Synthesis of dual pH- and temperature-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/sewage sludge ash hydrogel with the simultaneously high performance of swelling and deswelling

An advanced dual pH- and temperature-sensitive hydrogel (NASH2.5) was optimally synthesized through modification of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) hydrogel with introducing 5 mol% acrylic acid (AA) and 2.5 wt% sewage sludge ash (SSA). The swelling kinetic results showed that NASH2.5 exhibited both high equilibrium swelling ratio and swelling rate, which was attributed to the higher porous structure as shown in scanning electron microscope, and the more hydrogen bonding formed inside of the hydrogel as investigated in Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. In addition, its curve was better fitted to the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that the water absorption process was dominated by chemisorption through forming the hydrogen bonding among the water molecules and carboxyl/silanol groups of the hydrogel. Compared with the pure NIPAM hydrogel, the water transport mechanism switched from Case I diffusion to Case II diffusion by introduction of AA and further SSA. Furthermore, through the results of the deswelling kinetics in pH value change (from 9 to 4 and 2, respectively), temperature value change (from 25 to 40, 50, and 60°C, respectively), and dual pH and temperature values changes, NASH2.5 not only presented a high pH sensitivity, but also showed high sensitive to temperature by achieving high water recovery ratio in rapid dehydrated rate. Therefore, the dual stimuli-sensitive hydrogel with the simultaneously high performance of swelling and deswelling would provide a suitable alternative for specific applications such as pollutant adsorption.     

A Volatile Lactone of Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus,Pathogen of European Ash Dieback,Inhibits Host Germination

The largely unknown secondary metabolism of the plant pathogenic fungus Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus was investigated by use of the CLSA method. A set of volatile lactones was identified by GC/MS. The lactones were synthesized and used in bioassays in which one of the compounds was found to be a strong germination inhibitor for ash seeds, causing necroses in the plant tissue.     

电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱（ICP-AES）法测定粉煤灰中的铝

采用碳酸钠-碳酸钾-硼酸分解试样,盐酸浸取,电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定粉煤灰中的铝含量。铝的测定范围5.00%~25.00%。经加标回收实验,铝元素的加标回收率为99.6%~106%(n=3),方法准确简单,适用于粉煤灰中铝的测定。     

Characterization of Bioactive Compounds of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Seeds from Spanish Cultivars

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. is the Cactaceae plant with the greatest economic relevance in the world. It can be used for medicinal purposes, animal nutrition, production of biofuels and phytoremediation of soils. Due to its high content of bioactive compounds, the prickly pear has antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer properties. The aim of this study was to determine the polyphenolic, fatty acid and amino acid profile and characterize the antioxidant capacity of seeds of seven Spanish prickly pear cultivars. A total of 21 metabolites, mainly phenolic acids and flavonols, were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography photodiode detector quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS). Significant differences were found in the phenolic concentrations of the investigated varieties. The highest amount of phenolic compounds (266.67 mg/kg dry matter) were found in the “Nopal espinoso” variety, while the “Fresa” variety was characterized by the lowest content (34.07 mg/kg DM) of these compounds. In vitro antioxidant capacity was positively correlated with the amount of polyphenols. The amino acid composition of protein contained in prickly pear seeds was influenced by the variety. Glutamic acid was the predominant amino acid followed by arginine, aspartic acid and leucine, independent of prickly pear variety. Overall, 13 different fatty acids were identified and assessed in prickly pear seeds. The dominant fatty acid was linoleic acid, with content varying between 57.72% “Nopal ovalado” and 63.11% “Nopal espinoso”.     

SO 2 sorption properties of fly ash zeolites

In the presented study, the sulfur dioxide sorption properties of fly ash zeolite X were investigated. Sorption tests were performed on fly ash zeolite samples that were not prepared specially for sorption, in addition to dried samples and samples in the presence of water vapor. The samples saturated with water vapor showed the highest sorption capacity. The sorption capacity of the samples additionally dried prior to the sorption experiment was higher than that of the samples that were not specially prepared for the sorption test. Regeneration tests indicated relatively good regeneration properties. The obtained results were described with the use of Langmuir, Sips, and Dubinin–Astakhov models, with the Dubinin–Astakhov model providing the best fit.     

Mg2+和Na+对高熔点煤灰熔融性的影响

以山西阳泉固庄高熔点煤灰为研究对象,通过向煤灰中添加不同量的MgO与Na₂CO₃,研究了Mg²⁺与Na⁺在高温下对煤灰熔融性的影响。研究结果表明,煤灰熔融温度随氧化镁的添加(5%~25%)单调下降;而随氧化钠添加(5%~25%)出现先降后升现象,在氧化钠添加量为15% 时,灰熔点达到最低。XRD分析表明,阳泉固庄煤灰熔融温度高(大于1 750℃)的原因是高温条件下耐熔矿物莫来石、方英石的存在。添加外加剂后,高温时外加剂与硅酸盐矿物反应,生成了更多的低共熔矿物霞石、堇青石等。同时,Mg²⁺和Na⁺的加入会使得非桥氧数量增多,高温煤灰低聚物增多,降低了煤灰的熔融温度。通过三元相图以及SEM分析,高温条件下煤灰中部分元素的富集以及团聚现象是导致Mg²⁺和Na⁺对煤灰熔融温度影响不同的原因。     

Remote spectrophotometry as applied to determination of the degree of mineralization of peat soils in polesie

Regression relations between the first main component, slope of the SBC curve towards the wavelength axis, and the degree of mineralization of peat soils are established from experimental data. Errors in determination of peat soil productivity are estimated using different spectral indices. For practical use it is recommended to measure the spectral brightness coefficients of peat soils in the 0.50–0.75 μm range. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 102–106, January–February, 1998.     

便携式近红外漫反射中药质量监控仪的研制

介绍了便携式近红外漫反射中药质量监控仪的设计思想、基本结构、测试条件和使用方法。该光谱仪具有体积小、重量轻、成本低等特点,现场监控中药质量是非常便利的。     

Spectral analysis of rare-earth elements in ash of sapropel and its fractions

Quantitative atomic emission spectral analysis was used to study the rare-earth content in sapropel and the rare-earth distribution over the isolated fractions. The conditions for determination of Ce, Y, and La (analytical lines, arc discharge current, exposure time) were selected empirically. We calculated the metrological characteristics of the proposed technique. We have shown that in Tyurin fractionation, the nonhydrolyzable residue fraction has the highest concentrations of these elements. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 76, No. 2, pp. 273–276, March–April, 2009.     

Innovative stabilization/solidification processes of fly ash from an incinerator plant of urban solid waste

Fly ash samples from an incineration plant of urban solid waste (USW) were submitted to a stabilization/solidification process based on encapsulation with a polyester resin. With this process, a very limited increase of about 25% in weight and a compressive strength as high as 1200 kg/cm² can be obtained. The efficiency of the process to stabilize/solidify the residues and to reduce the pollutant release was evaluated by performing both mechanical and leaching tests following the IRSA–CNR standard method. The leaching test was based on treating the sample with an acetic acid solution adjusted to pH 5.2 for 24 h under magnetic stirring. Toxic metals (Pb, Cd, and Cu) and organic pollutants (PAHs, PCBs, and OCPs) were determined in raw fly ash samples and in the leaching solutions of treated samples. Raw residues showed higher concentrations of trace metals than the regulatory limits, whereas the stabilized/solidified residues showed a concentration of all the pollutants lower than the regulatory limits and a compressive strength much higher than the suggested minimum value. Finally, a critical comparison with conventional stabilization/solidification processes based on the use of Portland cement highlighted that the polyester resin-based process performed much better in terms of the release of both organic and inorganic pollutants, thus substantially lowering the environmental impact of these residues.