Search Results (21,609)

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are essential for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and grid storage, but their rapidly increasing demand is paralleled by growing waste volumes. Current disposal methods remain costly, complex, energy-intensive, and environmentally unsustainable. This pilot study investigates a scalable, low-impact disposal method by incorporating LIB waste into concrete, evaluating both the structural and environmental effects of LIB waste on concrete performance. Several cement–mortar cube specimens were cast and tested under compression using the cement–mortar mix with varying battery waste components, such as black mass and varied metals. All mortar mixes maintained an identical water-to-cement ratio. The compressive strength of the cubes was measured at 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after casting and compared. The mix containing black mass exhibited a 35% reduction in compressive strength on day 28, whereas the mix containing varied metals showed a 55% reduction relative to the control mix without LIB waste. A case study was conducted to evaluate the combined structural and environmental performance of a concrete specimen incorporating LIB waste by estimating the embodied carbon (EC) for each mix and comparing the strength-to-net EC ratio. Selective incorporation of LIB waste into concrete provides a practical, low-carbon upcycling pathway, reducing both embodied carbon and landfill burden while enabling greener, non-structural construction materials. This sustainable approach simultaneously mitigates battery waste and lowers cement-related CO₂ emissions, delivering usable concrete for non-structural and low-strength structural applications. Full article

Traditional polysaccharide extraction suffers from low efficiency and high energy consumption, while deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are promising sustainable solvents. This study used DES ChCl-LA (1:2) with ultrasonic assistance to extract polysaccharides from red alga A.taxiformis. Optimized via single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (350 W, 1:30 g/mL, 75 °C), the yield reached 11.28% ± 0.50% (1.5 times higher than that obtained by water extraction). Structural characterization revealed that the DES extract was an acidic polysaccharide, mainly composed of galactose (89.2%), glucose (4.9%), xylose (4.9%), and glucuronic acid (1.0%), with a weight-average molecular weight of 99.88 kDa. Density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations showed that ChCl-LA enhanced galactose solubility via stronger hydrogen bonding (−25.33 vs. −5.06 kcal/mol for water). Notably, the immunological activity of the DES-extracted polysaccharide was significantly compromised compared to the water-extracted counterpart (p < 0.05). At a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL, the water-extracted polysaccharide-treated group exhibited a 33.98% higher neutral red phagocytosis rate in macrophages, a nitric oxide (NO) secretion level of 34.14 μmol/L (94.98% higher) compared with the DES-extracted polysaccharide group, as well as significantly higher secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The observed disparity in bioactivity is likely due to the distinct chemical profiles resulting from the two extraction methods, including the significantly reduced molecular weight and potential alterations of sulfation degree, monosaccharide composition, and protein content in the DES-extracted polysaccharide. This mechanistic perspective is supported by the relevant literature on the structure–activity relationships of polysaccharides. This study demonstrates the potential of ChCl-LA and elucidates the complex effects of extraction methods on polysaccharide’s structure and function, thereby informing the high-value utilization of A. taxiformis in functional foods. Full article

The interaction between water and metallic interfaces is crucial in many fields, and accurate modeling requires good parametrizations using reference data. In classical molecular dynamics (MD), an important part of this interaction is described using the Lennard–Jones (LJ) potential. However, previously reported LJ parameters are not always optimal for capturing the metal/water interactions observed in ab initio descriptions such as density functional theory (DFT). Therefore, well-tailored LJ parameters are necessary to improve the description of water structuring metals in classical MD. The usual route for obtaining LJ parameters involves energetic analysis, where the energies of various structures are obtained via DFT calculations and then matched with the energies obtained using the LJ potentials by varying the sigma/epsilon parameters. Here, we show a different approach to fit LJ parameters for metal/water interactions, based on structural analysis. We report several classical MD simulations for gold/water, varying the sigma/epsilon parameters, comparing the resulting water structuring with that obtained using DFT. Additionally, we test these parameters in quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) MD simulations, where electrostatic interactions are enabled. Our results demonstrate that the proposed approach can improve the LJ parameters reported in the literature and potentially develop parameters for more complex systems where the water structure above metallic surfaces plays a significant role. Finally, within this proposed approach, the water density profile obtained in hybrid QM/MM calculations, where water is treated as MM at a substantially reduced cost, closely matches the description it would have if treated as QM. Full article

As a cornerstone of China’s energy infrastructure, the coal mining industry relies heavily on the stability of its underground roadways, where the support of soft rock formations presents a critical and persistent technological challenge. This challenge arises primarily from the high content of expansive clay minerals and well-developed micro-fractures within soft rock, which collectively undermine the effectiveness of conventional support methods. To address the soft rock control problem in China’s Longdong Mining Area, an integrated material–structure control approach is developed and validated in this study. Based on the engineering context of the 3205 material gateway in Xin’an Coal Mine, the research employs a combined methodology of micro-mesoscopic characterization (SEM, XRD), theoretical analysis, and field testing. The results identify the intrinsic instability mechanism, which stems from micron-scale fractures (0.89–20.41 μm) and a high clay mineral content (kaolinite and illite totaling 58.1%) that promote water infiltration, swelling, and strength degradation. In response, a novel synergistic technology was developed, featuring a high-performance grouting material modified with redispersible latex powder and a tiered thick anchoring system. This technology achieves microscale fracture sealing and self-stress cementation while constructing a continuous macroscopic load-bearing structure. Field verification confirms its superior performance: roof subsidence and rib convergence in the test section were reduced to approximately 10 mm and 52 mm, respectively, with grouting effectively sealing fractures to depths of 1.71–3.92 m, as validated by multi-parameter monitoring. By integrating microscale material modification with macroscale structural optimization, this study provides a systematic and replicable solution for enhancing the stability of soft rock roadways under demanding geo-environmental conditions. Soft rock roadways, due to their characteristics of being rich in expansive clay minerals and having well-developed microfractures, make traditional support difficult to ensure roadway stability, so there is an urgent need to develop new active control technologies. This paper takes the 3205 Material Drift in Xin’an Coal Mine as the engineering background and adopts an integrated method combining micro-mesoscopic experiments, theoretical analysis, and field tests. The soft rock instability mechanism is revealed through micro-mesoscopic experiments; a high-performance grouting material added with redispersible latex powder is developed, and a “material–structure” synergistic tiered thick anchoring reinforced load-bearing technology is proposed; the technical effectiveness is verified through roadway surface displacement monitoring, anchor cable axial force monitoring, and borehole televiewer. The study found that micron-scale fractures of 0.89–20.41 μm develop inside the soft rock, and the total content of kaolinite and illite reaches 58.1%, which is the intrinsic root cause of macroscopic instability. In the test area of the new support scheme, the roof subsidence is about 10 mm and the rib convergence is about 52 mm, which are significantly reduced compared with traditional support; grouting effectively seals rock mass fractures in the range of 1.71–3.92 m. This synergistic control technology achieves systematic control from micro-mesoscopic improvement to macroscopic stability by actively modifying the surrounding rock and optimizing the support structure, significantly improving the stability of soft rock roadways. Full article

Wooden waste railroad ties preserved with coal tar creosote oil represent a specific source of polluting substances. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare extraction capacity due to solvent extraction of fifteen frequently used organic solvents for the purpose of decontamination treatment of waste wooden railroad ties, while recovering wood for reuse. Pure organic solvents, ethanol 96%, propan-2-ol, deionized water, dichloromethane, acetone, n-hexane, mixture n-hexane/acetone (V/V = 1/1), cyclohexane, methanol, N,N-dimethyl formamide, toluene, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, amyl acetate, medical gasoline, n-pentane and n-butyl acetate were for leaching pollutants from waste railroad ties. The highest extraction capacity was achieved using dichloromethane, where 7.50 to 7.89 wt.% of total sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were extracted from waste railroad tie chips. The most promising solvents for the treatment exhibited extraction efficiency which decreases in a series dichloromethane > n-hexane/acetone > acetone > methanol > ethanol 96% > propan-2-ol > cyclohexane > toluene > n-hexane. Solvent extraction represents a novel approach for treatment of wooden waste railroad ties. The experiments are based on the search for a management process for the treatment of wood waste railroad ties that is simple, low energy consumption, efficient and could potentially be applied for large scale. Full article

Ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems are widely regarded as an energy-efficient solution for building heating and cooling. However, their actual performance in large commercial buildings is often limited by rigid control strategies, insufficient equipment coordination, and suboptimal load matching. In the Liuzhou Fengqing Port commercial complex, the seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of the GSHP system remains at a relatively low level of 3.0–3.5 under conventional operation. To address these challenges, this study proposes a gray-box-model-based cooperative optimization and group control strategy for GSHP systems. A hybrid gray-box modeling approach (YFU model), integrating physical-mechanism modeling with data-driven parameter identification, is developed to characterize the energy consumption behavior of GSHP units and variable-frequency pumps. On this basis, a multi-equipment cooperative optimization framework is established to coordinate GSHP unit on/off scheduling, load allocation, and pump staging. In addition, continuous operational variables (e.g., chilled-water supply temperature and circulation flow rate) are globally optimized within a hierarchical control structure. The proposed strategy is validated through both simulation analysis and on-site field implementation, demonstrating significant improvements in system energy efficiency, with annual electricity savings of no less than 3.6 × 10⁵ kWh and an increase in SCOP from approximately 3.2 to above 4.0. The results indicate that the proposed framework offers strong interpretability, robustness, and engineering applicability. It also provides a reusable technical paradigm for intelligent energy-saving retrofits of GSHP systems in large commercial buildings. Full article

Liquid digestate, a by-product of excess sludge in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), contains high concentrations of organic matter and essential nutrients that could promote plant growth. However, it also contains a significant number of pathogenic and opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms, which present major challenges in terms of its safe application. A sample taken from WWTP “Kubratovo” was treated using plasma devices. The aim was to evaluate the effect of treatment by two types of plasma sources on the content of pathogenic bacteria as well as the chemical composition of the liquid digestate. The Surfaguide plasma source demonstrated a higher disinfection effectiveness (100% for E. coli, Clostridium sp.; over 99% for fecal and total coliforms; 98% for Salmonella sp.). The β-device effectively removed (100%) the following groups: E. coli and Clostridium sp. However, its effectiveness was significantly lower for the other groups. The obtained results show that plasma treatment induces the transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, resulting in increased nitrite and phosphate concentrations. The application of cold atmospheric plasma disinfection significantly improved the sanitary and compositional characteristics of the liquid digestate. The Surfaguide achieved significantly better results than the β-device, confirming its suitability for sustainable resource recovery and safe agricultural use. Full article

This study proposes an innovative process of low-temperature soda roasting followed by water leaching to extract boron and produce borax from boron-rich slag. To further enhance the leaching rate of boron, pretreatment of the boron-rich slag with the nucleating agent TiO₂ was conducted. The effects of roasting temperature and Na₂CO₃ addition on the boron leaching rate, as well as the roasting kinetics of the TiO₂-nucleated furnace-cooled slag, were investigated. The results indicate that at a roasting temperature of 700 °C for 150 min, the maximum boron leaching rate can reach 88.65%. The reaction of low-temperature soda roasting for TiO₂-nucleated furnace-cooled slag to produce Na₂B₆O₁₀ is controlled by interfacial chemical reaction, with an apparent activation energy of 88.677 kJ/mol. Full article

In this work, highly water-soluble silk fibroin (SF) is first prepared by recrystallizing degummed silkworm cocoon fibers in concentrated CaCl₂ solution (replacing the conventional Ajisawa’s reagent), and then used as both stabilizing and reducing agents to synthesize copper nanoclusters (Cu@SF NCs) at pH = 11. Due to the existence of unreacted Cu²⁺ ions, the resulting SF-templated Cu NCs form slight aggregates, yielding a purple-colored solution with blue fluorescence. Interestingly, upon adding the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), the Cu NCs aggregates disassemble and the fluorescence is significantly enhanced, creating a “fluorescence-on” sensor for 2,4-D with a detection limit of 0.65 μM. In contrast, the pollutant p-nitrophenol (p-NP) quenches the fluorescence of Cu NCs via a fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism (with a detection limit as low as 1.35 nM), which is attributed to the large overlap between absorption spectrum of p-NP and excitation spectrum of Cu NCs. Other tested analytes (i.e., pyrifenox, carbofuran and melamine) produce negligible fluorescence changes. The distinct sensing mechanisms are elucidated with experimental evidence and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The evolutions of fluorescence as a function of incubation time and analyte concentration are systematically investigated, demonstrating a versatile platform for sensitive and selective detection of target analytes. These findings provide an effective strategy for optimizing the optical properties of metal nanoclusters and improving their performance in environmental applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: To develop and validate a predictive model that combines morphological features and dual-energy CT (DECT) parameters to non-invasively distinguish metastatic from benign axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer (BC). Methods: In this retrospective study, 117 patients (median age, 65 years; 111 women and 6 men) who underwent DECT followed by axillary lymphadenectomy between April 2015 and July 2023, were analyzed. A total of 375 lymph nodes (180 metastatic, 195 benign) were evaluated. Two radiologists recorded morphological criteria (adipose hilum status, cortical appearance, extranodal extension, and short-axis diameter) and placed regions of interest to measure dual-energy parameters: attenuation at 40 and 70 keV, iodine concentration, water concentration and spectral slope. Normalized iodine concentration was calculated using the aorta as reference. Univariate analysis identified variables associated with metastasis. Multivariate logistic regression with cross-validation was used to construct two models: one based solely on morphological features and one integrating water concentration. Results: On univariate testing, all DECT parameters and morphological criteria differed significantly between metastatic and benign nodes (p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, water concentration emerged as the only independent DECT predictor (odds ratio = 0.97; p = 0.002) alongside cortical abnormality, absence of adipose hilum, extranodal extension and short-axis diameter. The morphologic model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.871. Increasing water concentration increased the AUC to 0.883 (ΔAUC = 0.012; p = 0.63, not significant), with internal cross-validation confirming stable performance. Conclusions: A model combining standard morphologic criteria with water concentration quantification on DECT accurately differentiates metastatic from benign axillary nodes in BC patients. Although iodine-based metrics remain valuable indicators of perfusion, water concentration offers additional tissue composition information. Future multicenter prospective studies with standardized imaging protocols are warranted to refine parameter thresholds and validate this approach for routine clinical use. Full article

Aquaponic systems are the integration of aquaculture and hydroponic systems to enhance productivity, reduce land use, and improve sustainability. This review focused on commonly used life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, system boundaries, and functional units used in aquaponics, standard impact categories, and identified hotspots. The scope is worldwide and encompasses a variety of aquaponic designs, fish species, and crops, illustrating the diversity of the systems examined. The analysis indicates that aquaponics provides the considerable environmental advantages of decreased fertilizer consumption and water conservation in comparison with aquaculture and hydroponic system. However, aquaponics systems are characterized by high energy consumption and may produce greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to traditional farming methods when reliant on fossil fuel energy sources. Studies show that fish feed production, system infrastructure, and electricity usage for pumps, lights, heating, and other controls are hotspots. Harmonized comparisons of previous studies show methodological differences, especially in fish–plant co-production. Despite these variations, most believe that energy efficiency, renewable energy, feed optimization, and waste reuse may make aquaponics more sustainable. The study recommends the inclusion of broader environmental and social impacts. Also, future focus might be on making a standard functional unit or specifying system boundaries which might provide different accurate outcomes. Full article

Efficient thickening of unclassified tailings slurry (UTS) is critical for enhancing mine backfill efficiency and reducing operational costs. Ultrasonic technology has emerged as a promising approach to facilitating the solid–liquid separation process in such slurries. In this study, systematic experiments were conducted using a 20 kHz ultrasonic concentrator. The effects of ultrasonic treatment timing (applied at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 min during free settling) and power (50 to 400 W in eight levels) were investigated by monitoring the solid–liquid interface settling velocity and underflow concentration. The key findings are as follows: Ultrasonic application at the 5 min mark yielded the optimal thickening performance, increasing the final mass concentration by 1.3% compared to free settling alone. The average settling velocity generally increased with ultrasonic power (with the exception of 50 W), and the final underflow concentration exhibited a steady rise. Notably, the 400 W treatment induced a significant settlement acceleration, attributed to the formation of drainage channels. Mechanistic analysis revealed that these drainage channels undergo a dynamic process of formation, expansion, contraction, and closure, driven by ultrasonically induced directional water migration, particle compaction, and energy boundary effects. This research not only enriches the theoretical framework of ultrasonic-assisted thickening but also provides practical insights for optimizing mine backfill operations. Full article

Solar-driven hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting represents a promising route toward sustainable and low-carbon energy systems. Among emerging photocatalysts, porphyrin-based framework materials, specifically porphyrinic metal–organic frameworks (PMOFs) and porphyrinic covalent organic frameworks (PCOFs), have attracted increasing attention owing to their strong visible-light absorption, tunable electronic structures, permanent porosity, and well-defined catalytic architectures. In these systems, porphyrins function as versatile photosensitizers whose photophysical properties can be precisely tailored through metalation, peripheral functionalization, and integration into ordered frameworks. This review provides a comprehensive, design-oriented overview of recent advances in PMOFs, PCOFs, and hybrid porphyrinic architectures for photocatalytic H₂ evolution. We discuss key structure–activity relationships governing light harvesting, charge separation, and hydrogen evolution kinetics, with particular emphasis on the roles of porphyrin metal centers, secondary building units, linker functionalization, framework morphology, and cocatalyst integration. Furthermore, we highlight how heterojunction engineering through coupling porphyrinic frameworks with inorganic semiconductors, metal sulfides, or single-atom catalytic sites can overcome intrinsic limitations related to charge recombination and limited spectral response. Current challenges, including long-term stability, reliance on noble metals, and scalability, are critically assessed. Finally, future perspectives are outlined, emphasizing rational molecular design, earth-abundant catalytic motifs, advanced hybrid architectures, and data-driven approaches as key directions for translating porphyrinic frameworks into practical photocatalytic hydrogen-generation technologies. Full article

During the transportation of oil and gas pipelines, the adhesion and aggregation of hydrate particles on the pipe wall are prone to cause pipeline blockage, which seriously impairs the safe and efficient transportation of energy. Taking cyclopentane hydrates as the research object, this study investigated the effects of contact time, wall wettability, and the concentration of kinetic hydrate inhibitor poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCap) on the adhesion force between hydrates and the wall of X80 pipeline steel by combining a high-precision micromechanical force measurement system with microscopic morphology observation and analysis. The results show that the adhesion force increases with prolonged contact time: it is dominated by capillary liquid bridge force in the initial contact stage with slow growth, and after exceeding the critical time, the sintering effect becomes the dominant factor, leading to a rapid rise in adhesion force that eventually tends to stabilize. Wall wettability significantly influences the adhesion force, and enhanced wettability improves the adhesion force by increasing the liquid bridge volume and the hydrate–wall contact area. PVCap concentration exerts a non-monotonic effect on adhesion force—first decreasing and then increasing. At low concentrations (0.25–1 wt%), PVCap molecules adsorb on the hydrate surface to form a physical barrier, reducing adhesion force. At high concentrations (1.5–2 wt%), excessive PVCap damages hydrate shell integrity, releasing free water to expand the liquid bridge volume and increase adhesion force. This study provides a theoretical basis for eliminating or reducing hydrate blockage in deep-sea oil and gas pipelines. Full article

Coastal lakes are highly vulnerable transitional systems in which sedimentological processes and benthic ecological conditions jointly control contaminant accumulation and preservation, particularly in densely urbanized settings. A robust understanding of the physical and ecological characteristics of bottom sediments is therefore essential for the correct interpretation of contaminant distributions, including those of potentially toxic metals. In this study, an integrated sedimentological–ecological approach was applied to Lake Ganzirri, a Mediterranean shallow coastal lake located in northeastern Sicily (Italy), where recent investigations have identified localized heavy metal anomalies in surface sediments. Sediment texture, petrographic and mineralogical composition, malacofaunal assemblages, and lake-floor morpho-bathymetry were systematically analysed using grain-size statistics, faunistic determinations, GIS-based spatial mapping, and bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. The modern lake bottom is dominated by bioclastic quartzo-lithic sands with low fine-grained fractions and variable but locally high contents of calcareous skeletal remains, mainly derived from molluscs. Sediments are texturally heterogeneous, consisting predominantly of coarse-grained sands with lenses of very coarse sand, along with gravel and subordinate medium-grained sands. Both sedimentological features and malacofaunal death assemblages indicate deposition under open-lagoon conditions characterized by brackish waters and relatively high hydrodynamic energy. Spatial comparison between sedimentological–ecological parameters and previously published heavy metal distributions reveals no significant correlations with metal hotspots. The generally low metal concentrations, mostly below regulatory threshold values, are interpreted as being favoured by the high permeability and mobility of coarse sediments and by energetic hydrodynamic conditions limiting fine-particle accumulation. Overall, the integration of sedimentological and ecological data provides a robust framework for interpreting contaminant patterns and offers valuable insights for the environmental assessment and management of vulnerable coastal lake systems, as well as for the understanding of modern lagoonal sedimentary processes. Full article