Corn late wilt disease (LWD), caused by the fungus Magnaporthiopsis maydis, poses a significant threat to corn production in highly impacted regions. Its increasing global relevance is exacerbated by climate change, which facilitates the pathogen’s spread and prevalence. This research supports efforts to broaden LWD management beyond resistant varieties, whose effectiveness can fail within years under high disease pressure. In this study, a novel approach involving the slow release of azoxystrobin from clay carriers was assessed. Two growth-room experiments demonstrated that at the disease’s latent stage (up to 20 days), seed treatment with a clay-azoxystrobin (clay-AS) formulation had minimal impact on early growth indices. However, by day 40, the sepiolite-based treatment increased plant shoot weight by 61%, although pathogen infection levels, monitored via qPCR, remained elevated. A subsequent full-season potted trial revealed significant benefits from applying sepiolite-AS and bentonite-AS formulations directly to the seedbed. At 42 days post-planting, these treatments markedly enhanced plant survival (191% for sepiolite-AS and 64% for bentonite-AS) and improved phenological development (175% and 67%, respectively) compared to unprotected controls, alongside a notable 95% reduction in root infection. By harvest (78 days), bentonite-AS emerged as particularly effective, increasing shoot biomass by 128% and ear yield by 135%. Bentonite-AS treatment reduced cob and shoot symptoms by 23% and 42%, respectively, and nearly eradicated pathogen levels. This research demonstrates that clay-based fungicide formulations effectively mitigate LWD impacts. The method reduces fungicide use and offers a potentially scalable alternative, is adaptable across diverse agricultural systems, and shows potential applicability in managing other soil-borne diseases.

Agrivoltaics (APV) systems, integrating solar energy generation with agriculture, offer a promising solution for optimizing land use facing a rising energy demand and climate change concerns. However, the impact of APV induced shading on orchards micrometeorology and physiology is not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of simulated APV shading on sensible heat flux, temperature, humidity, wind, CO₂ flux, and evapotranspiration (ET) in deciduous plum and nectarine orchards in northern Israel. Using the eddy covariance (EC) method, we measured CO₂ ​ and water vapor fluxes in adjacent shaded and unshaded (referred to as ‘paneled’ and ‘sunlit’) sections. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear regression were employed to analyze the relationships between meteorological variables and the measured fluxes. Results showed significantly higher rates of CO₂ ​ flux (absorption) and ET in the paneled sections compared to sunlit sections, particularly during summer peak radiation hours. These findings suggest that partial shading moderates environmental stress (excessive heat, high vapor pressure deficit), improving stomatal function, enhancing photosynthesis, and potentially promoting water use efficiency. This research integrates the EC method with APV system analyses in orchards, providing novel insights into the dynamic interactions under shading and highlighting the potential of APV to enhance agricultural sustainability in semi-arid climates.

BackgroundCotton charcoal rot disease, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, is a major threat to cotton production in Israel and globally, leading to severe yield loss due to post-flowering plant collapse. Current management relies heavily on chemical fungicides. However, rising environmental concerns and fungicide resistance underscore the need for sustainable alternatives. This study evaluated novel clay-based formulations for the controlled release of azoxystrobin (AS). The approach aims to protect cotton during the sensitive early growth stages when pathogen penetration and colonization occur. Two types of clay carriers-bentonite (montmorillonite) and sepiolite-were tested for their ability to deliver AS effectively.ResultsWhile seedlings grown in the greenhouse showed minimal visible symptoms at the disease latent stage, quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that both formulations effectively suppressed root infection, reducing M. phaseolina DNA levels by 81%. In a full-season open-enclosure trial, bentonite-AS treatment exhibited reduced efficacy, possibly due to phytotoxicity at the tested concentration. In contrast, the sepiolite-AS treatment increased flower bud number by 87% and reduced pathogen infection by up to 92% at 68 days post-sowing, although these effects were not statistically significant due to high variability. At harvest, sepiolite-AS and bentonite alone increased shoot dry weight per plant by 129% and 128%, respectively, and reduced pathogen DNA levels by 63% and 69%, respectively.ConclusionOverall, although environmental variability led to statistical insignificance, the findings support the clay-AS approach, especially sepiolite, as an effective means to prevent early infection and reduce late-season disease outbreaks. This formulation holds promise for seed coating or sowing strip applications, offering a practical, eco-friendly approach that can be integrated with biological control to reduce chemical inputs across diverse cultivation systems.

The increasing global frequency of harmful cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs), driven by nutrient enrichment and climate change, poses a severe threat to aquatic ecosystems and public health. This study evaluates the effectiveness of novel clay-polymer nanocomposites (CPCs) that combine the charge-neutralizing capabilities of polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (polyDADMAC) with the high clay mineral density (kaolinite and sepiolite) for rapid removal of toxic cyanobacteria from water. Laboratory experiments were performed using Microcystis aeruginosa, Aphanizomenon ovalisporum, and Chlorella sp., with treatment doses determined by particle charge detector (PCD) measurements to identify the "nominal dose" required for full charge neutralization. Results show that clay-polymer nanocomposites achieve over 95% removal of turbidity and chlorophyll in M. aeruginosa at doses significantly lower (15-20%) than the calculated nominal dose, likely due to specific physical bridging interactions with the cyanobacteria's external exopolysaccharide fibers. In contrast, A. ovalisporum and Chlorella sp. required doses closer to full charge neutralization for optimal removal. Among the materials tested, kaolinite-based nanocomposites (DKG24) showed slightly superior, more stable performance than sepiolite-based nanocomposites. Notably, application at or above the nominal dose was associated with increased soluble microcystin levels, suggesting that excessive polymer concentrations may compromise cell integrity and lead to toxin leakage. These findings suggest that engineered nanocomposites offer highly efficient, scalable technology for CyanoHAB management, provided that operational doses are carefully optimized to maximize biomass removal while minimizing toxin release.

Short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remain challenging to remove due to their high mobility and low affinity for conventional adsorbents. Herein, we tested and optimized polycation-clay composites for effective and scalable PFAS remediation, focusing on perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) as a representative of short-chain species. Among various clay-polycation combinations, montmorillonite (MMT) modified with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) achieved the highest PFBA removal. The adsorption mechanism was found to be primarily electrostatic; however, at high PDADMAC loading, steric repulsion blocked PFBA adsorption. Isotherm studies revealed a higher affinity and capacity for long-chain PFAS (PFOA and PFOS); however, effective PFBA removal was achieved in both single- and multi-solute batch experiments. In addition, adsorption of PFBA was unaffected by natural organic matter, demonstrating a clear advantage over carbon-based adsorbents. The composite was granulated for implementation in continuous column tests using real PFBA-contaminated groundwater. Results showed that PFBA concentration in the effluent remained below the current regulatory limit (0.1 mu g/L) throughout the experiment (>105 pore volumes), when high hydraulic retention times were applied. Overall, MMT-PDADMAC granules offer a scalable and cost-effective solution for short-chain PFAS remediation.

Cost-effective procedures usually cannot achieve complete removal of priority contaminants present in water at very low concentrations (as pesticides or pharmaceuticals). Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) represent promising technologies for removing priority contaminants from water at trace concentrations, yet practical implementation remains limited due to technical and economic constraints. This study presents an innovative flow-through photodegradation device designed to overcome current limitations while achieving efficient contaminant removal at industrial scale. The device integrates a UVC 254 nm lamp-equipped flow chamber with automated dosing pumps for hydrogen peroxide and/or solid catalyst suspensions, coupled with a 30 nm porous membrane filtration system for catalyst recirculation. This configuration optimizes light–catalyst–pollutant contact while enabling combined catalytic processes. Performance evaluation using acesulfame (ACE) and iohexol (IHX) as model contaminants demonstrated rapid and effective removal. IHX degradation with UVC and 75 μM H2O2 achieved complete removal with t95% = 7.23 ± 1.21 min (pseudo-order 0.25, t1/2 = 3.27 ± 0.39 min), while ACE photolysis (with UVC only) required t95% = 14.88 ± 2.02 min (pseudo-order 1.27, t1/2 = 2.35 ± 0.84 min). The introduction of t95% as a performance metric provides practical insights for near-complete contaminant removal requirements. Real-world efficacy was confirmed using tertiary wastewater treatment plant effluents containing 14 μg/L IHX, achieving complete removal within 8 min. However, carbamazepine degradation proved slower (t95% > 74 h), highlighting the need for combined catalytic approaches for recalcitrant compounds. Spiking experiments (1000 μg/L) revealed concentration-dependent kinetics and synergistic effects between co-present contaminants. Analysis identified degradation byproducts consistent with previous studies, including tri-deiodinated iohexol (474.17 Da) intermediates. This scalable system, constructed from commercially available components, demonstrates potential for cost-effective industrial implementation. The modular design allows adaptation to various contaminants through adjustable AOP combinations (UV/H2O2, photocatalysts, ozone), representing a practical advancement toward addressing the gap between laboratory-scale photocatalytic research and full-scale water treatment applications.

The current study investigates the interactions between quinoa protein—both in particulate (protein concentrate, QPC) and fibrillar (QPF) forms—and quinoa starch (QS) gels, and how these interactions influence the thermal, pasting, and rheological properties of the gels. Gels were made by adding three different concentrations of QPC or QPF to a 10% QS dispersion (10, 25, and 50% w/w of starch). DSC results suggested an enhancement of amylopectin thermal stability and an acceleration of retrogradation upon a cooling stage by the addition of quinoa protein. FTIR spectra indicated that QS and QPC/QPF mostly interacted through hydrogen bonds. According to rheological measurements, in contrast to the increased G′ due to the addition of QPC (50%), only a slight increase in G′ was observed due to the addition of QPF (50%). Notably, this study is the first to directly compare the effects of QPC and QPF on starch gel properties, revealing that QPC markedly enhances gel elasticity. These findings highlight the potential application of the optimized quinoa starch-protein-based gels as functional ingredients in plant-based meat analogues, where improved textural and nutritional attributes are critical.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained global attention in recent years due to their adverse effect on environment and human health. In this study, a novel and cost-effective sorbent was developed utilizing forestry by-product pine bark and tested for the removal of PFAS compounds from both synthetic solutions and contaminated groundwater. The synthesis of the adsorbent included two steps: 1) loading of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) onto the pine bark and followed by 2) a simple coating of magnetite nanoparticles. The developed sorbent (MC-PB) exhibited 100 % perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) removal from synthetic solution (10 mu g/L PFOA and PFOS) and enabled quick magnetic separation. A rapid removal of PFOA (> 80 %) by MC-PB was observed within 10 min from synthetic PFOA solution and the adsorption equilibrium was reached within 4 h, achieving > 90 % removal of PFOA (dosage 2 g/L, PFOA 10 mg/L, initial pH 4.2). The PFOA adsorption kinetics fitted well to an optimized pseudo- order model (R-2=0.929). 2 =0.929). Intra-particle diffusion and Boyd models suggested that the adsorption process was not governed by pore diffusion. The maximum PFOA adsorption capacity was found to be 69 mg/g and the adsorption isotherm was best described by the Dual Mode Model (R-2=0.950). 2 =0.950). The MC-PB demonstrated > 90 % PFOA and PFOS removal from contaminated groundwater. Furthermore, both short- and long-chain perfluorosulfonic acids and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate were efficiently removed resulting in 83.9 % removal towards total PFAS (2 g/L dosage).

Background; obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) reduce life expectancy; nonoperative interventions show poor results. Individually, chitosan (1% w/w), acetic acid (AA 0.3-6.5% w/w), and sepiolite clay (5% w/w) attenuate high-fat-diet-induced obesity (DIO) via reduced energy digestibility and increased energy expenditure. Objectives; therefore, we hypothesized that a chitosan-sepiolite biocomposite suspended in AA would attenuate DIO and NAFLD to a greater extent than AA alone via its more substantial adsorption of nonpolar molecules. Methods; we tested this dietary supplement in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) compared to an unsupplemented HFD and an HFD supplemented with a bile acid sequestrant (cholestyramine) or standalone AA. Results; biocomposite supplementation reduced DIO gain by 60% and abolished hepatic liver accumulation, whereas standalone AA showed mild attenuation of DIO gain and did not prevent HFD-induced hepatic fat accumulation. The biocomposite intake was accompanied by a lower digestibility (-4 point %) counterbalanced by increased intake; hence, it did not affect energy absorption. Therefore, DIO attenuation was suggested to be related to higher energy expenditure, a phenomenon not found with AA alone, as supported by calculated energy expenditure using the energy balance method. Conclusions; these results support further investigation of the biocomposite's efficacy in attenuating obesity and NAFLD, specifically when applied with a restricted diet. Future studies are needed to determine this biocomposite's safety, mechanism of action, and efficacy compared to its components given separately or combined with other ingredients.

Poly-DADMAC (PD) is a commonly used organic polymer in water treatment, known for its effectiveness as a coagulant. However, its presence as a residue in water raises concerns related to membrane fouling and the potential formation of carcinogenic compounds. Therefore, fast and simple quantification is necessary to efficiently control and monitor the optimal dose of poly-DADMAC with minimal negative effects. This study introduces a new colorimetric quantification method for poly-DADMAC, based on complexation with a cationic dye (fast green-FG). The method was examined through varying conditions, which included different analytical and commercial poly-DADMAC formulations and concentrations. These experiments confirm its effectiveness in quantifying poly-DADMAC with a detection limit of 3.22 µg L−1 (0.02 µM based on monomers’ molecular weight), which is one order of magnitude lower than regulatory requirements (50 µg L−1). To validate the method, the effect of pH was examined, and implementation demonstrations were conducted on cyanobacteria and cowshed-polluted water samples. This research introduces a fast, cost-effective innovative method to accurately quantify poly-DADMAC, enhancing water treatment strategies for high-quality purification and water reuse

Eddy correlation measures gas exchange between canopy and the overlying atmosphere by evaluating the correlation between fluctuations in the gas-of-interest’s mixing ratio and the vertical wind velocity and considered the most accurate approach for measuring gas fluxes, mostly carbon dioxide and water vapor under ideal homogeneous conditions. It has been used in micrometeorology for decades to quantify mass and energy transfer between urban, natural and agricultural ecosystems and the atmosphere. We assessed its application under various—homogeneous and non-homogeneous—conditions. Our study indicates that fluxes of CO2 and H2O correlate well with plants activity only when turbulent conditions are present, in open fields. At such conditions, direct measurements of concentration of those gases are not an accurate indicator for plants activity. On the other hand, in closed systems (e.g. greenhouses)- fluxes as measured by an eddy correlation system can't accurately be related to the state of the vegetation, but the fluctuations in the concentrations of CO2 and H2O directly correlate to the actual plants activity. Adapting conditions in greenhouses to limiting factors as temperature, increases CO2 sequestration by plants, and may increase productivity

Elucidating physicochemical processes in the degradation of pollutants may optimize their removal from water sources. This work presents a set of elementary steps in the photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ), assuming a steady state approximation in an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) combining short-wave ultraviolet radiation (UVC), homogeneous reagent (H2O2) and heterogeneous (TiO2) catalyst. Elementary steps include excitation of both reagent/catalysts by UVC photons, adsorption of CBZ on the excited TiO2, or its oxidation by hydroxyl radicals. Assuming the steady state approximation on the intermediate products (excited TiO2, CBZ- excited TiO2 complex, and hydroxyl radicals), leads to rate laws for degradation of CBZ, in which UVC radiation, TiO2, and H2O2 are pseudo first order at all concentrations or intensities, whereas CBZ is shifts from pseudo first order at low concentrations to pseudo-zero order at high concentrations. Several experiments to test the mechanism were conducted, in which varying CBZ, H2O2, and TiO2 concentrations, and UVC radiation intensities. Measured results indeed fit the suggested mechanism for the first three, but irradiation intensity appears to shift from pseudo-second to pseudo-first order with increased intensities. A corrected elementary step was adapted to fit the results.

Pest management is essential for cost-effective agriculture, however, due to the pests' ability to develop resistance to pesticides and the environmental and health considerations, there is a need for new and less hazardous alternatives. Certain essential oils that are regularly consumed by humans, are known to be lethal to specific pests and may serve as an alternative to traditional pesticides, even though their rapid volatility and potential phytotoxicity limit their direct use. Clays and organoclays were suggested as matrices for controlled-or slow-release of organic compounds, and thus might increase the pesticide efficiency and reduce the phytotoxicity of essential oils, by influencing their release. This study combined in vitro studies evaluating the rate of evaporation of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) or lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oils (ROEO and CCEO, respectively) from clay-based formulations, with in vivo experiments of essential oil-sepiolite insecticides on onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) while avoiding phytotoxicity damage to chives' (Allium schoenoprasum) crops. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gravimetric kinetic measurements of the evaporation led to the conclusion that sepiolite increased the half-life evaporation period when compared to the raw essential oils or oils pre-adsorbed to other clays or even organoclays. Gas chromatography measurements showed that the interaction with the clay yielded differences in evaporation for the different components in the ROEO oil. Lethality tests of canola:essential oil combinations indicated that ROEO is effective at very low ratios, whereas CCEO activity required higher ratios. Plant tests showed that while the efficiency of CCEO formulation was not very significant, binding ROEO to sepiolite reduced its phytotoxicity yielding efficient pesticidal activity on thrips with less damage to chives' plants even one month after application.

Smectites, like other clay minerals, have been shown to promote ice nucleation in the immersion freezing mode and likely contribute to the population of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) in the atmosphere. Smectites are layered aluminosilicates, which form platelets that depending on composition might swell or even delaminate in water by intercalation of water molecules between their layers. They comprise among others montmorillonites, hectorites, beidellites, and nontronites. In this study, we investigate the ice nucleation (IN) activity of a variety of natural and synthetic smectite samples with different exchangeable cations. The montmorillonites STx-1b and SAz-1, the nontronite SWa-1, and the hectorite SHCa-1 are all rich in Ca2+ as the exchangeable cation; the bentonite MX-80 is rich in Na+ with a minor contribution of Ca2+, and the synthetic Laponite is a pure Na+ smectite. The bentonite SAu-1 is rich in Mg2+ with a minor contribution of Na+, and the synthetic interstratified mica-montmorillonite Barasym carries NH4+ as the exchangeable cation. In emulsion freezing experiments, all samples except Laponite exhibited one or two heterogeneous freezing peaks with onsets between 239 and 248 K and a quite large variation in IN activity yet without clear correlation with the exchangeable cation, with the type of smectite, or with mineralogical impurities in the samples. To further investigate the role of the exchangeable cation, we performed ion exchange experiments. Replacing NH(4 )(+)with Ca2+ in Barasym reduced its IN activity to that of other Ca-rich montmorillonites. In contrast, stepwise exchange of the native cations in STx-1b once with Y3+ and once with Cu2+ showed no influence on IN activity. However, aging of smectite suspensions in pure water up to several months revealed a decrease in IN activity with time, which we attribute to the delamination of smectites in aqueous suspensions, which may proceed over long timescales. The dependence of IN activity on platelet stacking and thickness can be explained if the hydroxylated chains forming at the edges are the location of ice nucleation in smectites, since the edges need to be thick enough to host a critical ice embryo. We hypothesize that at least three smectite layers need to be stacked together to host a critical ice embryo on clay mineral edges and that the larger the surface edge area is, the higher the freezing temperature. Comparison with reported platelet thicknesses of the investigated smectite samples suggests that the observed freezing temperatures are indeed limited by the surface area provided by the mostly very thin platelets. Specifically, Laponite, which did not show any IN activity, is known to delaminate into single layers of about 1 nm thickness, which would be too thin to host a critical ice embryo.

Our results emphasize the potential of sequence and structure-based identification of new QQ enzymes from environmental metagenomes, such as from the ocean, with improved stability or activity. The findings also suggest that purified QQ enzymes can present new strategies against food spoilage, in addition to their recognized involvement in inhibiting bacterial pathogen virulence factors.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is one of the most common emerging contaminants released to the aquatic environment through domestic and pharmaceutical wastewater. Due to its high persistence through conventional degradation treatments, CBZ is considered a typical indicator for anthropogenic activities. This study tested the removal of CBZ through two different clay-based purification techniques: adsorption of relatively large concentrations (20–500 μmol L−1) and photocatalysis of lower concentrations (<20 μmol L−1). The sorption mechanism was examined by FTIR measurements, exchangeable cations released, and colloidal charge of the adsorbing clay materials. Photocatalysis was performed in batch experiments under various conditions. Despite the neutral charge of carbamazepine, the highest adsorption was observed on negatively charged montmorillonite-based clays. Desorption tests indicate that adsorbed CBZ is not released by washing. The adsorption/desorption processes were confirmed by ATR-FTIR analysis of the clay-CBZ particles. A combination of synthetic montmorillonite or hectorite with low H2O2 concentrations under UVC irradiation exhibits efficient homo-heterogeneous photodegradation at μM CBZ levels. The two techniques presented in this study suggest solutions for both industrial and municipal wastewater, possibly enabling water reuse.

Ofloxacin is a highly efficient and widely used antibiotic drug. It is classified as a refractory pollutant due to its poor biodegradability. Consequently, it is commonly found in water sources, requiring efficient methods for its removal. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) offer efficient alternatives since those yield complete degradation not achieved in adsorption or membrane processes. Previous studies suggest ofloxacin degradation follows a pseudo-first or -second order processes, whereas for full removal of refractory pollutants—lower pseudo-orders are required. Monitoring the actual “pseudo-order” degradation kinetics of ofloxacin is needed to evaluate any proposed AOP process. This study presents a simple procedure to evaluate pseudo-orders of AOPs. Photolysis of 20 μM ofloxacin solutions follow pseudo-zero order kinetics, with half-life times (t1/2) of approx. 60 min. TiO2 heterogenous catalysts have been shown to have no influence at low concentrations (0.2 mg L−1), but a significant reduction of half-life time (t1/2 = 20 min) and increase in pseudo-order (0.8) is measured at 2.0 mg L−1. Similar results are obtained with homogenous catalysis by 2.0 mg L−1 H2O2. The combination of H2O2 and TiO2 catalysts shows additional reduction in half-time life with increase in the pseudo-order to 1.2. The conclusions are (1) heterogenous and homogenous photocatalysis can effectively degrade ofloxacin, (2) combined photocatalysis yields higher pseudo-order, being less prone to achieve full removal, and (3) analysis of specific pseudo-orders in AOPs of refractory pollutants helps to further elucidate the efficiency of the processes.

This study provides a comparative overview of Moringa oleifera leaf and seed protein extract (LPE and SPE, respectively) functionality in emulsions. Raw seed cake (RS) had more protein (45.8%) than raw leaf (RL) (27.4%). RL comprised higher polyphenol and flavonoid content than RS, Granny Smith apples, and Goji berries. Protein functionality data revealed that LPE had excellent solubility, and emulsifying properties than SPE at pH 7.0. In contrast, SPE had relatively strong surface hydrophobicity. At pH 7.0, leaf extract emulsions (LEE) possessed relatively small particle size distribution, strong negative charge, excellent stability, and minimum sedimentation velocity. On contrary, at pH 3.5, particle size, and velocity increased, contributing to mono disperse sedimentation. Seed extract emulsions (SEE) had an overall large particle size and demonstrated fast and extensive creaming and sedimentation at both pH conditions. Our findings indicate that M. oleifera leaf protein extracts have considerable potential for use in emulsion-based foods.

In the following study the tetrameric enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH - 228 kDa), was immobilized on montmorillonite using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a bridging agent. Previous studies have shown that small enzymes such as laccases and peroxidases exhibit increased stability and enhanced activity over time when immobilized on the surface of clay minerals. However, low-cost immobilization methods for high MW, multimeric enzymes, are lacking because these enzymes are prone to disassociation and deactivation upon adsorption. Herein, ALDH was successfully immobilized by pre-stabilization with a polyelectrolyte prior to adsorption on the surface of montmorillonite. The resulting complex was characterized in terms of enzyme conformation and loading using zeta potential, SEM, FTIR, and TGA measurements. Aldehyde transformation activity was measured by following benzaldehyde transformation to benzoic acid and NADH formation. An optimal ALDH:PEI ratio of 4:1 (w/w) was identified, yielding the highest activity at the adsorbed state due to conformational stability. The adsorption isotherm best fit the dual Langmuir-Freundlich model and revealed a significantly high loading capacity of 6.2 mg protein per mg montmorillonite. Rate experiments showed that although activity was maintained at the adsorbed state, the immobilization slowed aldehyde transformation, probably due to diffusion limitations caused by aggregation and heterogeneity of the material. Overall, the results suggest that this method has the potential to efficiently immobilize large multimeric proteins. This in turn can help solve separation issues and advance the design of efficient platforms for bio-catalysis and bioremediation technologies.

Unsuccessfully treated by the existing wastewater-treatment processes, caffeine concentrations in wastewater effluents and natural reservoirs are constantly rising. Photodegradation treatment processes are drawing much attention due to their potential to oxidize and remove such, and similar contaminating compounds from treated waters. In continuation to our previous work on the photodegradation kinetics of caffeine in water by UV/H(2)O(2)and UV/TiO2, this work evaluates the influence of various electrolytes, including NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, NaBr, and KBr, on the kinetics of the UV/H(2)O(2)photodegradation of caffeine, aiming at estimating the efficiency of the method in more complex water systems. Results show that the efficiency of the UV/H(2)O(2)photodegradation reactions is strongly affected by ionic strength and the presence of electrolytes in the solution. While chloride electrolytes were shown to optimize or reduce the process efficiency pending on their concentration. The sole presence of NaBr and KBr shows an immediate reduction in the efficiency of the photodegradation. Empirical apparent-rate-coefficients and curves describing the effect of the different electrolytes on the photodegradation kinetics of caffeine are presented.