multi-functional material for tissue regeneration in complex lesions.