Degradation of Rhodamine B in aqueous solution by laser cavitation

FluoMALDI Microscopy: Matrix Co-Crystallization Simultaneously Enhances Fluorescence and MALDI Imaging

Here, the authors report that co-crystallization of fluorophores with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging matrices significantly enhances fluorophore brightness up to 79-fold, enabling the amplification of innate tissue autofluorescence. This discovery facilitates FluoMALDI, the imaging of the same biological sample by both fluorescence microscopy and MALDI imaging. The approach combines the high spatial resolution and specific labeling capabilities of fluorescence microscopy with the inherently multiplexed, versatile imaging capabilities of MALDI imaging. This new paradigm simplifies registration by avoiding physical changes between fluorescence and MALDI imaging, allowing to image the exact same cells in tissues with both modalities. Matrix-fluorophore co-crystallization also facilitates applications with insufficient fluorescence brightness. The authors demonstrate  feasibility of FluoMALDI imaging with endogenous and exogenous fluorophores and autofluorescence-based FluoMALDI of brain and kidney tissue sections. FluoMALDI will advance structural-functional microscopic imaging in cell biology, biomedicine, and pathology.

RaMALDI: Enabling simultaneous Raman and MALDI imaging of the same tissue section

Multimodal tissue imaging techniques that integrate two complementary modalities are powerful discovery tools for unraveling biological processes and identifying biomarkers of disease. Combining Raman spectroscopic imaging (RSI) and matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to obtain fused images with the advantages of both modalities has the potential of providing spatially resolved, sensitive, specific biomolecular information, but has so far involved two separate sample preparations, or even consecutive tissue sections for RSI and MALDI MSI, resulting in images with inherent disparities. We have developed RaMALDI, a streamlined, integrated, multimodal imaging workflow of RSI and MALDI MSI, performed on a single tissue section with one sample preparation protocol. We show that RaMALDI imaging of various tissues effectively integrates molecular information acquired from both RSI and MALDI MSI of the same sample, which will drive discoveries in cell biology, biomedicine, and pathology, and advance tissue diagnostics.

Perspective on Fe0-PS synergetic effect and reaction mechanism in the thallium(I) contaminated water treatment

Due to extreme toxicity of the element of thallium (Tl), increasing aqueous Tl pollution incidents have aroused growing concerns. As the prevalent and stable form, i.e., monovalent Tl, the highly efficient removal methodologies of Tl(I) from (waste)water remains limited and challenging. In this study, an advanced oxidation method, the feasibility of using zero valent iron (Fe⁰) coupled with persulfate (PS) to treat Tl(I)-containing synthetic wastewater was investigated. Its influence parameters, including reaction time, initial Tl concentration, dosages of PS and Fe⁰, initial and coagulation pH, temperature, coexisting ions and organic matter (NO₃^-, SO₄^2-, Cl^- and HA) were examined. The results revealed that the system can be applied to a wide range of pH and temperature and the reaction equilibrium can be reached in about 30 min. Favorable Tl(I) removal rate (>98%) was observed in the synthetic wastewater with medium and relatively high Tl(I) concentration (≤0.250 mM). The analyses of characterization results including electron spin resonance spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that ·OH played a vital role in the removal of Tl(I), which was oxidized and removed by co-precipitation. Fe⁰ can be served as a stable source of Fe²⁺ to efficiently catalyze PS. The remaining Fe⁰ can be easily separated because of its magnetism, assuring the promising reusability of the reactant. The study aims to provide references for treatment of real Tl polluted wastewater.

Scavenger-Supported Photocatalytic Evidence of an Extended Type I Electronic Structure of the TiO2@Fe2O3 Interface

Heterostructures of TiO₂@Fe₂O₃ with a specific electronic structure and morphology enable us to control the interfacial charge transport necessary for their efficient photocatalytic performance. In spite of the extensive research, there still remains a profound ambiguity as far as the band alignment at the interface of TiO₂@Fe₂O₃ is concerned. In this work, the extended type I heterojunction between anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals and α-Fe₂O₃ hematite nanograins is proposed. Experimental evidence supporting this conclusion is based on direct measurements such as optical spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and the results of indirect studies of photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine B (RhB) with selected scavengers of various active species of OH^•, h^•, e^-, and ^•O₂^-. The presence of small 6-8 nm Fe₂O₃ crystallites at the surface of TiO₂ has been confirmed in HRTEM images. Irregular 15-50 nm needle-like hematite grains could be observed in scanning electron micrographs. Substitutional incorporation of Fe³⁺ ions into the TiO₂ crystal lattice is predicted by a 0.16% decrease in lattice parameter a and a 0.08% change of c, as well as by a shift of the Raman E_g(1) peak from 143 cm^-1 in pure TiO₂ to 149 cm^-1 in Fe₂O₃-modified TiO₂. Analysis of O 1s XPS spectra corroborates this conclusion, indicating the formation of oxygen vacancies at the surface of titanium(IV) oxide. The presence of the Fe³⁺ impurity level in the forbidden band gap of TiO₂ is revealed by the 2.80 eV optical transition. The size effect is responsible for the absorption feature appearing at 2.48 eV. Increased photocatalytic activity within the visible range suggests that the electron transfer involves high energy levels of Fe₂O₃. Well-programed experiments with scavengers allow us to eliminate the less probable mechanisms of RhB photodecomposition and propose a band diagram of the TiO₂@Fe₂O₃ heterojunction.

Rapid Degradation of Rhodamine B through Visible-Photocatalytic Advanced Oxidation Using Self-Degradable Natural Perylene Quinone Derivatives-Hypocrellins

Hypocrellins (HYPs) are natural perylene quinone derivatives from Ascomycota fungi. Based on the excellent photosensitization properties of HYPs, this work proposed a photocatalytic advanced oxidation process (PAOP) that uses HYPs to degrade rhodamine B (RhB) as a model organic pollutant. A synergistic activity of HYPs and H2O2 (0.18 mM of HYPs, 0.33% w/v of H2O2) was suggested, resulting in a yield of 82.4% for RhB degradation after 60 min under visible light irradiation at 470−475 nm. The principle of pseudo-first-order kinetics was used to describe the decomposition reaction with a calculated constant (k) of 0.02899 min−1 (R2 = 0.983). Light-induced self-degradation of HYPs could be activated under alkaline (pH > 7) conditions, promising HYPs as an advanced property to alleviate the current dilemma of secondary pollution by synthetic photocatalysts in the remediation of emerging organic pollutants.

Degradation of acid red 73 wastewater by hydrodynamic cavitation combined with ozone and its mechanism

Many azo dyes are consumed in the textile and dyeing industry, which makes the wastewater recalcitrant and toxic to the aquatic environment. Dye degradation by the combination of hydrodynamic cavitation and ozone (HC + O₃) has caused extensive interest. The degradation mechanism of the hybrid system needs further investigation. This study investigated the degradation of acid red 73 (AR73) by HC + O₃. Meanwhile, the degradation pathways and mechanisms were present. The optimal operation parameters were: inlet pressure of 0.15 MPa, O₃ dosage of 45 mg/min, initial dye concentration of 10 mg/L, and initial pH at 7.5. As a result, the decolorization rate, removal of UV₂₅₄ and NH₃-N were 100%, 71.28%, and 87.36% in 30 min, respectively. Humic acid and most of the co-existing anions (HCO₃^-, SO₄^2-, Cl^-, PO₄^3-, NO₃^-) played a positive role in the degradation of AR73, while NO₂^- restrained. The reactive species of singlet oxygen (¹O₂), hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and super oxygen radicals (·O₂^-) showed synergism in the hybrid system, and the decolorization was attributed to the fracture of azo bonds by ¹O₂. Meanwhile, aromatic amines were generated and further degraded into small molecule compounds. The research certificated that the HC + O₃ can be an effective technology for azo dye degradation.

Cadmium sulfide modified zinc oxide heterojunction harvesting ultrasonic mechanical energy for efficient decomposition of dye wastewater

CdS/ZnO nano heterojunction was synthesized and applied in piezocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under ultrasonic vibration. The optimal CdS/ZnO composite with a CdS content of 35% presented the highest RhB degradation efficiency (98.8%) in 90 min. The degradation rate reached 4.02 h^-1, which was 5.6 and 2.8 times higher than that of CdS and ZnO, respectively. In addition, CdS/ZnO showed high stability in the piezocatalytic reaction. The as-prepared CdS/ZnO piezocatalysts were characterized by multiple techniques to reveal the nature behind the enhanced catalytic activity. Results indicated that CdS nanoparticles were tightly loaded onto the surface of ZnO. The piezoelectric properties of the CdS/ZnO composites were the origin of their piezocatalytic behavior. The suitable band potentials of CdS and ZnO triggered the formation of a heterojunction structure, thereby driving the second distribution of the piezo-induced charge carriers. Therefore, the separation efficiency of charge carriers and the piezocatalytic performance was greatly elevated. The high piezocatalytic activity and stability indicated that CdS/ZnO may have wide application potential in the piezocatalytic degradation of organic dyes by using ultrasonic vibration energy.

Impact of solid particles on cavitation behaviors and laser-induced degradation in aqueous suspension

A method for degrading organic pollutants in suspension by applying laser-induced cavitation is presented. Cavitation bubbles are produced remotely by laser beams, achieving a purpose of non-contact degradation. In this work, laser-induced bubble dynamics in SiO₂ sand suspension were studied by high-speed imaging. Pulsating characteristics of cavitaiton bubbles in the infinite domain and near a solid boundary were investigated among various laser energies and sand concentrations. Furthermore, the extent of degradation after processing in suspension and the mechanism were analyzed. Results indicate that solid particles in the liquid medium reduce the extent of degradation. However, the extent of degradation may rebound at a proper sand concentration. In addition, compared to several small bubbles in a bubble string (in the infinite domain), a single larger bubble (near a solid boundary) has a much higher degradation ability.

Au-Au/IrO2@Cu(PABA) Reactor with Tandem Enzyme-Mimicking Catalytic Activity for Organic Dye Degradation and Antibacterial Application

Herein, a Au-Au/IrO₂ nanocomposite with tandem enzyme-mimicking activity was innovatively synthesized, which can show outstanding glucose oxidase (GOx)-like activity and peroxidase-like activity simultaneously under neutral conditions. Moreover, a Au-Au/IrO₂@Cu(PABA) reactor was prepared via encapsulation of the Au-Au/IrO₂ nanocomposite in a Cu(PABA) metal organic framework. The reactor not only exhibits excellent organic solvent stability, acid resistance, and reusability but also displays better cascade reaction catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_m = 148.86 min^-1 mM^-1) than the natural free enzyme system (GOx/HRP) (k_cat/K_m = 98.20 min^-1 mM^-1) and Au-Au/IrO₂ nanocomposite (k_cat/K_m = 135.24 min^-1 mM^-1). In addition, it is found that the reactor can catalyze glucose or dissolved oxygen to produce active oxygen species (ROS) including HO, ₁O², and O₂^-· through its enzyme-mimicking activity. Finally, the novel reactor was successfully used in organic dye degradation and antibacterial application. The results show that it can effectively degrade methyl orange, methylene blue, and rhodamine B, which all can reach a degradation rate of nearly 100% after interacting with Au-Au/IrO₂@Cu (PABA) for 3.5 h. Furthermore, the reactor also exhibits excellent antibacterial activity, so as to achieve a complete bactericidal effect to Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at a concentration of 12.5 μg mL^-1.

Bubble dynamic evolution, material strengthening and chemical effect induced by laser cavitation peening

The mechanism of laser cavitation peening (LCP) including laser shock wave, bubble collapse shock wave, and water-jet was investigated at various stand-off distances (γ) combined with experiment and simulation. The dynamic characteristics, pressure field, and temperature field of cavitation bubble were investigated. The Q235 steel was impacted by LCP and the strengthening mechanism was analyzed, and the chemical effect in LCP was discussed. The results found that the pressure intensity of shock wave and water-jet decreases with increasing the γ. At γ=0, the laser shock wave, bubble collapse shock wave, and water-jet are 989 Mpa, 763 Mpa, and 369 Mpa respectively. The pressure and temperature of the bubble decrease obviously in the second and third pulsations. The impact of LCP causes plastic deformation on the Q235 steel surface and refines the grains on the surface layer within a depth of 20-30 μm. The enhancement of microhardness and the residual stress increases with the increase of γ, and the optimal value for LCPwc is 0.4. The degradation rate of MB solution in the infinite domain, LCPwc, and LCP is 26.4%, 41.7%, and 34.5%.