Simultaneous adsorption of tetracycline,amoxicillin, and ciprofloxacin by pistachio shell powder coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles

A new adsorbent formed from pistachio shell powder that was coated with ZnO nanoparticles (CPS) was examined in terms of simultaneous adsorption of tetracycline (TEC), amoxicillin (AMO), and ciprofloxacin (CIP) from an aqueous solution. Initially, the characterization properties of a CPS-like surface morphology, functional groups, and structure were obtained using advanced analysis of TEM, SEM, XRD, EDS, and FT-IR. Post coating with ZnO nanoparticles, several surface and structural characteristics relating to the adsorption ability of the pistachio shell were significantly improved. The correlation of the kinetic data by a pseudo second-order model was successful for three antibiotics. High compatibility resulted between the TEC and CIP isotherm data and the Fruendlich model. However, the Langmuir model produced a better fit to the AMO isotherm curves. In addition, its spontaneous and exothermic nature was the main feature for the adsorption process of the three antibiotics onto CPS. Through the results, the chemical adsorption has been governed by the AMO, CIP, and TEC reaction onto the homogeneous and heterogeneous sites of CPS surfaces. The CPS exhibited a highest adsorption capacity for AMO (132.240 mg/g), then for TEC (98.717 mg/g), and CIP (92.450 mg/g). These results place CPS one among the highly efficient adsorbents that can be used to eradicate wastewater containing antibiotics.     

Adsorption Behavior and Dynamic Interactions of Anionic Acid Blue 25 on Agricultural Waste

In this study, adsorption characteristics of a negatively charged dye, Acid Blue 25 (AB25), on pomelo pith (PP) was studied by varying the adsorption parameters, with the aim of evaluating the adsorption mechanism and establishing the role of hydrogen bonding interactions of AB25 on agricultural wastes. The kinetics, intraparticle diffusion, mechanism, and thermodynamics of the AB25 adsorption were systematically evaluated and analyzed by pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, the Weber–Morris intraparticle and Boyd mass transfer models, the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Radushkevich, and Temkin isotherm models, and the Van’t Hoff equation. It was found that AB25 adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, governed by a two-step pore-volume intraparticle diffusion of external mass transfer of AB25 onto the PP surface. The adsorption process occurred spontaneously. The adsorption mechanism could be explained by the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacity was estimated to be 26.9 mg g⁻¹, which is comparable to many reported adsorbents derived from agricultural wastes. Changes in the vibrational spectra of the adsorbent before and after dye adsorption suggested that AB25 molecules are bound to the PP surface via electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions. The results demonstrated that the use of pomelo pith, similar to other agricultural wastes, would provide a basis to design a simple energy-saving, sustainable, and cost-effective approach to remove negatively charged synthetic dyes from wastewater.     

Evaluation of Leaf Mineral,Flavonoid, and Total Phenolic Content in Spider Plant Germplasm

Spider plant (Cleome gynandra L.) is an important leafy vegetable that grows naturally in many parts of the world. The leaves are highly nutritious and are used mainly for human consumption. The mineral content and phenolic compounds of 17 genotypes (local and exotic) of spider plant and four standards (swiss chard, jute mallow, cowpea, and pumpkin) were investigated. Leaf samples were harvested from plants raised at Thohoyandou, South Africa. Exotic genotypes were superior to local genotypes for most of the minerals. Swiss chard possessed significantly high levels of some minerals such as iron and manganese in comparison with exotic spider plant genotypes. The calcium content in the local (‘MP-B-3-CG’) and exotic (‘GPS’) genotypes was >30.0% and >60.0% higher than in swiss chard, respectively. Total phenolics among spider plant genotypes ranged from 9.86 to 12.21 mg GAE/g DW and were superior to pumpkin. In addition, the spider plant genotypes varied significantly in the antioxidant capacity as estimated by the 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method and ferric-reducing antioxidant power. The main flavonoid in the leaves of spider plant genotypes was quercetin-3-rutinoside. Crotonoside (glycoside) was detected in all the spider plant genotypes and swiss chard. A positive correlation was observed between total phenolic content and each of the three flavonoids. The PCA biplot associated exotic genotypes (‘ML-SF-29′, ‘PS’, ‘TZ-1’, and ‘GPS’) and local genotypes (‘ML-3-KK’, ‘ML-13-SDM’, and ‘ML-12-TMP’) with high Al, Fe, Zn, N, and TPC. Cluster analysis indicated high “distant groups” between exotic and local genotypes of spider plant. These results indicated that some of the local germplasm of spider plant was largely inferior to the exotic germplasm in terms of their mineral composition but contained considerable quantities of quercetin-3-rutinoside, particularly in the local genotypes ‘MP-B-2-CG’ and ‘MP-B-1-CG’. There is a need for genetic improvement of the local germplasm in some of the minerals particularly to benefit the end-users.     

多壁碳纳米管对微量苯二氮卓类药物的吸附性能研究

研究了静态吸附条件下多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)对地西泮、艾司唑仑、阿普唑仑和三唑仑 4种苯二氮卓类药物的吸附性能,10 min内能达到吸附平衡.MWCNTs对药物的吸附容量随药物浓度的增加而增加,最小初始浓度时MWCNTs对4种药物的静态吸附容量分别为7.95、7.88、7.99和7.73 mg/g,吸附容量较大.295、303和313 K温度下的吸附实验表明,吸附容量随温度的升高而减小,降低温度有利于药物的吸附.对不同温度下的吸附等温线采用Freundlich和Langmuir方程进行拟合,结果显示Langmuir方程具有更好的拟合效果.在动态吸附条件下穿透体积的测定显示MWCNTs对药物也具有大的吸附容量且萃取回收率高达90%以上.     

2-chlorophenol sorption from aqueous solution using granular activated carbon and polymeric adsorbents

Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) one of the chlorophenols (CPs) onto bituminous coal based Filtrasorb-400 grade granular activated carbon and three different types of polymeric adsorbents were studied in aqueous solution in a batch system. Langmuir isotherm models were applied to experimental equilibrium data of 2-CP adsorption. Equilibrium data fitted very well to the Langmuir equilibrium models of 2-CP. Adsorbent monolayer capacity Q Langmuir constant b and adsorption rate constants k _a were evaluated. 2-CP adsorption using GAC is very rapid in the first hour of contact where 70–80% of the adsorbate is removed by GAC followed by a slow approach to equilibrium. Whereas in case of polymeric adsorbents 60–65% of the adsorbate is removed in the first 30 min which is then followed by a slow approach to equilibrium. The order of adsorption of 2-CP on different adsorbents used in the study is found to be in following order: F-400 > XAD-1180 > XAD-4 > XAD-7HP.     

Content of Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acids in the Flowers of Selected Tulipa gesneriana Cultivars

The study focused on the determination of phenolic acids, flavonoids and organic acids in five tulip cultivars ‘Barcelona’, ‘Columbus’, ‘Strong Gold’, ‘Super Parrot’ and ‘Tropicana’. The cultivars grown in field and in a greenhouse were exposed after cutting to different times of storage (0, 3 and 6 days). The phenolic profile contained 4-hydroxybenzoic, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic, gallic, vanillic, syringic, salicylic, protocatechuic, trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, chlorogenic and sinapic acids, as well as quercetin, rutin, luteonin, catechin and vitexin. The mean phenolic acid content was in the following order: ‘Columbus’ and ‘Tropicana’ > ’Barcelona’ > ’Strong Gold’ > ’Super Parrot’, while the levels of flavonoids were as follows: ‘Strong Gold’ > ’Barcelona’ > ’Tropicana’ > ’Columbus’ > ’Super Parrot’. The highest content of phenolic acids was confirmed for Columbus and Tropicana, while the lowest was for Super Parrot. However total phenolic content was very similar, observed between the place of cultivation, time of storage and cultivars. Malonic, succinic, acetic and citric acids were the major organic acid components in tulip petals. More organic acids (except malonic) were accumulated in tulip petals from fields than those from the greenhouse, while changes during storage were strictly correlated with cultivars.     

Process Optimization and Modeling of Phenol Adsorption onto Sludge-Based Activated Carbon Intercalated MgAlFe Ternary Layered Double Hydroxide Composite

A sewage sludge-based activated carbon (SBAC) intercalated MgAlFe ternary layered double hydroxide (SBAC-MgAlFe-LDH) composite was synthesized via the coprecipitation method. The adsorptive performance of the composite for phenol uptake from the aqueous phase was evaluated via the response surface methodology (RSM) modeling technique. The SBAC-MgAlFe-LDH phenol uptake capacity data were well-fitted to reduced RSM cubic model (R² = 0.995, R²-adjusted = 0.993, R²-predicted = 0.959 and p-values < 0.05). The optimum phenol adsorption onto the SBAC-MgAlFe-LDH was achieved at 35 °C, 125 mg/L phenol, and pH 6. Under the optimal phenol uptake conditions, pseudo-first-order and Avrami fractional-order models provided a better representation of the phenol uptake kinetic data, while the equilibrium data models’ fitting follows the order; Liu > Langmuir > Redlich–Peterson > Freundlich > Temkin. The phenol uptake mechanism was endothermic in nature and predominantly via a physisorption process (ΔG° = −5.33 to −5.77 kJ/mol) with the involvement of π–π interactions between the phenol molecules and the functionalities on the SBAC-LDH surface. The maximum uptake capacity (216.76 mg/g) of SBAC-MgAlFe-LDH was much higher than many other SBAC-based adsorbents. The improved uptake capacity of SBAC-LDH was attributed to the effective synergetic influence of SBAC-MgAlFe-LDH, which yielded abundant functionalized surface groups that favored higher aqueous phase uptake of phenol molecules. This study showcases the potential of SBAC-MgAlFe-LDH as an effective adsorbent material for remediation of phenolic wastewater     

Competitive adsorption isotherm modelling of heterocyclic nitrogenous compounds,pyridine and quinoline,onto granular activated carbon and bagasse fly ash

In the present study, simultaneous adsorption of quinoline and pyridine onto adsorbents such as granular activated carbon (GAC) and bagasse fly ash (BFA) from pyridine–quinoline binary aqueous solution was studied at various temperatures (288–318 K). Gathered equilibrium adsorption data were further analysed using various multicomponent competitive isotherm models such as non-modified and modified competitive Langmuir isotherms, extended-Langmuir isotherm, extended-Freundlich model, Sheindorf–Rebuhn–Sheintuch (SRS) model, and non-modified and modified competitive Redlich–Peterson isotherm model. It was observed that increase in pyridine concentration decreased the total adsorption yield and the individual adsorption yield for both the quinoline and pyridine for both the adsorbents GAC and BFA at all the temperatures studied. Identical trend was observed during the equilibrium uptake of pyridine on to GAC and BFA with an increase in quinoline concentration. The extended-Freundlich model satisfactorily represented the binary adsorption equilibrium data of quinoline and pyridine onto GAC and BFA.     

Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils,and Their Combinations,Obtained from Flavedo By-Product of Seven Cultivars of Sicilian Citrus aurantium L.

In this work, seven Citrus aurantium essential oils (EOs) derived from flavedo of cultivars ‘Canaliculata’, ‘Consolei’, ‘Crispifolia’, ‘Fasciata’, ‘Foetifera’, ‘Listata’, and ‘Bizzaria’ were investigated. EOs were also combined in 1:1 (v/v) ratio to identify possible synergism or antagonism of actions. GC-MS analysis was done to investigate Eos’ phytochemical profiles. The antioxidant activity was studied by using a multi-target approach based on FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, and β-carotene bleaching tests. A great difference was observed in EOs’ phytochemical profiles. d-limonene (33.35–89.17%) was the main monoterpene hydrocarbon, and α-Pinene, β-myrcene, and β-linalool were identified in almost all samples. Among EOs, only C3 showed high quantitative and qualitative variability in its chemical composition. The chemical diversity of EOs was also demonstrated by PCA and HCA statistical analysis. Samples C2, C4, C5, C6, and C7 were statistically similar to each other, while C1 and C3 were characterized as having a different amount of other compounds and oxygenated monoterpenes, respectively, with respect to the other EOs mentioned. The global antioxidant score (GAS) revealed that among the tested EOs, C. aurantium ‘Fasciata’ EO had the highest antioxidant potential, with a GAS value of −0.47, whereas among combinations, the EO obtained by mixing ‘Canaliculata’ + ‘Bizzaria’ was the most active. Comparison by theoretical and real data on inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) and FRAP values did not reveal any significant effect of synergism or antagonism of actions to be valid in all biological applied tests. These findings, considered together, represent an important starting point to understand which compounds are responsible for the activities and their future possible industrial application.     

Ziziphus nummularia: A Comprehensive Review of Its Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Properties

Ziziphus nummularia, a small bush of the Rhamnaceae family, has been widely used in traditional folk medicine, is rich in bioactive molecules, and has many reported pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Objective: To gather the current knowledge related to the medicinal characteristics of Z. nummularia. Specifically, its phytochemical contents and pharmacological activities in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, are discussed. Methods: Major scientific literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Chemical Abstracts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, Henriette’s Herbal Homepage, Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, were searched to retrieve articles related to the review subject. General web searches using Google and Google scholar were also utilized. The search period covered articles published between 1980 and the end of October 2021.The search used the keywords ‘Ziziphus nummularia’, AND (‘phytochemical content’, ‘pharmacological properties, or activities, or effects, or roles’, ‘anti-inflammatory’, ‘anti-drought’, ‘anti-thermal’, ‘anthelmintic’, ‘antidiabetic’,’ anticancer’, ‘anticholinesterase’, ‘antimicrobial’, ‘sedative’, ‘antipyretic’, ‘analgesic’, or ‘gastrointestinal’). Results: This plant is rich in characteristic alkaloids, especially cyclopeptide alkaloids such as nummularine-M. Other phytochemicals, including flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, tannins, and phenolic compounds, are also present. These phytochemicals are responsible for the reported pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, analgesic, and gastrointestinal activities. In addition, Z. nummularia has anti-drought and anti-thermal characteristics. Conclusion: Research into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia has demonstrated that this plant is a rich source of novel bioactive compounds. So far, Z. nummularia has shown a varied pharmacological profile (antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective), warranting further research to uncover the therapeutic potential of the bioactives of this plant. Taken together, Z. nummularia may represent a new potential target for the discovery of new drug leads.     

HS–SPME–GC–MS and Electronic Nose Reveal Differences in the Volatile Profiles of Hedychium Flowers

Floral fragrance is one of the most important characteristics of ornamental plants and plays a pivotal role in plant lifespan such as pollinator attraction, pest repelling, and protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. However, the precise determination of floral fragrance is limited. In the present study, the floral volatile compounds of six Hedychium accessions exhibiting from faint to highly fragrant were comparatively analyzed via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and Electronic nose (E-nose). A total of 42 volatile compounds were identified through GC–MS analysis, including monoterpenoids (18 compounds), sesquiterpenoids (12), benzenoids/phenylpropanoids (8), fatty acid derivatives (2), and others (2). In Hedychium coronarium ‘ZS’, H. forrestii ‘Gaoling’, H. ‘Jin’, H. ‘Caixia’, and H. ‘Zhaoxia’, monoterpenoids were abundant, while sesquiterpenoids were found in large quantities in H. coccineum ‘KMH’. Hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) divided the 42 volatile compounds into four different groups (I, II, III, IV), and Spearman correlation analysis showed these compounds to have different degrees of correlation. The E-nose was able to group the different accessions in the principal component analysis (PCA) corresponding to scent intensity. Furthermore, the pattern-recognition findings confirmed that the E-nose data validated the GC–MS results. The partial least squares (PLS) analysis between floral volatile compounds and sensors suggested that specific sensors were highly sensitive to terpenoids. In short, the E-nose is proficient in discriminating Hedychium accessions of different volatile profiles in both quantitative and qualitative aspects, offering an accurate and rapid reference technique for future applications.     

Reuse of Food Waste: The Chemical Composition and Health Properties of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) Cultivar Essential Oils

The aim of the present study is to investigate the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibition, and hypolipidemic effect of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Sicilian Citrus maxima (pomelo) flavedo. Using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) we analysed the Eos of five cultivars of C. maxima, namely, ‘Chadock’, ‘Maxima’, ‘Pyriformis’, ‘Terracciani’, and ‘Todarii’, and their blends. The antioxidant activity was performed by using a multi-target approach using 2,2′-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. The α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase-inhibitory activities were also assessed. GC-MS analyses revealed D-limonene as the main monoterpene hydrocarbon in all cultivars, albeit with different percentages in the range of 21.72–71.13%. A good content of oxygenated monoterpenes was detected for all cultivars, especially for ‘Todarii’. The analysis of the principal components (PCA), and related clusters (HCA), was performed to find chemo-diversity among the analysed samples. EOs from ‘Chadock’ and ‘Maxima’ were statistically similar to each other, and they differed from P3 in the smaller amount of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, while the oils from ‘Terracciani’ and ‘Todarii’ were found to be chemically and statistically different. ‘Chadock’ EO was the most active to scavenge radicals (IC₅₀ values of 22.24 and 27.23 µg/mL in ABTS and DPPH tests, respectively). ‘Terracciani’ EO was the most active against both lipase and α-amylase, whereas the blends obtained by the combination (1:1 v/v) of C. maxima ‘Maxima’ + ‘Todarii’ were the most active against α-glucosidase. Generally, the blends did not exert a unique behaviour in potentiating or reducing the bioactivity of the pomelo EOs.     

Antioxidant,Antimicrobial, and Metabolomic Characterization of Blanched Pomegranate Peel Extracts: Effect of Cultivar

Hot water blanching at 80 °C for 3 min can be used as a novel pre-treatment step in pomegranate peel to preserve the integrity of the phytochemical content within the peel extracts by lowering or inactivating enzymes such as polyphenol (PPO) oxidase and peroxidase (POD) that are responsible for the break-down of phytochemicals within the peel. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hot water blanching pre-treatment on yield, bioactive compounds, antioxidants, enzyme inactivation, and antibacterial activity of ‘Wonderful’, ‘Acco’, and ‘Herskawitz’ pomegranate peel extracts. We used a variety of spectrophotometric-based assays and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based approach to characterize and quantify metabolites within the peel extracts. Blanching significantly (p < 0.05) reduced PPO activity in all peel extracts, with the highest PPO reduction in ‘Herskawitz’ peel extracts at 0.25 U/mL. Furthermore, higher antioxidant activity in ‘Herskawitz’ blanched peel extracts using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant activity, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity at 567.78 ± 9.47 µmol Trolox/g DM, 800.05 ± 1.60 µmol Trolox/g DM, and 915.27 ± 0.61 µmol Trolox/g DM, respectively, was noted. ‘Herskawitz’ blanched peel extracts were recorded with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 80 µg/mL for Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria strains. A total of 30 metabolites were present in ‘Acco’ and ‘Herskawitz’ peel extracts and were tentatively identified after LC-MS profiling. This study demonstrates that blanched peel extracts from ‘Herskawitz’ cultivar have great potential for commercial use in value-added products in the nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and pharmacological industries.     

Sea Buckthorn Leaf Powders: The Impact of Cultivar and Drying Mode on Antioxidant,Phytochemical, and Chromatic Profile of Valuable Resource

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L. (HR)) leaf powders are the underutilized, promising resource of valuable compounds. Genotype and processing methods are key factors in the preparation of homogenous, stable, and quantified ingredients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phenolic, triterpenic, antioxidant profiles, carotenoid and chlorophyll content, and chromatic characteristics of convection-dried and freeze-dried HR leaf powders obtained from ten different female cultivars, namely ‘Avgustinka’, ‘Botaniceskaja Liubitelskaja’, ‘Botaniceskaja’, ‘Hibrid Percika’, ‘Julia’, ‘Nivelena’, ‘Otradnaja’, ‘Podarok Sadu’, ‘Trofimovskaja’, and ‘Vorobjovskaja’. The chromatic characteristics were determined using the CIELAB scale. The phytochemical profiles were determined using HPLC-PDA (high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector) analysis; spectrophotometric assays and antioxidant activities were investigated using ABTS (2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power) assays. The sea buckthorn leaf powders had a yellowish-green appearance. The drying mode had a significant impact on the total antioxidant activity, chlorophyll content, and chromatic characteristics of the samples; the freeze-dried samples were superior in antioxidant activity, chlorophyll, carotenoid content, and chromatic profile, compared to convection-dried leaf powder samples. The determined triterpenic and phenolic profiles strongly depend on the cultivar, and the drying technique had no impact on qualitative and quantitative composition. Catechin, epigallocatechin, procyanidin B3, ursolic acid, α-amyrin, and β-sitosterol could be used as quantitative markers in the phenolic and triterpenic profiles. The cultivars ‘Avgustinka’, ‘Nivelena’, and ‘Botaniceskaja’ were superior to other tested cultivars, with the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity.     

Novel Glycerophospholipid,Lipo- and N-acyl Amino Acids from Bacteroidetes: Isolation,Structure Elucidation and Bioactivity

The ‘core’ metabolome of the Bacteroidetes genus Chitinophaga was recently discovered to consist of only seven metabolites. A structural relationship in terms of shared lipid moieties among four of them was postulated. Here, structure elucidation and characterization via ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of those four lipids (two lipoamino acids (LAAs), two lysophosphatidylethanolamines (LPEs)), as well as several other undescribed LAAs and N-acyl amino acids (NAAAs), identified during isolation were carried out. The LAAs represent closely related analogs of the literature-known LAAs, such as the glycine-serine dipeptide lipids 430 (2) and 654. Most of the here characterized LAAs (1, 5–11) are members of a so far undescribed glycine-serine-ornithine tripeptide lipid family. Moreover, this study reports three novel NAAAs (N-(5-methyl)hexanoyl tyrosine (14) and N-(7-methyl)octanoyl tyrosine (15) or phenylalanine (16)) from Olivibacter sp. FHG000416, another Bacteroidetes strain initially selected as best in-house producer for isolation of lipid 430. Antimicrobial profiling revealed most isolated LAAs (1–3) and the two LPE ‘core’ metabolites (12, 13) active against the Gram-negative pathogen M. catarrhalis ATCC 25238 and the Gram-positive bacterium M. luteus DSM 20030. For LAA 1, additional growth inhibition activity against B. subtilis DSM 10 was observed.     

Identification of Key Aroma Compounds Responsible for the Floral Ascents of Green and Black Teas from Different Tea Cultivars

Chemicals underlying the floral aroma of dry teas needs multi-dimensional investigations. Green, black, and freeze-dried tea samples were produced from five tea cultivars, and only ‘Chunyu2’ and ‘Jinguanyin’ dry teas had floral scents. ‘Chunyu2’ green tea contained the highest content of total volatiles (134.75 μg/g) among green tea samples, while ‘Jinguanyin’ black tea contained the highest content of total volatiles (1908.05 μg/g) among black tea samples. The principal component analysis study showed that ‘Chunyu2’ and ‘Jinguanyin’ green teas and ‘Chunyu2’ black tea were characterized by the abundant presence of certain alcohols with floral aroma, while ‘Jinguanyin’ black tea was discriminated due to the high levels of certain alcohols, esters, and aldehydes. A total of 27 shared volatiles were present in different tea samples, and the contents of 7 floral odorants in dry teas had correlations with those in fresh tea leaves (p < 0.05). Thus, the tea cultivar is crucial to the floral scent of dry tea, and these seven volatiles could be promising breeding indices.     

多壁碳纳米管对稀土元素的吸附性能

研究了改性多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)对稀土元素的吸附。 采用硝酸、次氯酸钠、过氧化氢、高锰酸钾4种方法对MWCNTs进行改性,考察了改性MWCNTs对稀土元素的吸附能力。 采用紫外-可见分光光度法测定稀土元素的浓度,比较了未处理和不同方法处理的MWCNTs对稀土元素的吸附能力。实验结果表明,NaClO改性的MWCNTs对稀土元素的吸附能力最强。以稀土元素钐(Sm)、钆(Gd)、镱(Yb)为代表,研究了NaClO改性MWCNTs对稀土元素的吸附性能。 考察了溶液pH值、离子强度、吸附剂用量、温度等因素对吸附性能的影响。当溶液pH值在2~7范围内,NaClO改性的MWCNTs对Sm、Gd、Yb的吸附随pH值增大而增强。 当离子强度和MWCNTs的用量增大时,对稀土元素的吸附能力降低。3种元素在NaClO改性的MWCNTs上的吸附均为放热过程,其反应焓变ΔH分别为：-6.44、-5.63和8.31 kJ/mol。吸附等温线符合Langmuir和Freundlich等温吸附方程。     

Quality of Oil Pressed from Hemp Seed Varieties: ‘Earlina 8FC’, ‘Secuieni Jubileu’ and ‘Finola’

In the last decade, the demand for edible niche oils has increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the seeds hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties: ‘Finola’ (FIN-314)’, ‘Earlina 8FC’, and ‘Secuieni Jubileu’, and cold and hot pressed oils were prepared from each seed. The seeds were examined for moisture content, granulometric distribution, bulk density, and fat content. Seeds were pressed without and with preconditioning (60 °C), and oil yield and pressing time were recorded. The oil was filtered through cellulose membranes. Oil–water content, oil color, fatty acid profile, and sterol content were studied. From the study conducted, there are significant differences in the parameters of oil recovery and its quality compared to ‘Finola’ seed oil, which is widely reported in the literature. ‘Finola’ oil yield was the lowest, with an average of 79% compared to ‘Earlina’ (82%) and ‘S. Jubileu’ (84%). All oil samples contained a comparable amount of sterols, with campesterol (0.32 mg/g), β-sitosterol (1.3 mg/g) and Δ5-avenasterol (0.15 mg/g) predominating. From the organoleptic evaluation, it was evident that both varieties hemp oils and marc (‘Earlina’ and ‘S. Jubileu’) were not bitter like the “Finola” oil and marc. More detailed studies in this direction have to be undertaken.     

Adsorption isotherms of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane and toluene vapors on hydrocarbon adsorber and light-off catalyst

Two monolithic hydrocarbon adsorbers and a monolithic light-off catalyst were selected as adsorbents, and the adsorptive capacity of a hydrocarbon for the adsorbents was measured by using a precise volumetric adsorption apparatus. 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane and toluene vapors were chosen as adsorbates. Equilibrium experiments were carried out at three different temperatures of 303.15, 323.15, and 343.15 K. Adsorption data of each hydrocarbon was fitted to the well-known isotherms such as the Langmuir equation and the Freundlich equation. The Freundlich isotherm predicted equilibrium data better than the Langmuir isotherm. Furthermore, the surface energetic heterogeneity of the adsorbents was evaluated using the isosteric heat of adsorption based on Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The surface energetic heterogeneity of the adsorbents depended on the precious metal (PM) loading and H-ZSM5 loading.     

Chemical Diversity and Potential Target Network of Woody Peony Flower Essential Oil from Eleven Representative Cultivars (Paeonia × suffruticosa Andr.)

Woody peony (Paeonia × suffruticosa Andr.) has many cultivars with genetic variances. The flower essential oil is valued in cosmetics and fragrances. This study was to investigate the chemical diversity of essential oils of eleven representative cultivars and their potential target network. Hydro-distillation afforded yields of 0.11–0.25%. Essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID which identified 105 compounds. Three clusters emerged from multivariate analysis, representative of phloroglucinol trimethyl ether (‘Caihui’), citronellol (‘Jingyu’, ‘Zhaofen’ and ‘Baiyuan Zhenghui’) and mixed (the rest of the cultivars) chemotypes. ‘Zhaofen’ and ‘Jingyu’ also exhibited low levels of other rose-related compounds. The main components were subjected to a target network approach. Drug-likeness screening gave 20 compounds with predictive blood–brain barrier permeation. Compound target network identified six key compounds, namely nerol, citronellol, geraniol, geranic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol and 1-hexanol. Top enriched terms in GO, KEGG and DisGeNET were mostly related to the central nervous system (CNS). Protein—protein interactions revealed a core network of 14 targets, 11 of which were CNS-related (targets for antidepressants, analgesics, antipsychotics, anti-Alzheimer’s and anti-Parkinson’s agents). This work provides useful information on the production of woody peony essential oils with specific chemotypes and reveals their potential importance in aromatherapy for alternative treatment of CNS disorders.