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Addressing burdens of electronic waste (E-waste) leachate while achieving sustainable and selective recovery of noble metals, such as gold, is highly demanded due to its limited supply and escalating prices. Here we demonstrate an environmentally-benign and practical approach for gold recovery from E-waste leachate using alginate-derived pyrocarbon sorbent. The sorbent demonstrates potent gold recovery performance compared to most previously reported advanced sorbents, showcasing high recovery capacity of 2829.7 mg g −1 , high efficiency (>99.5%), remarkable selectivity ( K d  ~ 3.1 × 10 8 mL g −1 ), and robust anti-interference capabilities within environmentally relevant contexts. The aromatic structures of pyrocarbon serve as crucial electrons sources, enabling a hydroxylation process that simultaneously generates electrons and phenolic hydroxyls for the reduction of gold ions. Our investigations further uncover a “stepwise” nucleation mechanism, in which gold ions are reduced as intermediate gold-chlorine clusters, facilitating rapid reduction process by lowering energy barriers from 1.08 to −21.84 eV. Technoeconomic analysis demonstrates its economic viability with an input-output ratio as high as 1370%. Our protocol obviates the necessity for organic reagents whilst obtaining 23.96 karats gold product from real-world central processing units (CPUs) leachates. This work introduces a green sorption technique for gold recovery, emphasizing its role in promoting a circular economy and environmental sustainability. The demand for gold recovery from E-Waste is significant due to its high value. Here, authors present a practical method for extracting gold from an actual E-waste leachate using alginate-derived pyrocarbon. This approach yields a 23.96 karat gold product and demonstrates strong economic viability.

Excessive levels of heavy metal pollutants in the environment pose significant threats to human health and ecosystem stability. Consequently, the accurate and rapid detection of heavy metal ions is critically important. A AgNPs@CeO2/Nafion composite was prepared by dispersing nano-ceria (CeO2) in a Nafion solution and incorporating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The morphology, microstructure, and electrochemical properties of the modified electrode materials were systematically characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). By leveraging the oxygen vacancies and high electron transfer efficiency of CeO2, the strong adsorption capacity of Nafion, and the superior conductivity of AgNPs, an AgNPs@CeO2/Nafion/GCE electrochemical sensor was developed. Under optimized conditions, trace Pb2+ in water was detected using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). The sensor demonstrated a linear response for Pb2+ within the concentration range of 1–100 μg·L−1, with a detection limit of 0.17 μg·L−1 (S/N = 3). When applied to real water samples, the method achieved recovery rates between 93.7% and 110.3%, validating its reliability and practical applicability.

Effective treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in an affordable manner is highly demanded to meet stringent water protection standards. Herein, we introduce a fluoroamine dual-site hydrogel (QFgel) designed to structurally match amphipathic PFAS molecules, facilitating selective interactions for the effective PFAS removal from water. Specifically, the synergistic effects of quaternized and fluorinated functional groups in QFgel can promote electrostatic-fluorophilic dual-site interactions with both the perfluoroalkyl and anionic headgroups at the ends of PFAS. As a result, these dual-site interactions achieve high selectivity (sorption coefficients ranging from 1.75 to 4.0) and ultrahigh sorption capacity (up to 2,835 mg g -1 ), resulting in over 95.6% removal of 17 PFAS types at environmentally relevant concentrations in real water matrices. Notably, pilot-scale applications with a kilogram-scale QFgel-adsorber effectively treats up to 12,400 and 9,215 bed volumes of PFAS-contaminated drinking water (i.e., tap water) before the breakthrough point of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) ([PFAS] 0  = ~ 0.35 µg L -1 , 2 m 3 per day). After 46 days of continuous operation, the adsorber is regenerated using a saline-methanol mixed eluent, achieving 96.5% desorption and up to 1,633-fold PFAS enrichment, while reducing eluent use by 70% compared to commercial sorbents. This work advances PFAS remediation by offering a scalable, cost-effective solution, and contributes to sustainable water resource protection. PFAS poses significant threats to human health and aquatic ecosystems. Here, a fluoroamine-functionalized QFgel is proposed and exhibits high selectivity and removal efficiency for 17 PFAS in water at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Pharmaceuticals in water are commonly found and are not efficiently removed by current treatment processes. Degradation of antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) by UV/chlorine advanced oxidation process was systematically investigated in this study. The results showed that the UV/chlorine process was more effective at degrading CBZ than either UV or chlorination alone. The CBZ degradation followed pseudo-first order reaction kinetics, and the degradation rate constants (k obs ) were affected by the chlorine dose, solution pH, and natural organic matter concentration to different degrees. Degradation of CBZ greatly increased with increasing chlorine dose and decreasing solution pH during the UV/chlorine process. Additionally, the presence of natural organic matter in the solution inhibited the degradation of CBZ. UV photolysis, chlorination, and reactive species (hydroxyl radical •OH and chlorine atoms •Cl) were identified as responsible for CBZ degradation in the UV/chlorine process. Finally, a degradation pathway for CBZ in the UV/chlorine process was proposed and the formation potentials of carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection by-products were evaluated. Enhanced formation of trichloroacetic acid, dichloroacetonitrile, and trichloronitromethane precursors should be considered when applying UV/chlorine advanced oxidation process to drinking water.

Radix Astragali (RA) has been recognized for its therapeutic potential in allergic rhinitis (AR), yet its potential pharmacological mechanisms remain elusive. This study systematically investigated the physicochemical properties and biological activities of RA’s phytochemicals, aiming to elucidate their targets and mechanisms in AR treatment. We identified 775 potential targets of RA’s key phytochemicals and intersected these with 29,544 AR-related disease targets, pinpointing 747 shared therapeutic targets. A protein-protein interaction network analysis categorized these targets into five subclusters, with TNF, NFKB1, IKBKB, NFKBIA, and CHUK emerging as central nodes. Enrichment analysis revealed their roles in inflammatory and immune responses, particularly through the NF-κB, TNF, IL-17, Toll-like receptor, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations confirmed the strong binding affinity and stability of RA’s phytochemicals to these targets. In vivo, RA intervention effectively reversed the expression of key inflammatory markers in an IL-13-induced nasal mucosa inflammation model. Our findings suggest that RA’s multitargeted approach involves the modulation of critical inflammatory pathways, highlighting its therapeutic potential.

Background: The prescription of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) consists of multiple herbs that exhibit synergistic effects due to the presence of multiple components targeting various pathways. In clinical practice, the combination of Erchen decoction and Huiyanzhuyu decoction (EHD) has shown promising outcomes in treating patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). However, the underlying mechanism by which EHD exerts its therapeutic effects in LSCC remains unknown. Methods: Online databases were utilized for the analysis and prediction of the active constituents, targets, and key pathways associated with EHD in the treatment of LSCC. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of common targets was constructed and visualized using Cytoscape 3.8.1 software. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to investigate the functional roles of core targets within the PPI network. Protein clustering was conducted utilizing the MCODE plug-in. The obtained results highlight the principal targets and pathways involved. Subsequently, clinical samples were collected to validate alterations in the levels of these main targets through Western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, both in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the therapeutic effects of EHD on healing LSCC and elucidate its underlying mechanism. Additionally, to ensure experimental reliability and reproducibility, quality control measures utilizing HPLC were implemented for EHD herbal medicine. Results: The retrieval and analysis of databases in EHD medicine and LSCC disease yielded a total of 116 overlapping targets. The MCODE plug-in methods were utilized to acquire 8 distinct protein clusters through protein clustering. The findings indicated that both the first and second clusters exhibited a size greater than 6 scores, with key genes PI3K and ErbB occupying central positions, while the third and fourth clusters were associated with proteins in the PI3K, STAT3, and Foxo pathways. GO functional analysis reported that these targets had associations mainly with the pathway of p53 mediated DNA damage and negative regulation of cell cycle in terms of biological function; the death-induced signaling complex in terms of cell function; transcription factor binding and protein kinase activity in terms of molecular function. The KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated that these targets were correlated with several signaling pathways, including PI3K-Akt, FoxO, and ErbB2 signaling pathway. On one hand, we observed higher levels of key genes such as P-STAT3, P-PDK1, P-Akt, PI3K, and ErbB2 in LSCC tumor tissues compared to adjacent tissues. Conversely, FOXO3a expression was lower in LSCC tumor tissues. On the other hand, the key genes mentioned above were also highly expressed in both LSCC xenograft nude mice tumors and LSCC cell lines, while FOXO3a was underexpressed. In LSCC xenograft nude mice models, EHD treatment resulted in downregulation of P-STAT3, P-PDK1, PI3K, P-AKT, and ErbB2 protein levels but upregulated FOXO3a protein level. EHD also affected the levels of P-STAT3, P-PDK1, PI3K, P-AKT, FOXO3a, and ErbB2 proteins in vitro: it inhibited P-STAT3, P-AKT, and ErbB2, while promoting FOXO3a; however, it had no effect on PDK1 protein. In addition, HPLC identified twelve compounds accounting for more than 30% within EHD. The findings from this study can serve as valuable guidance for future experimental investigations. Conclusion: The possible mechanism of EHD medicine action on LSCC disease is speculated to be closely associated with the ErbB2/PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a signaling pathway.

The dynamic fracture process of iron ore under blast loading is an important manifestation of ore fragmentation. To investigate the dynamic fracturing process of iron ore, Hopkinson bar experiments were conducted under different impact loads. The results indicate that under low strain rates, the dynamic stress–strain curve of iron ore exhibits compaction, elastic, and failure stages. However, as the strain rate increases, the compaction stage becomes less distinct, while the elastic modulus decreases and the failure strength increases, indicating the material toughness was enhanced at high strain rate. Moreover, under high strain rates, a significant increase in shear strain promotes the formation of tensile–shear cracks in the ore. In addition, based on the fragmentation of iron ore at different impact pressure, there exists a certain impact pressure, at which the proportion of large fragments decreases only slightly, while the amount of small fragments increases markedly. These findings provide important insights for optimizing fragmentation and improving blasting effectiveness.

Algal extracellular organic matter (EOM) will cause grievous membrane fouling during the filtration of algae-laden water; hence, boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodizing was selected as the pretreatment process before the ultrafiltration, and the EOM fouling mitigation mechanism and the purification efficiency were systematically investigated. The results showed that BDD oxidation could significantly alleviate the decline of membrane flux and reduce membrane fouling, and the effect was more notable with an increase in oxidation time. Less than 10% flux loss happened when oxidation duration was 100 min. The dominant fouling model was gradually replaced by standard blocking. BDD anodizing preferentially oxidizes hydrophobic organic matter and significantly reduces the DOC concentration in EOM. The effluent DOC was reduced to less than 1 mg/L when 100 min of BDD anodizing was applied. After the pre-oxidation of BDD, the zeta potential and interfacial free energy, including the cohesive and adhesive free energy, were all constantly increasing, which implied that the pollutants would agglomerate and deposit, and the repulsion between foulants and the ultrafiltration membrane was augmented with the extensive oxidation time. This further confirms the control of BDD on membrane fouling. In addition, the BDD anodizing coupled ultrafiltration process also showed excellent performance in removing disinfection by-product precursors.

Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa that is characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal itching, and rhinorrhoea. In recent years, acupoint herbal patching (AHP) therapy has gained a growing interest as a potential management option for AR. This systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the clinical research evidence on the effectiveness and safety of AHP as a treatment option for AR outside of the Sanfu or Sanjiu days (summer or winter solstice). The results of this review will provide up-to-date evidence-based guidance for healthcare providers and individuals seeking alternative treatments for AR. Methods A comprehensive search of electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), CQVIP, Sino-Med, and Wanfang Databases) will be conducted from their inception to June 2023. The inclusion criteria will be limited to randomized controlled trials that evaluate the effectiveness or efficacy of non-Sanfu or non-Sanjiu AHP for AR. The primary outcome measure will be the total nasal symptom score. The methodological quality of included studies will be assessed using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2), and meta-analyses will be performed using RevMan (V.5.3) statistical software. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach will be used to determine the certainty of evidence. Discussion This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and safety of non-Sanfu or non-Sanjiu AHP as a treatment option for AR. The study aims to produce a high-quality review by adhering to PRISMA-P guidelines and using clinical guideline recommended outcome measures. The results of this review may offer additional treatment options for AR patients who seek complementary and alternative therapies, and hold significant implications for future research in this field. Overall, this study has the potential to inform clinical practice and improve patient outcomes. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42022181322.

For pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants, in order to prevent the release of radioactive substances into environment, fission product barriers (FPBs) are constructed based on the concept of defense-in-depth, including fuel clad, reactor coolant system (RCS), and containment; the status of these FPBs is then acting as an important dimension to decision-making of emergency action levels (EALs). For CPR1000 nuclear power plants, state functions defined in state-oriented emergency operating procedure (SOP) are used to characterize postaccident physical conditions; their degradation substantially represents the challenges on fundamental safety functions and then on the integrity of FPBs in like manner, so degradation of these state functions is referred to as determining initial conditions of each FPB, by which the link between SOP and EALs is established. Then, an intelligent FPB monitoring system (FPBMS) aiming to automatically monitor states of FPBs is developed, verified, and validated. The pioneering work, by building bridges between state functions and initial conditions of FPBs and then computerizing them innovatively, proves that dynamical monitoring of states of FPBs during accident evolvement and real-time indication of loss or potential loss of FPBs can be achieved, which is most helpful in decision-making of EALs.