Waste to wealth: Synthesis of hydrocalumite from Moroccan phosphogypsum and aluminum wastes.

Each year, the phosphate industries in Morocco discard over 20 million tons of phosphogypsum into the Atlantic Ocean, posing a significant threat to aquatic life and causing potential long-term damage to ecosystems due to the accumulation of harmful substances. Hence, developing eco-friendly and cost-effective strategies to valorize phosphogypsum is vital to protect ecosystems and human health. This study aims to provide a concrete and efficient strategy for exploiting phosphogypsum and aluminum wastes in the preparation of hydrocalumite using the co-precipitation method. The synthesis strategy's effectiveness was assessed through a comprehensive analysis of the phosphogypsum-based hydrocalumite using various techniques, including FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). In addition, the structure was refined to discuss the arrangement of the polyhedrons occupied by the different ions in the hydrocalumite framework. It was found that the phosphogypsum-based hydrocalumite exhibited chemical and structural properties comparable to those of conventionally synthesized hydrocalumite, suggesting its potential applicability in diverse fields, including catalysis, cement and concrete production, polymer additives, medicine, and environmental remediation. Overall, in this work, the Moroccan phosphogypsum and aluminum wastes proved to be effective precursors of hydrocalumite, with structural and chemical properties presumably close to the conventional hydrocalumite.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of hydrozincite-TiO2 nanocomposite by copper for removal of pharmaceutical pollutant mefenamic acid in aqueous solution.

Nanocomposites based on hydrozincite-TiO2 and copper-doped HZ-xCu-TiO2 (x = 0.1; 0.25; 0.35) were synthesized in a single step using the urea method. The samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM/TEM, and DRS. The study of adsorption capacity and photocatalytic efficiency of these nanocomposites have been tested on a pharmaceutical pollutant, mefenamic acid (MFA). Kinetic study of removal of MFA indicates that this pollutant was adsorbed on the surface of the synthesized phases, according to Langmuir's model. Such adsorption proved to be well adapted in a kinetic pseudo-second-order model with capacity of 13.08 mg/g for HZ-0.25Cu-TiO2. Subsequently, the kinetics of photocatalytic degradation under UV-visible irradiation was studied according to several parameters, which allowed us to optimize our experimental conditions. The nanocomposite HZ-0.25Cu-TiO2 showed significant removal efficiency of MFA. Elimination rate reached 100% after 20 min under UV-vis irradiation, and 77% after 7 h under visible light irradiation. Repeatability tests have shown that this nanocomposite is extremely stable after six photocatalytic cycles. By-products of MFA were detected by LC/MS. These photoproducts was produced by three types of reactions of hydroxylation: cyclization and cleavage of the aromatic ring. MFA underwent complete mineralization after 22 h of irradiation in the presence of the HZ-0.25Cu-TiO2.

Association of AMPK subunit gene polymorphisms with growth, feed intake, and feed efficiency in meat-type chickens.

Investigations on regulatory genes of feed intake will provide a rational scientific basis to improve future selection indices for more efficient chickens. In the present study, we investigated the association of 13 previously reported SNPs in the chicken adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) subunits PRKAB1, PRKAG2, and PRKAG3 genes with body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in two distinct yellow meat-type strains. Six SNPs with a very low minor allele frequency were removed by genotype quality control and data filtering. The experimental population comprised 796 pedigreed males from two strains with different genetic backgrounds, 335 chickens from N202 and 461 chickens from N301. BW at 49 (BW49) and 70 days of age (BW70) and FI (from 49 to 70 days of age) were determined individually. BWG and FCR were computed based on BW and FI in the interval between 49 to 70 days. The results indicated that PRKAB1 SNPs rs14094358 and rs14094362 were significantly associated with BW70, BWG, and FI in the N202 strain, and rs14094361 and rs14094363 were significantly associated with FI and FCR in the N301 strain (P < 0.05). In addition, the PRKAG2 SNP rs14133282 showed significant association with FI in N202, and rs13535812 was significantly associated with BW70 in N202 (P < 0.05). Moreover, the PRKAG3 SNP rs13595570 was significantly associated with BW in N202 (P < 0.05), and significantly associated with FI and FCR in N301 (P < 0.05). Additionally, a two-SNP haplotype comprising rs14094361 and rs14094362 in PRKAB1 was significantly associated with BWG in N202 (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, haplotypes based on two SNPs, rs14133282, and rs13535812, showed significant effects on FI in N202 (P < 0.05). Our findings therefore provide important evidence for association of AMPK subunits polymorphisms with body weight, feed intake, and feed efficiency that may be applied in meat-type chicken breeding programs.

Association of leptin receptor gene polymorphisms with growth and feed efficiency in meat-type chickens.

Many genetic factors influence the growth and feed intake of birds. In the current study, we evaluated the association of 8 previously reported SNP in the chicken leptin receptor (LEPR) gene with BW, BW gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Four SNP with a very low minor allele frequency were removed by genotype quality control. The experimental population consisted of 796 pedigreed males from 2 genetically unrelated yellow meat-type chicken strains, 335 chickens from N202, and 461 chickens from N301. The BW at 49 (BW49) and 70 d of age (BW70) and FI (from 49 to 70 d of age) were measured individually. The BWG and FCR were calculated based on BW and FI in the interval between 49 to 70 d. The results indicated that rs14657336, rs13684613, rs13684615, and rs13684616 were found in strong linkage disequilibrium. This linkage disequilibrium block was significantly associated with BW49 (P < 0.05), BW70 (P < 0.05), and FI (P < 0.05) in the N202 strain, and FCR (P < 0.01) in the N301 strain, respectively. In addition, the GTACGTAC diplotype had the highest BWG and FI in both strains. The association revealed in this study suggests the need for further functional study on the role of LEPR gene in regulating feed intake and FCR of chickens.