Experimental Evaluation of Industrial Mushroom Waste Substrate Using Hybrid Mechanism of Vermicomposting and Effective Microorganisms.

Mushroom waste substrates are highly resistant lignocellulosic wastes that are commercially produced by industries after harvesting. These wastes produce large environmental challenges regarding disposal and, thus, require treatment facilities. In the present article, the effect of Eisenia-fetida-based vermicomposting and an effective microorganism solution on the mushroom waste substrate were investigated using four different composting mixtures: mushroom waste [MW] substrate composting with effective microorganisms [MW+EM], raw mushroom waste [RWM] substrate composting with effective microorganisms [RMW+EM], mushroom waste substrate composting with vermicomposting and effective microorganisms [MW+V+EM], and raw mushroom waste substrate composting with vermicomposting and effective microorganisms [RWM+V+EM]. This article discusses the structural and physiochemical changes at four samples for 45 days (almost six weeks) of composting. The physical and chemical parameters were monitored during composting and provided information on the duration of the process. The results indicated pH (7.2~8), NPK value (0.9~1.8), and C:N ratio <14, and heavy metals exhibited a decreasing trend in later stages for all sets of compost materials and showed the maturity level. FTIR spectra revealed that all four samples included peaks for the -OH (hydroxy group) ranging from 3780 to 3500 cm−1 and a ridge indicating the C=C (alkenyl bond) ranging from 1650 to 1620 cm−1 in compost. The X-ray diffraction spectrum clearly shows how earthworms and microbes break down molecules into cellulose compounds, and the average crystallinity size using Scherrer's equation was found to be between 69.82 and 93.13 nm. Based on the experimental analysis, [RWM+V+EM] accelerated the breakdown of organic matter and showed improvement compared with other composts in compostable materials, thus, emphasizing the critical nature of long-term mushroom waste management and treatment.

Thermal decomposition of struvite in water: qualitative and quantitative mineralogy analysis.

Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) is a potential fertilizer mineral that can be obtained from wastewaters. When the ambient temperature changes, struvite may decompose in water and other phosphate-bearing minerals form instead. The wet decomposition may include complex mineralization, as the struvite crystal structure releases both water molecules and ammonia. An in-situ x-ray measurement for the wet transformation of the struvite is needed to get insight into the mineral formed and into the influence of the water temperature on the decomposition/remineralization. In this study, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) sample holder containing struvite and water in a sealed condition was heated to temperatures of 55 to 120°C for 24 h. Later the still sealed sample holder was exposed to the X-ray beam with the Debye-Scherrer transmission technique, and the diffraction pattern was analyzed by the XRD Rietveld method. With increasing temperature (<100°C), struvite first dehydrated to dittmarite (MgNH4PO4·H2O). Moreover, a decomposition of struvite into an amorphous form of magnesium hydrogen phosphate has occurred as the XRD background increased dramatically and showed a structured profile with very broad intensity maxima. Furthermore, struvite transforms into dittmarite, newberyite, and bobierrite when the sample was heated above 100°C. The outcome of this work is expected to add knowledge on the instability of struvite, which may occur in the fields of the wastewater treatment and in the bio-mineralization in the urine of animals and humans.

Acid-modified clinoptilolite as a support for palladium-copper complexes catalyzing carbon monoxide oxidation with air oxygen.

Samples of natural clinoptilolite were modified by an acid-thermal method at nitric acid concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 M and a contact time of 30 min. A series of catalysts, K2PdCl4-Cu(NO3)2-KBr/S (S = 0.25H-CLI, 0.5H-CLI, 1H-CLI, and 3H-CLI) was obtained. All samples were investigated by X-ray phase and thermogravimetric analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, water vapor ad/desorption and pH metric method. Besides, K2PdCl4-Cu(NO3)2-KBr/S samples were tested in the reaction of low-temperature carbon monoxide oxidation. It have been found that, owing to special physicochemical and structural-adsorption properties of 3H-CLI, it promotes formation of the palladium-copper catalyst providing carbon monoxide oxidation at the steady-state mode down to CO concentrations lower than its maximum permissible concentration at air relative humidity varied within a wide range.

A Study of Structure and Magnetic Properties of Low Purity Fe-Co-Based Metallic Glasses.

This paper is related to the evaluation of the possibility of using ferroalloys for the production of conventional (CMGs) and bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) as well as determining their magnetic properties. The structure and magnetic properties of Fe-Co-based CMGs and BMGs prepared from ferroalloys and pure elements, were studied. The CMGs and BMGs were in the form of ribbons and rods, respectively. The thickness of the ribbons were 0.07, 0.12, and 0.27 mm and the diameters of the rods were 1.5 and 2.5 mm. The investigations of the structure of the test specimens were carried out using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and electron microscopy methods (HRTEM-high-resolution transmission electron microscope, SEM-scanning electron microscope). The relationship between the structure and magnetic properties of the Fe36.00Co36.00B19.00Si5Nb4 and Fe35.75Co35.75B18.90Si5Nb4Cu0.6 CMGs and BMGs was determined. The possibility of using new materials, i.e., CMGs and BMGs, prepared on the basis of ferroalloys, lies in the scope of the presently conducted research and allows us to obtain the utility properties, while avoiding high costs associated with the purchase of raw materials.

Lupeol and its esters: NMR, powder XRD data and in vitro evaluation of cancer cell growth

ABSTRACT The triterpene lupeol (1) and some of its esters are secondary metabolites produced by species of Celastraceae family, which have being associated with cytotoxic activity. We report herein the isolation of 1, the semi-synthesis of eight lupeol esters and the evaluation of their in vitro activity against nine strains of cancer cells. The reaction of carboxylic acids with 1 and DIC/DMAP was used to obtain lupeol stearate (2), lupeol palmitate (3) lupeol miristate (4), and the new esters lupeol laurate (5), lupeol caprate (6), lupeol caprilate (7), lupeol caproate (8) and lupeol 3',4'-dimethoxybenzoate (9), with high yields. Compounds 1-9 were identified using FT-IR, 1H, 13C-NMR, CHN analysis and XRD data and were tested in vitro for proliferation of human cancer cell activity. In these assays, lupeol was inactive (GI50> 250µg/mL) while lupeol esters 2 -4 and 7 - 9 showed a cytostatic effect. The XRD method was a suitable tool to determine the structure of lupeol and its esters in solid state. Compound 3 showed a selective growth inhibition effect on erythromyeloblastoid leukemia (K-562) cells in a concentration-dependent way. Lupeol esters 4 and 9 showed a selective cytostatic effect with low GI50 values representing promising prototypes for the development of new anticancer drugs.

Using XRD methods for the determination of asbetos which affect people's health in Vietnam environment

XRD (X Ray powder Diffraction) is an effective analysis method for crystallized materials. This method can identify and reflexes characteristics of asbestos in solid materials clearly based on 3 highest peaks of specific diffraction spectrum from asbestos containing samples. However, asbestos concentration lower than 1% may cause certain biases in analysis. Our study focused on the XRD method for qualitative determination of asbestos in solid material samples in Vietnam environment