The spectral properties of the copper–4-anisidine–cyclodextrin (Cu: 4AS: CD) nanomaterial were examined using absorption, fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, SEM, DSC, FTIR, XRD, ¹H NMR, and molecular modeling techniques. The distinct spectral variations observed for 4AS upon adding α-CD and β-CD at different pH values indicate that the resulting inclusion complexes adopt different structural geometries. While 4AS exhibits a single emission maximum in all solvents and in α-CD solutions, dual emission bands are observed in β-CD. The confined geometry of the α-CD cavity likely restricts the free rotation of the amino or methoxy substituents of 4AS, suppressing the formation of the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) state and thereby enhancing the normal emission. The calculated HOMO–LUMO energy gap, total energy, free energy, enthalpy, entropy, dipole moment, and zero-point vibrational energy of the CD: 2AP complex differed significantly from those of the isolated 4AS, α-CD and β-CD molecules, and both the vertical and horizontal bond lengths between the amino and methoxy groups are smaller than the β-CD cavity size confirming the formation of an inclusion complex. SEM images and EDX analysis of the Cu: 4AS: β-CD nanomaterial reveal the presence of copper. In the FTIR spectra, several characteristic peaks disappear in the Cu: 4AS: CD nanoparticles, indicating strong interactions between 4AS and copper nanoparticles. The ¹H NMR spectra show both upfield and downfield shifts of 4AS proton signals support strong coordination of 4AS with copper in the CD-based nanomaterials.
Acid mine drainage (AMD) wastewater generated from coal field mining activities going on in Mpumalanga Province in Republic South Africa contained toxic heavy metals which is harmful to human health and the environment, as it is required to be removed before discharged into the natural water body. The aim of this study is to remove toxic heavy metals (Hg, Th, Cr, Mn, Pb, As, Cd and Ba) from AMD using hydrazine (N 2 H 2 ) as reductant. Chemical reduction method was used to remove the toxic heavy metals. Physicochemical analysis was carried out on the mine wastewater. Digestion method was also conducted on the acid mine wastewater. Quantification techniques used in this study are inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), ion chromatography (IC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FTIR and scanning electron microscopy energetic dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The results of the maximum concentration and percent removal of heavy metals removed in the AMD using 1.0 M of N 2 H 2 reductant solution are Hg (0.00019 mg/L, 82.49%), Th (3E-06 mg/L, 99.98%), Cr (0.0078 mg/L, 96.53%), Mn (22.31 mg/L, 82.54%), Pb (0.0004 mg/L, 89.04%), As (0.0009 mg/L, 98.32%), Cd (0.0028 mg/L, 99.09%), and Ba (0.0021 mg/L, 92.00%). The results of the maximum contact time of 120 minutes and percent removal of heavy metals removed in the AMD are Hg (0.00012 mg/L, 89.17%), Th (0.0014 mg/L, 92.49%), Cr (0.013 mg/L, 94.34%), Mn (10.53 mg/L, 91.68%), Pb (0.002 mg/L, 94.91%), As (0.005 mg/L, 90.93%), Cd (0.014 mg/L. 95.37%), and Ba (0.002 mg/L, 90.90%). The optimum concentration was 0.6 M NaBH 4 reductant solution and contact time was 30 minutes. The concentration removal of the heavy metals in the treated AMD revealed that the maximum concentrations of some metals are within the WHO while the others are above WHO limits. In conclusion, N 2 H 4 reductant removed most of the toxic heavy metals effectively in the AMD solution with brownish precipitate formed without generating sludge was identified to be Fe 0 nanoparticles.
The mango (Mangifera indica), belonging to the genus Mangifera of the family Anacardiaceae, is cultivated worldwide as an economically important fruit crop. It is also widely used in traditional medicine, which has stimulated growing interest in investigating and evaluating the therapeutic potential of its bioactive compounds. This study was carried out to assess physicochemical parameters and fatty acid composition of Mangifera indica seed oil collected from four Senegalese varieties. The oil contents obtained for the four varieties were 7.08%, 7.5%, 7.3 and 7.11% respectively for Sewe, Bouka, Palmer and Dieg bou gate. The oils, which were characterized by Gas Chromatography (GC) with Flame Ionization Detector (FID), were mainly composed of stearic acid, ranging from 41.849 ± 0.048 to 47.793 ± 0.071%, and oleic acid from 31.085 ± 0.153 to 39.053 ± 0.050%. Among the four Senegalese mango cultivars, Palmer has the highest oleic acid content (39.053 ± 0.050%). Significant amounts of palmitic, linoleic, and arachidonic acids were also detected, while the remaining fatty acids in the mango kernel were present only in trace amounts. The saponification values were identified to be in the range of 212.9 - 234.2 mg KOH/g of oil, and the iodine values ranging from 50.4 to 59.7 g I2 /100 g of oil. The study showed that oils from different Senegalese cultivars of Mangifera indica have potential for various industrial applications.
Dissolved oxygen is an essential indicator of water pollution and the critical water quality constituent that impacts aquatic life. Thus, accurate modeling of its concentration is vital for freshwater resource management and protection. Despite this, in the African context, more specifically West Africa, there is virtually no scientific work that has focused on modeling dissolved oxygen concentrations in rivers and lakes. This preliminary work attempted to model and estimate, using others microbiological and physicochemical parameters and machine learning algorithms, the dissolved oxygen concentration of the Tighen River water in the Republic of Guinea. Based on two alternatives, three algorithms such as multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting (GB) were employed to model and estimate dissolved oxygen concentrations. Alternative 1 referred to when microbiological and physicochemical parameters exhibiting correlations greater than + 0.1 or less than − 0.1 with dissolved oxygen are used for modeling its concentration, while alternative 2 referred to when variables exhibiting statistically significant correlations with dissolved oxygen are used. Results obtained from the models were evaluated using Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE), mean absolute error (MAE), Pearson correlation coefficient (RP), and root mean square error (RMSE) to identify the appropriate alternative and algorithm to model and estimate the dissolved oxygen. In the testing phase, the results showed that (1) among tested alternatives, alternative 2 quasi-systematically presents a smaller RMSE and MAE, and higher NSE and RP, indicating that it is significantly better than the alternative 1. (2) among the employed algorithms, under alternative 2, the RF algorithm exhibits the best performance in modeling dissolved oxygen, therefore, RF outperforms, MLR, and GB algorithm. These findings provide a scientific reference to enhance freshwater resource management and protection in Tighen river.
The present work deals with the isolation, purification and characterization of secondary metabolites of the fruits of Ziziphus mauritiana and the evaluation of their biological activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A plant from the Rhamnaceae family, widely used in the Cameroonian and Tchadian traditional pharmacopoeia for the treatment of various diseases such as food poisoning, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin infections such as wounds and ulcers. Our investigations focused on the methanol/dichloromethane (MeOH/DCM, 1:1) extract of the fruits of Ziziphus mauritiana. Alkaloidal treatment was performed on this extract, and we obtained four (04) fractions: two non-alkaloid fractions, F1 (DCM), F2 (EtOAc), and two alkaloid fractions, F3 (DCM) and F4 (EtOAc). Using usual chromatographic methods (CC, CCM), we isolated from the alkaloidal fraction F3, two compounds 1 and 2, and four compounds 3, 4, 5, 6 from the non-alkaloid fraction F1, the hexane fraction. From these compounds, three (03) were fully characterized using spectroscopic methods 1H and 13C NMR (1 and 2 dimensions) and by comparison of their spectral data with those of the literature. These are: Sanjoinenine 1, betulinic acid 3, and epicatechin 4. The crude extract as well as fraction, and some isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro by the liquid microdilution method described by CLSI, against two strains of Staphylococcus aureus: S. aureus ATCC25923, S. aureus ATCC43300, and a Clinical isolate. The crude extract, fractions F1 and F4, were the most active fractions tested against the strain S. aureus ATCC 25923, with a MIC of 15.6, 62.5, and 15.6 µg/mL, respectively, while the other fractions (F2 and F3) showed moderate activity against the same strain. Fraction F2 is not active. For the S. aureus ATCC 43300, all the fractions have a weak activity, and for the clinical isolate, only ZSA shows a good activity with a MIC of 62.5 µg/mL, and the others show a moderate activity.
This study aimed to design, synthesize, and characterize novel ruthenium (II) Schiff base complexes as potential antimicrobial agents to address the growing crisis of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Despite advances in antibiotic development, resistance to existing drugs, particularly in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli-demands new compounds with alternative mechanisms of action. A key research gap lies in the limited exploration of pyridine-imine Schiff base ruthenium complexes with systematic substitution (-Br, -OH) and a comparison between simple Ru (II) and Ru(II)-p-cymene architectures. Ligands and their Ru (II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR, and melting point. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using agar disc diffusion against both bacterial strains at concentrations ranging from 125 to 1000 µg/mL, with data analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD test (α = 0.05). Results showed Ru (II) complexes exhibited significantly higher inhibition than free ligands (p ≤ 0.05), with bromo- and hydroxy-substituted cymene complexes (e.g., L-C2, L1-C2) displaying the strongest activity (up to 14 -15 mm zones). Although all compounds were less potent than gentamycin, the enhanced bioactivity upon metal coordination supports Tweedy’s chelation theory. These findings validate Ru (II)-Schiff base complexes as promising scaffolds for future antimicrobial development, warranting further studies on MIC, toxicity, and antifungal activity.
The present study aims to evaluate the effect on blood glucose of the ethanolic extract of the leaves and juice of Morinda citrifolia (rubiaceae) leaves and fruit in a model of type 2 diabetes. After maceration in ethanol (95%), followed by filtration, the resulting extract is concentrated using a rotary evaporator to remove the extraction solvent. The juice extract is obtained by pressing, followed by filtration. The resulting filtrate is subjected to a series of extractions with ethanol and then concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The extracts are tested in normoglycemic rats in a glucose tolerance test, as well as in type 2 diabetic rats. They had virtually no effect on the basal blood glucose levels of normoglycemic rats, with values of 0.85 ± 0.03 vs 0.78 ± 0.035 g/L and 0.87 ± 0.04 vs 0.76 ± 0.015 g/L respectively at T0 and T4h and at oral doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg for the ethanol extract of the juice. For the ethanol extract of the leaves, the values were estimated at 0.815 ± 0.04 vs 0.66 ± 0.015 g/L and 0.792 ± 0.025 vs 0.695 ± 0.03 g/L respectively at oral doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg. The tested extracts showed antihyperglycemic activity in a glucose tolerance test. Indeed, at oral doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg of ethanolic extracts of the leaves and juice, the hyperglycemic peaks after glucose administration (4 g/kg orally) were reached at 1.80 ± 0.1 and 1.52 ± 0.16 g/L, respectively, at baseline (T0), then at 1.29 ± 0.25 g/L and 1.45 ± 0.41 g/L at 30 minutes (t30min), compared to 2.03 ± 0.28 g/l in the control group. Furthermore, the juice extract exhibited antihyperglycemic effects in a model of alloxan-induced insulin secretion disorder. Indeed, at a dose of 50 mg/kg orally, blood glucose, after eight (08) days of observation, were 1.5 ± 0.51g/L vs 3.96 ± 0.40 in the control group (physiological saline) and 1.9 ± 0.94 in the group treated with glibenclamide. The compounds contained in the leaves and fruits of Morinda citrifolia exhibit anti-hyperglycemic properties. These results are explained by the presence in the extract of chemical compounds such as flavonoids, whose role in modulating sensitivity and regulating carbohydrate metabolism has been demonstrated in previous studies.
The density, viscosity and sound velocity for binary mixtures of 1,3-dioxolane + pentanol, 1,3-dioxolane + hexanol, 1,3-dioxolane + heptanol, 1,3-dioxolane + octanol, 1,3-dioxolane + nonanol and 1,3-dioxolane + decanol have been measured at the temperature 298.15 K, are conducted at atmospheric pressure. From these experimental values, various thermodynamic and excess thermodynamic properties were calculated. The adiabatic compressibility (βad), excess adiabatic compressibility (βadE), inter molecular free length (Lf), excess inter molecular free length (LfE), enthalpy (H), excess enthalpy (HE), free volume (Vf), excess free volume (VfE)), internal pressure (Pi), excess internal pressure (piE) have been in vestigated from density (ρ), viscosity (η) and sound velocity (u) measurements of six binary liquid mixtures of 1,3-Dioxolane with pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, octanol, nonanol and decanol over the entire composition range of mole fractions at 298.15K. An excess values of adiabatic compressibility (βadE), inter molecular free length (LfE)), excess enthalpy (HE), excess free volume (LfE) and excess internal pressure (piE) were plotted against the mole fraction of 1,3-dioxolane over the whole composition range. The excess properties are found to be negative depending on the molecular interactions and the nature of the liquid mixtures. The systems studied exhibit very strong cross association through hydrogen bonding.
This study aimed to model and optimize the design of a ceramic water filter using an experimental design approach. The ceramic filter was fabricated from raw clay sourced from the Sè region, while rice husk and sawdust, served as the pore-forming material. The optimization process began with a screening of 11 factors using a screening design, followed by optimization through response surface methodology. The optimizations were performed using Minitab 17.1 software. The responses considered were water flow rate, turbidity, permanganate index, and absorbance at 254 nm. The results showed that filtration rates ranged from 0.01 mL/s to 3.44 mL/s, turbidity removal varied between 78% and 95%, permanganate index removal ranged from 75% to 96%, and E. coli removal was between 50% and 100%. The following conclusions were drawn from the experiment: (1) high flow rate values were achieved at higher hydraulic heads; (2) higher turbidity values occurred when the proportion of pore-forming material was low; (3) the proportion of pore-forming material and the applied hydraulic head jointly influenced the plasticity index; (4) proportions of pore-forming material between 20% and 25% tended to provide the highest reduction in the permanganate index; (5) E. coli removal was higher at lower proportions of pore-forming material, but the hydraulic head tended to reduce this removal. These findings offer new insights into the use of experimental design methodologies for the fabrication of ceramic water filters.
The grafting of thiol groups onto cellulosic materials represents a promising route for the development of bio-based, environmentally friendly heterogeneous acid catalysts. In this study, regenerated cellulose fabric was chemically modified through a two-step functionalization process involving preactivation and covalent grafting of -SH groups using thioglycolic acid (TGA), in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TsOH) as a catalyst and toluene as solvent. A parametric study was conducted to optimize reaction conditions by varying temperature, reagent concentrations, reaction time, and solvent volume. Optimal conditions were determined as follows: 0.3 equiv. of p-TsOH, 0.7 equiv. of TGA, 20 mL of toluene, at 80°C for 20 hours. Under these conditions, the grafting ratio reached 0.15, corresponding to one glucose monomer functionalized for every seven units, on average. FT-IR analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of thiol groups onto the modified matrix. These results demonstrate the potential of this material as a heterogeneous acid catalyst for applications in green chemistry.
Background: The differences in time and geographical locations has significant effect on the mineral and phytochemical compositions of plants. Dacryodes Edulis obtained in June at Idu market, Abuja, FCT Nigeria, is a plant wildly grown in Nigeria especially in the tropical and semi tropical region and humid climate. The proximate, mineral, and phytochemical components of Dacryodes Edulis was examined in this study. Methods: The proximate constituent analysis was carried out using the Association of Official Analytical Chemist method. The mineral and phytochemical analyses were carried out using Flame Atomic Adsorption Spectroscopy and standard procedures respectively. Results: The result of proximate analysis showed that Dacryodes Edulis consists of 1.96±0.01% moisture, 4.22±0.27% crude protein, 33.74±0.66% for crude fat, 9.67±0.29% ash and 50.41±0.61% carbohydrate. The mineral constituents showed that Dacryodes Edulis contains 272.0+3.00mg/g Iron, 10072.45+1.00mg/g Potassium, 8.40+0.20mg/g Copper, 4461.95+1.01mg/g Calcium and 756.67+0.90mg/g Magnesium. Conclusion: The results of African pear pericarp showed favorable comparisons in terms of moisture content, crude fat, crude protein, ash content, and carbohydrate content with the African pear seed. The findings indicated that eating enough African pear fruit pericarp could significantly help meet human nutritional needs for healthy growth and sufficient defense against diseases brought on by malnutrition.
The effectiveness of electrochemical techniques in preventing and resolving wastewater contamination issues has been demonstrated. However, this method requires knowledge of the organic pollutant's (Oxacillin: OXA) electrochemical behavior before electrolysis. The aim of this study is to enhance comprehension of the electrochemical process of oxacillin oxidation on the non-active boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. These electrochemical properties, focusing on phenomena at the electrode/electrolyte interface, were analyzed by cyclic voltammetry. Effects of concentration of oxacillin, potential scan rate, number of potential scanning cycles, temperature and chloride ions that were investigated allowed for the acquisition of some parameters. This study showed that BDD electrode can be used to quantitatively determine the presence of this substrate in medicines and environmental samples. The process is irreversible and diffusion controlled and proceed in two ways: an indirect oxidation mediated by in situ oxidative species and a direct electron transfer at the surface of the boron-doped diamond electrode. Parameters of OXA electrooxidation, such as anodic transfer coefficient, heterogenous rate constant and activation energy were estimated as 1.09, 1.97×103 s-1 and 17.632kJ mol-1. The increase in temperature and the presence of chloride ions promote oxidation of OXA. This indicates electrochemical conditions adequate to oxidize oxacillin on boron-doped diamond anode.
This study presents an optimized method for grafting the photosensitive dye Rose Bengal onto cellulosic fabric to develop functional textile materials with photoactive properties. The two-step approach involved tosylation of hydroxyl groups followed by nucleophilic azidation under varying conditions of temperature (40-80°C), reaction time (20-60h), sodium azide concentration (5-30 equivalents), and solvent volume (1.5-4mL of DMF). Optimal azidation conditions-20 equivalents of NaN3 in 3mL DMF at 60°C for 40h-yielded an azide-functionalized cellulose (Cell-AZo) with 8.75% nitrogen content and a degree of substitution (DS) of 0.4, indicating functionalization at approximately four C6-OH groups per ten glucose units. The Cell-AZo substrate was subsequently grafted with a propargyl-esterified derivative of Rose Bengal through copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), producing a photoreactive cellulose fabric (Cell-RBe). Spectroscopic characterization using FT-IR showed the appearance of ester (1738cm-1) and aromatic (1546cm-1) bands, confirming the presence of the dye, while the disappearance of the azide signal (~2100cm-1) validated reaction completion. XPS analyses revealed the presence of Cl and I from Rose Bengal and triazole N1s binding energy peaks (400.3 and 402.0eV), confirming covalent attachment. The functionalized fabric preserved structural integrity while introducing chromophoric groups, demonstrating the viability of this chemical strategy for producing smart textiles. The method's scalability and compatibility with aqueous processing open perspectives for sustainable applications in antimicrobial textiles, photocatalytic supports, and optoelectronic devices.
This study provides a comparative assessment of conventional chemical coagulation-flocculation and electrocoagulation processes for the treatment of surface water from the Ayédjoko Dam, Benin. Response surface methodology (RSM) with a centered composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize operational parameters and maximize turbidity removal. The chemical coagulation-flocculation process using aluminum sulfate achieved a maximum turbidity reduction of 92.06%, while the electrocoagulation process with aluminum electrodes reached 98.23% under optimal conditions. Analyses of pH, coagulant dosage, and applied current demonstrated their strong influence on treatment performance and water quality improvements. Both processes were effective; however, electrocoagulation showed clear advantages by reducing chemical consumption and sludge generation, while maintaining compliance with local water quality standards. These benefits underscore its potential as a sustainable alternative for water treatment, particularly in resource-limited contexts. The findings not only confirm the feasibility of electrocoagulation but also highlight its suitability for integration into decentralized water treatment systems. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of optimizing key parameters to enhance treatment efficiency and minimize environmental impacts. Overall, this research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting electrocoagulation as a viable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly technology for surface water treatment. It also provides practical insights for policymakers and water managers seeking to develop sustainable strategies for improved access to safe water in developing countries.
In Mali, the excessive and uncontrolled use of pesticides in agriculture poses a threat to public health and the environment. Marketgarden crops, particularly tomatoes, are particularly affected. This work aims to assess the impact of pesticide use in tomato production in the Mountougoula marketgarden area bygeolocating the site's sampling points and determining the concentration of pesticide residues in the tomatoes produced. Thirty (30) tomato samples were randomly collected from different points in the marketgarden area. The residue extraction was carried out using the QuEChERS method (NF EN 15662: 2009), followed by analysis bygas chromatography coupled with an electron capture detector (GC-µECD). A total of 5 different pesticides were detected in the tested tomato samples belonging to classes of insecticides: an organochlorine (Acetamiprid), an organophosphate (Chlorpyrifos) and three pyrethroids (Lambda-Cyhalothrin, Cypermethrin and Deltamethrin). Pesticide residues were detected in 11 (36.66%) samples and 19 (63.33%) samples showed no pesticides quantification. Regarding pesticide residues level, it was found that out of 11 samples contaminated, 8 (26.6%) samples showed pesticide residues higher than MRLs. The absence of quantifiable residues in the majority of samples is encouraging. However, the presence of residues above the tolerated limits in more than a third of the samples highlights the need for better supervision of producers in order to prevent health risks linked to chronic exposure to pesticides.
Fe°/H2O systems have already proven remediation properties. Though, due to the early clogging of 100% Fe°-bed devices, the site of electrochemical corrosion products (CPs), they are associated with non-expansive porous materials such as pozzolan (Pz), and natural coal (NC), in binary (Fe°/Pz, Fe°/NC), ternary (Fe°/S/Pz, Fe°/S/NC) or quaternary configurations Fe°/S/Pz/C (Iron/Sand/Pozzolan/Natural coal), thus making the thickness of the reactive zone (RZ) dependent on the proportion of materials. A ternary Fe°/S/Pz filter system with a heterogeneous RZ, embedded between two sand layers, was enhanced with a small amount of silver nanoparticle (AgNp) based on senna alata (SA). The resulting new device was studied for an operation of its nanometric size, and its very large reactive surface, since it’s an herbaceous plant, 30 to 50 cm tall, of the fabaceae family, without characteristic flavor or smell, however with numerous antifungal, antibacterial and corrosion inhibitory properties. Eighteen (18) filtering devices were tested for this, including six (6) 100% Fe°, (6) 25% Fe°/50% S/25% Pz, and (6) 25% Fe°/48.75% S/25% Pz/1.25% Np. Phosphates, components of fertilizers and agricultural waste 0.2 g/L K2HPO4, at pH=5 was used as operative indicator. The experiments lasted forty (40) days per device. We measured the pH, phosphates removal rate, dissolved iron, flow rate, Conductivity and redox potential. Thus, it appears that Np SA in Fe°/S/Pz allow a resurgence of efficiency, such as 100% Fe° ˂ 25% Fe°/50% S/25% Pz ˂ 25% Fe°/48.75% S/25% Pz/1.25% Np. A rate of about 1% of the silver Np SA effectively contributes to the phosphate removal process, the thickness of the RZ is not changed, the pH is in line with WHO recommendations, the flow rate is acceptable. Although fluctuating, the measured conductivities and redox potentials are low for all devices, confirming the same oxidation degree of iron released.
The quality of borehole water can significantly impact the operation of equipment at the Atinkou Thermal Power Plant in Côte d'Ivoire. Borehole water often contains various minerals and chemicals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. These can lead to scaling and corrosion in the power plant's equipment. Industrial activities can introduce pollutants into groundwater, including nitrates, sulfates, and chlorides. These pollutants can affect the chemical balance of the water, leading to operational challenges. The aim of this study is to determine the chemical quality of the borehole water supplying Atinkou thermal power plant in order to assess its impact on the operation of the plant's equipment. Selective physico-chemical analyses were carried out on Atinkou borehole water in 2019 and 2024. The Chemical Water Quality Index (CWQI) method was used to determine the classes quality of the borehole water, and the Ryznar Index was used to highlight the impact of the water on the plant's equipment. Water chemical quality index (IQCE) value of 0.70 obtained in 2019 indicates that the plant's borehole water was of acceptable quality, requiring moderate treatment for use in the plant. On the other hand, in 2024, the IQCE value of 0.05 indicates that the borehole water is of poor quality and requires full treatment before use. The Ryznar Index of 14.67 in 2019 and 14.83 in 2024 indicate a risk of extreme corrosion of equipment by borehole water in both years.
Background: The differences in time and geographical locations has significant effect on the mineral and phytochemical compositions of plants. Dacryodes Edulis obtained in June at Idu market, Abuja, FCT Nigeria, is a plant wildly grown in Nigeria especially in the tropical and semi tropical region and humid climate. The proximate, mineral, and phytochemical components of Dacryodes Edulis was examined in this study. Methods: The proximate constituent analysis was carried out using the Association of Official Analytical Chemist method. The mineral and phytochemical analyses were carried out using Flame Atomic Adsorption Spectroscopy and standard procedures respectively. Results: The result of proximate analysis showed that Dacryodes Edulis consists of 1.96±0.01% moisture, 4.22±0.27% crude protein, 33.74±0.66% for crude fat, 9.67±0.29% ash and 50.41±0.61% carbohydrate. The mineral constituents showed that Dacryodes Edulis contains 272.0+3.00mg/g Iron, 10072.45+1.00mg/g Potassium, 8.40+0.20mg/g Copper, 4461.95+1.01mg/g Calcium and 756.67+0.90mg/g Magnesium. Conclusion: The results of African pear pericarp showed favorable comparisons in terms of moisture content, crude fat, crude protein, ash content, and carbohydrate content with the African pear seed. The findings indicated that eating enough African pear fruit pericarp could significantly help meet human nutritional needs for healthy growth and sufficient defense against diseases brought on by malnutrition.
Recycling Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by hydrolysis using excess citric acid molecules as catalysts to generate H+ protonic acid sites had been undertaken. The products of this recycling process are PolyEster Citric Acid (PEAc), formed by the polyesterification of two citric acid molecules, Ethane Diol (ED) or ethylene glycol, and a new solid material called PAT-Ac, whose molecular formula is made up of one molecule of pure terephthalic acid (PAT) and two molecules of citric acid. Two procedures had been established, one for extracting the PEAc solution and the Ethane diol in acetone solution (AED-solution) using the usual organic solvents dichloromethane and acetone, and the second for extracting pure Ethane diol (ED) by vacuum evaporation using a rotavapor. This recycling was carried out in a laboratory glassware reactor, in a 1000ml cylindrical beaker covered by a funnel with a conical lid, capped but non-watertight, and therefore under atmospheric pressure at a temperature of 150°C. A kinetic study of this recycling process was carried out, using an acid-base assay with HF-0.0026N to follow the progress of the recycled TAP and deduce the evolution of PET conversion with reaction time; and an acid-base titration with NaOH-0.05N to quantify the H+ protonic acid sites coming from the acid catalysts of the citric acid molecules and deduce the evolution of the citric acid quantity in the reaction medium. This latter assay also enabled the determination of the PAT-Ac molecular structure. A reaction mechanism for this recycling of PET by hydrolysis, using excess citric acid molecules as a catalyst source of H+ proton active sites, is proposed and validated by the kinetic data collected during the various acid-base assays mentioned above. The maximum conversion of PET to PAT and ED recorded during the kinetic study is 34.49% after 20mn reaction time or 1.5114×10-3 [moles of PAT regenerated per Gram of PET load], or 7.5572×10-5 [moles of PAT regenerated per Gram of PET and per Minute]. In addition, the volume of ED collected is 17ml and the mass of PAT-Ac synthesized is 2.6 [g].
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), offering higher energy density, improved safety, and longer cycle life. This review explores recent advancements in SSB technology, focusing on the development of solid electrolytes, electrode materials, and interface engineering. Solid electrolytes, including oxide-based (Li7La3Zr2O12), sulfide-based (Li10GeP2S12), and polymer-based (PEO-LiTFSI) materials, are critical to SSB performance. While oxide-based electrolytes provide high ionic conductivity and stability, sulfide-based electrolytes offer ultra-high conductivity but suffer from air sensitivity. Polymer-based electrolytes are flexible and easy to process but exhibit low conductivity at room temperature. Key challenges such as high interfacial resistance, dendrite formation, and volume changes are addressed through strategies like surface modification, composite electrodes, and 3D architectures. Advanced characterization techniques, including in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray tomography, provide insights into structural and chemical changes during operation. Computational modeling, such as density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD), accelerates material discovery and interface optimization. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in scalability, performance, and safety. Future research should focus on developing scalable fabrication methods, optimizing electrode-electrolyte interfaces, and integrating SSBs with renewable energy systems for grid storage and electric vehicles. SSBs have the potential to revolutionize energy storage, enabling the widespread adoption of renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Continued innovation and collaboration across disciplines will be essential to overcome remaining challenges and unlock the full potential of SSBs.
