Assessment of the Different Type of Materials Used for Removing Phosphorus from Wastewater.

Reducing the costs associated with water management, improving water quality and the environment are fundamental requirements of sustainable development. Maintaining the optimal level of phosphorus has a direct impact on water quality and the biological system. Current methods used in tertiary wastewater treatment for phosphorus removal present several disadvantages that influence the final water processing cost. Therefore, it is essential for water quality and food safety to develop ecological, cheap and highly efficient materials. This study reported the first comparative assessment of three different types of materials (magnetic, semiconductors and composite) as environmentally friendly, cheap adsorbents for phosphorus removal from wastewater. Several experiments were done to investigate the influence of adsorbent type, dosage and contact time on the efficiency of the processes. The adsorption process was fast and equilibrium was reached within 150 min. We found that the phosphorus adsorption efficiency on of these materials was higher than the chemical method. The obtained results indicated that specific surface area directly influences the performance of the adsorption process. EDS analysis was used to analyze adsorbents composition and analyze the type and content of elements in the substrate before and after reaction with wastewater.

Chemical Screening of Metabolites Profile from Romanian Tuber spp.

Truffles are the rarest species and appreciated species of edible fungi and are well-known for their distinctive aroma and high nutrient content. However, their chemical composition largely depends on the particularities of their grown environment. Recently, various studies investigate the phytoconstituents content of different species of truffles. However, this research is still very limited for Romanian truffles. This study reports the first complete metabolites profiles identification based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS) of two different types of Romania truffles: Tuber magnatum pico and Tuber brumale. In mass spectra (MS) in positive mode, over 100 metabolites were identified from 14 secondary metabolites categories: amino acids, terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, organic acids, fatty acids, phenolic acids, sulfur compounds, sterols, hydrocarbons, etc. Additionally, the biological activity of these secondary metabolite classes was discussed.