Modeling and Optimization of MXene/PVC Membranes for Enhanced Water Treatment Performance.

In this paper, MXene nanosheets were used as nano additives for the preparation of MXene-modified polyvinyl chloride (PVC) mixed max membranes (MMMs) for the rejection of lead (Pb) ions from wastewater. MXene nanosheets were introduced into the PVC matrix to enhance membrane performance, hydrophilicity, contact angle, porosity, and resistance to fouling. Modeling and optimization techniques were used to examine the effects of important operational and fabrication parameters, such as pH, contaminant concentration, nanoadditive (MXene) content, and operating pressure.

Honey Adulteration Detection via Ultraviolet-Visible Spectral Investigation Coupled with Chemometric Analysis.

Any change in the composition or physicochemical parameters of honey outside the standardized intervals may be deemed fraud, irrespective of direct introduction of certain substances or feeding honeybees with syrups. Simple and rapid tools along with more sophisticated ones are required to monitor fraudulent practices in the honey trade. In this work, UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to identify and quantify six Romanian honey types (five monofloral and one polyfloral) mixed with commercially available corn syrup, corn syrup with plant extracts, inverted syrup, and fruit syrup at different concentrations (5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%).

α-Chitosan and β-Oligochitosan Mixtures-Based Formula for In Vitro Assessment of Melanocyte Cells Response.

Chitosan is a natural polymer with numerous biomedical applications. The cellular activity of chitosan has been studied in various types of cancer, including melanoma, and indicates that these molecules can open new perspectives on antiproliferative action and anticancer therapy. This study analyzes how different chitosan conformations, such as α-chitosan (CH) or β-oligochitosan (CO), with various degrees of deacetylation (DDA) and molar mass (MM), both in different concentrations and in CH-CO mixtures, influence the cellular processes of SK-MEL-28 melanocytes, to estimate the reactivity of these cells to the applied treatments.

Simultaneous Optimization of Deacetylation Degree and Molar Mass of Chitosan from Shrimp Waste.

Shrimp waste is a valuable source for chitin extraction and consequently for chitosan preparation. In the process of obtaining chitosan, a determining step is the chitin deacetylation. The main characteristic of chitosan is the degree of deacetylation, which must be as high as possible.

Optimization of Chitosan Extraction Process from Egg Capsules Waste Using Experimental Design.

New green and sustainable sources were chosen to obtain chitosan, an important material, with many applications in different fields. The present study is focused on egg capsules of waste as raw material for chitosan oligomers. As previous studies revealed that chitosan extraction from this material takes place with a low yield, the present research aimed to optimize this step.

Crabs Marine Waste-A Valuable Source of Chitosan: Tuning Chitosan Properties by Chitin Extraction Optimization.

Chitin extraction from crab shells was studied experimentally and optimized aiming to obtain chitosan with predefined deacetylation degree and molecular mass. To find out the optimum operating conditions that ensure the obtaining of a chitosan with highest deacetylation degree and specific molecular mass four parameters were varied: the concentration of NaOH and the temperature for deproteinization step, respectively HCl concentration and the number of acidic treatments for the demineralization stage. The experiment was carried on following Taguchi orthogonal array L9, and the best combination of factors was found using the desirability function approach.

Polyphenolics profile effects upon the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of propolis extracts.

Propolis, a complex bee product, is a source of numerous bioactive principles, beneficial for human health, therefore it is intensively studied. In the present work, extracts of propolis from Bihor Romanian County were studied to identify the relationship between the polyphenolic derivatives profile and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Extracts were obtained using water and 25%, 50%, and 70% ethanolic solutions (w/w), at 2:1, 4:1, and 6:1 liquid: solid ratios (w/w).

Machine learning approach for elucidating and predicting the role of synthesis parameters on the shape and size of TiO nanoparticles.

In the present work a series of design rules are developed in order to tune the morphology of TiO nanoparticles through hydrothermal process. Through a careful experimental design, the influence of relevant process parameters on the synthesis outcome are studied, reaching to the develop predictive models by using Machine Learning methods. The models, after the validation and training, are able to predict with high accuracy the synthesis outcome in terms of nanoparticle size, polydispersity and aspect ratio.

Optimization of uranium soil decontamination in alkaline washing using mechanical stirring and ultrasound field.

The ex situ decontamination of uranium polluted soils was performed by alkaline washing using mechanical agitation and ultrasound field. Two types of polluted soils were considered in terms of texture and organic content. The tests were performed using experimental design: a 2 factorial plan for mechanical washing and Taguchi L orthogonal matrix for ultrasound (US)-assisted decontamination.