Comparison of sediment bioavailable methods to assess the potential risk of metal(loid)s for river ecosystems.

A heavily impacted river basin (Caudal River, NW Spain) by Hg and Cu mining activities, abandoned decades ago, was used to evaluate the environmental quality of their river sediments. The obtained results compared with reference values established by the US EPA and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for river sediments, have shown that the main elements of environmental concern are arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and, to a lesser extent, copper (Cu), which reach concentrations up to 1080, 80 and 54 mg kg-1, respectively. To understand the role that river sediments play in terms of risk to ecosystem health, a comparison has been made between the total content of metal(oid)s in the sediments and the bioavailable contents of the same elements in pore water, passive DGT (Diffusive Gradients in Thin films) samplers and the sediment extractant using acetic acid. A good correlation between the As and Cu contents in the DGTs and the pore water was found, resulting in a transfer from the pore water to the DGT of at least 47 % of the Cu and more than 75 % of the As when the concentrations were low, with a deployment time of 4 days. When As and Cu concentrations were higher, their transfer was not so high (above 23.6 % for As and 19.3 % for Cu). The transfer of Hg from the pore water to the DGT was practically nil and does not seem to depend on the content of this metal. The fraction extracted with acetic acid, conventionally accepted as bioavailable, was clearly lower than that captured by DGTs for As and Cu (≤5 % and ≤8.5 % of the total amount, respectively), while it was similar for Hg (0.2 %).

Integrated High-Throughput Centrifugal Microfluidic Chip Device for Pathogen Detection On-Site.

An integrated and high-throughput device for pathogen detection is crucial in point-of-care testing (POCT), especially for early diagnosis of infectious diseases and preventing the spread of infection. We developed an on-site testing platform that utilizes a centrifugal microfluidic chip and automated device to achieve high-throughput detection. The low-power (<32 W), portable (220 mm × 220 mm × 170 mm, 4 kg) device can complete bacterial lysis, nucleic acid extraction and purification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction, and real-time fluorescence detection. Magnetic beads for nucleic acid adsorption can be mixed by applying electromagnetic fields and centrifugal forces, and the efficiency of nucleic acid extraction is improved by 60% compared to the no-mixing group. The automated nucleic acid extraction process achieves equivalent nucleic acid extraction efficiency in only 40% of the time consumed using the kit protocol. By designing the valve system and disc layout, the maximum speed required for the centrifugal microfluidic chip is reduced to 1500 rpm, greatly reducing the equipment power consumption and size. In detecting E. coli, our platform achieves a limit of detection (LOD) of 102 CFU/mL in 60 min. In summary, our active centrifugal microfluidic platform provides a solution for the integration of complex biological assays on turntables, with great potential in the application of point-of-care diagnosis.

Establishment of rapid extraction and sensitive detection system of trace corn syrup DNA in honey.

Honey adulteration with exogenous syrup has become a common phenomenon, and current detection techniques that require large instruments are cumbersome and time-consuming. In this study, a simple and efficient method was developed by integrating the rapid extraction of nucleic acids (REMD) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), known as REMD-RPA, for the rapid screening of syrup adulteration in honey. First, a rapid extraction method was developed to rapidly extract corn syrup DNA in five minutes to meet the requirements of PCR and RPA assays. Then, the RPA method for detecting endogenous maize genes (ZssIIb) was established, which could detect 12 copies/µL of the endogenous maize gene within 30 min without cross-reacting with other plant-derived genes. This indicated that the RPA technique exhibited high sensitivity and specificity. Finally, the REMD-RPA detection platform was used to detect different concentrations of corn syrup adulteration, and 1 % adulteration could be detected within 30 min. The 22 commercially available samples were tested to validate the efficacy of this method, and the established RPA was able to detect seven adulterated samples in less than 30 min. Overall, the developed method is rapid, sensitive, and specific, providing technical support for the rapid field detection of honey adulteration and can serve as a reference for developing other field test methods.

Evaluation of the Impact of Concentration and Extraction Methods on the Targeted Sequencing of Human Viruses from Wastewater.

Sequencing human viruses in wastewater is challenging due to their low abundance compared to the total microbial background. This study compared the impact of four virus concentration/extraction methods (Innovaprep, Nanotrap, Promega, and Solids extraction) on probe-capture enrichment for human viruses followed by sequencing. Different concentration/extraction methods yielded distinct virus profiles. Innovaprep ultrafiltration (following solids removal) had the highest sequencing sensitivity and richness, resulting in the successful assembly of several near-complete human virus genomes. However, it was less sensitive in detecting SARS-CoV-2 by digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) compared to Promega and Nanotrap. Across all preparation methods, astroviruses and polyomaviruses were the most highly abundant human viruses, and SARS-CoV-2 was rare. These findings suggest that sequencing success can be increased using methods that reduce nontarget nucleic acids in the extract, though the absolute concentration of total extracted nucleic acid, as indicated by Qubit, and targeted viruses, as indicated by dPCR, may not be directly related to targeted sequencing performance. Further, using broadly targeted sequencing panels may capture viral diversity but risks losing signals for specific low-abundance viruses. Overall, this study highlights the importance of aligning wet lab and bioinformatic methods with specific goals when employing probe-capture enrichment for human virus sequencing from wastewater.

Mineral Acid Co-Extraction in Reactive Extraction of Lactic Acid Using a Thymol-Menthol Deep Eutectic Solvent as a Green Modifier.

Carboxylic acids can be isolated from fermentation broths using reactive liquid-liquid extraction, offering an alternative to the environmentally harmful state-of-the-art process of precipitating calcium lactate. To enhance the sustainability of liquid-liquid extraction processes, greener solvents, such as natural deep eutectic solvents, are investigated. However, fermentation broths often exhibit pH values unsuitable for carboxylic acid extraction, which can be adjusted using mineral acids, though mineral acids may be co-extracted. In this study, we systematically examine the co-extraction of hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acid during extraction and back-extraction of lactic acid. The solvent phase consisted of tri-n-octylamine, trioctylphosphine oxide, or tributyl phosphate diluted in a thymol-menthol deep eutectic solvent. The back-extraction was conducted using a diluent swing with p-cymene as the antisolvent and water as the receiving phase. Tri-n-octylamine showed the highest efficiency for lactic acid (up to 29.8%) but also the highest co-extraction of mineral acids (up to 50.9%). In contrast, trioctylphosphine oxide exhibited a lower but more selective lactic acid extraction (5.94%) with low mineral acids co-extraction (0.135%). Overall, the highest co-extraction was observed for phosphoric acid and the lowest for nitric acid. In conclusion, the selected solvent phase composition and mineral acid influence the co-extraction and, thus, final product purity. The successful application of the natural deep eutectic solvent as the modifier enhances the sustainability of liquid-liquid extraction processes.

The Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Activities of the Hawthorn Pectin Extracted Using Ultra-High Pressure Assisted Acid Extraction (UPAAE).

This study aims to investigate the positive effects of ultra-high pressure assisted acid extraction (UPAAE) on both physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of hawthorn pectin. The basic indicators, structure characterization, and antioxidant activities were measured, which could indicate the disadvantages and advantages among traditional water extraction (WE), acid extraction (AE), and UPAAE. The results show that the hawthorn pectin of UPAAE has a decrease in esterification degree, protein content, and total polyphenols, but has an increase in total galacturonic acid aldehyde compared to the hawthorn pectin of AE. In the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses, the hawthorn of UPAAE has typical pectin absorption peaks in the FT-IR spectrum and a distinct layered structure in the SEM surface image. The ion chromatography profiles show that the molar ratio of galacturonic acid to arabinose in the hawthorn pectin of UPAAE increases and 5.50 µg/mg ribose appears compared to the pectin of AE and WE. The high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) profile indicates that the molecular weight distribution of hawthorn pectin of UPAAE is more concentrated and has the highest molecular weight compared to the pectin of the other two extraction methods. In the vitro antioxidant activity analysis, the pectin of UPAAE exhibits the highest scavenging rate against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals (93.70%), which is close to the scavenging rate of vitamin C (96.30%). These findings demonstrated that UPAAE is a more efficient and environmentally friendly method for pectin extraction from hawthorn. It is also an effective way to enhance its antioxidant activity, which has great application prospects in the food industries.

Exploration of green preparation strategy for Lycium barbarum polysaccharide targeting Bacteroides proliferative and immune-enhancing activities and its potential use in geriatric foods.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is beneficial for elderly people, but its use is limited in geriatric foods due to the lack of comprehensive information on its preparation strategy and physical property. In this study, the low-ester rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) type pectic polysaccharide-protein complexes with varying physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, proliferative activities on Bacteroides, and immune-enhancing activities on RAW 264.7 cells, were obtained by moderate-temperature acid extraction within adjustment of enzymatic and physical pretreatments. LBP prepared by moderate-temperature acid extraction, namely S1-A, showed the strongest immune-enhancing activity via increasing the phagocytosis capacity and NO release of RAW 264.7 cells by 23 % and 76 %, respectively. S1-A exhibited relatively high viscosity and calcium ion response characteristic with the application potential for thickened liquid foods for the elderly with dysphagia. LBP prepared by composite cellulase and pectinase pretreatment combined with moderate-temperature acid extraction, namely S1-M1, showed the strongest Bacteroides proliferative activity that was equivalent to 0.60-0.97 times of that of inulin. S1-M1 exhibited extremely low viscosity and strong tolerance to food nutrients with high processing applicability for fluid foods. This study provided crucial data for the preparation and application of LBP targeting gut microbiota disorders and immunosenescence for the development of geriatric foods.

Norovirus GII.17 Caused Five Outbreaks Linked to Frozen Domestic Bilberries in Finland, 2019.

In March 2019, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and Finnish Food Authority started an outbreak investigation after a notification of food business operators' recall of frozen bilberries due to a norovirus finding. A retrospective search was conducted in the food and waterborne outbreak notification system to identify the notifications linked to norovirus and consumption of bilberries in January-March 2019. Five outbreaks were found in which norovirus GII or GII.17 had been detected in patient samples. A pooled retrospective cohort study was performed for those four in which a questionnaire study had been done. A case was defined as a person with diarrhoea or vomiting within 2 days after consuming a meal studied at one of the outbreak locations. Of 79 participants, 45 (57%) cases were identified. Persons that had consumed foods containing unheated bilberries were three times more likely to get ill than those who had not consumed them (RR 3.1, CI 95% 1.2-8.1, p = 0.02). Norovirus GII.17 was found in 16/17 patient samples sent for further typing. Identical norovirus GII.17 was detected in frozen Finnish bilberries and patient samples. At the berry packaging premises, signs of norovirus GII contamination were found in packaging lines. A new procedure for extracting viral nucleic acid from food and environmental samples was used during the outbreak investigation. Consumption of industrially packed frozen berries as heated would be one of the means to prevent norovirus infections.

Structural and flow rheological properties of pumpkin pectic polysaccharide extracted by citric acid.

The present study aimed to investigate the structural and physicochemical characteristics of acid-extracted pumpkin pectic polysaccharide (AcPP) and to evaluate their flow rheological properties. AcPP was extracted from pumpkin pulp using the citric acid extraction method. The physicochemical and structural properties were analyzed by chemical methods and instrumental analyses. The obtained results showed that AcPP consisted predominantly of GalA (85.99 %) and small amounts of Rha, Gal, and Ara, with the ratio of HG/RG-I being 81.39/16.75. In addition, AcPP had medium DE (45.34 %) and contained four macromolecular populations with different Mw of 106.03 (main), 10.15, 4.99, and 2.90 kDa. The NMR analysis further confirmed that AcPP contained a linear backbone consisting of α-1,4-linked GalA residues, some of which were partially methyl-esterified. Furthermore, AcPP was amorphous in nature and had favorable thermal stability. The effects of extrinsic factors on the flow rheological properties of AcPP were evaluated. In particular, the high concentrations of CaCl2 (8 mM) and MgCl2 (10 mM) were effective in enhancing the viscosity and non-Newtonian shear-thinning behavior of the AcPP solution. This study elucidates the unique molecular structure of AcPP and suggests the potential of AcPP as a rheology modifier in low-viscous and mineral-reinforced beverages.

Numerical and experimental investigation on the performance of rapid ultrasonic-assisted nucleic acid extraction based on dispersive two-phase flow.

BACKGROUND: Nucleic acid extraction (NAE) is an essential step in the whole process of nucleic acid detection (NAT). Traditional manual extraction methods are time-consuming and laborious, unfavorable to the point-of-care testing of nucleic acids. Ultrasound has been emphasized due to its noncontact and easy-to-manipulate characteristics, and integration with microfluidic chip can realize rapid NAE through acoustic streaming effect. The uniformity of magnetic bead mixing in this process is a critical factor affecting the extraction effect. In this study, we developed an ultrasound-assisted NAE technique based on the magnetic bead method and optimized the chip structure to achieve rapid NAE. RESULT: We use ultrasonic-assisted coupled with magnetic bead method for ultra-fast NAE. The mixing process of magnetic beads driven by acoustic streaming is simulated by a dispersive two-phase flow model, and the ultrasonic incidence angle (θin), cone structure aspect ratio (Dc/Hc) and sheet structure thickness (Hp) are optimized to enhance the mixing performance. Furthermore, the effectiveness of NAE is validated by utilizing quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) detection. The findings reveal that a θin value of 10° yields superior mixing performance compared to other incidence angles, resulting in a maximum increase of 84 % in mixing intensity. When Dc/Hc = 0.5 and Hp = 0.5 mm, the maximum mixing index in the localized region of the chamber after 1 s of ultrasound action can reach 83.6 % and 92.5 %, respectively. Compared to the original chamber, the CT values extracted after 5 s of ultrasound action shifted forward by up to 1.9 ct and 4.1 ct, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE: The dispersed two-phase flow model can effectively simulate the mixing process of magnetic beads, which plays an important role in assisting the structural design of chip extraction chambers. The single-step mixing of ultrasound-assisted NAE takes only 15s to achieve an extraction performance comparable to manual extraction. The extraction process can be completed within 7 min after integrating this technology with microfluidic chips and automated equipment, providing a solution for automated and efficient NAE.

Recovery of Copper and Zinc from Livestock Bio-Sludge with An Environmentally Friendly Organic Acid Extraction.

Pig farmers in Taiwan tend to overdose copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in animal feeds to ensure pig health. The application of Cu- or Zn-rich livestock compost to fields can result in high Cu/Zn residues in surface soil and violate limitations for zinc and copper in land applications. This study aims to extract Cu and Zn from sludge using organic acid or H2O2/organic acids. The livestock bio-sludge was dried and treated with different concentrations of acetic acid (1N, 2N, and 4N). The acid-extracted sludge was then treated with or without adding H2O2 during different periods (4, 24, and 48 h) to investigate the efficiency of acid extraction of Cu and Zn. The supernatant of the acid-extracted product was separated from the residues through centrifugation. Experimental results showed that the treatment set of dried bio-sludge with 2% H2O2 significantly promoted the removal efficiency of Cu and Zn from the bio-sludge (p < 0.01). The best removal efficiency of Cu and Zn from the bio-sludge was 40% and 70%, respectively, using 4N acetic acid in the 48 h group. The study shows a green method for extracting Cu and Zn from livestock sludge, enhancing the sustainability of intensive livestock farming.

Efficient extraction of adventitious virus nucleic acid using commercially available methods.

An essential step in pharmaceutical product development is screening for contamination with adventitious agents, and there is desire to develop highly sensitive assays to detect adventitious viral nucleic acid. This study sought to examine the nucleic acid extraction efficiency of three viral candidates in relevant background matrices using four different extraction methods. Three model adventitious viruses, Minute virus of Mice, Porcine Circovirus, and Feline Leukemia Virus, were diluted within a variety of background matrices relevant to pharmaceutical production methods. Upon extraction, the nucleic acid was quantified using droplet digital PCR methods. Four nucleic acid extraction methods were assessed, including commercially available kits and manual extraction methods. Each method recovered nucleic acid post-extraction for each of the model viruses within the tested background matrices. The silica-column based method recovered a greater amount of viral nucleic acid, compared to the other methods tested. Similar trends were observed when model virus was diluted in bioreactor supernatant, which replicates industry testing conditions and provides details on which extraction methods might be used in Next Generation Sequencing and PCR methods for detecting contamination within pharmaceutical products.

Comparisons of pulsed ultrasound-assisted and hot-acid extraction methods for pectin extraction under dual acid mixtures from onion (Allium cepa L.) waste.

The aim of this study is to compare the physicochemical properties and yields of pectins extracted from onion waste under hot acid (HAE) and pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction (PUAE) methods using different organic-inorganic acids, their mixtures, and pure water. The extraction temperature for experiments carried out under HAE was kept at 90°C for 90 min, whereas PUAE experiments were accomplished at RT in 15 min. In general, HAE gave better pectin yields compared with PUAE due to the significance of the increasing extraction temperature for the release of pectin from the plant matrix. While the maximum pectin yield from onion waste was 16.22% for HAE, the highest yield for PUAE was 9.83%. PUAE provides less time- and energy-consuming extraction of pectin within 15 min and thus seems to be more economic compared with the HAE. According to the physicochemical properties (equivalent weight (EW), degree of esterification (DE), methoxyl (MeO), and galacturonic acid (Gal-A) contents) of obtained pectins, extracted pectins were mostly high methoxy pectin. While the DE and MeO values of pectins extracted in organic acid conditions under HAE were higher, these values were found to be higher for pectins extracted in inorganic acids under PUAE. For acid mixtures, the DE and MeO values of pectins under HAE were mostly found to be lower than those under PUAE. Sequential PUAE and HAE methods for the extraction of pectin from onion waste were also found to be useful in terms of obtaining higher yields and better physicochemical properties. The highest pectin yield was 20.32% for the sequential PUAE and HAE methods. FT-IR analyses of the extracted pectins by both HAE and PUAE methods showed similar vibration bands compared with those of commercial citrus pectin.

Kinetic Modelling the Solid-Liquid Extraction Process of Scandium from Red Mud: Influence of Acid Composition, Contact Time and Temperature.

Industry represents a fundamental component of modern society, with the generation of massive amounts of industrial waste being the inevitable result of development activities in recent years. Red mud is an industrial waste generated during alumina production using the Bayer process of refining bauxite ore. It is a highly alkaline waste due to the incomplete removal of NaOH. There are several opinions in both the literature and legislation on the hazards of red mud. According to European and national legislation, this mud is not on the list of hazardous wastes; however, if the list of criteria are taken into account, it can be considered as hazardous. The complex processing of red mud is cost-effective because it contains elements such as iron, manganese, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, strontium, lead, copper, cadmium, bismuth, barium and rare earths, especially scandium. Therefore, the selection of an extraction method depends on the form in which the element is present in solution. Extraction is one of the prospective separation and concentration methods. In this study, we evaluated the kinetic modelling of the solid-liquid acid extraction process of predominantly scandium as well as other elements present in red mud. Therefore, three acids (HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4) at different concentrations (10, 20 and 30%) were targeted for the extraction of Sc(III) from solid red mud. Specific parameters of the kinetics of the extraction process were studied, namely the solid:liquid ratio, initial acid concentration, contact time and temperature. The extraction kinetics of Sc(III) with acids was evaluated using first- and second-order kinetic models, involving kinetic parameters, rate constants, saturation concentration and activation energy. The second-order kinetic model was able to describe the mechanism of Sc(III) extraction from red mud. In addition, this study provides an overview on the mechanism of mass transfer involved in the acid extraction process of Sc(III), thereby enabling the design, optimization and control of large-scale processes for red mud recovery.

Research on a Magnetic Separation-Based Rapid Nucleic Acid Extraction System and Its Detection Applications.

Nucleic acid extraction represents the "first step" in molecular diagnostic experiments. The quality of this extraction serves as a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the accuracy of nucleic acid detection. This article presents a comprehensive design scheme for a rapid automated nucleic acid extraction system based on magnetic separation. The design and implementation of the system are analyzed and investigated in-depth, focusing on the core methods, hardware control, and software control of the automated nucleic acid extraction system. Additionally, a study and evaluation were carried out concerning the nucleic acid extraction and detection aspects encompassed by the system. The results demonstrate that the temperature deviation in the lysis and elution fluids is approximately ±1 °C, the positioning accuracy of the system's movement is ±0.005 mm, the average magnetic bead recovery rate is 94.98%, and the average nucleic acid recovery rate is 91.83%. The developed automated system and manual methods are employed for sample extraction, enabling the isolation of highly pure nucleic acids from bacteria, blood, and animal tissues for RT-PCR detection. The instrument employs lysis temperatures ranging from 70-80 °C, elution temperature of 80 °C, and drying time of 5-10 min, with a total extraction time of less than 35 min for different sample types. Overall, the system yields high nucleic acid concentration and purity, exhibits stable instrument operation, good repeatability, high efficiency, and low cost. It meets the requirements of genetic-level research and is worthy of clinical promotion and usage.

Field-friendly and ultra-fast detection platform without nucleic acid extraction for virus detection.

The polymeric chain reaction (PCR) has come under fire for being time-consuming, requiring expensive equipments, and requiring the extraction and purification of nucleic acids. Here, an ultra-fast and sensitive detection platform without nucleic acid extraction solved the above problems. Firstly, the RoomTemp Sample Lysis Kit released the nucleic acid in 3 min and removed the inhibition to facilitate the amplification reaction. What's more, ultra-fast PCR (UF-PCR) can complete 40 cycles in just 15 min and 50 s. To improve the sensitivity and provide more convenient reading modes, CRISPR/Cas12a was mediated to detect Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). The platform output fluorescence and Lateral flow dipstick (LFD) signals. The actual detection limit was 2 × 101 copies·µL-1. The portable platform realized visualization, excellent sensitivity and quick speed. In summary, the field-friendly testing platform had great potential in practical testing.

Marine collagen: Unveiling the blue resource-extraction techniques and multifaceted applications.

Marine organisms such as fish and shellfish are composed of compounds with properties and characteristics that have been proven useful in a variety of sectors such as cosmetics, healthcare (wound healing), food industries, and tissue engineering. Collagen extraction from fish waste as a "blue resource" has attracted research attention over the past decade. Around 75 % of fish waste contains a high concentration of collagen. This has driven research in the conversion of these low-cost by-products into valuable products. Collagen extracted by acidic or/and enzymatic methods is gaining a lot of attention today due to its low cost and high yield. Fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis stand out as one of the most environmentally sustainable and ecologically friendly methods for collagen extraction. Because of its great biocompatibility, excellent bioactivity, and low antigenicity, marine collagen is receiving more attention. Furthermore, collagen-derived peptides may exhibit interesting antioxidant activity, potent antihypertensive activity, and antimicrobial activity against different strains of bacteria. This review focuses on the advancements in extraction and detection methods of marine collagen, both from a technological and legislative standpoint, in addition to exploring its diverse range of application domains.

A comprehensive assessment on sludge conditioning by pyrite acid eluent-activated peroxymonosulfate based on dewaterability, heavy metals risk and ore recovery.

Wastewater activated sludge (WAS) has poor dewaterability and contains heavy metals (HMs), limiting its land application. Therefore, in this study, a novel pyrite acid eluent-activated peroxymonosulfate (Fe2+pyrite/PMS) conditioning approach that can completely recover the residual pyrite and greatly reduce acid use was developed to improve WAS dewaterability, and the HMs chemical speciation and risks of conditioned WAS were assessed. Our results showed that under the optimized operational parameters, the capillary suction time (CST) and water content (Wc) of WAS decreased by 46.03% and 7.75%, respectively. Furthermore, during Fe2+pyrite/PMS conditioning processing, sulfate radical (SO4-) destroyed the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) matrix, causing bound water release and the decrease of proteins/polysaccharides in outer layered EPS, even the decomposition of some protein-N in tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) into inorganic-N. In addition, although the total concentration of HMs in the conditioned WAS matrix increased, the Ni concentration decreased in the solid fraction. Further, the risk assessment code (RAC) levels did not increase, and the eco-toxicity of Cr became weakened after Fe2+pyrite/PMS conditioning. However, after acid extraction, the pyrite residue had worsened recycle performance because the passivation layer contained S0/Sn2- on its surface, and no additional elements were detected in the pyrite residue, which had almost no effect on its further usage.

Developing a procedure to extract chenodeoxycholic acid and synthesize ursodeoxycholic acid from pig by-products.

This study was conducted to develop simple methods for the extraction of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and synthesis of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) from pig by-products. The enzymatic method, which uses bile salt hydrolase (BSH) enzymes to extract CDCA, was found to be more efficient than the chemical method. The chemical method, which uses pig by-products, resulted in UDCA amounts of 6.05 mg, 0.51 mg, 3.04 mg, and 1.26 mg in 100 g of the liver, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, respectively. The amounts of UDCA synthesized/100 g through the chemical and enzymatic methods required to extract CDCA were 3.48 g and 2.22 g, respectively. The procedure developed in this study was simplified by three stages compared to the conventional chemical method of extracting CDCA. Moreover, this study provides a technique that improves the utilization of pig by-products.

Advancing the automation of plant nucleic acid extraction for rapid diagnosis of plant diseases in space.

Human space exploration missions will continue the development of sustainable plant cultivation in what are obviously novel habitat settings. Effective pathology mitigation strategies are needed to cope with plant disease outbreaks in any space-based plant growth system. However, few technologies currently exist for space-based diagnosis of plant pathogens. Therefore, we developed a method of extracting plant nucleic acid that will facilitate the rapid diagnosis of plant diseases for future spaceflight applications. The microHomogenizer™ from Claremont BioSolutions, originally designed for bacterial and animal tissue samples, was evaluated for plant-microbial nucleic acid extractions. The microHomogenizer™ is an appealing device in that it provides automation and containment capabilities that would be required in spaceflight applications. Three different plant pathosystems were used to assess the versatility of the extraction process. Tomato, lettuce, and pepper plants were respectively inoculated with a fungal plant pathogen, an oomycete pathogen, and a plant viral pathogen. The microHomogenizer™, along with the developed protocols, proved to be an effective mechanism for producing DNA from all three pathosystems, in that PCR and sequencing of the resulting samples demonstrated clear DNA-based diagnoses. Thus, this investigation advances the efforts to automate nucleic acid extraction for future plant disease diagnosis in space.