Search Results (28,311)

Excess fluoride originating from phosphate mining activities poses a significant environmental and public health challenge, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where water resources are limited. This study presents a comparative evaluation of four conventional defluoridation technologies for the treatment of real phosphate mine waters collected from two major Moroccan phosphate mining sites (Youssoufia and Khouribga). The investigated processes included coagulation–flocculation using aluminum sulfate and ferric chloride, chemical precipitation with calcium hydroxide and calcium chloride, adsorption on aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), and fluoride removal using calcined bovine bone apatite under both batch and continuous-flow conditions. Adsorption equilibrium was interpreted using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, while the effects of adsorbent dosage, contact time, and water matrix composition were systematically investigated. Among the coagulation processes, aluminum sulfate achieved fluoride removal of up to approximately 82.5% in phosphate washing water and approximately 76.3% in mine drainage water, whereas ferric chloride removed about 52% of the dissolved fluoride under the reported conditions. Lime and calcium chloride exhibited moderate removal efficiencies of 66% and 61%, respectively. Aluminum oxide showed the highest equilibrium adsorption capacity (q_m = 7.14 mg g⁻¹), while zirconium oxide displayed faster fluoride uptake because of its higher surface affinity for fluoride ions. The presence of competing ions in real mine waters was associated with lower adsorption performance compared with synthetic fluoride solutions. Calcined bone apatite proved to be the most effective material, achieving approximately 83% fluoride removal within 20 min under batch conditions and maintaining good performance during continuous fixed-bed operation, producing treated water with fluoride concentrations below the World Health Organization guideline value. Overall, the results demonstrate that calcined bone apatite provides the highest fluoride-removal performance among the investigated materials under the tested conditions. Its waste-derived origin, rapid adsorption kinetics, and effective fluoride removal make it a promising material for the treatment of fluoride-rich phosphate mine waters. The comparative evaluation further indicates that integrating chemical pretreatment with adsorption may represent a promising strategy for the treatment and potential reuse of mining effluents, although the performance of such a combined treatment train should be validated experimentally. Full article

Benzaldehyde is a key intermediate in the fine chemical, pharmaceutical, fragrance, and agrochemical industries, and the development of efficient and sustainable synthetic routes remains a major research priority. This review critically examines the principal catalytic pathways reported for benzaldehyde production, with particular emphasis on the oxidation of benzyl alcohol and the partial oxidation of toluene. Reaction conditions, catalytic systems, and performance descriptors such as conversion and selectivity are systematically analyzed, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each approach. Special attention is given to the choice of oxidants, reaction phase, and operating temperature, as these factors strongly influence process efficiency and product distribution. From a sustainability perspective, conventional routes are compared with greener alternatives based on molecular oxygen or air, aiming to reduce energy consumption and the generation of hazardous by-products. The review further discusses current challenges associated with catalyst stability, overoxidation, and process scalability. It identifies the principal scientific gaps limiting the industrial implementation of heterogeneous catalytic systems and critically examines how catalyst design, synthesis methodologies, sustainable feedstocks, waste-derived materials, and techno-economic considerations can collectively contribute to scalable and environmentally responsible benzaldehyde production. Finally, future research directions are proposed to guide the development of highly selective, economically viable, and sustainable catalytic processes. Full article

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of ethanol-digested calcium oxide (CaO-E) as a novel dechlorination sorbent for the efficient removal of hydrogen chloride (HCl) from coal-fired flue gas and further evaluate its influence on mercury speciation and transformation in flue gas, thereby addressing the low efficiency and limited multi-pollutant control capability of conventional dry dechlorination technologies. Based on a laboratory-scale injection reaction system, ethanol-digested calcium-based sorbents were injected into simulated coal-fired flue gas to systematically examine the effects of key factors, including Ca/Cl molar ratio, SO₂, and fly ash, on dechlorination efficiency. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were further employed to elucidate the reaction mechanisms. Meanwhile, mercury-laden flue gas was introduced to investigate the removal characteristics of elemental mercury (Hg⁰) and oxidized mercury (Hg²⁺) by CaO-E. The experimental results demonstrated that ethanol-digested CaO exhibited significantly superior performance compared with untreated samples, and the formation of a porous calcium hydroxide structure was identified as the key factor responsible for its high dechlorination efficiency. When the Ca/Cl molar ratio reached 4.0, the dechlorination efficiency could be stably maintained above 80%. SO₂ showed a pronounced inhibitory effect on the dechlorination process, whereas fly ash exhibited a slight promoting effect. Mercury removal experiments revealed that CaO-E had limited removal capability toward Hg⁰ but effectively reduced the concentration of Hg²⁺. Specifically, when the Ca/Cl molar ratios were 3 and 5, the Hg²⁺ concentrations decreased to 1.4 and 0.6 μg/m³, respectively. This behavior can be attributed to the fact that Hg²⁺ mainly exists in chlorinated forms such as HgCl₂, which possess strong polarity and can be readily adsorbed by the alkaline active sites on the CaO-E surface. In addition, as the dechlorination process proceeded, chlorine-containing species in the flue gas were gradually consumed, suppressing the oxidation conversion of Hg⁰ to Hg²⁺ and thereby further reducing the Hg²⁺ concentration. Theoretical calculations indicated that both HCl and SO₂ could undergo chemisorption on calcium active sites, while HCl possessed a lower reaction energy barrier and therefore dominated the competitive adsorption process, exhibiting preferential reactivity. Overall, ethanol-digested calcium oxide not only demonstrates excellent HCl removal performance, but also shows the capability to regulate mercury speciation in flue gas to a certain extent, providing both theoretical insights and technical support for the synergistic control of multiple pollutants in coal-fired flue gas. Full article

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in modern medicine. In contrast, surgical myocardial revascularization via coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains the gold standard of treatment for complex multivessel disease. The great saphenous vein remains the most frequently used conduit due to its availability and technical simplicity, but its long-term patency is significantly inferior to that of arterial grafts. The primary pathological process responsible for vein graft failure is intimal hyperplasia, which represents a complex response of the vascular wall to surgical trauma, vein arterialization, inflammation, and hemodynamic stress. This process is characterized by endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory cell activation, proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Underpinning these alterations are numerous molecular pathways, including NF-κB, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, TGF-β, and mTOR signaling, as well as substantial contributions from oxidative stress, cytokines, growth factors, and microRNAs. Contemporary research indicates that the phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells constitutes the central event in the development of intimal hyperplasia. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this disease’s onset enables the development of novel therapeutic strategies to preserve long-term graft patency. This review paper aims to provide a systematic overview of current knowledge regarding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of intimal hyperplasia development in vein grafts following CABG. Full article

Reversible Solid Oxide Cells (rSOCs) are highly efficient energy conversion systems for power generation in fuel cell mode (SOFC) and energy storage in electrolysis mode (SOEC). These devices are typically manufactured through multi-step processing routes based on conventional functional ceramic fabrication techniques, such as tape-casting, extrusion, screen-printing and spraying. In this work, an alternative mold-casting approach is proposed for the fabrication of planar electrolyte-supported rSOCs. Electrolytes made of 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) were prepared via an aqueous gel-casting process using agarose as the gelling agent. The casting molds were fabricated by 3D printing with polylactic acid (PLA) filament. Dense electrolytes with well-controlled geometries were successfully obtained. Complete cells were produced using porous Ni–YSZ as a fuel electrode and porous lanthanum strontium manganite–YSZ. The cells were microstructurally characterized, and their electrochemical performance was evaluated under both SOFC and SOEC operating conditions at 800–900 °C. At 900 °C, the cell achieved a peak power density of 220 mW cm⁻² in fuel cell mode and an injected current density of 340 mA cm⁻² at 1.3 V in electrolysis mode. Mid-term galvanostatic testing in SOFC mode at 850 °C for 400 h demonstrated good durability and structural stability of the fabricated cells. After the initial stabilization period, the cell exhibited a low degradation rate of 3 mV kh⁻¹. Full article

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the in vitro effects of LED-based photobiomodulation on fibroblasts and osteoblasts, with particular focus on cellular processes involved in soft- and hard-tissue regeneration. Methods: A comprehensive electronic search was conducted on 3 April 2026 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and WorldCat according to PRISMA guidelines. The analyzed outcomes included cell viability, proliferation, migration, collagen synthesis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial activity, and selected regeneration-related processes. A total of 745 records were initially identified, and 32 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. Results: The biological effects of LED-PBM depended strongly on irradiation parameters, including wavelength, fluence, irradiance, exposure time, treatment schedule, and the initial condition of the cells. Most included studies focused on fibroblast models. Red and near-infrared light showed the most consistent beneficial effects, particularly by supporting fibroblast viability, proliferation, migration, mitochondrial activity, ATP production, collagen-related responses, and oxidative stress modulation. In osteoblast-related models, LED irradiation showed potential to influence cell number, metabolic activity, maturation markers, and mineralization-related outcomes; however, the number of studies was limited. Blue light demonstrated dose-dependent effects, with higher fluences reducing fibroblast metabolic activity, proliferation, or viability. Green light improved fibroblast proliferation and migration in one model but was associated with increased cell death in osteoblast-like cells. Conclusion: LED-PBM may positively modulate cellular processes involved in soft- and hard-tissue regeneration in vitro. However, the observed effects are strongly parameter-dependent, and further standardized studies are required to define optimal irradiation protocols and validate their potential clinical relevance. Full article

Polysaccharide-based organic-inorganic hybrid carriers combine renewable polymer matrices with inorganic phases that can modify mechanical integrity, swelling, barrier performance, payload retention, and release behavior. This review critically evaluates alginate as a reference matrix together with chitosan, cellulose/nanocellulose, starch/maltodextrin, pectin, carrageenan, and related polysaccharides, focusing on how matrix chemistry, inorganic-phase properties, interfacial interactions, and fabrication route govern encapsulation efficiency, loading, structural stability, swelling, mechanical and barrier properties, storage retention, and release kinetics. Silica and mesoporous silica, clays and halloysite, layered double hydroxides (LDHs), metal oxides, hydroxyapatite, magnetic particles, and metal-organic frameworks are compared according to their reservoir, reinforcing, diffusion-controlling, responsive, and safety-related functions. Representative quantitative findings illustrate the importance of hybrid architecture; for example, incorporation of LDHs into an alginate matrix reduced erythropoietin release after 108 h from 86% to 24% while increasing mechanical performance by approximately 5–30-fold. In this review, particular attention is given to volatile and bioactive compounds, for which storage retention, oxidation stability, headspace behavior, and application-relevant release are as important as initial encapsulation efficiency. Key challenges, such as long-term stability, standardization of release studies, scalability, safety assessment, and performance in real formulations, are also discussed, together with future directions for sustainable, application-specific hybrid carrier systems. Overall, the review provides a structure-property-application framework for selecting matrix-filler-processing combinations for controlled-release systems. Full article

The growing problem of air pollution and its direct impact on human health have created an urgent need for reliable, intelligent, and machine learning (ML)-enabled gas-sensing technologies. Among various sensing platforms, metal oxide gas sensors (MO-GSs) have emerged as promising candidates owing to their low cost, high sensitivity, and scalability. However, their practical application is limited by poor selectivity, cross-sensitivity, sensor drift, and high operating temperatures. Recent advances in ML have provided effective strategies to overcome these limitations through data-driven optimization of sensing performance. This review summarizes recent progress in ML-assisted MO-GSs, covering sensor array design, feature engineering, and classification algorithms, including support vector machines (SVMs), random forests (RFs), and deep neural networks (DNNs). In addition, key data-processing techniques such as preprocessing, dimensionality reduction, and hybrid learning approaches are critically discussed. The application of ML-enabled MO-GSs in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, industrial safety, and food quality assessment is also reviewed. Despite significant progress, challenges including limited dataset availability, sensor drift, and poor model generalization remain. Future research should focus on developing adaptive, energy-efficient, and IoT-enabled smart sensing systems. The integration of machine learning with metal oxide gas sensors represents a significant step toward intelligent, next-generation, high-performance gas-sensing technologies. Full article

Bone remodeling is a dynamic and tightly regulated process that maintains skeletal homeostasis through a balance between bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts. Disruption of this balance contributes to the development of bone-related disorders, particularly osteopenia, osteoporosis and osteogenesis imperfecta, which weaken, deform, or cause fractures. Increasing evidence indicates that oxidative stress and chronic inflammation impair osteoblast functions while promoting osteoclast differentiation and activity. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress-inducible enzyme with cytoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Besides its primary role in cellular defense against oxidative stress and inflammatory damage, HO-1 has been shown to be involved in both osteoblast differentiation and osteoclastogenesis. Through its interaction with key regulatory systems, including the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK)–receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)–osteoprotegerin axis and redox-sensitive signaling pathways, HO-1 contributes to maintenance of optimal bone remodeling. The enzyme also plays a role in modulating metabolic processes in the bone. This review highlights the role of HO-1 in bone formation, bone resorption, and related pathophysiologic conditions. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of HO-1 as a target for bone disorders is discussed. Full article

Municipal sewage sludge contains considerable amounts of protein, making protein recovery a viable route for sludge valorization. In this work, sludge disintegration was achieved by cyclone cutting coupled with ozone oxidation, and the mixed liquor of foam standing liquid and supernatant was used as the feedstock for protein recovery via isoelectric point precipitation. Pretreatment tests showed that under 60 mg/L ozone concentration, 10 °C and 60 min, alkaline conditions enhanced sludge lysis; the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) removal rate reached 87.65% at pH 9, and the protein concentration in the foam layer reached 1530.14 mg/L at pH 11, yielding a protein-rich feedstock suitable for subsequent extraction. In the isoelectric point precipitation stage, single-factor and L9(3⁴) orthogonal experiments were conducted to examine the effects of pH, temperature and centrifugal speed on extraction rate, and four ensemble learning algorithms (GBR, RF, XGBoost and CatBoost) were employed to build prediction models. The results showed that the factor influence order was pH > centrifugal speed > temperature, with pH being extremely significant (p < 0.01). Under leave-one-out cross-validation, the XGBoost model performed best (R² = 0.9243, MAE = 2.78%, RMSE = 3.52%). Response surface analysis determined the optimal parameters as pH 4.0, 5 °C and 3500 r/min, with both predicted and measured precipitation-stage extraction rates of 86.19%. Amino acid analysis indicated that essential amino acids accounted for 39.9% of the extracted protein, with good rehydration and foaming stability. Ensemble learning algorithms can reveal the multi-factor nonlinear coupling in isoelectric point precipitation, providing data support for process optimization of sludge protein recovery. Full article

Identifying conserved RNAi targets that remain effective across mosquito species and resistance backgrounds is important for developing broadly applicable mosquito control tools. Here, an engineered Escherichia coli HT115-L4440 system was used to produce β-tubulin double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and its larvicidal activity was evaluated in susceptible and pyrethroid-resistant strains of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus. Recombinant bacteria produced species-specific β-tubulin dsRNA fragments of approximately 360 bp. Immersion treatment caused high larval mortality in both species. In Cx. quinquefasciatus, mortality reached 85.00% and 89.00% in susceptible and resistant strains, respectively, compared with 8.00% and 10.00% in controls, while β-tubulin transcript abundance showed maximum reductions of 571-fold and 333-fold, respectively. In Ae. albopictus, mortality reached 91.00% and 82.00% in susceptible and resistant strains, compared with 9% and 8% in controls, with maximum reductions in β-tubulin expression of 157-fold and 337-fold, respectively. These comparable effects suggest that β-tubulin dsRNA is not compromised by conventional pyrethroid-resistance mechanisms. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses showed that β-tubulin knockdown disrupted key cellular processes, including cytoskeletal regulation, metabolism, protein synthesis, intracellular transport, detoxification, oxidative stress, DNA replication, and autophagy. Overall, engineered bacteria-derived β-tubulin dsRNA induced consistent gene silencing and larval mortality in both susceptible and resistant mosquito larvae, supporting β-tubulin as a conserved candidate RNAi target for mosquito control. Full article

Surface ozone (O₃) pollution has become an increasingly important constraint on further improvements in urban air quality, particularly in industrial cities where complex terrain, local emissions, and meteorological conditions interact. In this study, hourly air pollutants, meteorological parameters, and high-time-resolution volatile organic compound (VOC) observations collected at a single urban-core site during September from 2021 to 2024 were used to investigate O₃ pollution characteristics, VOC reactivity, source contributions, and driving mechanisms in a resource-based heavy-industrial city in northwestern Henan Province, China. Ozone formation potential (OFP), diagnostic ratios, positive matrix factorization (PMF), meteorological normalization, and extreme gradient boosting combined with Shapley additive explanations (XGBoost-SHAP) were integrated to identify key reactive species, major sources, and meteorological–precursor interactions. The mean maximum daily 8 h average O₃ concentrations were 113.44, 150.32, 123.59, and 154.18 μg·m⁻³ from 2021 to 2024, respectively, with the highest level observed in 2024 despite the lowest nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations. O₃ was positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with relative humidity, indicating the importance of hot and relatively dry conditions. Total VOC OFP first increased and then declined, with alkenes dominating in 2021 and aromatics exceeding alkenes after 2022. Ethene, m/p-xylene, toluene, and vinyl chloride were identified as priority reactive species. PMF results showed that mixed industrial processes and vehicle exhaust were the dominant VOC sources, contributing 32.3% and 23.8%, respectively. Under the original meteorological-normalization specification, represented meteorological features accounted for 64.7% of the modeled O₃ increase during the study period. Sensitivity specifications retained meteorological dominance but showed that the exact share was model dependent. SHAP analysis further identified temperature, short-term temperature variation, relative humidity, alkenes, and NO₂ as key drivers. These results suggest that O₃ pollution in this heavy-industrial city is jointly shaped by favorable meteorological conditions, reactive VOCs, nitrogen oxides (NOx) chemistry, and combined industrial and traffic emissions. Accordingly, industrial processes, vehicle exhaust, and highly reactive VOC species are likely priority targets for mitigation, while the effectiveness of coordinated VOC–NOx control still warrants further regime-specific evaluation. Full article

To overcome the limitations of conventional biopolymer films and reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics, a nacre-inspired film was developed via 3D printing. During printing process, shear-induced alignment of mica flakes was achieved within a sodium alginate/xanthan gum matrix. Additionally, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were incorporated to achieve a synergistic reinforcement effect. Structural analysis revealed that the mica flakes within the film exhibited an oriented distribution, with ZnO NPs uniformly embedded in the interlayer voids, and hydrogen bonding assisted in forming a dense network of the components. Performance testing showed that the tensile strength rose from 13.8 MPa to 62.9 MPa. Improvements in water resistance and thermal stability were also observed. Furthermore, the material exhibited outstanding comprehensive protective properties, including a low water vapor permeability value of 7.587 × 10⁻¹¹ g·m/m²·Pa·s, an ultraviolet blocking rate of 99.37% at a wavelength of 280 nm, and the ability to completely inhibit target bacterial strains, while also possessing good biodegradability and recyclability. Shelf-life tests indicated that the film fabricated in this work could notably prolong the shelf life of strawberries. Biocompatibility test results indicated that the film was safe and non-toxic, and showed no significant cytotoxicity. Full article

The selective removal of electron-rich emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) from aquatic environments remains a critical challenge, as conventional radical-based oxidation processes suffer from poor selectivity and interference from background constituents. To address this issue, we report an electron-transfer-mediated catalytic oxidation system using peroxydisulfate (PDS) activated by hollow multi-shelled Co₃O₄ (HoMS Co₃O₄) nanoreactors derived from plant-based tannic acid. The triple-shelled hollow architecture affords a high specific surface area with abundant accessible active sites, enabling the HoMS Co₃O₄/PDS system to achieve complete bisphenol A (BPA, 0.04 mM) removal within 90 min (k = 0.045 min⁻¹). Mechanistic investigations, integrating electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, radical quenching, electrochemical analyses and in situ Raman/FTIR spectroscopy, reveal that the degradation proceeds via an electron-transfer-mediated non-radical pathway, in which surface-complexed PDS serves as the primary reactive species. This pathway enables selective oxidation of electron-rich pollutants and endows the system with broad pH adaptability, strong resistance to coexisting water constituents, and robust performance in real water matrices (>93% BPA removal). Moreover, the system maintains stable operation in a continuous flow-through reactor over 72 h with negligible Co²⁺ leaching, offering a sustainable strategy for the selective remediation of EOC-contaminated waters. Full article

The valorization of food industry by-products is a promising strategy for developing natural additives to increase food quality. This study examined the efficiency of tomato processing industry waste (TPIW), which is a significant agro-industrial by-product, in enhancing the oxidative stability of three common edible vegetable seed oils (i.e., sunflower, soybean, and corn oils) under accelerated storage conditions. A custom response surface methodology (RSM) approach was employed to design and optimize the experiments, also using butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a potent synthetic antioxidant (i.e., oil type, TPIW and/or BHT enrichment). Oils were incubated under controlled conditions at 60 °C for 28 d (Schall oven test), wherein both darkness and light exposure were employed. Untreated (control), TPIW-enriched, and BHT-fortified (positive control) oils were examined in this study. The oxidative stability and shelf-life of oils was thoroughly evaluated using standard oxidative indices for both primary and secondary oxidation by-products, antioxidant capacity (DPPH radical scavenging activity), total carotenoid content, chromatic coordinates (CIE 1976 L*a*b*), and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy to monitor structural changes. The results revealed that enrichment with TPIW significantly (p < 0.05) reduced both primary and secondary oxidation products compared to untreated oils, approaching the protective efficiency of BHT in some assays. Specifically, it was observed that the combination of soybean oil enriched with both BHT and TPIW was the most preferable to enhance oxidation stability. Results from FT-IR supported these findings; slower formation of oxidative derivatives was revealed. Light exposure did not show a significant impact on the oxidation process regardless of the oil sample when compared to the temperature parameter. The results of this study confirm that TPIW could assist shelf-life prolongation of edible vegetable oils and promote a circular economy strategy by valorizing food by-products as a viable alternative to synthetic antioxidants. Full article