Acoustic cavitation induced by ultrasonic cutting devices: a preliminary study

Ultrasonic cutting is frequently used for the separation of foods, especially in case of commodities with multiple layers showing a different mechanical resistance. Both chemiluminescence measurements and the degradation of organochloric compounds served as an evidence for the occurrence of acoustic cavitation around excited cutting blades. Additionally, sensory experiments revealed that even a short ultrasonic treatment of edible oil is sufficient to generate a remarkable off-flavor.     

Degradation of azo dye Acid black 1 using low concentration iron of Fenton process facilitated by ultrasonic irradiation

A combination of ultrasonic and low concentration iron (<3 mgL(-1)) of Fenton process (US/Fenton) has been used to treat wastewater containing Acid black 1 (AB1). The results show that the oxidation power of low concentration iron of Fenton could be significantly enhanced by ultrasonic irradiation. The degradation of AB1 in aqueous solution by US/Fenton can receive better results compared with either Fenton oxidation or ultrasonic alone. Many operational parameters, such as ultrasonic power density, the pH value, the Fe(2+) dosage, the H(2)O(2) dosage, AB1 concentration and the temperature, affecting the degradation efficiency were investigated. Also, the effects of various inorganic anions (such as Cl(-), NO(3)(-), CO(3)(2-), etc.) on the oxidation efficiency of US/Fenton were studied. Under the given test conditions, 98.83% degradation efficiency was achieved after 30 min reaction by US/Fenton. The effect of various inorganic anions was in the following decreasing order: SO(3)(2-)>CH(3)COO(-)>Cl(-)>CO(3)(2-)>HCO(3)(-)>SO(4)(2-)>NO(3)(-). The results show that the US/Fenton can be an effective technology for the treatment of organic dyes in wastewater.     

超声/PFS联合对造纸黑液处理的研究

对苇浆黑液进行超声与PFS/H2O2的协同预处理研究。结果表明：它们的联合处理与单独用PFS/H2O2处理相比较。CODcr的去除率提高12.49%-14.41%；可节约PFS14%，H2O250%-80%；实验也表明，处理效果与探头的辐射面积关系不大，同时一味增加电功率，效果也不明显，由此推断，这与黑液成分复杂有关。     

CaCl2 as a bifunctional reusable catalyst: diversity-oriented synthesis of 4H-pyran library under ultrasonic irradiation

CaCl₂ is applied as an efficient reusable and eco-friendly bifunctional catalyst for the one-pot three-component synthesis of 4H-pyrans under ultrasonic irradiation. A broad range of substrates including the aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes, indoline-2,3-dione (isatin) derivatives, acenaphthylene-1,2-dione (acenaphthenequinone) and 2, 2-dihydroxy-2H-indene-1,3-dione (ninhydrin) were condensed with carbonyl compounds possessing a reactive ??-methylene group and alkylmalonates. All reactions are completed in short times, and the products are obtained in good to excellent yields. The catalyst could be recycled and reused several times without any loss of efficiency.     

Secondary sonochemical effect on Mo-catalyzed bromination of aromatic compounds

The Molybdate-catalyzed bromination of various aromatic compounds in the presence of KBr/H(2)O(2) in an aqueous/chloroform biphasic system occurred under ultrasonic irradiation, whereas the reaction did not take place under conventional mechanical stirring (1400 rpm). The sonochemical activation was found to be of secondary effect, attributed to lowering pH by sonolysis of CHCl(3)-H(2)O solvents mixture.     

In vitro chronic hepatic disease characterization with a multiparametric ultrasonic approach

Although, high resolution, real-time ultrasonic (US) imaging is routinely available, image interpretation is based on grey-level and texture and quantitative evaluation is limited. Other potentially useful diagnostic information from US echoes may include modifications in tissue acoustic parameters (speed, attenuation and backscattering) resulting from disease development. Changes in acoustical parameters can be detected using time-of-flight and spectral analysis techniques. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of three parameters together (attenuation coefficient, US speed and integrated backscatter coefficient-IBC) to discriminate healthy and fibrosis subgroups in liver tissue. Echoes from 21 fresh in vitro samples of human liver and from a plane reflector were obtained using a 20-MHz central frequency transducer (6-30 MHz bandpass). The scan plane was parallel to the reflector placed beneath the liver. A 30 x 20 matrix of A-scans was obtained, with a 200-microm step. The samples were classified according to the Metavir scale in five different degrees of fibrosis. US speed, attenuation and IBC were estimated from standard methods described in the literature. Statistical tests were applied to the results of each parameter individually and indicated that it was not possible to identify all the fibrosis groups. Then a discriminant analysis was performed for the three parameters together resulting in a reasonable separation of fibrotic groups. Although the number of tissue samples is limited, this study opens the possibility of enhancing the discriminant capability of ultrasonic parameters of liver tissue disease when they are combined together.     

Effects of ultrasound pretreatment on the quality,nutrients and volatile compounds of dry-cured yak meat

The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of ultrasound pretreatment on the quality of dry-cured yak meat. The ultrasonic power with 0, 200, 300 and 400 W (ultrasonic frequency of 20 kHz) were used to assist processing of dry-cured yak meat. The meat quality, nutrient substances, sensory quality, electronic nose, electronic tongue and volatile compounds of dry-cured yak meat were determined. The results indicated that the moisture content and hardness value of ultrasonic treatment group was significantly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Ultrasonic treatment increased the value of b*, and decreased the value of L*, a*, pH, chewiness, melting temperature and enthalpy. Springiness value significantly increased from control group to 300 W of ultrasonic power group. Shear force significantly decreased with the increase of ultrasonic power (P < 0.05). Ultrasonic treatment had no effect on the TVB-N content, but it could increase the TBARS content. Ultrasonic treatment could significantly increase the essential FAA (EFAA) and total FAA (P < 0.05). In addition, the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content significantly increased with the increase of ultrasonic power (P < 0.05). Ultrasound treatment negatively affected the meat’s color, smell, and taste but increased its tenderness and the overall acceptability. It also significantly increased alcohols and aldehydes contents (P < 0.05), which were consistent with the measurement of electronic nose and electronic tongue. The results demonstrated that the the appropriate ultrasonic power assisted in the processing improves quality of dry-cured yak meat, particularly for the power of 300 W.     

Impact of ultrasound treatment on lipid oxidation of Cheddar cheese whey

Ultrasound (US) has been suggested for many whey processing applications. This study examined the effects of ultrasound treatment on the oxidation of lipids in Cheddar cheese whey. Freshly pasteurized whey (0.86 L) was ultrasonicated in a contained environment at the same range of frequencies and energies for 10 and 30 min at 37 °C. The US reactor used was characterized by measuring the generation of free radicals in deionized water at different frequencies (20–2000 kHz) and specific energies (8.0–390 kJ/kg). Polar lipid (PL), free and bound fatty acids and lipid oxidation derived compounds were identified and quantified before and after US processing using high performance liquid chromatography equipped with an evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC–ELSD), methylation followed by gas chromatography flame ionized detector (GC-FID) and solid phase micro-extraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GCMS), respectively. The highest concentration of hydroxyl radical formation in the sonicated whey was found between 400 and 1000 kHz. There were no changes in phospholipid composition after US processing at 20, 400, 1000 and 2000 kHz compared to non-sonicated samples. Lipid oxidation volatile compounds were detected in both non-sonicated and sonicated whey. Lipid oxidation was not promoted at any tested frequency or specific energy. Free fatty acid concentration was not affected by US treatment per se. Results revealed that US can be utilized in whey processing applications with no negative impact on whey lipid chemistry.     

Elimination of cephalexin and doxycycline under low frequency ultrasound

Cephalexin (CPX) and doxycycline (DOX) are two of the most used antibiotics to treat bacterial infections in human medicine, veterinary practices, animal husbandry, agriculture, aquaculture, among others. Nevertheless, due to their excessive consumption and incomplete absorption during their metabolization, they have been detected in different environmental matrices and the effluents of wastewater treatment plants, which reflects that conventional water treatment methods are not enough to eliminate this type of compounds. This paper presents the main results about the removal of the antibiotics CPX and DOX under low frequency (40 kHz) ultrasonic radiation (US). The effects of operational parameters such as the solution initial pH and the applied US power were assessed considering the response surface methodology and a face centered, central composite experimental design. The results indicated that evaluated operational factors significantly affect the pollutants elimination and that US technology is able to remove them completely. In addition, in terms of mineralization, experimental results showed a reduction of the organic carbon present in the solutions and a significant increase of ions (nitrates and sulfates) concentration, suggesting that part of the organic matter was transformed into CO₂, H₂O and inorganic species. Finally, results regarding the samples toxicity indicated that ultrasonic treatment could promote a significant reduction in this parameter, and the potential negative effect associated to CPX and DOX presence in water bodies.     

Ultrasonic processes for the advanced remediation of contaminated sediments

Sediments play a fundamental role in the aquatic environment, so that the presence of contaminants poses severe concern for the possible negative effects on both environmental and human health. Sediment remediation is thus necessary to reduce pollutant concentrations and several techniques have been studied so far. A novel approach for sediment remediation is the use of Advanced Oxidation Processes, which include ultrasound (US). This paper focuses on the study of the ultrasonic effects for the simultaneous reduction of both organic and inorganic contaminants from sediments. To this end, the US technology was investigated as a stand-alone treatment as well as in combination with an electro-kinetic (EK) process, known to be effective in the removal of heavy metals from soil and sediments. The US remediation resulted in higher organic compound degradation, with an average 88% removal, but promising desorption yields (47–84%) were achieved for heavy metals as well. The combined EK/US process was found to be particularly effective for lead. Experimental outcomes highlighted the potential of the ultrasonic technology for the remediation of contaminated sediments and addressed some considerations for the possible scale-up.     

Poly(4-vinylpyridine) supported acidic ionic liquid: A novel solid catalyst for the efficient synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones under ultrasonic irradiation

A novel poly(4-vinylpyridine) supported acidic ionic liquid catalyst was synthesized by the reaction of 4-vinylpyridine with 1,3-propanesultone, followed by the polymerization and the addition of the heteropolyacid. Due to the combination of polymer features and ionic liquid, it acted as a heterogeneous catalyst to effectively catalyze the cyclocondensation reaction of anthranilamide with aldehydes under ultrasonic irradiation and afforded the corresponding 2,3-dihydro-4(1H)-quinazolinones compounds in good to excellent yields. In addition, the catalyst could be easily recovered by the filtration and reused six times without significant loss of catalytic activity. More importantly, the use of ultrasonic irradiation can obviously accelerate the reaction.     

Extraction of bioactive compounds from defatted passion fruit bagasse (Passiflora edulis sp.) applying pressurized liquids assisted by ultrasound

Passion fruit bagasse is a rich source of phenolic compounds, including piceatannol, a stilbene to which several biological activities are conferred. This work reports the application of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) assisted by ultrasound (US) to intensify the extraction of phenolic compounds from defatted passion fruit bagasse (DPFB). PLE at different temperatures (65–75 °C) without and with different US powers (240–640 W) was performed to investigate the mechanism of the assisted process. The extracts were evaluated in terms of global, total phenolic (TP), piceatannol and total reducing sugar yields. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was determined by FRAP and ORAC assays. PLE assisted by US increased the yields, resulting in 60% more TP and piceatannol. The observed yields suggest that the main mechanism driving PLE assisted by US from DPFB was the rise in temperature caused by the ultrasonic waves. Pearson coefficient revealed a strong correlation between antioxidant capacity and total phenolics and piceatannol yield. The three-line spline model was adequately fitted to the experimental curves, showing three extraction periods in which the recovery of TP and piceatannol was higher than 70% at the end of the falling extraction rate period. PLE assisted or not by US showed to be clean, efficient and green alternatives for the recovery of phenolic compounds. The findings of this work indicate that PLE assisted by US has a great potential to improve the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural products.     

Simultaneous extraction of phenolic compounds of citrus peel extracts: effect of ultrasound

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) has been widely applied in the extraction of a variety of biologically active compounds including phenolic compounds. However, there is an insufficiency of information on simultaneous extraction of these compounds in this area. In the present study, seven phenolic compounds of two families including cinnamic acids (caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, sinapic acid), and benzoic acids (protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic acid) from citrus (Citrus unshiuMarc) peels were evaluated by UAE. The effects of ultrasonic variables including extraction time, temperature, and ultrasonic power on the yields of seven phenolic acids was investigated. Results showed that the yields of phenolic compounds increased with both ultrasonic time and temperature increased, whereas the opposite occurred with increasing time at higher temperature to some certain. In the case of 40 degrees C, the decrease in the yields of some phenolic compounds was observed with increased time, whereas those of other compounds did not significantly declined. Ultrasonic power has a positive effect on the yields of phenolic acids under study. Among all ultrasound variables, temperature is the most sensitive on stability of phenolic compounds. Moreover, when phenolic compounds from citrus peel extracts were subjected to ultrasound process, the benzoic acids were more stable than the cinnamic acids. Meanwhile, the optimal ultrasound condition was different one compound from another. These were partly attributed to both the differently chemical structures of phenolic acids and the combination effects of ultrasonic variables.     

Effective removal of organics from Bayer liquor through combined sonolysis and ozonation: Kinetics and mechanism

The presence of organic compounds in the waste liquor is of serious environmental concern that has plagued the development of alumina industry (Bayer Process). The present work attempts to develop a green and efficient process for removal of organics utilizing combined effect of sonolysis and ozonation (US/O₃). The effects of reaction duration, ozone concentration and ultrasonic power are assessed for sonolysis (US), ozonation (O₃) and combination of sonolysis and ozonation (US/O₃). The optimal conditions for US/O₃ treatment system is identified to be a reaction duration of 7 h, ozone concentration of 7.65 g/h, and ultrasonic power of 600 W. The total organic carbon (TOC) removal and decolorization are 60.13% and 87.1%, respectively. The process can be scaled-up to industrial scale, which could potentially serve to be a convenient, safe and sustainable alternative to the exisiting treatment technologies. Additionally, the treated waste water can be reused contributing to an improvement in the overall economics.     

Evaluation of dispersion state of the two racemic compounds of troglitazone in pharmaceutical granules using IR-to-THz imaging

Troglitazone exists as four isomers in equal amount and these isomers compose two racemic compounds, RR/SS and RS/SR. The objective of this study was to discriminate between the racemic compounds and between the crystal and amorphous forms of troglitazone in solid dispersions (SDs) using IR-to-THz imaging. SDs of troglitazone with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, carrier) were prepared by the closed melting method. SDs were heated at various temperatures and water content. The mid-to-far infrared measurements for the powder samples were performed by using the synchrotron radiation source at the BL43IR in SPring-8. Crystalline RR/SS (L) and RS/SR (H) showed different spectra, that is, each form had a specific peak, respectively. However, amorphous forms prepared from each crystalline form exhibited the same spectra. Using the chemo-metric analysis, the existing component was decided in each pixel and the distribution of crystalline L, H and amorphous troglitazone in SDs could be illustrated. For the sample heated at 105 °C, 75%RH, scattered plots of H and amorphous against PVP showed the trend for H was negative; on the other hand, amorphous showed positive correlation. This result suggested that H existed separately, whereas amorphous would be dissolved in PVP. Based on these evaluations, it was clear that the physical state and distribution of troglitazone in SDs, including the discrimination between L, H, and amorphous, reflect the preparation conditions. Chemical imaging can observe a difference in the dispersed state of drug and ingredient in a visible image by performing statistical processing.     

Study on ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization for crude oil

The existence of sulfur compounds in crude oil will bring many problems such as corrosion, catalyst poisoning and pollution to the petroleum processing process. Therefore, how to reduce the sulfur content as much as possible in the process of crude oil processing has become an important research topic in the petroleum processing industry. In this paper, ultrasonic-oxidative desulfurization is studied. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, amount of oxidant and demulsifier on desulfurization rate are investigated. And the effect of oxidative desulfurization and single oxidative desulfurization under ultrasonic treatment are compared. It is found that the addition of ultrasonic treatment can enhance the desulfurization effect of desulfurizer, the desulfurization efficiency can be increased by about 10% under ultrasonic treatment (100 W, 70 kHz); ultrasonic wave plays an auxiliary role in the system, it can promote heterogeneous reactions, improve the activity of oxidants, and promote the degradation of macromolecular compounds. Finally, physical desulfurization, chemical desulfurization and biological desulfurization technologies are compared.     

Molecular aggregation and property changes of egg yolk low-density lipoprotein induced by ethanol and high-density ultrasound

Solvent and physical treatment are widely used in egg yolk processing, but the detailed changes in the molecular structure of egg yolk proteins during processing are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ethanol and ultrasonic treatments on chicken egg yolk low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The solubility, emulsifying activity and emulsifying stability decreased by 74.75%, 46.91%, and 81.58% after ethanol treatment, respectively. The average particle size of ethanol-treated LDL increased 13.3-fold to 937.85 nm. These results suggested that ethanol treatment induced wide-ranging aggregation of LDL. In contrast to ethanol treatment, ultrasonic treatment promoted the solubility and emulsifying stability of LDL and enhanced its zeta-potential (119.56%) and surface hydrophobicity (10.81%). Based on particle size analysis and transmission electron microscopy, approximately 34.65% of LDL had undergone aggregation and the molecular interface became more flexible after ultrasonic treatment. These results revealed the detailed changes in egg yolk LDL structure and properties during solvent (ethanol) and physical (ultrasound) processing.     

Ultrasonic irradiation enhanced the efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a non-pharmacological antimicrobial regimen based on light, photosensitizer and oxygen. It has become a potential method to inactivate multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, limited by the delivery of photosensitizer (PS) in biofilm, eradicating biofilm-associated infections by aPDT remains challenging. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of combining ultrasonic irradiation with aPDT to enhance the efficacy of aPDT against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm. A cationic benzylidene cyclopentanone photosensitizer with much higher selectivity to bacterial cells than mammalian cells were applied at the concentration of 10 μM. 532 nm laser (40 mW/cm², 10 min) and 1 MHz ultrasound (500 mW/cm², 10 min, simultaneously with aPDT) were employed against MRSA biofilms in vitro. In addition to combined with ultrasonic irradiation and aPDT, MRSA biofilms were treated with laser irradiation only, photosensitizer only, ultrasonic irradiation only, ultrasonic irradiation and photosensitizer, and aPDT respectively. The antibacterial efficacy was determined by XTT assay, and the penetration depth of PS in biofilm was observed using a photoluminescence spectrometer and a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In addition, the viability of human dermal fibroblasts (WS-1 cells) after the same treatments mentioned above and the uptake of P3 by WS-1 cells after ultrasonic irradiation were detected by CCK-8 and CLSM in vitro. Results showed that the percent decrease in metabolic activity resulting from the US + aPDT group (75.76%) was higher than the sum of the aPDT group (44.14%) and the US group (9.88%), suggesting synergistic effects. Meanwhile, the diffusion of PS in the biofilm of MRSA was significantly increased by 1 MHz ultrasonic irradiation. Ultrasonic irradiation neither induced the PS uptake by WS-1 cells nor reduced the viability of WS-1 cells. These results suggested that 1 MHz ultrasonic irradiation significantly enhanced the efficacy of aPDT against MRSA biofilm by increasing the penetration depth of PS. In addition, the antibacterial efficacy of aPDT can be enhanced by ultrasonic irradiation, the US + aPDT treatment demonstrated encouraging in vivo antibacterial efficacy (1.73 log₁₀ CFU/mL reduction). In conclusion, the combination of aPDT and 1 MHz ultrasound is a potential and promising strategy to eradicate biofilm-associated infections of MRSA.     

Green ultrasound-assisted extraction of chlorogenic acids from sweet potato peels and sonochemical hydrolysis of caffeoylquinic acids derivatives

Sweet potato peels are rich in chlorogenic acids. In this work, we applied ultrasound technology to extract the main compounds from sweet potato peel and used multivariate analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the effects of different extraction conditions on the extraction of chlorogenic acids. The extraction was studied varying ultrasonic power density (20, 35 and 50 W/L) and processing time (5, 10, 20 and 40 min) using an ultrasonic bath operating at 25 kHz. The chemical analysis was carried out by UPLC-qTOF-MS, and the results were evaluated by PCA and PLS-DA chemometric analysis. Results show that both ultrasonic power density and processing time influences in the extraction of different chlorogenic acid, and that different extraction conditions can be used to selectively extract specific caffeoylquinic acids and feruloylquinic acids in higher amounts. Ultrasound promoted the hydrolysis of tricaffeoylquinic acid when subjected to ultrasonic waves (20–50 W/L), and of 3,4-caffeyolquinic acid at high ultrasonic power density (50 W/L).