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1.
J Agric Food Chem ; 72(19): 10737-10752, 2024 May 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38709011

ABSTRACT

Digital Twins have emerged as an outstanding opportunity for precision farming, digitally replicating in real-time the functionalities of objects and plants. A virtual replica of the crop, including key agronomic development aspects such as irrigation, optimal fertilization strategies, and pest management, can support decision-making and a step change in farm management, increasing overall sustainability and direct water, fertilizer, and pesticide savings. In this review, Digital Twin technology is critically reviewed and framed in the context of recent advances in precision agriculture and Agriculture 4.0. The review is organized for each step of agricultural lifecycle, edaphic, phytotechnologic, postharvest, and farm infrastructure, with supporting case studies demonstrating direct benefits for agriculture production and supply chain considering both benefits and limitations of such an approach. Challenges and limitations are disclosed regarding the complexity of managing such an amount of data and a multitude of (often) simultaneous operations and supports.


Subject(s)
Agriculture , Crops, Agricultural , Crops, Agricultural/growth & development , Crops, Agricultural/genetics , Agriculture/methods , Fertilizers/analysis , Crop Production/methods
2.
Molecules ; 29(7)2024 Mar 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38611706

ABSTRACT

In this work, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, High Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopes and selected experimental conditions were used to screen the colloidal system. The obtained results complement the established knowledge regarding the mechanism of nanoparticle formation. The process of gold nanoparticles formation involves a two-step reduction of Au ions to Au(0); atom association and metastable cluster formation; autocatalytic cluster growth; ultra-small particle formation (1-2 nm, in diameter); particle growth and larger particles formation; and further autocatalytic crystal growth (D > 100 nm). As a reductant of Au(III) ions, a cinnamon extract was used. It was confirmed that eugenol as one of the cinnamon extract compounds is responsible for fast Au(III) ion reduction, whereas cinnamaldehyde acts as a gold-particle stabilizer. Spectrophotometry studies were carried out to track kinetic traces of gold nanoparticle (D > 2 nm) formation in the colloidal solution. Using the Watzky-Finke model, the rate constants of nucleation and autocatalytic growth were determined. Moreover, the values of energy, enthalpy and entropy of activation for stages related to the process of nanoparticle formation (Index 1 relates to nucleation, and Index 2 relates to the growth) were determined and found to be E1 = 70.6 kJ, E2 = 19.6 kJ, ΔH1 = 67.9 kJ/mol, ΔH2 = 17 kJ/mol, ΔS1 = -76.2 J/(K·mol), ΔS2 = -204.2 J/(K·mol), respectively. In this work the limitation of each technique (spectrophotometry vs. HRSTEM) as a complex tool to understand the dynamic of the colloidal system was discussed.

3.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int ; 30(50): 109343-109353, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37924174

ABSTRACT

The last few decades have witnessed a dramatic progress of human civilization via industrialization, which, in turn, is associated with a surge in pollution of the environment. Heavy metals being one of the most hazardous pollutants have posed a serious threat to life sustaining ecosystem. Among the various remediation techniques, presently, the use of nanoparticles as adsorbents and chelator of heavy metal ions has emerged being practical and cost effective. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles, due to its unique structural attributes, have found application in adsorption of heavy metals in solutions. This study encompasses elucidation of the role of mesoporous silica nanoparticles MCM 41 and MCM 48 in mitigating stress caused by toxic dose of heavy metal Hg2+ (25 ppm) on growing seedlings of Vigna radiata and probiotic soil bacteria Bacillus coagulans. The results revealed that application of the nanoparticles at specific concentration can stimulate an increase in growth of plantlets, decrease in the yield reactive oxygen species like superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, reduction of lipid peroxidation, increase in antioxidant enzyme activity in Vigna radiata, and enhancement of growth of Bacillus coagulans as compared to that of Hg2+ alone. Moreover, it was found that MCM 41 was effective at higher dosages compared to MCM 48, which indicates the structure to function relationship.


Subject(s)
Bacillus coagulans , Mercury , Nanoparticles , Vigna , Humans , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Ecosystem , Fabaceae , Mercury/toxicity , Metals, Heavy/toxicity , Soil
4.
ACS Sustain Chem Eng ; 11(31): 11437-11458, 2023 Aug 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37564955

ABSTRACT

Nanostructured products are an actively growing area for food research, but there is little information on the sustainability of processes used to make these products. In this Review, we advocate for selection of sustainable process technologies during initial stages of laboratory-scale developments of nanofoods. We show that selection is assisted by predictive sustainability assessment(s) based on conventional technologies, including exploratory ex ante and "anticipatory" life-cycle assessment. We demonstrate that sustainability assessments for conventional food process technologies can be leveraged to design nanofood process concepts and technologies. We critically review emerging nanostructured food products including encapsulated bioactive molecules and processes used to structure these foods at laboratory, pilot, and industrial scales. We apply a rational method via learning lessons from sustainability of unit operations in conventional food processing and critically apportioned lessons between emerging and conventional approaches. We conclude that this method provides a quantitative means to incorporate sustainability during process design for nanostructured foods. Findings will be of interest and benefit to a range of food researchers, engineers, and manufacturers of process equipment.

5.
Materials (Basel) ; 16(13)2023 Jun 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37444948

ABSTRACT

In this work, the kinetics of the redox reaction between platinum(IV) chloride complex ions and ascorbic acid is studied. The reduction process of Pt(IV) to Pt(II) ions was carried out at different reagent concentrations and environmental conditions, i.e., pH (2.2-5.1), temperature (20-40 °C), ionic strength (I = 0.00-0.40 M) and concentrations of chloride ions (0.00-0.40 M). The kinetic traces during the reduction process were registered using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Based on the kinetic traces, the rate constants were determined, and the kinetic equations were proposed. It was shown that in the mild acidic medium (pH = 2.5), the reduction process of Pt(IV) to Pt(II) ions is more complex in the presence of oxygen dissolved in the aqueous solutions. For these processes, the values of the enthalpy and entropy of activation were determined. Moreover, the mechanism of the reduction of Pt(IV) to Pt(II) ions was proposed. The presented results give an overview of the process of the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles in the solution containing oxygen, in which the reduction process of Pt(IV) to Pt(II) ions is the first step.

6.
Int J Life Cycle Assess ; : 1-14, 2023 Jun 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37363085

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Ammonia (NH3) production is an energy-intensive process that is concentrated in a few countries at large-scale plants, mainly using the Haber-Bosch (HB) process. Local plants next to farmers can reduce environmental impacts, as well as reduce storage, shortage risks, and price volatility of fertilisers. Since local NH3 production is not cost-effective, we analyse how internalisation of environmental impacts into economic analyses could help to promote novel technologies for NH3 synthesis when supplied with renewable energy. Methods: Mini-HB plants working at high pressure and temperature, as well as novel alternatives based on plasma reactors working at ambient conditions and using electricity from renewable sources, have been recently proposed for decentralised NH3 production. To evaluate the environmental performances of these alternative and traditional NH3 pathways, a life cycle assessment was performed to quantify the reduced emissions in each production process and the impacts of by-product utilisation, such as steam, oxygen, or carbon black. Different scales of storage and transportation, fuelled by traditional energy sources, were modelled to quantify the impacts of the simplified NH3 supply chains. A review of monetary valuation coefficients was performed to internalise the life cycle environmental impacts into the techno-economic analyses of NH3 production in Australia. Results and discussion: Most of the estimated environmental costs were due to the carbon emissions of conventional plants and thermal plasma plants because of the use of fossil-based electricity. However, the high external costs associated with the photochemical oxidant formation and particulate matter affected the thermal plasma and non-thermal plasma (NTP) plants, costing in total 9,500 and 4,200 $/t NH3, respectively, due to the impacts of solar panels manufacturing. In contrast, electrolyser-HB plants obtained rates of 114 $/t NH3 because of the high energy efficiency and oxygen sales. In the future scenario for NTP-based plants, this alternative could also be competitive with rates of 222 $/t NH3. Additionally, the estimated total external costs for the conventional NH3 industry in Australia amounted to about US$5 billion per year. Conclusions: Electrolyser-HB plants could be cost-effective in the short term due to the energy efficiency of HB processes. However, the HB process has reached its efficiency limits, while the NTP process still has room for improvement, as well as its production costs are lower at smaller scales. In addition, if monetised environmental costs are analysed for a whole industry, public administrations could be prompted to invest the expected savings in the promotion of these novel technologies. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11367-023-02187-5.

7.
Adv Healthc Mater ; 12(23): e2203363, 2023 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37039561

ABSTRACT

The use of microfluidics for oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsification via spontaneous self-assembly is demonstrated. As this is known to be a longish process, both single- and multicontact microfluidic reactors are tested, the latter providing a longsome, constant microfluidic treatment to maintain advanced phase and interfacial mass transfer. Microfluidic devices provide strong advantages above conventional systems for spontaneous emulsification, with droplet sizes of 62 nm at desired surfactant-to-oil ratios (SOR) and a decrease of 90% in process time. Multicontact microfluidics have better performance than their single-contact counterparts, while critical aspects, e.g., process robustness, are also discussed. Ternary phase diagram analysis of the three components (oil, water, surfactant) allow to decide for the right mixing ratio and sequence of mixing steps for the nanoemulsions. Microfluidic spontaneous emulsification meets objective functions of the intended application to provide fortified beverages to astronauts in space exploration. In that viewpoint, an advantage is to achieve stable nanoemulsions at a level of concentrations much higher as compared to application (human intake), allowing a dilution factor to the final product of up to 100. This decreases notably the process time and allows for process flexibility, e.g., to dilute or tailor Earth-prepared nanoemulsion concentrate payloads in space.


Subject(s)
Microfluidics , Surface-Active Agents , Humans , Emulsions , Particle Size , Water
8.
Plant Physiol Biochem ; 196: 917-924, 2023 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36889231

ABSTRACT

Circular economy has become global priority, and fertigation make large contribution. Modern circular methodologies base their definitions, besides on waste minimisation and recovery, on the product usage U and lifetime L. We have modified a commonly used equation for the mass circularity indicator (MCI) to permit MCI determination for agricultural cultivation. We defined U as intensity for diverse investigated parameters of plant growth and L as the bioavailability period. In this way, we compute circularity metrics for the plantgrowth performance when exposed to three nanofertilizers and one biostimulant, as compared to no-use of micronutrients (control 1), and micronutrients supplied via conventional fertilizers (control 2). We determined an MCI of 0.839 for best nanofertilizer performance (1.000 denotes full circularity), while the MCI of conventional fertilizer was 0.364. Normalised to control 1, U was determined as 1.196, 1.121 and 1.149 for manganese, copper and iron-based nanofertilizers, respectively, while U was 1.709, 1.432, 1.424 and 1.259 for manganese, copper, iron nanofertilizers and gold biostimulant when normalised to control 2, respectively. Based on the learning of the plant growth experiments, a tailored process design is proposed for the use of nanoparticles with pre-conditioning, post-processing and recycling steps. A life cycle assessment shows that the additional use of pumps for this process design does not increase energy costs, while preserving environmental advantages related to the lower water usage of the nanofertilizers. Moreover, the impact of the losses of conventional fertilisers by missing absorption of plant roots, which is presumed to be lower for the nanofertilizers.


Subject(s)
Copper , Manganese , Agriculture/methods , Iron , Micronutrients
9.
Nanomaterials (Basel) ; 13(5)2023 Feb 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36903724

ABSTRACT

Graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) material with a single atomic crystal structure of carbon that has the potential to create next-generation devices for photonic, optoelectronic, thermoelectric, sensing, wearable electronics, etc., owing to its excellent electron mobility, large surface-to-volume ratio, adjustable optics, and high mechanical strength. In contrast, owing to their light-induced conformations, fast response, photochemical stability, and surface-relief structures, azobenzene (AZO) polymers have been used as temperature sensors and photo-switchable molecules and are recognized as excellent candidates for a new generation of light-controllable molecular electronics. They can withstand trans-cis isomerization by conducting light irradiation or heating but have poor photon lifetime and energy density and are prone to agglomeration even at mild doping levels, reducing their optical sensitivity. Graphene derivatives, including graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), are an excellent platform that, combined with AZO-based polymers, could generate a new type of hybrid structure with interesting properties of ordered molecules. AZO derivatives may modify the energy density, optical responsiveness, and photon storage capacity, potentially preventing aggregation and strengthening the AZO complexes. They are potential candidates for sensors, photocatalysts, photodetectors, photocurrent switching, and other optical applications. This review aimed to provide an overview of the recent progress in graphene-related 2D materials (Gr2MS) and AZO polymer AZO-GO/RGO hybrid structures and their synthesis and applications. The review concludes with remarks based on the findings of this study.

10.
Plant Physiol Biochem ; 194: 708-721, 2023 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36566710

ABSTRACT

Successful human space exploration requires more products than can be taken as payload. There is a need, therefore, for in-space circular manufacturing. Requirements for this include limited resource inflow, from either Earth or other planets and the generation of minimal waste. The provision of nutritious food is a clear need for human survival on the Moon or Mars and is one of the most complex to solve. Demand in large quantities, constant and reliable provision of food requires the development of specialist agricultural technologies. Here, we first review the history of space farming over the past five decades. This survey assesses the technologies which have been tested under the harsh conditions of space, identifying which modern horticultural components are applicable for in-space plant growth. We then outline which plants have been grown and under what conditions, and speculate upon the types of plants that could be selected to best nourish astronauts. Current systems are focussed on experimentation and exploration, but do not yet provide turn-key solutions for efficient food production within a long-term space exploration scenario. With that take, this review aims to provide a perspective on how an engineered closed circular environmental life-support system (ECCLES) might be constructed. To exemplify the latter, nutrient auto accumulation by biofortification is proposed through the integration of space farming and space mining, which is uncharted on Earth.


Subject(s)
Space Flight , Spacecraft , Humans , Planets , Agriculture , Horticulture
11.
Materials (Basel) ; 17(1)2023 Dec 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38203899

ABSTRACT

Platinum group metals (PGMs), including palladium, play a pivotal role in various industries due to their unique properties. Palladium is frequently employed in technologies aimed at environmental preservation, such as catalytic converters that reduce harmful emissions from vehicles, and in the production of clean energy, notably in the hydrogen evolution process. Regrettably, the production of this vital metal for our environment is predominantly centered in two countries-Russia and South Africa. This centralization has led to palladium being classified as a critical raw material, emphasizing the importance of establishing a secure and sustainable supply chain, as well as employing the most efficient methods for processing materials containing palladium. This review explores techniques for palladium production from primary sources and innovative recycling methods, providing insights into current technologies and emerging approaches. Furthermore, it investigates the economic aspects of palladium production, including price fluctuations influenced by emission regulations and electric vehicle sales, and establishes connections between palladium prices, imports from major producers, as well as copper and nickel prices, considering their often co-occurrence in ores.

12.
ACS Med Chem Lett ; 13(8): 1231-1247, 2022 Aug 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35978686

ABSTRACT

Scientists from around the world are studying the effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation via the "off-Earth" International Space Station (ISS) laboratory platform. The ISS has helped scientists make discoveries that go beyond the basic understanding of Earth. Over 300 medical experiments have been performed to date, with the goal of extending the knowledge gained for the benefit of humanity. This paper gives an overview of these numerous space medical findings, critically identifies challenges and gaps, and puts the achievements into perspective toward long-term space traveling and also adding benefits to our home planet. The medical contents are trifold structured, starting with the well-being of space travelers (astronaut health studies), followed by medical formulation research under space conditions, and then concluding with a blueprint for space pharmaceutical manufacturing. The review covers essential elements of our Earth-based pharmaceutical research such as drug discovery, drug and formulation stability, drug-organ interaction, drug disintegration/bioavailability/pharmacokinetics, pathogen virulence, genome mutation, and body's resistance. The information compiles clinical, medicinal, biological, and chemical research as well as fundamentals and practical applications.

13.
Plant Physiol Biochem ; 187: 25-36, 2022 Sep 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35944400

ABSTRACT

With the advent of nanoscience, nanotechnology and their applications in various fields, mesoporous silica nanoparticles have gained popularity due to their stability, biocompatibility, unique honeycomb-like structures - ordered and random by nature, large surface to volume ratio, porosity, active surfaces, high loading capacity, ease of interactions with solvent, solute and suspended particles. These multitudes of intrinsic properties have motivated us towards an interdisciplinary detailed study on applications of mesoporous silica with an intention in increasing efficacy of productivity, growth if any, in plant life. This study aims at finding modus operandi of the structural uniqueness and eccentricity of various types of mesoporous silica in maneuvering their own functionality as a potential regulator for growth of seedlings of model plant Vigna radiata. We undertook characterization of surface, morphology, epitome of porosity for MCM 41 and MCM 48 using various experimental techniques followed by application of the same to growing seedlings at various dosages. It turned out that mesoporous silica nanoparticles, inarguably have higher efficacy in promoting plant growth, reducing stress, and enhancing basic metabolic rates at optimum dosage. Optimal operation point was determined at effective dosages for MCM 41 and MCM 48 those are being much lower than that of conventional silica nanoparticles. This optimum dosage is attributed to the structures of the nanoparticles used and implied further that higher pore volume, higher surface to volume ratio in case of MCM 41 at higher dosage lead to better adsorption of ions and functionality in contrast to that of MCM 48.

14.
Chemosphere ; 300: 134623, 2022 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35439489

ABSTRACT

Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a promising technology for eradicating organic, inorganic, and microbial pollutants in water and wastewater remediation. It is a more preferable method to other conventional wastewater treatment approaches on account of its low cost, environmental benignity, ability to proceed at ambient temperature and pressure conditions, and capability to completely degrade pollutants under appropriate conditions into environmentally safe products. In heterogeneous photocatalysis, pollutant removal is mainly induced by in-situ generated reactive radicals and their subsequent attack when energetic radiation impinges on the semiconductor catalyst. As such, for the effective and economical removal of wastewater pollutants, the employed catalyst should have high photonic efficiency, less toxic, abundant, chemically and photochemically stableand visible light active. Copper (II) oxide (CuO) is one among such promising compounds and its photocatalytic performance has been hampered primarily by rapid recombination and slow mobility of photogenerated charge carriers. So, this review provides an overview of the strategies adopted to mitigate the aforementioned drawbacks and also other operational parameters to boost its catalytic activity towards the elimination of toxic organic and inorganic metal ion contaminants in an aqueous media.


Subject(s)
Environmental Pollutants , Nanoparticles , Catalysis , Copper/chemistry , Wastewater
15.
Sci Total Environ ; 826: 154162, 2022 Jun 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35240177

ABSTRACT

Haber-Bosch (HB) process, the main method for ammonia (NH3) production, contributes to near 2% of the global carbon emissions because the hydrogen input is obtained from fossil sources. NH3 production is concentrated in a few countries, adding emissions due to global distribution. Distributed plants next to farmers and fed by renewable energy can reduce these impacts, as well as NH3 storage, shortage risks, and price volatility. Distributed plants cannot reach low NH3 production costs as centralised plants, but they can be promoted by the environmental benefits of its products lifecycles. Therefore, life cycle assessments of NH3 production pathways and specific modelling for NH3 transport in Australia were performed, from cradle-to-site, to identify the influence of storage, transport, and energy sources in their environmental profiles. The carbon footprint of centralised production was up to 2.96 kg.CO2-eq/kg.NH3, from which 29.3% corresponded to transport. Local production demonstrated substantial avoided transport impacts and that CO2-eq can reach reductions over 100% when including co-product credits such as oxygen and carbon black. Local plants using electrolysers to supply mini-HB loops obtained rates of 0.12, -0.52, and -1.57 kg.CO2-eq/kg.NH3 using electricity from solar, wind, and biogas (other than manure) sources, respectively. The alternative using high temperature plasma reactor instead of electrolyser obtained its best rate of -0.65 kg.CO2-eq/kg using biogas different from manure. At farm electrolyser-based plants using novel non-thermal plasma reactors, considering potential energy yields and simplified NH3 separation technology, could reach a rate of -1.07 kg.CO2-eq/kg.NH3, using solar energy. Among the assessed pathways, the most notable impact was on freshwater eutrophication in the electrolyser-based plants generating reductions up to 290%, due to oxygen credits. Despite these results, the use of solar energy raises concerns on land use and terrestrial ecotoxicity due to the area needed for solar farms and the manufacture of their components.


Subject(s)
Ammonia , Manure , Biofuels , Carbon Footprint , Oxygen
16.
Res Social Adm Pharm ; 18(9): 3612-3621, 2022 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35183459

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Human physiology undergoes extensive changes in space potentially leading to alterations in the way a medication functions. Understanding the efficacy behind Pharmacological Countermeasures (PCMs) and deliverable pharmacy services is imperative for the future presence of humans in space. However, while the pharmacist plays an integral role for human health terrestrially, pharmacist input has been minimal for human health in the space sector. Here, we explore the pharmacist's potential role in larger medical teams for future missions. OBJECTIVE: To explore pharmacy and space sector stakeholder perspectives regarding the pharmacist's role in the space sector. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with pharmacy (n = 31) and human health-related space sector stakeholders (n = 26) across the globe from governmental, commercial, industry and academic sectors. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to identify stakeholders. Interviews and focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. RESULTS: Three themes - medication management, medication-related research and medication and health information - were generated. The importance of medication optimisation within commercial and federal spaceflight participant medication regimens was cited as necessary for sustainable space exploration. Both groups advocated for pharmacists' involvement with in-situ medication manufacturing and medication-related research, particularly regarding space-based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug profiling. Other essential roles included the pharmacist's role in providing medication information to spaceflight participants and other healthcare professionals on their health status and medication use risk in the context of space. CONCLUSIONS: With the advancement of accessible, commercial space travel and humans becoming an inter-planetary species, the opportunity to tackle PCM needs via a more extensive and comprehensive collaborative effort between the space, medical and pharmacy sectors is essential for sustainable space exploration.


Subject(s)
Community Pharmacy Services , Pharmaceutical Services , Space Flight , Attitude of Health Personnel , Humans , Pharmacists , Professional Role
17.
Foods ; 11(3)2022 Jan 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35159559

ABSTRACT

One of the major challenges in sustainable waste management in the agri-food industry following the "zero waste" model is the application of the circular economy strategy, including the development of innovative waste utilization techniques. The conversion of agri-food waste into carriers for the immobilization of enzymes is one such technique. Replacing chemical catalysts with immobilized enzymes (i.e., immobilized/heterogeneous biocatalysts) could help reduce the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability problems of existing chemically catalysed processes. On the other hand, the economics of the process strongly depend on the price of the immobilized enzyme. The conversion of agricultural and food wastes into low-cost enzyme carriers could lead to the development of immobilized enzymes with desirable operating characteristics and subsequently lower the price of immobilized enzymes for use in biocatalytic production. In this context, this review provides insight into the possibilities of reusing food industry wastes, namely, eggshells, coffee grounds, and brown onion skins, as carriers for lipase immobilization.

18.
Materials (Basel) ; 14(21)2021 Nov 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34772120

ABSTRACT

The process of noble metals ions recovery and the removal small fraction of nanoparticles from waste solution is an urgent topic not only from the economic but also ecology point of view. In this paper, the use of activated carbon fibers (ACF) as a "trap" for gold nanoparticles obtained by a chemical reduction method is described. The synthesized nanoparticles were stabilized either electrostatically or electrosterically and then deposited on carbon fibers or activated carbon fibers. Moreover, the deposition of metal on fibers was carried out in a batch reactor and a microreactor system. It is shown, that process carried out in the microreactor system is more efficient (95%) as compared to the batch reactor and allows for effective gold nanoparticles removal from the solution. Moreover, for similar conditions, the adsorption time of the AuNPs on ACF is shortened from 11 days for the process carried out in the batch reactor to 2.5 min in the microreactor system.

19.
Chem Soc Rev ; 50(21): 11979-12012, 2021 Nov 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34515721

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology is increasingly being utilized to create advanced materials with improved or new functional attributes. Converting fertilizers into a nanoparticle-form has been shown to improve their efficacy but the current procedures used to fabricate nanofertilisers often have poor reproducibility and flexibility. Microfluidic systems, on the other hand, have advantages over traditional nanoparticle fabrication methods in terms of energy and materials consumption, versatility, and controllability. The increased controllability can result in the formation of nanoparticles with precise and complex morphologies (e.g., tuneable sizes, low polydispersity, and multi-core structures). As a result, their functional performance can be tailored to specific applications. This paper reviews the principles, formation, and applications of nano-enabled delivery systems fabricated using microfluidic approaches for the encapsulation, protection, and release of fertilizers. Controlled release can be achieved using two main routes: (i) nutrients adsorbed on nanosupports and (ii) nutrients encapsulated inside nanostructures. We aim to highlight the opportunities for preparing a new generation of highly versatile nanofertilisers using microfluidic systems. We will explore several main characteristics of microfluidically prepared nanofertilisers, including droplet formation, shell fine-tuning, adsorbate fine-tuning, and sustained/triggered release behavior.

20.
J Food Sci ; 86(9): 3762-3777, 2021 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34337748

ABSTRACT

Cold plasma is formed by the nonthermal ionization of gas into free electrons, ions, reactive atomic and molecular species, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This cold plasma can be used to alter the surface of solid and liquid foods, and it offers multiple advantages over traditional thermal treatments, such as no thermal damage and increased output variation (due to the various input parameters gas, power, plasma type, etc.). Cold plasma appears to have limited impact on the sensory and color properties, at lower power and treatment times, but there has been a statistically significant reduction in pH for most of the cold plasma treatments reviewed (p < 0.05). Carbohydrates (cross linking and glycosylation), lipids (oxidation), and proteins (secondary structure) are more significantly impacted due to cold plasma at higher intensities and longer treatment times. Although cold plasma treatments and food matrices can vary considerably, this review has identified the literary evidence of some of the influences and impacts of the vast array of cold plasma treatment parameters on the biomolecular and organoleptic properties of these foods. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the field, we have also identified that authors prioritize the presentation of different information when publishing from different research areas. Therefore, we have proposed a number of key physical and chemical cold plasma parameters that should be considered for inclusion in all future publications in the field.


Subject(s)
Food , Plasma Gases , Carbohydrates/chemistry , Cold Temperature , Food Handling , Plasma Gases/pharmacology , Proteins/chemistry , Proteins/drug effects , Sensation
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