Search Results (4,256)

Traditional membrane separation materials suffer from drawbacks such as a high carbon footprint, significant energy consumption, membrane fouling, and the potential for secondary pollution. Under the dual drivers of carbon neutrality and carbon peak strategies, as well as the deepening of environmental governance, low-carbon membrane separation materials have emerged as a pivotal direction for the green transformation of membrane technology, leveraging their core advantages of green raw materials, low-energy preparation, and high application adaptability. This green transition is primarily achieved through the development of green raw materials and preparation processes, the enhancement of separation efficiency, and a reduction in operational energy consumption. Consequently, this review systematically summarizes the low-carbon design principles, key performance metrics, separation mechanisms, catalytic coupling technologies, and the recent application progress of several mainstream types of low-carbon membrane materials. It further identifies current bottlenecks in the research of low-carbon membrane materials such as performance trade-offs, challenges in scalable fabrication, and long-term operational instability. Finally, the review proposes future research directions aimed at developing novel membrane materials that integrate low-carbon attributes, excellent separation performance, and multifunctionality. Full article

Membrane technology demonstrates broad prospects in the field of methane capture and purification due to its high efficiency and low energy consumption characteristics. This paper systematically reviews the research progress in membrane technology for methane separation in recent years, focusing on the design and optimization of membrane material systems, in-depth analysis of mass transfer mechanisms, and practical applications in areas such as biogas upgrading and natural gas decarbonization. Researchers have significantly enhanced membrane separation performance for CO₂/CH₄, CH₄/N₂, and other systems by developing novel material systems such as polymer membranes, inorganic membranes, and mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), combined with strategies like pore structure regulation, interface optimization, and functionalization. Although membrane technology has shown good economic feasibility and application potential in some scenarios, challenges such as long-term material stability, anti-plasticization capability, and large-scale manufacturing remain the main current obstacles. Future research should further focus on the development of novel membrane materials, process integration optimization, and intelligent process control to promote a greater role for membrane technology in the efficient utilization of methane resources and energy structure transformation. Full article

To address the limited selectivity of conventional membrane materials toward sulfonamide antibiotics, this study employed a DFT calculation approach to optimize the design of a molecularly imprinted system for sulfadiazine (SDZ). A hierarchical set of template molecules—aniline (ANL), sulfanilamide (SNM), and SDZ—was introduced to systematically elucidate structure-dependent template–monomer matching mechanisms in sulfonamide imprinting systems. Through rational screening, trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFEMAA) was identified as the optimal functional monomer, with an optimal imprinting molar ratio of 1:4 (SDZ to TFEMAA). Guided by the simulation results, SDZ molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized via precipitation polymerization and systematically characterized for their morphology and recognition properties. The MIPs exhibited a well-defined spherical morphology with abundant imprinted cavities, achieving adsorption equilibrium within 1.5 h. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, indicating a chemisorption-dominated process. Scatchard analysis revealed the presence of both high- and low-affinity binding sites in the MIPs. Selectivity experiments, quantified by distribution coefficients (K_d) and selectivity coefficients (k), demonstrated a significantly higher adsorption capacity for SDZ than for structural analogs and non-analogs. In real water samples, the MIPs outperformed conventional HLB sorbents and showed strong anti-interference capability (RSD < 3%). This work provides a material foundation for developing highly selective SDZ-imprinted membranes and advances the application of molecular imprinting technology in membrane separation systems. Full article

Livestock production systems are considered some of the most environmentally degrading due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their contribution to poor air, soil and water quality, amongst other impacts. Advanced manure treatment technologies are required in response to intensification of dairy production worldwide, and the considerably greater volumes of manure generated that require collection and management. Similarly, in Australian dairy systems cows spend more time off pasture, with increased collection of larger manure volumes from a range of contained housing facilities. Adoption of advanced treatment is required to capture nutrients at risk of loss, and ideally to valorise manure to support uptake of these technologies. This review describes the generation of manure and the manure sources found in commercial Australian systems, including grazing-based and intensive dairy farms, supporting zero grazing. The review draws on manure data from pasture-based industries elsewhere and summarises their properties for comparison with Australian systems. Manure treatments that recover and retain nutrients, water and energy are reviewed. These include additives, mechanical/chemical/membrane separation, thermochemical and biological treatments which produce organic and inorganic soil amendments, clarified or potable water, gases (N₂, H₂), biofuels and energy. The review describes the technical and operational details of the technologies, and where there are opportunities for the Australian dairy industry. Treatment technologies need to be validated for Australian systems based on the collated data of local manure properties, as differences with international manure data have been observed. The relative costs, technological maturity, and the benefits and challenges associated with adoption are discussed. Many advanced technologies are ready for adoption, but others are experimental or at pilot stage and relative costs range from low to very high. However, to accurately assess feasibility of manure treatments, environmental, and production benefits should be balanced against capital and operating expenses and account for costs associated with current management. For large intensive farms, implementing advanced manure technologies may be required to ensure approval to operate/expand and to meet regulatory compliance. Future research for the Australian industry should investigate nutrient retention and further develop separation treatments incorporating chemical and mechanical technologies. Bioconversion of manure through insect composting as well as investigating co-digestion opportunities to enhance biogas production would support famers currently using these systems. Full article

This study investigates the optimization of fabrication and operating parameters for poly(ether sulfone) (PES) ultrafiltration membranes embedded with Bismuth tungstate and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Bi₂WO₆/MWCNTs for the removal of dye pollutants from wastewater. Response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to develop regression models for evaluating membrane performance in terms of dye rejection and permeate flux. A central composite design (CCD) was used to conduct a systematic series of ultrafiltration experiments. The effects of key variables, including Bi₂WO₆/MWCNTs loading (0–0.1 wt.%), operating pressure (5–9) bar, and methyl red (MR) dye concentration (50–150 ppm), on membrane separation performance were comprehensively examined. The developed models demonstrated strong statistical significance and accurately described the experimental data. Optimization results revealed that the operating parameters exerted a more pronounced influence on membrane performance than fabrication variables. The maximum MR rejection of 96.8457% was achieved at an optimal Bi₂WO₆/MWCNTs loading of 0.08 wt.%, dye concentration of 112.6 ppm, and operating pressure of 9 bar. Experimental validation confirmed the reliability and predictive capability of the proposed models. In order to provide high-performance membranes with enhanced permeability, antifouling resistance, and dye removal efficiency for useful wastewater treatment applications, this study attempts to optimize the operating and preparation parameters for adding Bi₂WO₆/MWCNT nanocomposites into PES membranes. Full article

This work investigated the membrane fouling mechanisms during the microfiltration of oat protein–β-glucan complexes. Microfiltration experiments were conducted under various pH conditions, protein-to-polysaccharide ratios, and ionic strengths. The fouling behavior was analyzed using multiple membrane fouling models to systematically elucidate the relationships among the particle characteristics, rheological behaviors, and membrane fouling. When the pH was adjusted to 7.8, the multimodal particle size distribution of the complexes promoted the formation of a loosely structured cake layer on the membrane surface, accompanied by partial obstruction of membrane pore entrances. On the contrary, the complexes, shown as having a monomodal particle size distribution and similar particle size to the membrane pore, formed compact cake layers and strong membrane fouling resistance. At pH 4.8, protein hydrophobic aggregation generated large particulate clusters that formed a loose cake layer during microfiltration, resulting in a decrease in membrane fouling resistance. Increasing the β-glucan content reduced membrane resistance through enhancing steric hindrance and hydrophilicity. This research provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing membrane separation process parameters in the production of diversified oat-based products. Full article

Efficient hydrogen separation and purification technology plays a crucial role in the hydrogen energy industry. VB-group alloy membranes have demonstrated favorable hydrogen permeability, but their hydrogen embrittlement resistance remains generally insufficient. This work designed Nb₃₅Hf₃₀Co₁₅Ni_20-xMo_x high-entropy alloy (HEA) membranes with regulated Ni and Mo contents. The influences of HEA compositions on microstructures, hydrogen permeability and hydrogen embrittlement resistance were systematically analyzed. On the one hand, the doping of Mo increased the volume and proportion of BCC-Nb phase, thus promoting hydrogen permeation; on the other hand, the hydrogen solubility was reduced, thus enhancing the hydrogen embrittlement resistance. The lattice distortion effect, sluggish diffusion effect and optimized Mo content collectively enhanced the comprehensive performance of Nb₃₅Hf₃₀Co₁₅Ni_12.5Mo_7.5, achieving a hydrogen permeability (Φ) of 2.68 × 10⁻⁸ mol H₂ m⁻¹·s⁻¹·Pa^−0.5 at 673 K and exhibiting excellent hydrogen embrittlement resistance, showing no hydrogen-induced fractures even at room temperature. This quantitatively demonstrates its excellent performance, which represents a certain breakthrough compared to related studies. The novel Nb₃₅Hf₃₀Co₁₅Ni_20-xMo_x HEA membranes offer excellent hydrogen permeability and improved hydrogen embrittlement resistance, thereby highlighting the potential for future hydrogen purification applications. Full article

Cellulose nanofiber (CNF)–boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) composite separators have been widely investigated; however, many demonstrations rely on BNNT pretreatment or multistep processing to secure dispersion and integration. HwBKP-derived CNF separators (HCNF), based on an enzymatically pretreated and turbulence-flow nanomill processed CNF suspension, were combined with BNNTs without pretreatment to fabricate BNNT-incorporated composite membranes (HBNT-05 and HBNT-10) via a simple stirring–filtration–drying route. The CNF suspension and membranes were characterized by fibril image analysis, SEM, AFM, FTIR, and XRD, together with wettability and surface free-energy measurements, to examine BNNT-loading-dependent changes in separator structure and surface microtexture. When evaluated in NCM811||Li half-cells, the BNNT-incorporated membranes exhibited composition-dependent electrochemical performance trends relative to the BNNT-free CNF membrane, while the commercial polyolefin reference remained favorable at the highest tested C-rate. These results suggest that the present fabrication route enables effective BNNT incorporation without BNNT pretreatment under the studied conditions, providing a practical strategy to tune biomass-derived CNF membranes for energy-storage applications. Full article

Plasma Enhancement Gases (PEGs) are a set of gaseous elements studied for converting plasma thermal energy and mitigating the heat load on the plasma-facing components of a tokamak fusion power plant. In particular, PEG separation is part of the Plasma Exhaust Processing System of EU-DEMO. This work addresses issues related to the purification of Deuterium-Tritium fusion fuel, introducing ceramic membranes having a low specific area to process and purify unburned streams throughout the fuel cycle. A commercial microporous mono-channel α-Alumina membrane was considered for the evaluation of its efficacy in separating binary mixtures of H₂ with a PEG (Ar and N₂), D₂, or He. Several tests were carried out, feeding equimolar streams of H₂-Ar, H₂-N₂, D₂-Ar, and He-Ar, and the separation factor (SF) of the aforementioned binary mixtures was experimentally assessed. Finally, based on the results from the experimental campaign, the separation factors of several gas mixtures that had not been experimentally investigated were theoretically calculated and proposed. Full article

This study evaluated the efficiency of an scFv antibody-based sex-sorting method using HL magnetic microbeads for the separation of X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm in Landrace boar semen, as well as its effects on sperm quality parameters. A dose-dependent plateau in H4L4 antibody coupling efficiency was observed, with 2 mg identified as the optimal concentration, consistently achieving approximately 50% sperm-binding efficiency across boars. Sex ratio analysis confirmed effective discrimination between X- and Y-bearing sperm, with the X-enriched fraction showing a high proportion of X-sperm (77–81%) and the Y-enriched fraction exhibiting high Y-sperm purity (>83%). CASA revealed a significant effect of the sex-sorting process on sperm kinematics (p < 0.001). X-enriched sperm maintained physiological motility, with total and progressive motility comparable to CON, whereas the Y-enriched fraction showed a marked decline in kinematic performance. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that membrane integrity remained high in CON and X-enriched semen (>81%), while a significant reduction in viability was observed in the Y-enriched fraction (50.85%; p < 0.001). Consistently, mitochondrial membrane potential analysis indicated pronounced physiological stress in Y-enriched sperm, with significantly reduced mitochondrial activity compared to CON and X-enriched fractions. No significant differences were detected among individual boars (p > 0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that HL magnetic bead-based sperm sexing effectively separates X- and Y-sperm in chilled Landrace boar semen, while preserving the quality of X-enriched sperm. Full article

The separation of substances from one another, such as distillation, extraction, absorption, crystallization, and drying, comprises a main sector of the industry engineering field and has substantial potential to play an increasingly important role in the application of separation technologies and innovations [...] Full article

The predatory bug Arma custos (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a natural enemy insect capable of preying on over 40 types of agricultural and forestry pests. Here, we describe the characteristics of the morphology and ultrastructure of its venom apparatus visualized using light and electron microscopy. Light microscopy revealed that the venom apparatus of A. custos consists of a pair of main gland and tubular accessory gland. The main gland consist of two lobes, the anterior main gland (AMG) and posterior main gland (PMG). Between the two lobes of the main gland, there is a strong constriction, characterizing a hilum (Hi) where two separate ducts, the venom duct of the main gland (VD) and the duct connecting the accessory gland to the main gland (AMD), are inserted. The VD extends toward the head and connects to the venom pump (VP), while the AMD extends toward the thorax and connects to the accessory gland (AG). Ultrastructural examination of the venom glands reveals that the AMG and PMG consist of a layer of cubic or spherical glandular cells forming a large circular lumen, while the AG exhibits two narrow lumens. The secretory cytoplasm of AMG, PMG, and AG contains a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, along with mitochondria, nuclei, secretory vesicles, autophagosomes, and secretory granules. However, significant differences exist in the ultrastructural characteristics among the three glands. Unlike glandular secretory cells in the venom glands, the ultrastructure of VD, and AMD reveals only well-developed nuclei, mitochondria, and elaborate plasma membrane folds. These results indicate that venom proteins are synthesized and stored by the AMG, PMG, and AG, while the VD and AMD ducts are responsible for transporting the venom. Full article

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly explored as nanocarriers in drug delivery; however, selecting an appropriate loading strategy for a given small-molecule cargo still relies largely on empirical, resource-intensive parallel screening within EV formulation workflows. Despite the widespread application of passive incubation, electroporation, saponin-mediated permeabilization, freeze–thaw cycling, and sonication, there is currently no mechanistically grounded, descriptor-informed framework that enables rational prioritization of loading methods during the early design stage of EV-based dosage forms, leading to inefficient trial-and-error experimentation. Methods: We assembled a chemically diverse dataset of 21 compounds with experimentally determined loading efficiencies across five EV loading methods and calculated seven mechanistically motivated physicochemical descriptors (LogP, molecular weight, aqueous solubility, hydrogen bond donors/acceptors, polar surface area, and formal charge) for each drug. Separate Elastic Net regression models were trained for each loading strategy. Model performance was evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation, a predefined external validation set (n = 4), and 50 repeated random train–test splits. The analysis emphasized decision-level ranking of loading methods rather than the precise prediction of absolute efficiencies. The applicability domain was assessed via leverage analysis to define the supported chemical space for prospective implementation in EV-based formulation development. Results: As anticipated for biologically heterogeneous EV systems, continuous regression performance remained modest (LOOCV R² = 0.06–0.41). In contrast, decision-level accuracy for identifying the experimentally optimal loading method was consistently high across validation schemes (internal: 76.5%; predefined external: 75%; repeated random validation: 80.5 ± 16.8%). Mechanical disruption methods (freeze–thaw and sonication) demonstrated comparatively greater predictive stability, while misclassification patterns suggested potential nonlinear behavior for highly polar, ionizable cargos. All compounds resided within the leverage-defined applicability domain, confirming adequate descriptor-space representation. Conclusions: This study establishes a mechanistically interpretable, descriptor-based decision-support framework capable of reliably prioritizing EV loading strategies for small-molecule cargos beyond empirical chance without altering standard protocols. By reframing the modeling objective from high-precision efficiency prediction to robust ranking of candidate methods, the approach offers a practical tool to triage between commonly used techniques, thereby reducing experimental burden in early-stage EV formulation development. The framework provides a quantitative basis for integrating molecular-descriptor-guided method selection into rational EV-based drug delivery design and can be expanded with membrane-specific descriptors and larger datasets. Full article

The growing demand for functional foods reflects greater consumer awareness of diet–health links, with bioactive peptides receiving increasing attention for their health-promoting effects. In this study, bioactive peptides exhibiting antioxidant, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities were produced from a jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) protein isolate using a continuous proteolysis system with two enzymes. This study encompassed two major phases: isolating protein from jack beans and implementing a continuous enzymatic hydrolysis process. Key variables examined included the enzyme-to-substrate ratio ([E]/[S]), pH level, and residence time (τ). Optimal performance was achieved at [E]/[S] = 5%, pH = 7.5, and τ = 12 h, yielding a permeate with peptide content of 0.6143 mg SE/mL, along with notable antioxidant capacity and ACE inhibition of 0.0454 mg TEAC/mL and 92.18%, respectively. These results confirm that the jack bean protein isolate is a viable substrate for generating multifunctional bioactive peptides. This study provides a foundation for scalable and sustainable production of functional food ingredients from underutilized legumes using continuous bioprocessing technology. Industrial relevance: Integrating a stirred tank reactor with membrane separation provides a promising approach for continuous bioactive peptide production using a free-enzyme system, helping to streamline processing, reduces the demand for enzyme immobilization, and minimizes batch-to-batch variability. This study shows that continuous hydrolysis of jack bean protein isolate in EMR can enhance antioxidant activity and ACE inhibition of the hydrolysates. This approach offers a safer and more efficient route to support the commercialization of jack bean-based functional products. Full article