Enhancement of Tensile Strength and Flexibility of Polycaprolactone/Tapioca Starch Blends by Octadecylamine Modified Clay

Polycaprolactone/tapioca starch/octadecylamine modified clay (OMMT) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by melt blending. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the products showed that they are nanocomposites of a mixture intercalated and exfoliated types. In addition, the TEM also revealed that the OMMT layers are homogeneously distributed in the polymer matrix. The presence of 1 php of OMMT improved the compatibility of the polymers in the blends which consequently increased the tensile strength of the blend of more than 60% and elongation at break of more than 1,000%.     

Preparation and Properties of Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)/Sodium alginate (SA) Blends Induced by Gamma Irradiation

Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC)/Sodium alginate (SA) blends have been prepared by casting solution method. The effect of different irradiation doses (2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy) of gamma rays on the physical properties of the CMC/SA blend containing different ratios of SA (20, 30, and 40 %) such as gel fraction (%) and swelling (%) of CMC/SA blends were investigated. It was found that the gel fraction increases with increasing irradiation dose up to 20 kGy while the swelling of CMC/SA blend films tends to increase with increasing SA content and reduced with increasing irradiation doses. Mechanical and thermal properties of the blend films were improved when CMC content increased and with increasing irradiation dose up to 20 kGy. Morphology of the blend was examined by SEM, which indicates compatibility between CMC and SA. The blend rich in SA content possessed good antimicrobial activity against Gram +ve Bacteria (Bacillus subtilis).     

Fuzzy-based wastewater quality indices for pollution classification: a case study in the United Arab Emirates

This paper presents a fuzzy logic-based tool for assessing the pollution concentration of effluents generated by various industrial and commercial activities. The study proposes a fuzzy overall pollution compliance index (FOPCI) (range 0–100) to classify the wastewater discharged from various types of properties present in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. The work mainly focused on three types of pollution that can occur at the inlets of the wastewater treatment plant of Ajman, due to discharge of industrial and commercial effluents, namely pH pollution, salt pollution, and organic pollution. The proposed FOPCI integrates six characteristics, namely pH, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2?, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and fats, oils, and greases (FOG) values into a readily understandable scale. The FOPCI is developed by using the Fuzzy Inference System Toolbox available in MATLAB in two steps, in which during the first step, three sub-indices, namely fuzzy pH compliance index, fuzzy salt compliance index, and fuzzy organic compliance index are developed. It is then processed in the second stage to develop the FOPCI. Fuzzy rules are used to classify effluents quality into six categories based on the concentration of pollutant in the effluent, namely “Excellent Quality”, “Good Quality”, “Acceptable Quality”, “Moderately Polluting”, “Highly Polluting”, and “Extremely Polluting”. This linguistic classification using fuzzy logic will be helpful as a decision support system to provide an outline for the prioritization of plans for wastewater management based on the values of the indices developed.     

Currently used organophosphate and brominated flame retardants in the environment of China and other developing countries (2000–2016)

This review summarizes the environmental occurrence of new brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and organophosphate compounds (OPs) in the environment of developing countries since 2000. The ban on the production and use of commercial formulations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have paved the way for the high use of NBFRs and OPs in consumer products to fulfill the fire safety regulations. Recent studies have shown that the ever increasing production volumes and extensive use of these chemicals as additive FRs and plasticizers have resulted into their ubiquitous occurrence in all environmental compartments. Although presumed to be safe for use and the environment, recent studies on their occurrence and persistence in the environment have raised questions. Due to the lack of awareness, research interest, and availability of technical facilities, limited scientific data is available on the occurrence of these chemicals in developing countries. In this study, we collected reported data and provide an overview of environmental occurrence of NBFRs and OPs in abiotic and biotic matrices of different developing countries. Finally, research gaps were identified with recommendations for future research work and would be useful towards the environmental management of these toxic chemicals.     

Anaerobic digestion for waste water poultry manure by UBF reactor

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Use of treated bark for the removal of lipids from water

Raw, biologically treated bark and bark impregnated with transition metal ions were used to retain the lipids from synthetic emulsions. Several experimental parameters affecting the lipid removal efficiency (RE) were studied (initial concentration of lipids, temperature, time, pH, carboxylic acid chain length, etc.). Saturated bark was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and light microscopy, and the treated bark wetting index was determined. Results show that lipid removal can exceed 95% of the initial concentration at a pH lower than 7. The uptake of lipids by these sorbents varied from 0.2 to 2.5 g/g of dry bark. Trials for regenerating the sorbent saturated by lipids allowed the recovery of approximately 95% of lipids. The calorific value of the saturated bark was approximately 79% that of domestic fuel and can be considered as an energy source, thus avoiding its waste disposal. These results may upgrade the treatment of wastewater generated by several industrial sectors, such as the food industry, surface treatment, and so on.     

Transient expression of protein tyrosine phosphatases encoded in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cotesia plutellae</Emphasis> bracovirus inhibits insect cellular immune responses

Several immunosuppressive factors are associated with parasitism of an endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia plutellae, on the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. C. plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) encodes a large number of putative protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), which may play a role in inhibiting host cellular immunity. To address this inhibitory hypothesis of CpBV-PTPs, we performed transient expression of individual CpBV-PTPs in hemocytes of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, and analyzed their cellular immune responses. Two different forms of CpBV-PTPs were chosen and cloned into a eukaryotic expression vector under the control of the p10 promoter of baculovirus: one with the normal cysteine active site (CpBV-PTP1) and the other with a mutated active site (CpBV-PTP5). The hemocytes transfected with CpBV-PTP1 significantly increased in PTP activity compared to control hemocytes, but those with CpBV-PTP5 exhibited a significant decrease in the PTP activity. All transfected hemocytes exhibited a significant reduction in both cell spreading and encapsulation activities compared to control hemocytes. Co-transfection of CpBV-PTP1 together with its double-stranded RNA reduced the messenger RNA (mRNA) level of CpBV-PTP1 and resulted in recovery of both hemocyte behaviors. This is the first report demonstrating that the polydnaviral PTPs can manipulate PTP activity of the hemocytes to interrupt cellular immune responses.     

黄河包头段不同粒径沉积物分形校正下重金属的吸附研究

推导了分粒级的表面分形维数计算公式,根据推导公式计算了分粒级沉积物的分维值.应用已有的表面分形分维计算公式分别计算了黄河包头段沉积物整体的表面分形分维(1.91)及＜63 μm粒级的分维值(1.36),揭示出黄河水环境的磨蚀和分选2个原因引起黄河包头段沉积物低的分维值.用分形校正吸附模型、Freundlich和Langmuir吸附模型对黄河包头段重金属分粒级沉积物吸附进行了拟合,表明分形校正吸附模型具有较好的适用性,同时揭示分形校正吸附模型与MEA理论结合能更好的对热力学吸附结果进行描述;由吸附结果分析得出4种重金属因粒径引起的吸附量变化程度序列为Cu＞Pb＞Zn≈Cd,初始浓度高的吸附量曲线变化较初始浓度低的曲线变化明显,同时指出Cu、Pb的吸附主要与矿物组成有关,而Zn、Cd的吸附则与吸附剂沉积物空间几何性质(或沉积物表面物理特征)有关.