Effects of ultrasonic conditions on the interfacial property and emulsifying property of cellulose nanoparticles from ginkgo seed shells

Cellulose microparticles from ginkgo seed shells were treated by ultrasonic treatments within the selected output powders (150–600 W) and durations (10–60 min) to produce cellulose nanoparticles. The main aim of this study was to investigate effects of ultrasonic conditions on the interfacial property and emulsifying property of those cellulose nanoparticles. Compared to ultrasonic output powers, ultrasonic durations showed the greater influence on morphology and physical properties of cellulose nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopy revealed that noodle-like cellulose particles with 1100 nm in length gradually became the short rod-like nanoparticles with 300 nm in length with increasing of ultrasonic duration from 10 min to 60 min. Moreover, results of contact angles indicated that ultrasound could significantly improve hydrophobicity of cellulose nanoparticles. The interfacial shear rheology showed that although all cellulose nanoparticles exhibited the similar interface adsorption behavior which showed the initial lag-phase of adsorption, followed by the interface saturation, the time of this initial lag-phase was affected by ultrasonic conditions. The increase of ultrasonic duration and ultrasonic power could shorten the time of this initial lag-phase, suggesting the resulting cellulose nanoparticles easier adsorption at the O/W interface. It was probably attributed to its small size and high hydrophobicity induced by intense ultrasonic treatments. Meanwhile, the cellulose nanoparticles with small size and higher hydrophobicity exhibited the better emulsifying ability to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions due to the formation of the viscoelastic interfacial film. This study improved understanding about changes in interfacial and emulsifying properties of cellulose nanoparticles caused by ultrasonic treatments.     

Influence of ultrasound treatment on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of mung bean protein hydrolysate

This study aimed to investigate influence of ultrasonic treatment on physicochemical and antioxidant properties of mung bean protein hydrolysate (MPH). Physicochemical properties of MPH were evaluated by Tricine-SDS-PAGE, particle size distribution, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and fluorescence spectroscopy, among others. Radicals scavenging activities of ABTS, hydroxyl, superoxide anion, Fe²⁺ chelating ability and reducing power characterized antioxidant activities of MPH. MPH contained four bands of 25.6, 12.8, 10.6 and 4.9 kDa, in which 4.9 kDa was the most abundant. Ultrasonic treatment increased the contents of aromatic and hydrophobic amino acids in MPH. Ultrasonic treatment decreased the content of α-helix of MPH and increased β-sheet and β-turn compared to MPH. MPH-546 W (ultrasonic treatment 546 W, 20 min) had the lowest average particle size (290.13 nm), zeta potential (-36.37 mV) and surface hydrophobicity (367.95 A.U.). Antioxidant activities of ultrasonicated-MPH increased with the ultrasonic power, achieving the lowest IC₅₀ (mg/mL) of 0.1087 (ABTS), 1.796 (hydroxyl), 1.003 (superoxide anion) and 0.185 (Fe²⁺ chelating ability) in 546 W power. These results indicated ultrasonic treatment would be a promising method to improve the antioxidant properties of MPH, which would broaden the application scope of MPH as bioactive components in the food industry.     

Structural and physicochemical properties of lotus seed starch nanoparticles prepared using ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis

Lotus seed starch nanoparticles were prepared by ultrasonic (ultrasonic power: 200 W, 600 W, 1000 W; time: 5 min, 15 min, 25 min; liquid ratio (starch: buffer solution): 1%, 3%, 5%) assisted enzymatic hydrolysis (LS-SNPs represent lotus seed starch nanoparticles prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis and U-LS-SNPs represent lotus seed starch nanoparticles prepared by high pressure homogenization-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis). The structure and physicochemical properties of U-LS-SNPs were studied by laser particle size analysis, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography system. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that the surface of U-LS-SNPs was cracked and uneven after ultrasonic-assisted enzymolysis, and there was no significant difference from LS-SNPs. The results of particle size analysis and gel permeation chromatography showed that the particle size of U-LS-SNPs (except 5% treatment group) was smaller than that of LS-SNPs. With the increase of ultrasonic power and time, the weight average molecular gradually decreased. The results of X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy showed that ultrasonic waves first acted on the amorphous region of starch granules. With the increase of ultrasonic power and time, the relative crystallinity of U-LS-SNPs increased first and then decreased. The group (600 W, 15 min, 3%) had the highest relative crystallinity. The results of nuclear magnetic resonance studies showed that the hydrogen bond and double helix structure of starch were destroyed by ultrasound, and the double helix structure strength of U-LS-SNPs was weakened compared with LS-SNPs. In summary, U-LS-SNPs with the small-sized and the highest crystallinity can be prepared under the conditions of ultrasonic power of 600 W, time of 15 min and material-liquid ratio of 3%.     

Thermoelectric and optical properties of CuAlO2 synthesized by direct microwave heating

A single phase of delafossite CuAlO₂ (CAO) was successfully synthesized by a 600 W microwave radiation for 20 min. The CAO sample was composed of quite distorted single-crystalline plates with 200–350 nm thick. Its atomic vibrations were detected at 760 and 550 cm⁻¹ belonging to Al–O and Cu–O stretching, respectively. The direct and indirect energy gaps were respectively determined to be 3.9 and 2.9 eV. The photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature was at 585 nm (2.12 eV) corresponding to the indirect energy gap and at 760 nm (1.63 eV) corresponding to the p-type native defect. For its thermoelectric (TE) properties, the Seebeck coefficient (S) was positive value, with holes as the majority of charge carriers. By increasing of the test temperature, both the electrical resistivity and absolute value of Seebeck coefficient were decreased, but the power factor was in the opposite manner. The dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of the crystalline CAO was evaluated to be the maximum of 9 × 10⁻³ at 1073 K.     

Effect of ultrasonic power on the emulsion stability of rice bran protein-chlorogenic acid emulsion

In this study, rice bran protein–chlorogenic acid (RBP–CA) emulsion was subjected to an ultrasonic-assisted treatment technique. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of chlorogenic acid (CA), and the morphology, particle size, zeta (ζ)-potential, atomic force microscopy image, viscosity, turbidity, and interfacial protein content of the emulsion under different ultrasonic power were investigated. The results revealed that the emulsion exhibited an encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of 86.26 ± 0.11% and 17.25 ± 0.06 g/100 g, respectively, at an ultrasonic power of 400 W. In addition, the size of the emulsion droplets decreased and became more evenly distributed. Furthermore, the viscosity of the emulsion decreased significantly, and it exhibited a turbidity and interfacial protein content of 24,758 and9.34 mg/m², respectively. Next, the storage, oxidation, thermal, and salt ion stabilities of the emulsion were evaluated. The results revealed that the ultrasonic-assisted treatment considerably improved the stability of the emulsion.     

Covalent binding of ultrasound-treated japonica rice bran protein to catechin: Structural and functional properties of the complex

Due to the existence of many disulfide bonds in japonica rice bran protein (JRBP) molecules, their solubility is poor, which seriously affects other functional properties. To improve the functional characteristics of JRBP molecules, they were processed by ultrasound technology, and JRBP-catechin (CC) covalent complex was prepared. The structural and functional properties of indica and japonica rice bran proteins and their complexes were compared; furthermore, the changes in the structural and functional properties of JRBP-CC under different ultrasound conditions were investigated. The results showed that compared with indica rice bran protein (IRBP), the secondary structure of JRBP-CC was very different, the water holding capacity (WHC) was higher, and the emulsification performance was better. Different ultrasound conditions had different effects on the functional properties of JRBP-CC. When the ultrasound power was 200 W, the λ_max redshift of the JRBP-CC complex was the most significant, the particle size was the smallest, the absolute value of the zeta potential was the largest, and the hydrophobicity and microstructure of the JRBP-CC complex were the best. Concurrently, the maximum WHC and oil holding capacity (OHC) of JRBP-CC under these conditions were 7.54 g/g and 6.87 g/g, respectively. Moreover, the emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI) were 210 m²/g and 47.8 min, respectively, and the scavenging activities of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ABTS⁺ were 71.96 % and 80.07 %, respectively.     

Medium-high frequency sonication dominates spherical-SiO2 nanoparticle size

Spherical SiO₂ nanoparticles (SSNs) have been inventively synthesized using the Stöber method with sonication at medium–high frequencies (80, 120, and 500 kHz), aiming to control SSN size and shorten reaction time. Compared to the conventional method, such sonication allowed the Stöber reaction complete in 20–60 min with a low molar ratio of NH₄OH/tetraethyl orthosilicate (0.84). The hydrodynamic diameters of 63–117 nm of SSNs were obtained under sonication with 80, 120, and 500 kHz of ultrasonic frequencies. Moreover, the SSNs obtained were smaller at 120 kHz than at 80 kHz in a multi-frequencies ultrasonic reactor, and the SSN size decreased with increasing ultrasonic power at 20 °C, designating the sonochemical unique character, namely, the SSN-size control is associated with the number of microbubbles originated by sonication. With another 500 kHz ultrasonic bath, the optimal system temperature for producing smaller SSNs was proven to be 20 °C. Also, the SSN size decreased with increasing ultrasonic power. The smallest SSNs (63 nm, hydrodynamic diameter by QELS, or 21 nm by FESEM) were obtained by sonication at 207 W for 20 min at 20 °C. Furthermore, the SSN size increased slightly with increasing sonication time and volume, favoring the scale-up of SSNs preparation. The mechanisms of controlling the SSN size were further discussed by the radical’s role and effects of ammonia and ethanol concentration.     

Effect of high-intensity ultrasound on the technofunctional properties and structure of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seed protein isolate

The influence of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) on the technofunctional properties and structure of jackfruit seed protein isolate (JSPI) was investigated. Protein solutions (10%, w/v) were sonicated for 15 min at 20 kHz to the following levels of power output: 200, 400, and 600 W (pulse duration: on-time, 5 s; off-time 1 s). Compared with untreated JSPI, HIU at 200 W and 400 W improved the oil holding capacity (OHC) and emulsifying capacity (EC), but the emulsifying activity (EA) and emulsion stability (ES) increased at 400 W and 600 W. The foaming capacity (FC) increased after all HIU treatments, as opposed to the water holding capacity (WHC), least gelation concentration (LGC), and foaming stability (FS), which all decreased except at pH 4 for FS. Tricine sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Tricine-SDS-PAGE) showed changes in the molecular weight of protein fractions after HIU treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that HIU disrupted the microstructure of JSPI, exhibiting larger aggregates. Surface hydrophobicity and protein solubility of the JSPI dispersions were enhanced after ultrasonication, which increased the destruction of internal hydrophobic interactions of protein molecules and accelerated the molecular motion of proteins to cause protein aggregation. These changes in the technofunctional and structural properties of JSPI could meet the complex needs of manufactured food products.     

Sonochemical nitrogen fixation for the generation of NO2− and NO3− ions under high-powered ultrasound in aqueous medium

Sonochemical species such as nitrite (NO₂⁻) and nitrate (NO₃⁻) were detected in ultrapure aqueous medium with 28 kHz low frequency ultrasound (US) in the range of 200–1200 W output power. The concentration of their anionic ions monitored with a high-performance liquid chromatography increased with increasing US power especially under air atmosphere. When the generation of NO₂⁻ and NO₃⁻ ions under US exposure was investigated for N₂, O₂ and Ar-bubbled solutions, no trace of NO₂⁻ was observed while NO₃⁻ was slightly generated. Under air atmosphere, the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the aqueous medium increased especially when 1200 W power was used. In addition, the bulk pH shifted towards the acidic side with an increase in exposure time, which indicated that NO₂⁻ was formed. The formation of oxidizing species under 28 kHz low frequency ultrasonic treatment was confirmed with an absorption spectrum which was dominated by two maxima peaks at 288 nm and 352 nm representing triiodide I₃⁻ anion.     

Effects of high intensity unltrasound on structural and physicochemical properties of myosin from silver carp

Myosin from silver carp was sonicated with varying power output (100, 150, 200 and 250 W) for 3, 6, 9, and 12 min. The changes in the structure and physicochemical properties of myosin were evaluated by dynamic light scattering, SDS-PAGE and some physicochemical indexes. The ultrasound treatments induced a significant conversion of myosin aggregates to smaller ones with a more uniform distribution, and obvious enhancement in solubility. The structure of myosin was also notably changed by sonication, with a decrease in Ca²⁺-ATPase activity and SH content, and an increase in surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, SH groups were oxidized, leading to a decrease in reactive SH and total SH contents. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that ultrasound could induce the degradation of myosin heavy chain and change the protein fraction of myosin. Collectively, the ultrasonic treatment of 100 W for 3 min showed slight influence on the SH content, S₀-ANS, and electrophoretic patterns, and the extent of changes in myosin structure and physicochemical properties tended to increase with ultrasonic power and time. The integrated data indicate that ultrasonic treatment can facilitate the improvement of the solubility and dispersion of myosin, but the choice of a suitable ultrasonic condition to avoid oxidation and degradation of myosin is very important.     

Effect of ultrasonic power on the stability of low-molecular-weight oyster peptides functional-nutrition W1/O/W2 double emulsion

Ultrasonic-assisted treatment is an eco-friendly and cost-effective emulsification method, and the acoustic cavitation effect produced by ultrasonic equipment is conducive to the formation of stable emulsion. However, its effect on the underlying stability of low-molecular-weight oyster peptides (LOPs) functional-nutrition W₁/O/W₂ double emulsion has not been reported. The effects of different ultrasonic power (50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 W) on the stability of double emulsions and the ability to mask the fishy odor of LOPs were investigated. Low ultrasonic power (50 W and 75 W) treatment failed to form a well-stabilized double emulsion, and excessive ultrasound treatment (150 W) destroyed its structure. At an ultrasonic power of 125 W, smaller particle-sized double emulsion was formed with more uniform distribution, more whiteness, and a lower viscosity coefficient. Meanwhile, the cavitation effect generated by 125 W ultrasonic power improved storage, and oxidative stabilities, emulsifying properties of double emulsion by reducing the droplet size and improved sensorial acceptability by masking the undesirable flavor of LOPs. The structure of the double emulsion was further confirmed by optical microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The ultrasonic-assisted treatment is of potential value for the industrial application of double emulsion in functional-nutrition foods.     

Sonochemical synthesis,formation mechanism,and solar cell application of tellurium nanoparticles

Tellurium inherently tends to form 1-D structures and while the 0-D Te nanostructures have better properties and applications in solar cell. In the present study, 0-D Te nanostructures including rice-like and spherical nanoparticles with the particle size of 15–40 nm were successfully synthesized via a facile sonochemical method. In the absence of ultrasonic irradiation nanorods were produced while performing the reaction under ultrasonic waves (at 200 W for 30 min) led to the formation of nanoparticles. Finally, the efficiency of various as-synthesized Te nanostructures in quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) were evaluated. Using rice-like nanoparticles led to increase in J_SC, V_OC, FF and η parameters from 1.22, 0.54, 0.49 and 0.32% to 1.57, 0.64, 0.63 and 0.63%, respectively, compared with nanorods.     

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).     

Effects of ultrasonic irradiation on crystallization kinetics,morphological and structural properties of zeolite FAU

In this work, NaX zeolite was synthesized and the effect of ultrasound irradiation on reaction kinetics, morphological and structural properties was investigated. Ultrasound was applied, by using a plate transducer (91.8 kHz), for the first time during the crystallization of zeolite NaX, at high temperature, varying the irradiation moment and its duration. Furthermore, ultrasound was applied after the crystallization by a horn-type transducer (20–24 kHz) at low temperature. The effects of irradiated volume (100–300 mL), sonication time (2–10 min) and ultrasound power (10–200 W) were studied with a power intensity up to 100 W/cm². It was found that the application of ultrasound during the first hour of crystallization resulted in 20% reduction of reaction time compared to a standard crystallization. Ultrasound can also reduce the agglomeration degree of the final powder by combining high power and long sonication time. After 5 min sonication time at 0.3 W/mL, the tapped density of the powder was increased by 10%, from 0.37 to 0.41 g/mL. Finally, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) it was demonstrated that ultrasound can disrupt the agglomerates without affecting the morphology of individual crystals.     

Effects of multi-frequency ultrasound on physicochemical properties,structural characteristics of gluten protein and the quality of noodle

In this study, the influence of multi-frequency ultrasound irradiation on the functional properties and structural characteristics of gluten, as well as the textural and cooking characteristics of the noodles were investigated. Results showed that the textural and cooking characteristics of noodles that contain less gluten pretreated by multi-frequency ultrasonic were ultrasonic frequency dependent. Moreover, the noodles that contain a smaller amount of sonicated gluten could achieve the textural and cooking quality of commercial noodles. There was no significant difference in the cooking and texture characteristics between commercial noodles and noodles with 12%, 11%, and 10% gluten pretreated by single-frequency (40 kHz), dual-frequency (28/40 kHz), and triple-frequency sonication (28/40/80 kHz), respectively. Furthermore, the cavitation efficiency of triple-frequency ultrasound was greater than that of dual-frequency and single-frequency. As the number of ultrasonic frequencies increased, the solubility, water holding capacity and oil holding capacity of gluten increased significantly (p < 0.05), and the particle size was reduced from 197.93 ± 5.28 nm to 110.15 ± 2.61 nm. Furthermore, compared to the control group (untreated), the UV absorption and fluorescence intensity of the gluten treated by multi-frequency ultrasonication increased. The surface hydrophobicity of gluten increased from 8159.1 ± 195.87 (untreated) to 11621.5 ± 379.72 (28/40/80 kHz). Raman spectroscopy showed that the α-helix content of all sonicated gluten protein samples decreased after sonication, while the β-sheet and β-turn content increased, and tryptophan and tyrosine residues were exposed. Through scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, the gluten protein network structure after ultrasonic treatment was loose, and the pore size of the gluten protein network increased from about 10 μm (untreated) to about 26 μm (28/40/80 kHz). This work elucidated the effect of ultrasonic frequency on the performance of gluten, indicating that with increasing frequency combination increases, the ultrasound effect became more pronounced and protein unfolding increased, thereby impacting the functional properties and the quality of the final product. This study provided a theoretical basis for the application of multi-frequency ultrasound technology in the modification of gluten protein and noodle processing.     

Sonochemically preparation and characterization of bimetallic Ni-Co/Al2O3-ZrO2 nanocatalyst: Effects of ultrasound irradiation time and power on catalytic properties and activity in dry reforming of CH4

The catalytic performance of nanostructured Ni-Co/Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ catalysts, prepared by ultrasound-assisted impregnation method was examined in the dry reforming of methane. The effect of irradiation power and irradiation time have been studied by changing time (0, 20, 80 min) and power of the sonication (30, 60, 90 W) during the synthesis which resulted in different physiochemical properties of the nanocatalyst. The nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, PSD, EDX, TEM, TPR-H₂, BET, FTIR and TG analyses. Based on the characterization results, ultrasound treatment endowed the sample with more uniform and smaller nanoparticles; higher surface area, stronger metal-support interaction and more homogenous dispersion. Moreover, the analyses exhibited smaller particles with higher surface area and less population of particle aggregates at longer and highly irradiated nanocatalysts. The nanocatalyst irradiated at 90 W for 80 min (the longest irradiation time and the most intense power) showed a uniform morphology and a very narrow particles size distribution. More than 65% of particles of this nanocatalyst were in the range of 10–30 nm. Activity tests demonstrated that employing ultrasound irradiation during impregnation improves feed conversion and products yield, reaching values close to equilibrium. Among sonicated nanocatalysts, with increasing power and time of irradiation, the nanocatalyst represents higher activity. The superior performance amongst the various bimetallic catalysts tested was observed over the catalyst with 90 W and 80 min ultrasonic irradiation which is stable in 24 h time on stream test. The excellent anti-coking performance of this bimetallic catalyst, confirmed by TG and FESEM analyses of spent catalyst, is closely related to the promoting effect of sonication on the metal-support interaction, Ni dispersion and particle size; and probably, the synergy between metallic species.     

Effects of ultrasonic treatment on color,carotenoid content,enzyme activity,rheological properties,and microstructure of pumpkin juice during storage

Freshly squeezed pumpkin juice (Cucurbita moschata D.) was sonicated at various power levels at a constant frequency of 25 kHz and a treatment time of 10 min. Samples were stored in the dark for 0, 4, 8, and 12 days at 4 °C and were subsequently analyzed. The combined effects of power level and storage period on color parameters, carotenoid content, particle size distribution, cloud value, rheological characteristics, and microstructure were investigated. The results showed ultrasonic-treated samples had little effect on carotenoid content, cloud value, particle size distribution, and polydispersity during storage compared to those of the untreated samples. The L^⁎, a^⁎, b^⁎, and C* values decreased significantly during 8–12 days of storage, resulting in a significant increase in ΔE, especially 400 W/10 min-treated samples. Meanwhile, the enzyme activity and rheological properties increased significantly on storage days 8–12. However, the microstructure of all samples did not change significantly during storage. Based on these results, during the storage period, the physical and chemical properties of 400 W/10 min-ultrasonic treated pumpkin juice were retained more than those in the untreated pumpkin juice. Therefore, ultrasonic treatment has broad application prospects in preserving bioactive substances and physicochemical properties and improving the storage life of fresh pumpkin juice.     

Sonocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by a novel graphene quantum dots anchored CdSe nanocatalyst

Cadmium selenide/graphene quantum dots (CdSe/GQDs) nanocatalyst with small band gap energy and a large specific surface area was produced via a facile three-step sonochemical-hydrothermal process. The features of the as-prepared CdSe, GQDs and CdSe/GQDs samples were characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR), diffuse-reflectance spectrophotometer (DRS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The sonocatalytic activity of the synthesized CdSe/GQDs was effectively accelerated compared with that of pure CdSe nanoparticles in degradation of methylene blue (MB). The influence of the CdSe/GQDs dosage (0.25–1.25 g/L), initial MB concentration (20–30 mg/L), initial solution pH (3–12), and ultrasonic output power (200–600 W/L) were examined on the sonocatalytic treatment of MB aqueous solutions. The degradation efficiency (DE%) of 99% attained at 1 g/L of CdSe/GQDs, 20 mg/L of MB, pH of 9, and an output power of 200 W/L at 90 min of ultrasonic irradiation. Furthermore, DE% increased with addition of K₂S₂O₈ and H₂O₂ as the enhancers via producing more free radicals. However, addition of sulfate, carbonate, and chloride as radical sweeper decreased DE%. Furthermore, well-reusability of the CdSe/GQDs sonocatalyst was demonstrated for 5 successive runs and some of the sonocatalytic generated intermediates were indicated by GC–MS analysis.     

Effects of ultrasound-assisted vacuum tumbling on the oxidation and physicochemical properties of pork myofibrillar proteins

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU, 20 kHz, 0 W, 100 W, 300 W and 500 W)-assisted vacuum tumbling (UVT) for 60 min and 120 min on the oxidation and physicochemical properties of the pork myofibrillar proteins (MPs). Compared with the vacuum tumbling (VT) groups without the HIU assistance, the carbonyl content increased, while the total sulfhydryl (SH) content was reduced with the increase of HIU power and treatment time (P < 0.05). The reactive SH content was increased significantly after treated by UVT with 300 W compared with the VT group (P < 0.05) regardless of the treatment time. Similarly, the surface hydrophobicity (S₀), the intrinsic tryptophan intensity, and the solubility in the UVT group (300 W) were remarkably higher than those of the VT group (P < 0.05). In contrast, the α-helix content and the particle size of MPs significantly decreased when the HIU power was at 100 W and 300 W (P < 0.05). The results suggest that UVT treatment could change the structure and physicochemical properties of MPs accompanied by protein oxidation.     

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted ultrafiltration process for removing bacterial endotoxin from diammonium glycyrrhizinate using response surface methodology

Ultrasonic-assisted ultrafiltration (UAU) removing bacterial endotoxin from diammonium glycyrrhizinate, was firstly applied to surfactant separation. Separation efficiency was related with four variables, including ultrafiltration molecular weight cut off (MWCO), ultrasonic power, concentration and pH. The SCQ-9200E ultrasonic system was provided for the study with adjustable ultrasonic power 80 W to 800 W, and the ultrasonic frequency was 40 KHz. On the basis of response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal separation conditions were determined to be the ultrafiltration MWCO as 10 kDa, the ultrasonic power as 570 W, diammonium glycyrrhizinate concentration as 150.00 μg/mL and the pH as 4.70. The experimental rejection of bacterial endotoxin was 94.08%, meanwhile the transmittance of diammonium glycyrrhizinate was 93.65%. Based on the ultrasonic power, solution volume, and ultrasonic container size, the experiments with UAU at different power intensities showed that ultrasonic at a power intensity of 57 W/L and the power density of 0.32 W/cm² could solve the separation contradiction between diammonium glycyrrhizinate and bacterial endotoxin. This study indicated that UAU could be an innovation in ultrasonic separation fields, and had a vast range of prospects for making use in pharmaceutical preparation area.