{"title":"Jack Melling 1940–2024","authors":"Peter Hambleton","doi":"10.1002/jctb.7814","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.7814","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15335,"journal":{"name":"Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology","volume":"100 4","pages":"671"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143717391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marco V Gallardo-Camarena, Mario A Torres-Acosta, Cuauhtémoc Licona-Cassani
BACKGROUND
Anthracnose, a widespread fungal disease, poses significant challenges to postharvest fruit management, leading to substantial economic losses globally. Traditional control methods rely heavily on synthetic fungicides, but concerns over resistance and environmental impact have spurred interest in alternative biocontrol strategies. This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of large-scale production of several antagonistic microorganisms against Colletotrichum, the causal agent of anthracnose.
RESULTS
Bioprocess modeling, sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulations were utilized to assess the economic viability of scaling up the production of microorganisms described in the literature as potential biocontrol agents. Results highlight the importance of production titer and the effective concentration of the biocontrol agent in determining the cost of goods per dose. Bacillus thuringiensis shows the most promising economic viability with a cost of goods per dose (CoG/dose) range of 0.27–0.43 USD.
The increasing environmental concerns and depletion of fossil fuels necessitate the development of sustainable alternatives such as biofuels. Biofuels are renewable and emit fewer pollutants than traditional fossil fuels, making them a critical component of the global energy transition. Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is a key reaction in renewable fuel production, removing oxygen from biomass-derived feedstocks to produce hydrocarbon fuels. Oleic acid (OA), a monounsaturated fatty acid abundant in non-edible and waste cooking oils, serves as an ideal feedstock for HDO due to its high unsaturated fatty acid content and availability.
RESULTS
This study investigates direct HDO of OA, a potential route for sustainable biofuels. A novel Zr-MOF/SBA-3 catalyst is meticulously synthesized to leverage the combined strengths of Zr-MOF's active sites and SBA-3's porous structure for optimal HDO performance. Various characterization techniques unveil the catalyst's structural and morphological properties. The impact of reaction temperature, liquid hourly space velocity, and reaction time on diesel-like hydrocarbon conversion and selectivity is explored. Under optimized conditions (360 °C, atmospheric pressure, 10 h), hydrocarbon selectivity reaches 91.6%. Kinetic studies reveal Arrhenius behavior for OA conversion, with an activation energy of 120 kJ mol−1.
Najeeb Ullah, Tracy Ann Bruce-Tagoe, George Adu Asamoah, Shokoufeh Soleimani, Michael K. Danquah
BACKGROUND
Staphylococcus aureus presents a major public health and food safety challenge due to its ability to thrive in various environments. Conventional methods, such as polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, often suffer from limitations in sensitivity and specificity, highlighting the need for innovative detection strategies.
RESULTS
This study developed novel label-free aptasensors for S. aureus detection using copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) as a platform. The CuNPs, characterized by a size of 40 nm, spherical morphology, and functional stability, served as the foundation for the biosensor. An iron-regulated surface determinant protein A (IsdA)-binding aptamer, specifically targeting the IsdA surface protein of S. aureus, was conjugated to CuNPs as the molecular recognition probe, while rhodamine 6G acted as the signal probe. In the absence of S. aureus, the aptamer kept the ‘gate’ on the CuNPs closed, preventing signal probe release. In the presence of S. aureus, specific binding between the aptamer and the pathogen triggered the ‘gate’ to open, releasing rhodamine 6G and generating a fluorescence signal. The aptasensors demonstrated a linear detection range of (10–106) CFU mL−1, with a detection limit of 1 CFU mL−1 (correlation coefficient R2 = 0.947). The biosensor demonstrated high stability and reproducibility, ensuring consistent detection performance. Furthermore, its application for S. aureus detection in milk samples highlighted its practical utility.
The recycling and treatment of water resources in space have become an urgent problem. While electrochemical advanced oxidation processes show good promise for the effective treatment of space bathing wastewater, traditional two-dimensional electrode reactors (2DERs) have various drawbacks, including mass transfer limitations and the short life of the electrode plate. Therefore, in this study, a 2DER was filled with Ti–Sn–Co-loaded columnar activated carbon (CAC) to prepare a three-dimensional electrode reactor (3DER) for the treatment of simulated space bathing wastewater.
RESULTS
Independent experiments were conducted using response surface methodology and Box–Behnken design to optimize four variables in the 3DER for wastewater treatment, and data optimization was carried out using regression analysis. Under the optimal conditions (granular electrode filling of 30.2 g L−1, current density of 19.4 mA cm−2 and aeration rate of 1.4 L min−1), the average energy consumption was 124.26 kWh kg−1 and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) degradation rate was 60.43%.
Syeda Ammara Shabbir, Fatima Naeem, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Gulbahar Ashiq, Muhammad Younas, Hamid Latif, Hafsa Faiz, Tomas Tamulevičius, Klaudijus Midveris, Sigitas Tamulevičius
BACKGROUND
The increasing global energy crisis and environmental pollution necessitate the development of clean and sustainable energy sources. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a promising approach for hydrogen production, utilizing semiconductor materials to convert solar energy into chemical energy. However, single semiconductors suffer from high electron–hole recombination, limiting their efficiency. To address this, a bifunctional Z-scheme heterojunction was constructed using bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) and carbon-doped graphitic carbon nitride (C-gC₃N₄), with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as mediators, to enhance charge separation and PEC performance.
RESULTS
The fabricated C-gC₃N₄/CNT/BiOI heterojunction exhibited the lowest bandgap energy (1.25 eV), improving light absorption and charge carrier separation. The enhanced conductivity and heterostructure formation resulted in a significantly increased photocurrent density, with reduced overpotential (70 mV) and lower Tafel slopes (89 mV dec−1) for the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed a broadened absorption range, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated improved charge transfer efficiency. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Mott–Schottky analysis confirmed the structural integrity and surface morphology and successful fabrication of the heterojunction.
Omar, Othman, Tai, Puteh, Kusworo, Wong, Kurniawan, Nur Awanis Hashim
BACKGROUND
Ceramic membranes need to transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic properties to mitigate membrane wetting and enhance separation efficiency in membrane distillation (MD). However, their intrinsic brittleness and weak mechanical properties limit their practical applications in MD. To overcome these challenges, this study focuses on developing robust hydrophobic hollow-fibre membranes (HFMs) by utilizing mullite–kaolinite (M) and stainless steel (SS) alloy as support materials. The membranes were fabricated through a phase-inversion/sintering approach, and the effects of varying M/SS ratios and sintering temperatures on membrane properties were investigated.
RESULTS
The fabricated M/SS HFMs were successfully modified to achieve hydrophobic surfaces using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane via dip-coating. The surface modification significantly enhanced the contact angle (CA) from 0° to 142°, demonstrating effective hydrophobicity. The membranes exhibited high salt rejection rates of 99.99% and improved permeate flux, reaching 38 kg m−2 h−1. Additionally, increasing salt concentrations to 30 g L−1 led to a decline in permeation flux from 38 to 4 kg m−2 h−1, whereas higher feed temperatures (up to 80 °C) increased flux from 21 to 38 kg m−2 h−1. The optimal M/SS HFM configuration, with a 4.7 M/SS ratio and sintering at 1450 °C, demonstrated superior mechanical strength (107 MPa), a high CA (141°), and a stable permeate flux of 28.2 kg m−2 h−1, with consistent salt rejection of 99.99%.
Xiaoyan Qing, Zhongda Liu, Christos Chatzilias, Alexandros K. Bikogiannakis, Georgios Kyriakou, Pedro Fardim, Alexandros Katsaounis, Eftychia Martino
BACKGROUND
Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are promising energy conversion devices, but their broader application is limited by slow kinetics of alcohol oxidation, catalyst poisoning, and high cost of Pt-based materials. In the present study we investigate the impact of different carbon supports, specifically graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and carbon black (Vulcan XC-72), on the electrochemical performance of Pt-based anodes. Additionally, we investigate ternary PtRuSn catalysts, where the incorporation of Sn is intended to enhance catalytic performance while potentially reducing costs through the partial substitution of Ru.
RESULTS
Catalysts were synthesized using the wet impregnation method, and their structural and electronic properties were thoroughly characterized using a variety of analytical techniques. Catalysts supported on GNPs exhibited smaller metal particle sizes and enhanced catalytic activity compared to those supported on Vulcan XC-72. Electrochemical analysis (CO stripping, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry) revealed that the GNP-supported catalysts demonstrated lower onset potential, higher electrochemical active surface area, and higher current densities during alcohol oxidation. Notably, the PtRuSn(5:4:1)/GNPs catalyst exhibited the highest activity for ethanol and glycerol oxidation, highlighting the role of GNPs in enhancing both the stability and catalytic performance.
Rui Bao, Shuzhong Wang, WenLi Feng, Jiaqi Feng, Tao Wang
Background
Dye wastewater has complex composition and strong toxicity, and effects large water quality changes. Ensuring its reasonable and efficient treatment has always been a challenging issue for the dye industry. This study used supercritical water catalytic oxidation technology to harmlessly treat dye wastewater. By adding different types of metal oxide and nitrates, and changing the type of alcohol in the system, the effects of these factors on the catalytic oxidation reaction of dye wastewater under supercritical conditions were studied. Additionally, the mechanism of the oxidation process and the characteristics of organic matter transformation also were explored.
Results
The oxides of copper (CuO) and cerium (CeO2) have better oxidation effects on supercritical water oxidation, with chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates and ammonium (NH3)-N removal rates of 99.29% and 95.99%, respectively. The COD and NH3-N removal rates of dye wastewater using copper [Cu(NO3)2] and iron [Fe(NO3)3] nitrates can reach 99.36% and 66.41%, respectively. The catalytic effect of nitrate on the degradation of dye wastewater consists of two parts: the effect of metal ions and the effect of NO3 ions. The COD removal rate of methanol wastewater co-oxidation can reach up to 99.32%. The hydrogen (H) atoms in monohydric alcohols are generally more easily attacked by active free radicals than H atoms in polyhydric alcohols, so more HO2· free radicals can be produced, which promotes the removal of COD and NH3-N in dye wastewater.
Cell immobilization in fermentation processes offers operational advantages and has the potential to enhance their overall performance. However, immobilization systems are porous media where cells can form biofilms and limit the mass transport of species at different scale levels. Their correct application requires an accurate understanding and description of transport-reaction interactions, which macroscopic models can achieve. Nevertheless, one of their main uncertainties is the determination of the mass transport coefficients (e.g., effective diffusivity coefficients), which are commonly determined through empirical correlations or parametric estimation techniques. To reduce these uncertainties, a macroscopic model based on the volume averaging method helps predict immobilized particles' effective mass transport coefficients.
Results
A macroscopic model with well-defined effective medium coefficients was developed using the volume averaging method. These coefficients are predicted by solving auxiliary boundary value problems in different 2D unit cells for different biofilm configurations on the porous particle. The results show that the effective diffusivity coefficients depend on the biofilm fraction, the fluid fraction, the molecular diffusivity ratios, and the geometry of the immobilized medium. To examine the potential of this proposal, effective diffusivity coefficients of species such as xylose, glucose, oxygen, xylitol, and ethanol in calcium alginate beads with immobilized biomass were predicted and compared with the literature.
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号