A new approach to obtain mesoporous-activated carbon via hydrothermal carbonization of Brazilian Cerrado biomass combined with physical activation for bisphenol-A removal

Abstract

The worrying hydric crisis and the increasing water contamination by emerging pollutants around the world stimulate the development of activated carbons (AC) for the removal of endocrine disruptors, including bisphenol-A (BPA). For this reason, a new approach for the synthesis of AC from hydrochar produced through hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of Brazilian Cerrado biomass (Magonia pubescens–Sapindaceae) and physical activation using water vapor is highlighted. Compared to the traditional method of physical activation after pyrolysis, HTC was found to be better option to develop the specific surface area, porosity, and yield of the ACs, which presented mesoporous structure and carbon content higher than 80%. The BPA adsorption was evaluated by varying the contact time, BPA concentration, and pH. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and Redlich–Peterson isotherms were used to model the adsorption behavior. In the preliminary test to verify the adsorption efficiency, the AC obtained from hydrochar treated at 180?°C presented better results compared to commercial AC. The BPA adsorption data of the best treated hydrochar correlated well with the pseudo first-order model and the Langmuir isotherm (Q_max = 21.26?mg g^?1). The results of the studies indicated the combination of HTC and physical activation with steam to be an efficient way to prepare an ecologically sound adsorbent for removal of Bisphenol-A from water with lower temperature and without chemical reagents. The ACs obtained can also be potential materials for other applications, such as in the field of catalysis and environmental remediation.     

Polypropylene composites reinforced with untreated and chemically treated coir: Effect of the presence of compatibilizer

The effect of coir surface modification on the compatibility of polypropylene (PP)/coir fiber (CF) composites, in the presence and absence of compatibilizer (maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene, PP‐g‐MA) was assessed. Chemical pulping of the fibers was performed with 2, 4, 8, and 12% NaOH solutions for a period of 2 h at (100 ± 4)°C. Pressed composite samples were subjected to tensile testing, scanning electron (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Lignin and holocellulose concentrations of untreated and treated coir were determined. Pulping resulted in increased tensile strength of the composites containing coir treated with up to 2% NaOH, due to increased fiber roughness as evidenced by AFM. This property decreased when higher NaOH concentrations were used, likely due to increased deterioration of coir. The presence of compatibilizer in the PP composites containing treated coir altered adhesion due to chemical changes of the fiber surface. At high NaOH concentrations increased delignification and therefore increased exposure of hydroxyls favors reaction between the fiber hydroxyls and the carboxyl acids of the hydrolyzed maleic anhydride, present in the composites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2050–2057, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

PLLA–silver nanoparticles bionanocomposite membranes: Preparation,antibacterial activity,and in vitro hydrolytic degradation assessment

Silver nanoparticles (AgNp) were synthesized in aqueous phase and transferred to chloroform using a fatty amine as phase transfer agent. Poly(l -lactic acid) (PLLA) membranes were prepared using the “functionalized” chloroform. The amount of AgNp in the chloroform was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the membranes. A decrease of the thermal stability of the membranes was observed upon the addition of AgNp; meanwhile, the polymer crystallinity degree increased, making the membranes more fragile and brittle. The in vitro degradation assessments of the membranes in artificial saliva suggested that the time necessary to degrade the PLLA reduced by raising the concentration of the nanostructures. Additionally, the antibacterial assays demonstrated that the addition of only 13 ppm of AgNp were enough to inhibit the formation of biofilm over the bionanocomposite membranes. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47998.     

Carbon nanotubes interacting with vitamins: First principles calculations

Electronic and structural properties of carbon nanotubes interacting with vitamins C and B3 radicals are analyzed through the density functional theory. The radical adsorptions result in modifications on the structural and electronic properties of the original carbon nanotubes. The strong adsorptions resulting from the combination of the carbon nanotubes with ascorbic acid and nicotinamide allow the manipulation of the resulting systems in a stable way. These results are extremely relevant in order to identify the potential applications of functionalized carbon nanotubes as drug delivery systems or molecule sensors.     

Structure-activity relationship in water-gas shift reaction over gold catalysts supported on Y-doped ceria

The utilization of pure hydrogen as an energy source in fuel cells gave rise to renewed interest in developing active and stable water-gas shift catalysts. Gold catalysts have proven to be very efficient for water-gas shift reaction at low temperature. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of:(i) different preparation methods(impregnation and coprecipitation) to obtain a modified ceria support,and(ii) the amount of Y_2 O_3(1.0 wt%, 2.5 wt%, 5.0 wt% and 7.5 wt%) as dopant on the water-gas shift activity of Au/CeO_2 catalysts. An extended characterization by means of S_(BET), XRD, HRTEM/HAADF, FTIR,H_2-TPR and CO-TPR measurements in combination with careful evaluation of the catalyst behavior allowed to shed light on the parameters governing the water-gas shift activity. The catalysts show very high activity(90% CO conversion) in the temperature range 180-220 ℃,with a slightly better performance of the gold catalysts on supports prepared by impregnation. The decreased activity with increasing Y_2 O_3 concentration is related to the hindering of oxygen mobility due to ordering of surface oxygen vacancies in vicinity of segregated Y~(3+). The effect of catalyst pre-treatments and the stability of the best performing samples were examined as well.     

Development of a fast multiresidue method for the determination of pesticides in dry samples (wheat grains,flour and bran) using QuEChERS based method and GC–MS

In this study a multiresidue method for the determination of 24 pesticides in wheat, white flour and bran using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionisation and selected ion monitoring (GC–MS (NCI–SIM)) was developed and validated. The QuEChERS method was used for the extraction of different pesticides. The method was validated evaluating the following parameters: linearity, limit of detention, limit of quantification, matrix effect as well as precision and accuracy, evaluating the percentage of recovery at four different spike levels. The linear range used in the calibration curves was from 1.0 to 100 μg L⁻¹ for wheat and 2.0 to 200 μg L⁻¹ for flour and bran, both with values of r² > 0.99. The recoveries had been considered satisfactory presenting values between 70% and 120% with RSD < 20% for the majority of compounds.     

1H MR spectroscopic imaging with short and long echo time to discriminate glycine in glial tumours

OBJECT: To investigate glycine (Gly) concentrations in low- and high-grade gliomas based on (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) with short and long echo time (TE). Myoinositol (MI) and Gly appear at the same resonance frequency of 3.56 ppm, but due to strong coupling the MI signal dephases more rapidly. Therefore, their contribution to the 3.56 ppm signal should be distinguishable comparing MRSI data acquired at short and long TE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: (1)H MRSI (TE = 30 and 144 ms) was performed at 3 T in 29 patients with histopathological confirmed World Health Organization (WHO) grade II-IV gliomas and in FIVE healthy subjects. All spectra from the gliomas revealed increase of the 3.56 ppm resonance in the short TE spectra. Signal intensities of Gly and MI were differentiated either by analysing the short to long TE ratio of the resonance or by performing a weighted difference. Gly concentrations were compared between high-grade (WHO III-IV) and low-grade gliomas. RESULTS: High-grade gliomas showed significantly higher Gly concentrations compared to low-grade gliomas. CONCLUSION: Appropriate data processing of short and long TE (1)H MRSI provides a tool to distinguish and to quantify Gly and MI concentrations in gliomas. As Gly seems to be a marker of malignancy, more dedicated spectroscopic methods to differentiate these metabolites are justified.     

Growth and carcass characteristics of pasture fed LHRH immunocastrated, castrated and intact Bos indicus bulls

The effectiveness of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) fusion protein vaccine or surgical castration, at two years of age, on growth and carcass characteristics of Bos indicus bulls was evaluated. Seventy Nelore-cross bulls were divided into three groups: (1) immunized, (2) castrated and (3) intact control. At slaughter (three years of age), intact bulls had higher body weights, ADG, carcass weights, and muscle percentage compared to immunized and surgically castrated animals. Both castrated and immunized animals had greater marbling and percent carcass fat than the intact bulls. Average tenderness scores were inferior for intact bulls compared to immunized and castrated animals, but these differences were not significant (P>0.05). Juiciness, flavor, thawing, nor cooking losses differed significantly among the three groups. Immunocastration was effective in producing carcass traits similar to that of surgical castration. Therefore, immunization with LHRH fusion proteins appears to have practical utility in the management and castration of grazing bulls.