Removal of Copper (II), Zinc (II), Cobalt (II), and Nickel (II) Ions by PIMs Doped 2-Alkylimidazoles

Novel cuproptosis-related prognostic gene profiles in preeclampsia

BACKGROUND

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder with complex pathogenesis. Cuproptosis is a novel identified form of programmed cell death, however, the link between cuproptosis and clinical outcomes in PE is still not fully understood. In this study, we searched for cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in the placental tissues of normal and PE patients to clarify the importance of cuproptosis in the development of PE and provide potential predictive indicators for the occurrence of PE.

METHODS

Using RNA sequencing data in the GEO database, we conducted functional enrichment analysis of Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), supported by linear regression model and operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve analysis, and summarized the role of CRGs in preeclampsia.

RESULTS

A total of 2831 differentially expressed genes related to PE were screened through multiple database analyses. After further intersection with 19 reported CRGs, 5 CRGs have been closely associated with the pathogenesis of PE, including NFE2L2, PDHA1, PDHB, DLD and GLS. NFE2L2 was identified as a key central gene. Pearson correlation analysis showed that CRGs could be related to several maternal and fetal outcome factors, including the highest pregnancy blood pressure, placenta weight, umbilical blood flow pulsatility index (PI), and neonatal weight. Linear regression equation revealed that the expression of NFE2L2 is negatively correlated with the highest pregnancy blood pressure and umbilical blood flow PI but positively correlated with placental weight and neonatal weight. QRT-PCR showed that the expression of these CRGs was significantly lower in placental tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

This cuproptosis pattern may be a potential prognostic factor in patients with PE and could provide new insights into disease progression.

The Use of Polymer Inclusion Membranes for the Removal of Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions-The Latest Achievements and Potential Industrial Applications: A Review

The growing demand for environmentally friendly and economical methods of removing toxic metal ions from polluted waters and for the recovery of valuable noble metal ions from various types of waste, which are often treated as their secondary source, has resulted in increased interest in techniques based on the utilization of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs). PIMs are characterized by many advantages (e.g., the possibility of simultaneous extraction and back extraction, excellent stability and high reusability), and can be adapted to the properties of the removed target analyte by appropriate selection of carriers, polymers and plasticizers used for their formulation. However, the selectivity and efficiency of the membrane process depends on many factors (e.g., membrane composition, nature of removed metal ions, composition of aqueous feed solution, etc.), and new membranes are systematically designed to improve these parameters. Numerous studies aimed at improving PIM technology may contribute to the wider use of these methods in the future on an industrial scale, e.g., in wastewater treatment. This review describes the latest achievements related to the removal of various metal ions by PIMs over the past 3 years, with particular emphasis on solutions with potential industrial application.

Polymer Inclusion Membranes with P507-TBP Carriers for Lithium Extraction from Brines

The separation of lithium and magnesium from salt-lake brines with high Mg2+/Li+ ratios is a main challenge for lithium extraction. In this work, novel polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) were developed by incorporating 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono 2-ethylhexyl (P507) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) as the carriers into cellulose triacetate (CTA) polymers. The Li+ could be stripped from the P507-TBP extracting carriers using pure water eluents without adding concentrated hydrochloric acid, which can help decrease carriers’ leakage risk from membrane matrixes and keep the stability of PIMs. The morphology, composition, and wettability of P507-TBP-based PIMs were characterized systematically, and the carrier content in the PIM was also optimized. In the transport experiment with the feed of 0.1 mol/L LiCl and 4.0 mol/L MgCl2, the CTA/P507-TBP60% membrane exhibits a Li+ permeability of 4.76 × 10−3 mol·m−2·h−1 and a Li/Mg separation ratio of 10.2. After recycling seven times, the selectivity of the PIM is well-retained (>10), and the permeability of Li+ decreases slightly (less than 15%). With a decent selectivity and excellent stability, PIMs containing P507-TBP carriers show great potential for sustainable and efficient lithium recovery from brines with high Mg/Li ratios.

Separation of Mercury(II) from Industrial Wastewater through Polymer Inclusion Membranes with Calix[4]pyrrole Derivative

Polymer membranes with immobilized ligands are encouraging alternatives for the removal of toxic metal ions from aquatic waste streams, including industrial wastewater, in view of their high selectivity, stability, removal efficacy and low energy demands. In this study, polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) based on cellulose triacetate, with a calix[4]pyrrole derivative as an ion carrier, were tested for their capability to dispose mercury (Hg(II)) ions from industrial wastewater. The impacts were assessed relative to carrier content, the quantity of plasticizer in the membrane, the hydrocholoric acid concentration in the source phase, and the character of the receiving phase on the performance of Hg(II) elimination. Optimally designed PIMs could be an interesting option for the industrial wastewater treatment due to the high removal efficiency of Hg(II) and great repeatability.