An integrated microfluidic planar reactor is essential for achieving efficient and enhanced photocatalytic water treatment. Optimization of catalysts is an area of intense study owing to the need to enhance the performances of microreactors. A high-efficiency photocatalytic microreactor is presented here by combining a planar microreactor with a high-efficiency photocatalyst. TiO2 nanoparticles doped with Y and Yb were prepared to improve the photocatalytic reaction efficiency. First, better performance is achieved with the Y, Yb/TiO2 and TiO2 microreactors than conventional bulk reactors beca ..read more

Introduction:Bagassa guianensis Aubl, a tree widely distributed in Brazil, significantly contributes to the furniture industry. Notably, it harbors the bioactive compound 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), which is retrievable from timber residues and retains activity even days after wood extraction. This makes Bagassa guianensis a promising biological resource for anticancer therapy and pharmacology studies. This study delves into the in vitro antineoplastic actions of 1-DNJ, focusing on adenocarcinoma gastric cell lines (ACP02) and glioblastoma (A172).Methods: The effect of 1-DNJ on cell viability ..read more

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a wide-spread strategy to manage organic waste and recover valuable products but faces some limitations that could be overcome with additives like biochar (BC). The production of BC defines its properties, which in turn determine its effect on AD performance and methane yield. In this study, three biochars (BC1, BC2 and BC3) were characterized using several techniques (SEM imaging, BET, GC, ICP and FTIR). The properties of BC were found to be defined both by the feedstock and the production process. The BC were then applied to the AD of the organic fraction of munic ..read more

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Modelling particulate systems with the Discrete Element Method (DEM) is an established practice, both in the representation and analysis of natural phenomena and in scale-up and optimization of industrial processes. Since the method allows tracking individual particles, each element can possess geometrical, physical, mechanical or chemical surface properties different from those of the other particles. One example is a polydisperse particulate system, i.e., characterized by a size distribution, opposed to the idealized monodisperse case. In conventional DEM, a softer particle stiffness is comm ..read more

The perception of sewage sludge has been shifting from waste to resource, leading to various technological proposals for its management and resource recovery. This study explores a two-step sewage sludge treatment using different pathways—physical-alkali followed by physical-acid, and physical-acid followed by physical-alkali hydrolysis—to understand the efficiency of organic matter (OM) and Kjeldahl nitrogen extraction, and protein solubilization. Hydrolysis of the sewage sludge was performed with 3 M H2SO4 and 2.8 M NaOH and combined with physical treatment—thermal, ultrasonication ..read more

Triboelectrification of powders and grains is deleterious in a large number of manufacturing operations, due to its adverse effect on process consistency and reliability. To mitigate it, charge neutralisers are commonly employed. However, their selection is often based on trial and error. This study is conducted to systematically examine the influence of the ionic polarity strength of a charge neutraliser, specifically aluminium stearate (AlSt), on charge transfer. AlSt has three types with different numbers of stearate chains, thereby influencing the electron exchange propensity of the molecu ..read more

Cold plasma coating technology for surface functionalization of pharmaceutical powder particles is a promising approach to introduce new characteristics such as controlled release layers, improved powder flow properties, stability coatings, and binding of active components to the surface. This is typically achieved in a fluidized bed reactor, where a jet containing the chemical precursor and the plasma afterglow is introduced through a nozzle while extra fluidization gas is injected from the bottom plate. However, the process requires proper mixing of the particles and precursor inside the pla ..read more

This study investigated the hydrodeoxygenation of palm oil by different oxide nanocatalysts of transition metals α -Fe2O3, NiO, and NiFe2O4, which were synthesized by hot injection. All nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic light dispersion. The catalytic evaluation was performed in a Parr-type reactor at 350°C, 3.5 MPa of H2 pressure, and 3 h of reaction. The liquid product obtained was analyzed by ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy to identify the n-C16 generated during the reaction. The activity in the deoxy ..read more

This study presents an overview of and innovations in reverse osmosis (RO) membrane processes for rejecting charged metal ions in wastewater in relation to the main problems associated with purification methods. It also explains the emergence of nanomaterials and the different methods applied for RO membrane modification to improve performance. Membrane regeneration and retentate management are also considered. The study concludes with an economic feasibility study for the industrial scale-up of the methodology ..read more