Adsorption behaviour and surfactant elution of cationic salivary proteins at solid/liquid interfaces,studied by in situ ellipsometry

Adsorption of the cationic salivary proteins lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, lysozyme and histatin 5 to pure (hydrophilic) and methylated (hydrophobized) silica surfaces was investigated by in situ ellipsometry. Effects of concentration (≤10 μg ml⁻¹, for lysozyme ≤200 μg ml⁻¹) and dependence of surface wettability, as well as adsorption kinetics and elutability of adsorbed films by buffer and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) solutions were investigated. Results showed that the amounts adsorbed decreased in the order lactoferrin ≥ lactoperoxidase > lysozyme ≥ histatin 5. On hydrophilic silica, the adsorption was most likely driven by electrostatic interactions, which resulted in adsorbed amounts of lactoferrin that indicated the formation of a monolayer with both side-on and end-on adsorbed molecules. For lactoperoxidase the adsorbed amounts were somewhat higher than an end-on monolayer, lysozyme adsorption showed amounts corresponding to a side-on monolayer, and histatin 5 displayed adsorbed amounts in the range of a side-on monolayer. On hydrophobized substrata, the adsorption was also mediated by hydrophobic interactions, which resulted in lower adsorbed amounts of lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase; closer to side-on monolayer coverage. For both lysozyme and histatin 5 the adsorbed amounts were the same as on the hydrophilic silica. The investigated proteins exhibited fast adsorption kinetics, and the initial kinetics indicated mass transport controlled behaviour at low concentrations on both types of substrates. Buffer rinsing and SDS elution indicated that the proteins in general were more tightly bound to the hydrophobized surface compared to hydrophilic silica. Overall, the surface activity of the investigated proteins implicates their importance in the salivary film formation.     

γ-irradiated chitosan-polyvinyl pyrrolidone hydrogels as pH-sensitive protein delivery system

The effects of pH of the buffer solution and the composition of the hydrogel system on the bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption capacity of chitosan (CS)–polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) (CSPVP) hydrogels and release of BSA were investigated. Poly-electrolyte CSPVP hydrogels with different compositions were prepared by irradiating CS/PVP/water mixtures with γ-rays at ambient temperature. The adsorption capacity of hydrogels was found to increase from 0 to 350 mg BSA/g dry gel, by changing external stimuli and hydrogel composition. The adsorption of BSA within CSPVP hydrogels increased with increase in CS content in the hydrogels. When the irradiation doses of hydrogel increased, the adsorption of BSA decreased. The maximum adsorption of BSA was observed at pH 5. A significant amount of the adsorbed BSA (up to 95%) was eluted in the phosphate medium containing 0.1 M NaCl at pH 7.4.     

AFM study of the adsorption of pyrrole and formation of the polypyrrole film on gold surface

Pyrrole (Py) adsorption and following electropolymerisation processes onto partially atomically flat Au (111) surfaces from aqueous solution of 0.1 M Py plus 0.1 M LiClO₄ have been investigated by non-contact atomic force microscopy. The adsorbed layers were examined, firstly in-situ, in solution of Py plus electrolyte and in pure electrolyte, and secondly ex-situ, in dried condition in air atmosphere. AFM images show clearly that in all cases the surface of the Au (111) electrode is covered with polymolecular adsorbed layer of Py. Electropolymerisation of the adsorbed Py layer causes some typical changes in the nanostructure of the layer: relatively larger nuclei disappear and honeycomb-like structures and ensembles of the middle size nuclei appear.     

The adsorption behavior of cationic surfactant onto human hair fibers

Quaternary ammonium surfactants are important ingredients that are frequently formulated into hair care products to modify the properties of hair surface. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms and association structures of cationic surfactants on hair surface, however, are not fully understood due to the heterogeneous nature of human hair fibers. In this work, a quaternary ammonium of surfactant, dimethylpabamidopropyl laurdimonium tosylate (DDABDT) was chosen as a probe to investigate the adsorption behavior of cationic surfactant on cuticles of scalp hair. The results reveal that the adsorption kinetics fit to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the adsorption isotherms fit to the Freundlich adsorption model. With the increase of DDABDT adsorption, the wettability of hair fibers changes from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The association structure could be monolayer or bilayer depending on the initial concentration of the surfactant. In the monolayer structure, the ‘anchor’ surfactant molecules are believed to adsorb vertically on the surface of hair fibers through electrostatic interaction. In the bilayer structure, the second layer molecules may then pile up on top of the first layer with charged groups orienting outward. The thickness of DDABDT film on hair fibers treated with 5 × 10^?4 mol/l DDABDT solution is measured to be 5.42 nm on average with a force–distance method. This figure is very close to the two times of the theoretical molecular size of the DDABDT molecule.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of adsorption of hydrophobic 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) on hydrophilic TiO2 in surfactant emulsions and experimental process efficiencies of photo-degradation and -dechlorination

Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to assess event details in the adsorption of the hydrophobic substrate 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) on the hydrophilic TiO₂ particle surface in the presence of the biosurfactant 4-O-(4′,6′-di-O-acetyl-2′,3′-di-O-alkanoyl-β-d-mannopyranosyl)-d-erythritol (MEL) and the SDS (sodium dodecylsulfate) surfactant in aqueous media at ambient temperature with interaction forces between organic molecules and TiO₂ calculated from Lennard–Jones and Coulomb potential models. The surfactant and the TCB substrate were arranged in the vicinity of TiO₂ using 768 water molecules in the simulations. Results indicate that the MEL molecules adsorb on the TiO₂ surface in ca. 5 ps (k = 2 × 10¹¹ s^?1) through the oxygen atoms of the hydrophilic functions. Contact distance between the MEL and the TiO₂ surface shortened further after 10 ps with adsorption controlled mostly by van der Waals’ forces. The TCB molecules are trapped within the alkyl chains of the MEL system, which subsumes TCB to a greater extent by the repulsion of water, thereby facilitating the TCB molecules to approach the highly hydrophilic and positively charged TiO₂ particle surface. Along with the simulations, also examined was the photodegradation of this hydrophobic TCB substrate that takes place at the TiO₂/water interface in the presence of the MEL biosurfactant. For comparison, the advantages of the MEL in this task and of the commonly used SDS surfactant were determined under otherwise identical experimental conditions (200 mg L^?1 of surfactants) by examining the dynamics of the photo-induced degradation and dechlorination of TCB. The photodegradation of TCB was nearly quantitative in MEL/TiO₂ in contrast to only ca. 22% complete in SDS/TiO₂ dispersions. It is deduced that wastewater treatments with the highly hydrophilic TiO₂ are seriously limited in their photodegradation of hydrophobic pollutants, an issue easily resolvable by the presence of biodegradable surfactants.     

Deoxyribonucleic acid modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic channels for the enhancement of microchip electrophoresis

In this paper, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was employed to construct a functional film on the PDMS microfluidic channel surface and apply to perform electrophoresis coupled with electrochemical detection. The functional film was formed by sequentially immobilizing chitosan and DNA to the PDMS microfluidic channel surface using the layer-by-layer assembly. The polysaccharide backbone of chitosan can be strongly adsorbed onto the hydrophobic PDMS surface through electrostatic interaction in the acidic media, meanwhile, chitosan contains one protonatable functional moiety resulting in a strong electrostatic interactions between the surface amine group of chitosan and the charged phosphate backbone of DNA at low pH, which generates a hydrophilic microchannel surface and reveals perfect resistance to nonspecific adsorption of analytes. Aminophenol isomers (p-, o-, and m-aminophenol) served as a separation model to evaluate the effect of the functional PDMS microfluidic chips. The results clearly showed that these analytes were efficiently separated within 60 s in a 3.7 cm long separation channel and successfully detected on the modified microchip coupled with in-channel amperometric detection mode at a single carbon fiber electrode. The theoretical plate numbers were 74,021, 92,658 and 60,552 N m^?1 at the separation voltage of 900 V with the detection limits of 1.6, 4.7 and 2.5 μM (S/N = 3) for p-, o-, and m-aminophenol, respectively. In addition, this report offered an effective means for preparing hydrophilic and biocompatible PDMS microchannel surface, which would facilitate the use of microfluidic devices for more widespread applications.     

Effects of low-molecular-weight organic ligands and phosphate on adsorption of Pseudomonas putida by clay minerals and iron oxide

Adsorption of Pseudomonas putida on kaolinite, montmorillonite and goethite was studied in the presence of organic ligands and phosphate. Citrate, tartrate, oxalate and phosphate showed inhibitive effect on P. putida adsorption by three minerals in a broad range of anion concentrations. The highest efficiencies of the four ligands in blocking the adsorption of P. putida on goethite, kaolinite and montmorillonite were 58–90%, 35–76% and 20–48%, respectively. The ability of organic ligands in prohibiting the binding of P. putida cells to the minerals followed the sequence of citrate > tartrate > oxalate > acetate. The significant suppressive effects on P. putida adsorption were ascribed to the increased negative charges by adsorbed ligands and the competition of ligands with bacterial surface groups for binding sites. The inhibitive effects on P. putida adsorption by organic ligands were also dependent on the steric hindrance of the molecules. Acetate presented promotive effect on P. putida adsorption by kaolinite and goethite at low anion concentrations. The results obtained in this study suggested that the adsorption of bacteria in soils especially in the rhizosphere can significantly be impacted by various organic and inorganic anions.     

Albumin separation with Cibacron Blue carrying macroporous chitosan and chitin affinity membranes

Cibacron Blue F3GA, Procion Red HE-3B and Procion Blue MX-R were immobilized on macroporous chitosan and chitin membranes with concentrations as high as 10–200 μmol/ml membrane. These dyed membranes were chemically and mechanically stable, could be reproducibly prepared, and operated at high flow rates. Human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were selected as model proteins, and their adsorption on and desorption from the dyed chitosan membranes investigated. The Cibacron Blue F3GA membranes had a higher protein adsorption capacity, much greater for HSA than BSA, than the other dyed membranes. About 8.4 mg HSA/ml membrane were adsorbed at saturation by Cibacron Blue F3GA–chitosan membranes from a 0.05 M Tris–HCl/0.05 M NaCl, pH 8 solution. The chitin membranes had a lower dye content and hence a lower protein adsorption capacity than the chitosan membranes. The effects of important operation parameters (flow rate, protein concentration and loading) were also investigated. Cibacron Blue F3GA–chitosan membranes were employed for the separation of HSA from human plasma and high purity HSA thus obtained. This suggests that these membranes could be used for large-scale plasma fractionation.     

Adsorption of hydrogen on Pt(1 1 1) and Pt(1 0 0) surfaces and its role in the HOR

Hydrogen adsorption isotherms, evaluated by combination of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry, are reported on Pt(1 1 1) and Pt(1 0 0) surfaces in 0.1 M HClO₄. We found that at E > 0.05 V Pt(1 1 1) and Pt(1 0 0) are only partially covered by the adsorbed hydrogen (H_ad). On both surfaces, a full monolayer of the adsorbed hydrogen is completed at −0.1 V, i.e. the adsorption of atomic hydrogen is observed in the hydrogen evolution potential region. We also found, that the activity of the hydrogen oxidation reaction is mirrored by the shape of the hydrogen adsorption isotherms, implying that H_ad is in fact a spectator in the HOR.     

Surface poisoning during electrocatalytic monosaccharide oxidation reactions at gold electrodes in alkaline medium

In the present study, the surface poisoning of electrocatalytic monosaccharide oxidation reactions at gold electrodes were investigated. In the cyclic voltammetric studies, the electrocatalytic oxidation of aldohexose and aldopentose type monosaccharides, aminosugars, acetyl-glucosamine and glucronamide were observed at gold plate electrodes in alkaline medium. However, in controlled-potential electrolytic studies ranging −0.3 to −0.2 V in reaction solutions, current flows during electrolyses decreased quickly with time, except when glucosamine was used as a substrate.Results from surface enhanced infrared adsorption (SEIRA) spectroscopic measurements at an evaporated gold electrode for the electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in 0.1 mol dm⁻³ NaOH at −0.3 V and Gaussian simulated spectra indicated that the gluconic acid as a 2-electron oxidation product and/or its analogs adsorbed onto the gold surface. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) measurement results, along with surface adsorption results from surface poisoning at the gold electrode during electrolytic reactions, suggested that gluconic acid and/or its analogs adsorbed vertically onto electrode surfaces in a full monolayer packing-like conformation. In the case of the electro oxidation of glucosamine in 0.1 mol dm⁻³ NaOH at −0.2 V, the obtained SEIRA spectra and EQCM results, clearly indicated that the glucosaminic acid as a 2-oxidation glucosamine product did not strongly bind onto the gold electrode surface.     

Adsorption of benzene from benzene/n-C6 and n-C7 mixture by nano Beta zeolite with different Si/Al ratios

The adsorption of benzene from benzene/n-alkane mixtures was studied by two types of nano Beta zeolite with Si/Al ratios of 11.5 and 24.5. Benzene was adsorbed into benzene/n-hexane and n-heptane mixtures which had 0.5% up to 10% mole fraction of benzene using batch technique in the ambient temperature. The nano Beta zeolite has active sites on its surface, which have interaction with π electron in benzene, and this can increase the heat of adsorption. The Si/Al ratio defines the number of active sites in the zeolite surface and the heat of adsorption. However, an increase in the active sites of Beta zeolite declines the entropy of adsorption. Therefore, free energy of mixing specifies the potential of adsorption in Beta zeolite.As the results indicated in all mixtures, benzene is adsorbed more than n-hexane and n-heptane into the Beta zeolite surface, which suggests that this type of zeolite has a high separation factor (∼50) for benzene in Beta zeolite (Si/Al = 24.5). Also, Beta zeolite with Si/Al = 24.5 had a greater separation factor than Beta zeolite with Si/Al = 11.5 in similar mixtures.     

(Amino acid + silica) adsorption thermodynamics: Effects of temperature

A thorough understanding of amino acid adsorption by mineral and oxide surfaces has a major impact on a variety of industrial and biomedical applications. Little information currently exists regarding temperature effects on most of these adsorption processes. Deeper thermodynamic analyses of their multiple temperature adsorption isotherms would aid the interpretation of the interfacial interactions. Low solution concentration adsorption isotherms for glycine, lysine and glutamic acid on a silica adsorbent were generated for T = (291, 298 and 310) K. Data analysis via the Clausius–Clapeyron method yielded the isosteric heat of adsorption as a function of fractional monolayer coverage for each adsorptive. Each amino acid showed an exothermic adsorption response. Glycine and lysine experienced a greater negative effect of increased temperature compared with glutamic acid, indicating a greater number of adsorbed molecules than glutamic acid, with the former undergoing intermolecular clustering within the adsorbed phase. Isosteric heat analyses suggest ionic interactions for lysine and hydrogen bonding for glutamic acid, both weakening with increased coverage. In contrast, initial hydrogen bonding led to ionic bonding for glycine with increasing coverage.     

Excess fibrinogen adsorption to monolayers of mixed lipids

Adsorption of fibrinogen to the monolayers of mixed lipids, dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) and eicosylamine (EA) was measured at a surface pressure of 20 mN/m by an in situ surface plasmon resonance technique. Pressure–area isotherms of DPPC + EA mixtures on water and buffer subphases indicated good lipid miscibility and some contraction of the monolayers at intermediate and higher surface pressures. Surface electric potential of the DPPC + EA monolayers showed excess values for intermediate DPPC:EA ratios. Fibrinogen adsorption and its adsorption rates from a dilute solution (0.03 mg/ml) were proportional to the fraction of EA in the monolayer indicating that protein binding was primarily driven by electrostatic interactions between positive EA charges in the monolayer and a net negative protein charge. At a higher protein concentration (0.06 mg/ml) both the fibrinogen adsorbed amount and its maximum adsorption rate showed excess values relative to the pure EA for 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 DPPC + EA monolayers. This excess adsorption could be explained, in part, by the contraction of the monolayers with intermediate DPPC:EA ratios which resulted in an excess surface electric potential.     

Spontaneous deposition of Sn on Au(1 1 1). An in situ STM study

The tin adlayer formed by spontaneous deposition on Au(1 1 1) was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in sulphuric acid solution. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed oxidation peaks in the potential range −0.60 ⩽ E/V vs SSE ⩽ 0, which can be ascribed to the dissolution of the Sn adsorbed layer. STM images of the Au(1 1 1)/Sn modified surface showed that tin nucleated both on step edges and on the flat terraces forming two-dimensional islands. The anodic polarization of this modified surface produced the gradual dissolution of the Sn adlayer which was evidenced by the formation of some holes and the reduction of the initial terraces to many small islands. STM images with atomic resolution obtained on these islands displayed an hexagonal expanded atomic structure. After the anodic stripping of this Sn adsorbed layer the images exhibited the typical Au(1 1 1) terraces with a (1 × 1) atomic structure. However, at more anodic potentials another dissolution process was observed producing noticeable changes on the surface morphology which could be ascribed to the dissolution of a Au–Sn surface alloy.     

NIR-SERS studies of DNA and DNA bases attached on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) protected silver grass-like nanostructures

In this work, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) protected silver grass-like nanostructure (PVA–Ag–GNS) with near infrared surface-enhanced Raman scattering (NIR-SERS) activity was prepared and employed to detect DNA and DNA bases. The PVA–Ag–GNS demonstrated high NIR-SERS activity and good optical reproducibility in the detection of adsorbates such as the case of crystal violet, DNA and DNA bases. By using of the tested molecule of thymine, the PVA–Ag–GNS shows a high enhancement factor (EF) of ∼10⁸. For NIR-SERS detection of DNA molecules, Raman signals from the DNA bases of guanine (630 cm⁻¹) and adenine (720 cm⁻¹) are greatly enhanced. For DNA molecules NIR-SERS detection, Raman signals from the DNA bases of guanine (630 cm⁻¹), adenine (720 cm⁻¹) and cytosine (1010 cm⁻¹) are greatly enhanced. The experimental results show that the NIR-SERS spectrum of DNA is dominated by guanine mode, which is followed by adenine and cytosine modes, respectively. Meanwhile, the NIR-SERS signal intensities of the DNA bases increase in the order of thymine (T) < cytosine (C) < adenine (A) < guanine (G). One can conclude that the adsorption strength of the DNA bases in DNA molecule with the silver surface is in the order T < C < A < G, which is different from that of the four DNA bases in individual molecule adsorbed on silver surface (T < A < G < C). On the other hand, the geometry optimization and calculated wavenumber of the complexes of adenine–Ag, guanine–Ag, cytosine–Ag and thymine–Ag for the ground states are performed with DFT, B3LYP functional and the LanL2DZ basis set. The calculated wavenumbers match well with the experimental results. According to our experiment and calculations, DNA base molecules adsorbed on silver surface via the intra-annular nitrogen atom which is adsorbed on the silver nanoparticle and formed metal–molecule complexes by the available lone pair.     

Electrochemical behavior of CO2 reduction on palladium nanoparticles: Dependence of adsorbed CO on electrode potential

The electrochemical reduction of CO₂ is strongly influenced by both the applied potential and the surface adsorption status of the catalyst. In this work a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) coated with Pd nanoparticles/carbon black (Pd/XC72) was used to study the electrochemical reduction of CO₂. Cyclic voltammetric (CV) analysis of Pd/XC72 between 1.5 V and − 0.6 V (vs. RHE) shows the formation of intermediates and the blocking of hydrogen absorption on the Pd nanoparticles (NPs) under a CO₂ atmosphere. The relationships between the Faradaic efficiency/current density and the applied potential reveal that the onset potential of CO formation is around − 0.4 V. Moreover, the presence of adsorbed CO was confirmed through CV analysis of Pd/XC72 under CO₂ and CO/He atmospheres. This demonstrates that H atoms and CO intermediates co-adsorb on the surface of the Pd NPs at an applied potential of around − 0.4 V. When the applied potential is more negative than − 0.6 V, adsorption of CO intermediates on the surface of the Pd NPs becomes dominant.     

Effects of potassium distributions in carbonizations of bituminous coal

The carbonization of coal/KOH mixtures were investigated to identify the influence of potassium distributions on characteristics of the final products. The products were characterized using TGA, BET, TEM and adsorption of lead from its aqueous solutions with initial concentrations of 10–100 ppm. For the activated carbon obtained at 600 °C, the potassium distribution affected both the BET surface areas (661–1994 m²/g) and the meso- and micro-pore volumes ratios (0.48–0.91). There were also evolutions of nanostructures of both straight and curved tubular morphologies as evidenced by TEM micrograph. The samples exhibited different adsorptive capacities when tested in adsorption of lead from aqueous solutions. The adsorption followed second order kinetics and the equilibrium data were better described by empirical Freudlich isotherm model. The amount of lead adsorbed ranges from 4.3 to 47.3 mg/g. Thus, different degrees of potassium effects led to activated carbons with different surface and adsorptive properties.     

Kinetics and isotherms of asphaltene adsorption in narrow pores

New data relating to the kinetics and adsorption isotherms of asphaltene in consolidated sandstone core samples are reported. The data were obtained from the measurements of electrokinetics of consolidated sandstone core samples in asphaltene/toluene solutions and petroleum oils. The numerical reduction in the (negative) zeta potential of the sandstone samples were attributed to the adsorption of positively charged molecules of asphaltenes. The hydrodynamics thickness δ of adsorption of asphaltene were followed by monitoring the pressure increase that occurred as the adsorbed layer restricted the rock pores and applying Poiseuille's equation. The flow rates indicated a plateau of asphaltene adsorption at a pore blocking thickness of about δ/r = 0.3, which was also the point at which the streaming current reached a plateau. After increasing to about 30% of the pore radius, the adsorbed layer thickness δ stopped growing either with time or with concentration of asphaltene in the flowing liquid. Alternative hypotheses involving asphaltene adsorption isotherms have been investigated. A theoretical treatment advanced describing particle adsorption in the same terms as molecular adsorption and the Langmuir isotherm, with the free energy of asphaltene adsorption on the rock surface (modeled on silica) calculated on the basis of van der Waals attraction. Acceptable agreement was obtained with the electrokinetic measurements.     

Positive shift of the potential of zero total charge of stepped Pt(1 1 1) electrodes decorated by irreversibly adsorbed bismuth

The value of the potential of zero total charge (pztc) of stepped Pt(1 1 1) electrodes, whose step sites have been blocked by irreversibly adsorbed bismuth, has been determined by means of the CO displacement experiment. It has been observed that the pztc of the decorated surfaces shift positively with respect to that of the substrate stepped surface electrode. In this way the electrode total charge at constant potential diminishes by effect of the adatom adsorption. The oxidation of adsorbed CO takes place at higher potentials on the decorated surfaces, pointing out a direct effect of the pztc shift on their reactivity as electrocatalyzers.     

Effect of nanoscale topography on fibronectin adsorption,focal adhesion size and matrix organisation

Phase separation of PLLA/PS (50/50, w/w) solutions during a spin-casting process gives rise to well-defined nanotopographies of 14, 29 and 45 nm deep pits depending on the concentration of the solution. Their influence on the biological activity of fibronectin (FN) was investigated. FN adsorption was quantified by radiolabelling the protein. The amount of adsorbed FN was higher on the 14 nm deep pit nanotopography than on the other two surfaces. FN distribution between valleys and peaks was investigated by AFM combined with image analysis. FN tends to adsorb preferentially on the valleys of the nanotopography only for the 14 nm system and when adsorbed from solutions of concentration lower than 10 μg/ml. Higher concentration of the FN solution leads to evenly distribution of the protein throughout the surface; moreover, there is no difference in the distribution of the protein between valleys and peaks for the other two systems (29 and 45 nm) irrespective of the concentration of the FN solution. The biological activity of the adsorbed protein layer was assessed by investigating MC3T3 osteoblast-like cells adhesion, FN reorganisation and late matrix formation on the different substrates. Even if initial cell adhesion is excellent for every substrate, the size of the focal adhesion plaques increases as the size of the pits in the nanotopography does. This is correlated to FN reorganisation, which only takes places on the 29 and 45 nm deep pits surfaces, where enhanced late matrix production was also found.