Search Results (16)

Obtaining high-purity ⁹⁰Sr is crucial because it is the parent radionuclide of the ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y generator. However, ⁹⁰Sr products recovered from high-level liquid waste (HLLW) often fail to meet the stringent purity requirements. This necessitates the development of a novel extraction system that can seamlessly connect with existing separation processes to achieve the required purity level. A novel diglycolamide (DGA) ligand was designed and synthesized. The distribution ratios (D) of several traditional organic diluents and ionic liquids (ILs) as diluents were compared under the same experimental conditions; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide ([C₄mim][NTf₂]) was chosen as the optimal diluent. The HNO₃ concentration, ligand concentration, [C₄mim]⁺ concentration, etc., were assessed. The extraction mechanism was confirmed to ensure that the extraction proceeded mainly via the [C₄mim]⁺ and H⁺ exchange mechanisms. Slope analysis and the ESI-MS results revealed that the novel ligand N,N-diphenyl-N′,N′-dibutyl diglycolamide (DPDBDGA, L) in [C₄mim][NTf₂] formed a 1:3 complex with Sr²⁺. The experiments on Sr²⁺ indicated that it can be recovered completely with 1 M mineral acid within two stages. Furthermore, we predicted that the novel DGA ligand would provide a good extraction capacity for Sr²⁺ in dilute nitric acid in the [C₄mim][NTf₂] system. This system can be linked to the separation process of extracting Sr²⁺ from HLLW using N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl-diglycolamide (TODGA) or crown ethers as extractants. Consequently, high-purity ⁹⁰Sr products can be obtained. Full article

Environmental pollutants are persistent chemicals that pose substantial risks to human health, contributing to global mortality and economic burden. In real-world situations, exposure rarely occurs to single compounds; instead, people are chronically exposed to complex mixtures at low concentrations. However, most regulatory frameworks still rely on single-substance risk assessments, potentially underestimating the hazards associated with combined exposures. This study investigated the cytotoxic interactions of binary mixtures of five environmentally relevant pollutants: bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), using the human lymphoblast cell line NALM-6. Cells were exposed for 72 h to each compound individually and to all possible binary combinations, reflecting concentrations reported in human plasma or serum. Cell viability was assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and interactions were analyzed using the Bliss model of independence and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Intracellular reactive oxygen species were measured using the 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) probe to explore the involvement of oxidative stress. Synergistic interactions were observed under specific conditions, although not all statistically identified interactions corresponded to biologically significant effects. The BPA-DBP combination produced the highest cytotoxicity when both pollutants were present at 100 nM (31%), consistent with a strong synergistic effect. A similar pattern was observed for BADGE-BPA. ROS production was partially associated with cytotoxicity in these selected mixtures. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of distinguishing statistical synergy from toxicological relevance. Full article

Cnidium monnieri is a valuable functional plant with significant potential for green pest control. However, its large-scale application is limited by its low and uneven seed germination in fields. To determine the factors that affect the germination of C. monnieri seeds, we examined its seed viability, germination percentage and germination speed index (GSI) after seed-coat treatments, water permeability, and the types and activity of endogenous inhibitory substances in C. monnieri seeds. The results indicated that the seed viability of C. monnieri is 95%, but the germination percentage was relatively low (12.60%). Seed coat removal significantly enhanced both the germination percentage and the GSI, but had no significant effect on water absorption rate. Moreover, ethyl acetate extracts completely inhibited the seed germination of the control non-dormant Brassica rapa subsp. rapa, while diethyl ether extracts showed moderate suppression, and petroleum ether extracts exhibited the weakest effect. And the three endogenous inhibitory substances, i.e., dibutyl phthalate, 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol significantly reduced the seed germination, seedling height and root length of B. rapa, indicating their high inhibitory efficiency on seed germination. Our study demonstrates that the mechanical barrier of the seed coat and the presence of potent endogenous germination inhibitory substances are the key factors influencing the germination of C. monnieri seeds. These findings provide a theoretical basis for promoting seed germination of C. monnieri, which enhance its application value as functional plant for green pest control. Full article

In chemical reaction processes, yield prediction frequently faces challenges, such as multi-variable coupling, significant nonlinearity, and the limited accuracy of traditional mechanistic models. This study develops a datadriven prediction model that integrates the genetic algorithm (GA) with CatBoost to address these challenges. Four variables, including reactant ratio (n-butanol to trioxane), reaction temperature, reaction time, and catalyst concentration, were selected as model inputs based on 88 sets of experimental data. The model outputs focused on the yield of polymethoxy dibutyl ether with a polymerization degree of 1 (BTPOM₁) and the total yield of polymethoxy dibutyl ether with polymerization degrees of 1 to 8 (BTPOM_1–8). The model achieved automatic optimization of CatBoost on hyperparameters by combining a hybrid-coding genetic algorithm. The results demonstrated that the GACatBoost model significantly outperformed GAAdaBoost for both datasets: for BTPOM₁, it reduced the mean squared error (MSE) by 50.1%, mean absolute error (MAE) by 40.6%, and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) by 17.8% relative to GAAdaBoost. For BTPOM_1–8, the reductions were more pronounced, with MSE decreasing by 54.0%, MAE by 45.0%, and MAPE by 33.8% compared to GAAdaBoost. Additionally, the GACatBoost model significantly outperformed three classical machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest (RF), and KNearest Neighbor (KNN). Feature importance analysis revealed that reaction time and reaction temperature are the key factors influencing BTPOM_n yield. This research provides a feasible approach for accurate synthesis yield prediction and process optimization under small sample conditions. It is particularly valuable for early-stage laboratory research where experimental data is often limited. Full article

A major objective in recent years has been the use of membrane sensors for the purpose of monitoring and recognizing environmental pollutants in pharmaceuticals. Ketoprofen (KTP) is likely to be found in the environment, particularly in surface water bodies like rivers, because of its extensive use in medicine. The photodegradability of KTP and the prolonged exposure of river water to sunlight may facilitate its photodegradation. To measure KTP along with its main photo-degradation products, three membrane electrodes were fabricated using different plasticizers. Dioctyl phthalate (DOP), dibutyl sebacate (DBS), and o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (o-NPOE) membrane electrodes were constructed for the selective analysis of the investigated medication. The fabricated sensors were prepared using tetraoctyl ammonium chloride as an ion-pairing agent. A linear range of 1 × 10⁻⁵ M to 1 × 10⁻¹ M was shown by the electrodes. The slopes (in mV/decade) for the DOP, DBS, and o-NPOE membranes were −58.80 ± 0.90, −57.90 ± 0.80, and −56.80 ± 1.10, respectively. All test parameters were refined to enhance electrochemical performance. The synthesized membranes were successfully utilized to accurately measure KTP amidst its primary photodegradants. The fabricated sensors were effectively utilized to measure KTP in river water samples without requiring pre-treatment processes. Full article

Improving the low-temperature performance of lithium-ion batteries is critical for their widespread adoption in cold environments. In this study, we designed a novel LHCE featuring a solvent polarity gradient, designed to maximize both room- and low-temperature ion mobility. Extremely polar fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) and low-freezing-point, −135 °C, non-polar nonaflurobutyl methyl ether (NONA) were supplemented by two intermediate solvents with incremental step-downs in polarity. The intermediate solvents consist of methyl (2,2,2-triflooethyl) carbonate (FEMC) and either diethylene carbonate (DEC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), or dibutyl carbonate (DBC). The four solvents were combined with 1 M lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide (LiFSI) salt and were able to accommodate 37.5% diluent volume, resulting in ultra-low electrolyte freezing points below −120 °C. This contrasts with our previously investigated three-solvent LHCE, which only allowed for a 14% diluent volume and a −85 °C freezing point. Localized high salt concentrations were shown by less than 3% of FSI- anions being free in solution. The gradient LHCEs also showed room-temperature ionic conductivities above 10–3 S/cm and maintained high ion mobility below −40 °C. Lithium metal coin cells with LiFePO4 (LFP) cathodes featuring the gradient LHCEs, a reference three-solvent LHCE, and commercial (1 M LiPF6 in 1:1 EC:DEC) electrolyte were constructed. All gradient LHCEs outperformed both the three-solvent and commercial electrolytes at all temperatures, with the DEC-based gradient LHCE showing the best performance of 159.7 mAh/g at 25 °C and 109.2 mAh/g at −50 °C, corresponding to a 68% capacity retention. These findings highlight the potential of LHCE systems to improve battery performance in low-temperature environments and propose a new gradient design strategy for electrolytes to yield advantages of both polar and weakly polar solvents. Full article

Environmental contamination with xenobiotics affects organisms and the symbiotic relations between them. A convenient object to study relationships between parasites and their hosts is the host–parasite system “Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)—Gregarina polymorpha (Hammerschmidt, 1838) Stein, 1848 (Eugregarinorida, Gregarinidae)”. For this experiment, we took 390 T. molitor larvae and 24 organic compounds. Groups of mealworms, 15 in each, were subjected to those compounds for 10 days. Then, we recorded the vitality of both the larvae of T. molitor and G. polymorpha. To assess how G. polymorpha had affected the hosts’ wellbeing, we looked for changes in the larvae’s body mass and compared them to the number of gregarines in their intestines. The vitality of the larvae was inhibited by cyclopentanol and 2-naphthol. The intensity of gregarine invasion was reduced by diphenyl ether, benzyl alcohol, catechol, and 3-aminobenzoic acid. No effect on the number of gregarines was produced by 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, cyclohexanemethanol, phenol, benzalkonium chloride, maleic anhydride, cyclohexanol, resorcin, benzoic acid, 2-methylfuran, terpinen-4-ol, 1-phenylethylamine, dibutyl phthalate, 3-furancarboxylic acid, 5-methyl furfural, 6-aminohexanoic acid, succinic anhydride, o-xylene, and benzaldehyde. In the infected T. molitor individuals, the mean number of G. polymorpha equaled 45 specimens per host. The groups of smaller mealworms had fewer gregarines. Positive correlation was seen between growth rates of T. molitor larvae and the intensity of invasion by gregarines. Full article

Nitraria roborowskii Kom. seeds have deep dormancy characteristics. Under natural conditions, the germination rate of the seeds is low, and the germination time is long. Therefore, exploring the reasons for seed dormancy is highly important. The results showed that the extracts of the methanol phase, ethyl acetate phase, petroleum ether phase and water phase of N. roborowskii seeds all had a significant inhibitory effect on the germination rate and germination index of Brassica rapa seeds, among which the extract of the methanol phase had the strongest inhibitory effect, and the inhibitory effect decreased in the following order from the strongest to the weakest: methanol phase > ethyl acetate phase > petroleum ether phase > water phase. The components of the methanol phase, ethyl acetate phase and petroleum ether phase ether extracts of N. roborowskii seeds were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The experimental results showed that the organic phase extracts of N. roborowskii seeds contained a variety of inhibitory compounds, which included 4H-pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-dibutyl phthalate; 4-((1E)-3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxyphenol; 13-docosenamide, (Z)-; 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid; vanillin; 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol; and cyclohexane, ethyl-. The seeds of N. roborowskii contain a variety of endogenous inhibitors, which are the main reason for its seed dormancy. Full article

High-quality perovskite thin films are typically produced via solvent engineering, which results in efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Nevertheless, the use of hazardous solvents like precursor solvents (N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide (DMF), gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)) and antisolvents (chlorobenzene (CB), dibutyl ether (DEE), diethyl ether (Et₂O), etc.) is crucial to the preparation of perovskite solutions and the control of perovskite thin film crystallization. The consumption of hazardous solvents poses an imminent threat to both the health of manufacturers and the environment. Consequently, before PSCs are commercialized, the current concerns about the toxicity of solvents must be addressed. In this study, we fabricated highly efficient planar PSCs using a novel, environmentally friendly method. Initially, we employed a greener solvent engineering approach that substituted the hazardous precursor solvents with an environmentally friendly solvent called triethyl phosphate (TEP). In the following stage, we fabricated perovskite thin films without the use of an antisolvent by employing a two-step procedure. Of all the greener techniques used to fabricate PSCs, the FTO/SnO₂/MAFAPbI₃/spiro-OMeTAD planar device configuration yielded the highest PCE of 20.98%. Therefore, this work addresses the toxicity of the solvents used in the perovskite film fabrication procedure and provides a promising universal method for producing PSCs with high efficiency. The aforementioned environmentally friendly approach might allow for PSC fabrication on an industrial scale in the future under sustainable conditions. Full article

In this paper, an equimolar blend of bisphenol A dipropargyl ether and cyanate ester was selected to study the effect of different catalysts on the curing reaction of a bisphenol A dipropargyl ether and cyanate ester blended resin system, and the thermal stability and mechanical properties of the catalytically cured blended resin system were investigated. Acetylacetone salts of transition metals and dibutyl ditin laurate reduced the curing temperature of bisphenol AF-type di cyanate ester, and copper acetylacetonate at a mass fraction of 0.3% significantly reduced the curing temperature of bisphenol AF-type di cyanate ester to less than 473 K. Bisphenol A dipropargyl ether pr-polymerized and equimolarly blended with bisphenol A di cyanate ester and bisphenol E-type di cyanate ester also cured below 473 K under the same conditions. Among the cured compounds of the blended resins of bisphenol A dipropargyl ether with bisphenol AF-type di cyanate ester, bisphenol A-type di cyanate ester and bisphenol E-type di cyanate ester, the blended resins of bisphenol A-type di cyanate ester and bisphenol E-type di cyanate ester have better overall performance. The residual rate of 873 K in air was 38%, and the flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength were 129.4 MPa, 4.3 GPa, and 27.3 kJ·m⁻², respectively. This kind of blended resin is expected to be used in the liquid oxygen storage tanks of rockets. Full article

Many chemically synthesized xenobiotics can significantly inhibit the vitality of parasitic nematodes. However, there is yet too little research on the toxicity of such contaminating compounds toward nematodes. Compounds that are present in plants are able to inhibit the vitality of parasitic organisms as well. According to the results of our laboratory studies of toxicity, the following xenobiotics caused no decrease in the vitality of the larvae of Strongyloides papillosus and Haemonchus contortus: methanol, propan-2-ol, propylene glycol-1,2, octadecanol-1, 4-methyl-2-pen-tanol, 2-ethoxyethanol, butyl glycol, 2-pentanone, cyclopentanol, ortho-dimethylbenzene, dibutyl phthalate, succinic anhydride, 2-methylfuran, 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole. Strong toxicity towards the nematode larvae was exerted by glutaraldehyde, 1,4-diethyl 2-methyl-3-oxobutanedioate, hexylamine, diethyl malonate, allyl acetoacetate, tert butyl carboxylic acid, butyl acrylate, 3-methyl-2-butanone, isobutyraldehyde, methyl acetoacetate, ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl pyruvate, 3-methylbutanal, cyclohexanol, cyclooctanone, phenol, pyrocatechin, resorcinol, naphthol-2, phenyl ether, piperonyl alcohol, 3-furoic acid, maleic anhydrid, 5-methylfurfural, thioacetic acid, butan-1-amine, dimethylformamide, 1-phenylethan-1-amine, 3-aminobenzoic acid. Widespread natural compounds (phytol, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, maleic acid, oleic acid, hydroquinone, gallic acid-1-hydrate, taurine, 6-aminocaproic acid, glutamic acid, carnitine, ornithine monohydrochloride) had no negative effect on the larvae of S. papillosus and H. contortus. A powerful decrease in the vitality of nematode larvae was produced by 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, isovaleric acid, glycolic acid, 2-oxopentanedioic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, anisole, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, furfuryl alcohol. The results of our studies allow us to consider 28 of the 62 compounds we studied as promising for further research on anti-nematode activity in manufacturing conditions. Full article

This review provides in-depth coverage of numerous mechanisms available for the etherification process of glycerol, including alcohol solvent, olefin solvent and solvent-free routes along with products that are formed at various stages of the reaction. Mono tert-butyl glycerol ether (MTBG), di tert-butyl glycerol ether (DTBG), and tri tert-butyl glycerol ether (TTBG) are the three general ether compounds obtained through tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) etherification. Glycerol etherification with n-butanol results in the formation of glycerol ether products that are linked to the substituted butyl groups. These products include two mono-butyl glycerol ethers, two di-butyl glycerol ethers and a tri-butyl glycerol ether. Two mono-benzyl glycerol ether isomers, two di-benzyl glycerol ether isomers and tri-benzyl glycerol ether are the most reported results when benzyl alcohol is used as a solvent in the etherification reaction. The etherification of glycerol with 1-butene involves a series of equilibrium reactions to produce mono-ethers, di-ethers, and tri-ethers, whereas the etherification of glycerol with isobutene is carried out via tert-butylation of glycerol, yielding similar glycerol ether products when TBA is used as a solvent. As the by-product may be easily removed, the solvent-free glycerol etherification approach may have several advantages over the other conventional methods. Therefore, further studies on base-catalyzed glycerol etherification that employs a solvent-free reaction route may reveal a method for improving the conversion, selectivity, and yield of reaction products. This review study is crucial in improving knowledge of numerous mechanisms and how they relate to the effectiveness of the product’s catalytic process. Full article

A polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) composed of 50 wt% base polymer poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), 40 wt% extractant Aliquat^® 336, and 10 wt% dibutyl phthalate as plasticizer/modifier provided the efficient extraction of vanadium(V) (initial concentration 50 mg L⁻¹) from 0.1 M sulfate solutions (pH 2.5). The average mass and thickness of the PIMs (diameter 3.5 cm) were 0.057 g and 46 μm, respectively. It was suggested that V(V) was extracted as VO₂SO₄⁻ via an anion exchange mechanism. The maximum PIM capacity was estimated to be ~56 mg of V(V)/g for the PIM. Quantitative back-extraction was achieved with a 50 mL solution of 6 M H₂SO₄/1 v/v% of H₂O₂. It was assumed that the back-extraction process involved the oxidation of VO₂⁺ to VO(O₂)⁺ by H₂O₂. The newly developed PIM, with the optimized composition mentioned above, exhibited an excellent selectivity for V(V) in the presence of metallic species present in digests of spent alumina hydrodesulfurization catalysts. Co-extraction of Mo(VI) with V(V) was eliminated by its selective extraction at pH 1.1. Characterization of the optimized PIM was performed by contact angle measurements, atomic-force microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis/derivatives thermogravimetric analysis and stress–strain measurements. Replacement of dibutyl phthalate with 2-nitrophenyloctyl ether improved the stability of the studied PIMs. Full article

Surfactant liquid-membrane type sensors are usually made of a PVC, ionophore and a plasticizer. Plasticizers soften the PVC. Due to their lipophilicity, they influence the ion exchange across the membrane, ionophore solubility, membrane resistance and, consequently, the analytical signal. We used the DMI-TPB as an ionophore, six different plasticizers [2-nitrophenyl-octyl-ether (P1), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (P2), bis(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate (P3), 2-nitrophenyl phenyl ether (P4), dibutyl phthalate (P5) and dibutyl sebacate (P6)] and a PVC to produce ionic surfactant sensors. Sensor formulation with P1 showed the best potentiometric response to four usually used cationic surfactant, with the lowest LOD, 7 × 10⁻⁷ M; and potentiometric titration curves with well-defined and sharp inflexion points. The sensor with P6 showed the lowest analytical performances. Surfactant sensor with P1 was selected for quantification of cationic surfactant in model solutions and commercial samples of disinfectants and antiseptics. It showed high accuracy and precision in all determinations, with recovery from 98.2 to 99.6, and good agreement with the results obtained with surfactant sensor used as a referent one, and a standard two-phase titration method. RDS values were lower than 0.5% for all determinations. Full article

The etherification of glycerol with tert-butyl alcohol in the presence of acid catalysts gives rise to the production of ethers (monoethers, diethers and triethers) of high added-value, which can be used as oxygenated additives in fuels. This reaction is limited by the thermodynamic equilibrium, which can be modified by the addition of solvents that selectively solubilize the products of interest along with tert-butyl alcohol, leading to the progress of the reaction. In this work, it has been demonstrated that the addition of dibutyl ether allows shifting the reaction equilibrium, increasing the production of diethers. From the study of the main operating conditions, it was determined that an increase in the concentration of the solvent has a positive effect on the selectivity towards the production of diethers, the concentration of the catalyst (a commercial ion exchange resin, Amberlyst 15, named A-15) and the reaction temperature were also determining variables. Working with concentrations of tert-butyl alcohol above the stoichiometric one did not report great advantages. The optimal operating conditions to maximize the conversion of glycerol and the selectivity towards diethers were: 70 °C, 20% catalyst (referred to the total starting mass of the system), the stoichiometric ratio of glycerol:tert-butyl alcohol (G:TB = 1:3) and 1:2 molar ratio of dibutyl ether:tert-butyl alcohol. A study of three consecutive reaction cycles showed the high stability of the catalyst, obtaining identical results. Full article