Perfectly Wetting Mixtures of Surfactants from Renewable Resources: The Interaction and Synergistic Effects on Adsorption and Micellization

This paper presents a study of the surface properties of mixtures of surfactants originating from renewable sources, i.e., alkylpolyglucoside (APG), ethoxylated fatty alcohol (AE), and sodium soap (Na soap). The main objective was to optimize the surfactant ratio which produces the highest wetting properties during the analysis of the solution of the individual surfactants, two- and three-component mixtures, and at different pH values. The results showed the existence of a synergistic effect in lowering the interfacial tension, critical micelle concentration and the formation of mixed micelles in selected solutions. We found that best wetting properties were measured for the binary AE:APG mixtures. It has been demonstrated that slightly lower contact angles values were observed on Teflon and glass surfaces for the AE:APG:soap mixtures but the results were obtained for higher concentration of the components. In addition, all studied solutions have very good surface properties in acidic, basic and neural media. However, the AE:soap (molar ratio of 1:2), AE:APG (2:1) and AE:APG:soap (1:1:1) compositions improved their wetting power at pH 7 on the aluminium and glass surfaces, as compared to solutions at other pH values tested (selected Θ values close to zero—perfectly wetting liquids). All described effects detected would allow less surfactant to be used to achieve the maximum capacity of washing, wetting or solubilizing while minimizing costs and demonstrating environmental care.     

Chemical Composition of Seed Oils Recovered from Different Pear (Pyrus communis L.) Cultivars

Lipophilic bioactive compounds in oils recovered from the seeds of eight pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivars were studied. Oil yield in pear seeds ranged between 16.3 and 31.5 % (w/w) dw. The main fatty acids were palmitic acid (6.13–8.52 %), oleic acid (27.39–38.17 %) and linoleic acid (50.73–63.78 %), all three representing 96–99 % of the total detected fatty acids. The range of total tocochromanols was between 120.5 and 216.1 mg/100 g of oil. Independent of the cultivar, the γ‐tocopherol was the main tocochromanol and constituted approximately 88 %. The contents of the carotenoids and squalene were between 0.69–2.99 and 25.5–40.8 mg/100 g of oil, respectively. The β‐sitosterol constituted 83.4–87.6 % of total sterols contents, which ranged between 276.4 and 600.1 mg/100 g of oil. Three significant correlations were found between oil yield and total contents of sterols (r = ?0.893), tocochromanols (r = ?0.955) and carotenoids (r = ?0.685) in pear seed oils.     

New lake district in Europe: origin and hydrochemical characteristics

This article presents a new lake district in Southern Poland created as a result of human activity in the Upper Silesian region. The area has been named the Upper Silesian Anthropogenic Lake District. The lake density of the Lake District as delineated by the authors (with an area of 6766 km²) is 2.74%. It includes 4773 water bodies of various origins – reservoirs retained by dams, flooded mineral workings, water bodies formed in subsidence basins and hollows, levee ponds, residual water bodies following river regulation and other water bodies. These are located in urban‐industrial, rural‐agricultural or quasi‐natural areas. The hydrochemical diversity of water bodies is conditioned by their origin, location in the catchment and function. Studies have shown the widespread occurrence of eutrophication processes in limnic waters within the Lake District. The diverse origin and hydrochemical properties of water bodies within the Upper Silesian Anthropogenic Lake District make it special among other anthropogenic lake districts.     

Assessment of the hydromorphological state of Carpathian rivers above and below reservoirs

The article presents the results of an assessment of the hydromorphological state of selected Carpathian rivers in sections above and below the reservoirs. An attempt has also been made to assess the impact of reservoirs on the hydromorphological conditions and quality of river habitats. The research was based on the River Habitat Survey (RHS) method. The synthetic indices Habitat Quality Assessment (HQA) and Habitat Modification Score (HMS) were calculated on the basis of the gathered data for each section studied; this allowed the hydromorphological qualities of the rivers to be assessed numerically. The reservoirs interrupt river continuum, and they alter different biotic and abiotic elements of natural environment. However, this study has shown that the operation of reservoirs does not always negatively impact the hydromorphological conditions of rivers that reflect their habitat quality. The influence of reservoirs on a river's hydromorphological state above and below a reservoir's location may be neutral, but it also can improve the habitat conditions of a river.     

Comparison of Two Analytical Methods for Assessing Antioxidant Capacity of Rapeseed and Olive Oils

The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods were used for the determination of antioxidant capacities (AC) of rapeseed oils at different steps of technological process and olive oils. The mean ORAC and FRAP results obtained for rapeseed oils (1,106–160 and 552–95.6 μmol TE/100 g) were higher than for olive oils (949–123 and 167–32.1 μmol TE/100 g). Although, FRAP values were lower than ORAC values for all studied oils, there is a linear and significant correlation between these two analytical methods (r = 0.9665 and 0.9298, P < 0.0005) for rapeseed and olive oils, respectively). Also, total phenolic compounds in rapeseed oils and olives correlated with antioxidant capacities (correlation coefficient ranged between 0.9470 and 0.8049). The refining process of rapeseed oils decreased the total phenolics content and antioxidant capacities by about 80%.     

Properties of Light MMCs Modified with Cordierite Synthesized from Fly Ash

This paper presents novel opportunities for management of fly ash by synthesizing the material into cordierite ceramics and using it as a reinforcing phase for light metal alloys. Metal matrix composites (based on magnesium alloy and aluminum alloy) were produced by squeeze casting. The magnesium matrix composites with a suitably selected reinforcing phase content (2 wt.%) exhibited much better strength properties than the unmodified alloy (AM60). It was also demonstrated that the wettability (or the lack thereof) in the metal-ceramic system is critical to successful production of the composites based on the AK7 alloy with cordierite. Light alloy matrix composites reinforced with cordierite ceramics particles are innovative materials that combine high strength with low weight, which may be a key factor of merit for numerous applications of the composite in various branches of industries.     

Synthesis of Novel Phosphonic‐Type Activity‐Based Probes for Neutrophil Serine Proteases and Their Application in Spleen Lysates of Different Organisms

Neutrophils are a type of granulocyte important in the “first line of defense” of the innate immune system. Upon activation, they facilitate the destruction of invading microorganisms by the production of superoxide radicals, as well as the release of the enzymatic contents of their lysozymes. These enzymes include specific serine proteases: cathepsin G, neutrophil elastase, proteinase 3, as well as the recently discovered neutrophil serine protease 4 (NSP4). Under normal conditions, the proteolytic activity of neutrophil proteases is tightly regulated by endogenous serpins; however, this mechanism can be subverted during tissue stress, thereby resulting in the uncontrolled activity of serine proteases, which induce chronic inflammation and subsequent pathology. Herein, we describe the development of low‐molecular‐weight activity‐based probes that specifically target the active sites of neutrophil proteases.     

Environmental applications of biosurfactants: recent advances

Increasing public awareness of environmental pollution influences the search and development of technologies that help in clean up of organic and inorganic contaminants such as hydrocarbons and metals. An alternative and eco-friendly method of remediation technology of environments contaminated with these pollutants is the use of biosurfactants and biosurfactant-producing microorganisms. The diversity of biosurfactants makes them an attractive group of compounds for potential use in a wide variety of industrial and biotechnological applications. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of advances in the applications of biosurfactants and biosurfactant-producing microorganisms in hydrocarbon and metal remediation technologies.     

Virgin rapeseed oils obtained from different rape varieties by cold pressed method – their characteristics,properties, and differences

The aim of the present study was to compare different rape varieties. For this purpose oil from six different varieties of rapeseeds was cold pressed under laboratory conditions. In the obtained rapeseed oils the fatty acids composition and minor components, characteristic values (acid value; AV and TOTOX), oxidative stability (DSC test), and volatiles were determined and a sensory evaluation was carried out. The highest oxidative stability was found for oil from sample 5 (IP = 158 min), which also has the lowest amount of C18:3 (7.8%), chlorophylls (0.083 mg/kg), and metals (Cu²⁺ 0.02 mg/kg and Fe²⁺ 0.08 mg/kg). This oil has also the lowest AV (0.17 mg KOH/g), which may be related to the lowest moisture content of the seeds prior to extraction. It was characterized by the highest rapeseed flavor intensity. The lowest induction period was observed for samples 3 and 6 (100 min). Although sample 3 had the same low level of metals as sample 5 and the highest concentration of tocopherols (635 mg/kg), PUFA (33.9%), and AV (1.37 mg KOH/g) it also had the lowest intensity of rapeseed flavor among the analyzed oils. Sample 6, despite its low percentage of PUFA (24.7%), conjugated diens and triens, and the lowest content of total volatiles (0.4Vs), had the highest concentration of metals (Cu²⁺ 0.04 mg/kg and Fe²⁺ 0.34 mg/kg).     

Multi-level Modeling of Silica–Template Interactions During Initial Stages of Zeolite Synthesis

Zeolite synthesis is driven by structure-directing agents, such as tetrapropyl ammonium ions (TPA⁺) for Silicalite-1 and ZSM-5. However, the guiding role of these organic templates in the complex assembly to highly ordered frameworks remains unclear, limiting the prospects for advanced material synthesis. In this work, both static ab initio and dynamic classical modeling techniques are employed to provide insight into the interactions between TPA⁺ and Silicalite-1 precursors. We find that as soon as the typical straight 10-ring channel of Silicalite-1 or ZSM-5 is formed from smaller oligomers, the TPA⁺ template is partially squeezed out of the resulting cavity. Partial retention of the template in the cavity is, however, indispensable to prevent collapse of the channel and subsequent hydrolysis.