A regional approach for health risk assessment of toxicants in plastic food containers

Plastic food containers are being used popularly, generating a waste of about 115 million tons in Vietnam. Such waste is causing environmental and health issues. This study conducted a field survey with 250 local people and selected 59 samples out of 135 plastic food containers collected in Go Vap district, Vietnam. Collected plastic samples identified compositions were PET 13.6%, PP 28.8%, PS 16.9%, and 40.7% undefined plastics. Collected plastic samples were classified based on the plastic type using recycling code and quantitatively analyzed with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy method to assess concentrations of Cd, Sb, Pb, Hg, Sn, Cr, Br, Cl, and S. Most of these collected plastic samples (91.5%) were found to contain 8/9 hazardous substances and most elements contained in these plastics were below their standard thresholds. These elements in plastic samples could be divided as the result into three hazard groups: (1) high hazard group (Sb, Cl, and S); (2) medium hazard group (Cr, Br and Hg); and (3) low hazard groups (Cd, Pb and Sn). Among substances in the high hazard group, element Sb was assessed for its migration because only Sb is regulated in Vietnam in QCVN 12-1: 2011/BYT. Substances of Cl, S, Cr, Br, and Hg (group 1, 2) do not have regulations related to the method of decontamination. Thus, additional health risks need to be assessed using the USEtox model. Finally, this study proposed a screening process to assess the risk of toxicity of elements contained in plastic food containers through ISO 31000:2018.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43188-023-00194-0.

Advanced Functional Carbon Nitride by Implanting Semi-Isolated VO2 Active Sites for Photocatalytic H2 Production and Organic Pollutant Degradation

It is critical to facilitate surface interaction for liquid-solid two-phase photocatalytic reactions. This study demonstrates more advanced, efficient, and rich molecular-level active sites to extend the performance of carbon nitride (CN). To achieve this, semi-isolated vanadium dioxide is obtained by controlling the growth of non-crystalline VO₂ anchored into sixfold cavities of the CN lattice. As a proof-of-concept, the experimental and computational results solidly corroborate that this atomic-level design has potentially taken full advantage of two worlds. The photocatalyst comprises the highest dispersion of catalytic sites with the lowest aggregation, like single-atom catalysts. It also demonstrates accelerated charge transfer with the boosted electron-hole pairs, mimicking heterojunction photocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations show that single-site VO₂ anchored into the sixfold cavities significantly elevates the Fermi level, compared with the typical heterojunction. The unique features of semi-isolated sites result in a high visible-light photocatalytic H₂ production of 645 µmol h^-1 g^-1 with only 1 wt% Pt. They also represent an excellent photocatalytic degradation for rhodamine B as well as tetracycline, surpassing the activities obtained from many conventional heterojunctions. This study presents exciting opportunities for the design of new heterogeneous metal oxide for a variety of reactions.

Perioperative risk and benefit of antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery within 1 year after percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stents

Background

Antiplatelet therapy (APT) in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (NCS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is still on debate due to its opposite effects which are to prevent from cardiovascular events and to cause bleeding. There is no apparent consensus on how to determine perioperative APT strategy within 1 year after PCI. Therefore, we investigated the risk and benefit of APT in NCS within 1 year after PCI.

Methods

Patients undergoing NCS after PCI with second-generation drug-eluting stents are retrospectively included from multicenter cohort of 8 medical centers in Korea. Perioperative clinical event within 30 days after NCS was recorded. Net adverse clinical event (NACE) including all cause death, major adverse cardiac event (MACE, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis) and major bleeding were evaluated. To overcome bias, propensity score covariate adjustment was performed using logistic regression analysis to generate propensity scores for patients of both APT strategies.

Results

Total 1130 patients (median age 69 years, female 30.5%) undergoing NCS within 1 year after PCI were eligible in the cohort. Study population included 55.1% patients suffered from ACS and 22.5% underwent complex PCI. NCS included 45.8% intermediate-to-high risk surgery and 10.7% urgent or emergent surgery. APT was continued during NCS in 62.7% of the patients. More patients continued DAPT (48% vs. 32%, p<0.001) among the patients who underwent NCS within 6 months after PCI than those who underwent NCS after 6 months. There were 49 NACE (4.3%), 16 MACE (1.4%) and 23 major bleeding events (2.0%), respectively. Continuing APT was associated with a lower risk of NACE (Adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27–0.89; p=0.020)) and MACE (Adjusted HR, 0.35; 95 CI, 0.12–0.96; p=0.042). Subgroup analysis showed a tendency that continuing APT might be favorable than discontinuing APT in terms of MACE in patients who were diagnosed with ACS, underwent complex PCI, or underwent NCS within 6 months after PCI.

Conclusions

About two thirds of the patients were continuing APT during NCS. Our findings may support a careful consideration of APT continuation for some of the patients who are undergoing NCS within 1 year after PCI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Prospects of MXenes in energy storage applications

The transition metal carbides/nitrides referred to as MXenes has emerged as a wonder material presenting newer opportunities owing to their unique properties such as high thermal and electrical conductivity, high negative zeta-potential and mechanical properties similar to the parent transition metal carbides/nitrides. These properties of MXenes can be utilized in various societal applications including for energy storage and energy conversion. In this focused review, we provide a ready glance into the evolutionary development of the MXene family and various efforts that are made globally towards property improvement and performance enhancement. Particular attention in this review is made to direct the attention of readers to the bright prospects of MXene in the energy storage and energy conversion process - which is extremely timely to tackle the current concern on climate change. The review concludes by offering fresh insights into the future research needs and challenges that need to be addressed to develop resilient energy solutions.

Superhydrophobic MS@CuO@SA sponge for oil/water separation with excellent durability and reusability

We present a superhydrophobic material based on commercially melamine sponge (MS) with great durability, recyclability, and excellent sorption performance. The fabrication process of this sponge is facile without using toxic reagents or sophisticated equipment and therefore it is simple to scale up. The CuO layer utilized to give a rough surface of the substrate (MS) was successfully prepared in a commercial microwave to seed copper nucleuses in an alkaline medium. Stearic acid (SA) plays a role as the self-assembled monolayer on the surface of the sponge skeletons. Throughout this study, the properties of the modified sponge were fully characterized, and the changes in wettability were carefully examined. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements revealed the excellent superhydrophobicity of the material with high static WCA of 165.1° and low dynamic WCA of 8°. Furthermore, the as-prepared sponge demonstrated high efficiency in separation (over 99.0%) of different oils from water. Notably, several unique properties of as-modified material were found, consisting of ultrafast sorption capacities of up to 32-52 times of its own weight by using 80 mL of each oil, outstanding reusability with good sorption capacity even after 40 cycles. Even under various harsh environments, the novel materials proved its outstanding durability and ultrafast sorption capacity of oils. The durability, recyclability, and superhydrophobic properties of the novel superhydrophobic sponge provide it a solid basis for oil-water separation applications through an ultrafast sorption capacity of oils as well as quick recovery of the oil by easy squeezing process.

Simultaneous Enhancement of Charge Separation and Hole Transportation in a W:α-Fe2O3/MoS2 Photoanode: A Collaborative Approach of MoS2 as a Heterojunction and W as a Metal Dopant

In this study, a facile approach has been successfully applied to synthesize a W-doped Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ core-shell electrode with unique nanostructure modifications for photoelectrochemical performance. A two-dimensional (2D) structure of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and tungsten (W)-doped hematite (W:α-Fe₂O₃) overcomes the drawbacks of the α-Fe₂O₃ and MoS₂ semiconductor through simple and facile processes to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. The highest photocurrent density of the 0.5W:α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ photoanode is 1.83 mA·cm^-2 at 1.23 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under 100 mW·cm² illumination, which is higher than those of 0.5W:α-Fe₂O₃ and pure α-Fe₂O₃ electrodes. The overall water splitting was evaluated by measuring the H₂ and O₂ evolution, which after 2 h of irradiation for 0.5W:α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ was determined to be 49 and 23.8 μmol.cm^-2, respectively. The optimized combination of the heterojunction and metal doping on pure α-Fe₂O₃ (0.5W:α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ photoanode) showed an incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) of 37% and an applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) of 26%, which are around 5.2 and 13 times higher than those of 0.5W:α-Fe₂O₃, respectively. Moreover, the facile fabrication strategy can be easily extended to design other oxide/carbon-sulfide/oxide core-shell materials for extensive applications.

Unmasking the Role of an Amorphous/Amorphous Interface and a Crystalline/Amorphous Interface in the Transition of Charge Carriers on the CN/SiO2/WO3 Photocatalyst

Making heterojunctions between semiamorphous carbon nitride (CN) and other well-matched semiconductors (or even insulators) can solve many photocatalytic problems such as the recombination of charge carriers. However, many researchers encounter intrinsic problems including the lack of detailed information on contact boundaries in their heterojunctions, particularly in the amorphous/amorphous interface. In addition, the roles of contact boundaries in the photocatalytic mechanisms of many heterojunctions are still obscure. This study synthesized a novel CN/SiO₂/WO₃ photocatalyst having two different contact features by constructing an amorphous/amorphous (CN/SiO₂) interface and a crystalline/amorphous (WO₃/CN) interface to provide deep insights into heterojunction interfaces. SiO₂ plays an exceptional role as a major component in the separation and migration of charge carriers. It not only modifies the texture but also transfers electrons. Surprisingly, the amorphous/amorphous interface shows an unpredicted capability for decreasing the recombination of electron-hole pairs. Based on capturing experiments and photoluminescence investigations, the amorphous/amorphous interface is unprecedently present in the production of hydroxyl radicals, while the crystalline/amorphous interface gives more superoxide radicals. This work provides a platform that opens a new perspective on the selection of mutual photocatalysts. It extends boundaries of conventional heterojunctions.

Sono-oxidation treatment of hazardous ABS/PC surface for its selective separation from ESR styrene plastics

This study reports the selective hydrophilization of the ABS/PC blend surface using the peroxide-sonochemical system and then its selective separation by froth flotation technique from other ABS-based plastics (ABS, ABS/PMMA) and PS/HIPS in electronic shredder residue (ESR). FT-IR and XPS measurements confirm that the hydrophilic moiety development on the ABS/PC surface led to increasing the wettability of ABS/PC and then decreased its floatability. The confocal scanning results also support the enhancement of microscale roughness of the treated ABS/PC surface. The enhanced surface roughness is attributed to the oxidative process which degrades hydrophobic moieties and promotes hydrophilic functional groups on the ABS/PC surface using commercial oxidant peroxide and ultrasound. This study also investigated removal of Br-containing compounds on the ABS/PC surface. The optimum conditions for selectively ABS/PC separation are peroxide concentration 2%, power cycle 70%, treatment time 5 min, temperature 50 °C, floating agent concentration 0.4 mg/L, flotation time 2 min, and airflow rate 0.5 L/min. ABS/PC was selectively separated from ESR styrene plastics with high recovery and purity of 98.9% and 99.8%, respectively. Hence, the developed novel surface treatments having removal of hazardous Br chemicals and none-formation of secondary pollutants should be applied for upgrading plastic recycling quality.

Synthesis of hexagonal rosettes of g-C3N4 with boosted charge transfer for the enhanced visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and hydrogen peroxide production

Photocatalytic sustainable fuel production attracted extensive attention because of the urgent need of the society to shift from fossil fuels to solar fuels. Herein, the synthesis of hexagonal rosettes of g-C₃N₄ with an efficient performance toward hydrogen evolution and hydrogen peroxide production as the two kinds of solar fuels were reported. The hexagonal rosettes of g-C₃N₄ were simply fabricated via controlled solid-state polymerization of three-dimensional hexagonal rosettes of cyanuric acid-melamine adduct at 500 °C. The hexagonal rosettes of g-C₃N₄ showed an amorphous nature with an extremely high surface area of 400 m² g^-1. Also, the as-obtained catalyst demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic activity in hydrogen production of 1285 μmol g^-1 h^-1 and hydrogen peroxide production of 150 μmol g^-1 h^-1. The mechanism for the polymerization process of the cyanuric acid-melamine (CM) complex to hexagonal rosettes of g-C₃N₄ was thoroughly described employing electron microscopy tools. This study identified that the CM complex condensation is accomplished via a dehydration process by producing a highly condensed and active structure of g-C₃N₄, which is different from the previously reported condensation mechanism of the melamine and its derivatives performed through a deamination process.

Ultrasonication-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation enhances photoelectrochemical performance in α-Fe2O3/MoS2 photoanode

This study successfully manufactured a p-n heterojunction hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) structure with molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) to address the electron-hole transfer problems of conventional hematite to enhance photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. The two-dimensional MoS₂ nanosheets were prepared through ultrasonication-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation, after which the concentration, number of layers, and thickness parameters of the MoS₂ nanosheets were respectively estimated by UV-vis, HRTEM and AFM analysis to be 0.37 mg/ml, 10-12 layers and around 6 nm. The effect of heterojunction α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ and the role of the ultrasonication process were investigated by the optimized concentration of MoS₂ in the forms of bulk and nanosheet on the surface of the α-Fe₂O₃ electrode while measuring the PEC performance. The best photocurrent density of the α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ photoanode was obtained at 1.52 and 0.86 mA.cm^-2 with good stability at 0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl under 100 mW/cm² (AM 1.5) illumination from the back- and front-sides of α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂; these values are 13.82 and 7.85-times higher than those of pure α-Fe₂O₃, respectively. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Mott-Schottky analysis showed increased donor concentration (2.6-fold) and decreased flat band potential (by 20%). Moreover, the results of IPCE, ABPE, and OCP analyses also supported the enhanced PEC performance of α-Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ through the formation of a p-n heterojunction, leading to a facile electron-hole transfer.

Myocardial extracellular space expansion is related to burden of premature ventricular contractions in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy without non-sustained ventricular tachycardia

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

Current guidelines suggest the presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) as a risk factor of sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, high burden of premature ventricular contraction (PVC) may reflect myocardial fibrosis although the absence of NSVT.

Purpose

We investigated the association between PVC burden and myocardial extracellular space expansion in HCM patients without NSVT.

Methods

Of the 212 patients prospectively enrolled to the HCM registry of genetics, 84 patients were evaluated with both cardiac magnetic resonance and 24hr holter. Among them, 71 patients (58 males, mean age: 71 ± 13 years) have not been diagnosed with NSVT.

Results

Patients with NSVT (n = 13) showed more impaired LA functional indices and higher myocardial fibrosis burden compared with patients without NSVT (n = 71). Among patients who have not been diagnosed with NSVT, patients with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE, n = 46) had a higher total beats (109 ± 332 vs. 7 ± 13 beats per a day, p = 0.003) and burden (0.114 ± 0.225 vs. 0.008 ± 0.014 %, p = 0.003) of PVC during 24-hour compared with patients without LGE (n = 25). %LGE was correlated with total beats of PVC (r = 0.358, p = 0.002) and PVC burden (r = 0.377, p = 0.001). ECV also correlated with total beats of PVC (r = 0.387, p = 0.001) and PVC burden (r = 0.401, p = 0.001). The optimal cutoff value for PVC number was 45 (37.0% of sensitivity and 100% of specificity) with 0.733 of the area under the ROC curve (p < 0.001). Pathogenic or likely pathogenic sarcomere mutation was higher in NSVT group than no NSVT group (p < 0.05), and had a higher tendency in higher PVC burden group (0.05 < p < 0.1) than lower PVC burden group.

Conclusions

Total beats and burden of PVC are significantly related to increase in myocardial fibrosis in HCM patients without NSVT.

Abstract Figure. Mechanism of ventricular arrhythmia

Efficient Photodegradation of Rhodamine B and Tetracycline over Robust and Green g-C3N4 Nanostructures: Supramolecular Design

Highly condensed g-C₃N₄ nanosheets with an exceptional surface area and porous structure were simply prepared by thermal condensation of stable preorganized supramolecular structures of cyanuric acid and melamine formed in water as the solvent. Different techniques were employed for the characterization of the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical features of the as-synthesized catalyst. All the characterizations confirmed the successful formation of nanosheets with magnificent properties compared to the pristine sample which was prepared by melamine polycondensation. Not only did these nanosheets exhibit a superb photocatalytic activity over the degradation of tetracycline (over 60%) and rhodamine B (100%) under visible light irradiation just for 15 min, but they also could maintain their stability during the reaction keeping over 98% of their original degradation even in 5 cycles. Superoxide anion radicals and holes were determined to be the main active species by trapping experiments. LC-Mass analysis was also performed to identify the intermediates and propose the possible pathway for photodegradation of tetracycline. The promising performance of this catalyst can be a notable step forward for prosperous industrial applications in the field of photodegradation of hazardous and not-easily degradable organic compounds in wastewater treatment plants.

The Relative and Interactive Effects of Actual and Perceived Gambling Exposure on Gambling Behaviour

Actual and perceptual measures of gambling exposure are important predictors of problem gambling. This study used Zero-Inflated Poisson regression analyses to assess the relative and interactive effects of actual and perceived exposure on problem gambling risk and severity. Data from the 2008 and 2009 Social and Economic Impacts of Gambling in Alberta surveys indicated actual exposure was significantly associated with problem gambling risk while perceived exposure was significantly associated with problem gambling severity. These associations differ for gamblers from emerging and mature areas. Further, actual and perceived exposure had significant interaction effects on problem gambling severity but not on risk. Implications from these findings suggest that the prevalence of problem gambling could be reduced by restrictions on gambling opportunities.

Ultrasonically prepared photocatalyst of W/WO3 nanoplates with WS2 nanosheets as 2D material for improving photoelectrochemical water splitting

A sonochemical treatment has been an emerged technique as an interesting method for fabricating different photocatalysts with unique photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties. This study investigated the PEC performance of WO3 with WS2 nanosheets as a 2D material before calcination (WO3/WS2-90) and after calcination (WO3/WS2-450) prepared with sonochemical treatment. The WS2 nanosheets were prepared from a liquid exfoliation phase with few-layer nanosheets, approximately 6.5 nm in thickness. The nanosheets were confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Further, XPS, RAMAN, and SEM-EDAX analyses indicated that, following calcination of the WO3/WS2 electrode, the WS2 nanosheets initially transformed to 2D-WO3. After depositing the WS2 nanosheets on the WO3, the photocurrent density increased substantially. The WO3/WS2-450 films after calcination showed a photocurrent density of 5.6 mA.cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. Ag/AgCl, which was 3.1 and 7.2 times higher, respectively than those of the WO3/WS2-90 before calcination and pure WO3. Mott-Schottky and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses confirmed the fabrication of the WO3/WS2 photoanode after calcination. The deposition of WS2 nanosheets onto pure WO3 increased the donor concentration (24-fold), reduced the space charge layer (4.6-fold), and decreased the flat band potential (1.6-fold), which could all help improve the photoelectrochemical efficiency. Moreover, the incorporation of WO3 with WS2 nanosheets as a 2D material (WO3/WS2-450) enhanced the incident photon current efficiency (IPCE) by 55%. In addition, the applied-bias photon-to-current conversion efficiency of the WO3/WS2-450 films was approximately 2.26% at 0.75 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), which is 5.6 and 9 times higher, respectively than those of WO3/WS2-90 and pure WO3.

Ag-doped BiVO4/BiFeO3 photoanode for highly efficient and stable photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting

In a conventional photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting system using BiVO₄ (BVO), most of the charge carriers have very sluggish photocatalysis reaction kinetics because they are easily recombined from the defects developed from the bulk or the surface of the photoanodes before reaching the fluorine-doped tin dioxide (FTO). Herein, we present a facile design and fabrication technique for a Ag-BVO/BiFeO₃ (BFO) heterostructure photoanode by Ag doping and surface passivation with BFO on the as-preparedBVO photoanode. Its photocatalytic properties for PEC water splitting and tetracycline (TC) degradation are compared to those of BVO/BFO, BVO, and Ag-BVO photocatalyst nanoparticle (NP) films. The effect of Ag-doping/BFO surface passivation on the morphological, structural, and optical properties and surface electronic structure of the as-obtainedBVO electrodes was investigated. The photocatalytic degradation of TC in aqueous solution by Ag-BVO/BFO was greatly increased (>1.5-fold) compared to that of BVO. The TC was completely photodegraded in 50 min of visible-light irradiation. The as-preparedAg-BVO/BFO heterojunction photoanode not only exhibited 4-fold higher PEC performance (0.72 mA cm^-2 vs. RHE) and stability than those of the pure BVO components, but also the onset potential in the Ag-BVO/BFO photoanode was cathodically shifted by 600 mV compared to that of the bare BVO. The Ag-BVO/BFO photoelectrode with the highest donor density and the lowest charge transfer resistance exhibited a 4.46-fold higher carrier density than that of the pure BVO photoelectrode. More specifically, the Mott-Schottky (MS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results demonstrated that the Ag-doping not only effectively increased the carrier charge density of BVO, thus increasing the consumption rate of charge carriers, but also increased the charge transfer and transport efficiencies of the BVO photoanodes.

P5660Clinical impact of polycythemia on cardiovascular outcome from the general population: a nationwide cohort study

Background

Although adverse effect of anemia had been reported, effect of polycythemia on cardiovascular outcome from the general population had not been revealed yet.

Methods

We included 451,107 subjects who received national health examinations from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-based National Sample Cohort from 2009–2013. Medical records were screened from January 2002 to investigate the subjects' disease-free baseline period. They were followed until December 2013. We divided male and female subjects into four categories each based on hemoglobin level (normal, moderate to severe and mild anemia, polycythemia) to assess each outcome.

Results

During 1,735,964 person·years, 12,107 major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), 862 incident acute myocardial infarction (MI), 5,850 incident ischemic stroke, and 2,430 incident atrial fibrillation (AF) were observed. Compared to normal hemoglobin range group, polycythemia group showed higher MACCE (HR=1.23 [1.12–1.35] in male, HR=1.79 [1.20–2.67] in female, each p<0.001), incident MI (HR=1.37 [1.05–1.79] in male, HR=3.46 [1.06–14.00] in female, each p<0.001), incident ischemic stroke (HR=1.27 [1.10–1.46] in male, HR=1.72 [1.02–2.91] in female, each p<0.001), and incident AF (HR=1.46 [1.21–1.74] in male, HR=2.13 [1.03–4.77] in female, each p<0.001). Each outcome was linearly increased with the increase of hemoglobin among subjects with polycythemia (p<0.001), and with the decrease of hemoglobin among subjects with anemia (each p<0.001, U-shaped relationship). These relationship was more profound in obese female younger than 60-year-old.

Conclusion

Not only anemia but also polycythemia were significantly associated with higher rate of MACCE including death, incident MI, ischemic stroke, and AF among the general population.

P3380Longitudinal assessment of coronary atherosclerosis according to baseline and changes of serum hemoglobin level

Introduction

Little is known regarding the impact of serum hemoglobin level changes (Δ hemoglobin) on coronary plaque volume. This study evaluated the association between Δ hemoglobin and coronary plaque volume change (PVC) using serial coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA).

Methods

A total of 830 subjects (61±10 years, 51.9% male) who underwent serial CCTA with available hemoglobin levels were analyzed from the Progression of AtheRosclerotic PlAque DetermIned by Computed TomoGraphic Angiography IMaging (PARADIGM) registry. The median inter-scan period was 3.2 (2.5 to 4.4) years. Quantitative assessment of coronary plaques was performed at both scans. All participants were stratified into four groups based on the quartile of baseline hemoglobin levels. Annualized PVC was defined as total PVC divided by inter-scan period. Plaque progression (PP) was defined as plaque volume at follow-up minus plaque volume at index >0.

Results

Baseline total plaque volume (mm3) was not different among all groups (group I [lowest]: 34.1 (0.0–127.4) vs. group II: 28.8 (0.0–123.0) vs. group III: 49.9 (5.6–135.0) vs. group IV [highest]: 34.3 (0.0–130.7); p=0.235). During follow-up, Δ hemoglobin was related to annualized PVC (β:−0.114; p=0.001) and PP (odds ratio: 0.868; 95% confidence interval: 0.770–0.978; p=0.020). Multiple linear regression models showed that Δ hemoglobin significantly impacted on annualized PVC in only the composite of I and II groups.

Conclusion

Based on serial CCTA findings, Δ hemoglobin independently impacted on coronary PVC in individuals with low to normal baseline hemoglobin level.

Sustainable hydrophilization to separate hazardous chlorine PVC from plastic wastes using H2O2/ultrasonic irrigation

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products comprise a large portion of plastic wastes and cause severe environmental burdens in thermal recycling such as toxic release and disposal difficulties. Selective separation methods for PVC containing hazardous chlorine are required for the development of suitable disposal or material recycling processes. However, separating PVC selectively from municipal plastic waste mixtures is difficult due to their similar hydrophobic surface and appearance densities. This study presents a one-step, selective separation technique for PVC using H₂O₂ solution under ultrasonic irrigation to promote the selective development of hydrophilicity only on the PVC surface. The combined treatment helped to decrease air bubbles attached on the PVC surface because of increased wettability, which allowed the treated PVC to settle on the bottom of the flotation reactor. However, the remaining plastic wastes were easily floated off because they maintained their hydrophobicity. The combined treatment with a low concentration of 3% H₂O₂ and ultrasonic irrigation for 30 min afforded 100% purity and recovery of the PVC separated from the municipal plastic waste mixture. This proposed treatment is therefore a promising and inexpensive way to improve plastic recycling quality through selective PVC separation by the selective development of hydrophilicity on its surface.

Correction to "Environmentally Sustainable Synthesis of CoFe2O4-TiO2/rGO Ternary Photocatalyst: A Highly Efficient and Stable Photocatalyst for High Production of Hydrogen (Solar Fuel)"

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b03221.].

Photolysis and photocatalysis of tetracycline by sonochemically heterojunctioned BiVO4/reduced graphene oxide under visible-light irradiation

The widespread use of antibiotics in pharmaceutical therapies and agricultural practice has led to severe environmental pollution. In this study, the simultaneous photolysis and photocatalysis behaviors of tetracycline (TC), one of the most frequently prescribed groups of antibiotics, were investigated using BiVO₄ (BVO) supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The resulting BVO/rGO nanocomposite (NC) showed prominent adsorption performance and photocatalytic ability under wide initial pH conditions (from acidic to alkaline: pH 2.5, 6.7, 9.2 and 10.5). This study analyzed the kinetics and proposed a mechanism for the photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of TC under visible light irradiation with BVO and BVO/rGO. The photolysis and photocatalytic degradation efficiency of TC was largely influenced by the solution pH and increased with increasing initial pH. The TC was stable without significant photolysis at pH 2.5, while TC photolysis increased up to 17% at pH 9.2. With further increase in the solution pH from 9.2 to 10.5, the light absorption of TC at 356 nm showed a red shift to 372 nm and new absorption peaks at around 533 nm were formed due to the formation of new colored intermediates. The photocatalytic degradation activities of TC by BVO/rGO under visible light irradiation reached 55, 67, 92 and 99% at initial pH 2.5, 6.7, 9.2 and 10.5, respectively. However, when using BVO only, the photocatalytic degradation of TC was 42, 61, 73 and 85% at pH 2.5, 6.7, 9.2 and 10.5, respectively. The great improvement of photocatalytic activity of BVO/rGO is attributed to the reduced particle size, increased adsorption ability of rGO, extended photo responding range of BVO, and efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers, which are derived from the ultimate coverage of the BVO by the rGO.

Environmentally Sustainable Synthesis of a CoFe2O4-TiO2/rGO Ternary Photocatalyst: A Highly Efficient and Stable Photocatalyst for High Production of Hydrogen (Solar Fuel)

Herein, a magnetically separable reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-supported CoFe₂O₄-TiO₂ photocatalyst was developed by a simple ultrasound-assisted wet impregnation method for efficient photocatalytic H₂ production. Integration of CoFe₂O₄ with TiO₂ induced the formation of Ti³⁺ sites that remarkably reduced the optical band gap of TiO₂ to 2.80 eV from 3.20 eV. Moreover, the addition of rGO improved the charge carrier separation by forming Ti-C bonds. Importantly, the CoFe₂O₄-TiO₂/rGO photocatalyst demonstrated significantly enhanced photocatalytic H₂ production compared to that from its individual counterparts such as TiO₂ and CoFe₂O₄-TiO₂, respectably. A maximum H₂ production rate of 76 559 μmol g^-1 h^-1 was achieved with a 20 wt % CoFe₂O₄- and 1 wt % rGO-loaded TiO₂ photocatalyst, which was approximately 14-fold enhancement when compared with the bare TiO₂. An apparent quantum yield of 12.97% at 400 nm was observed for the CoFe₂O₄-TiO₂/rGO photocatalyst under optimized reaction conditions. This remarkable enhancement can be attributed to synergistically improved charge carrier separation through Ti³⁺ sites and rGO support, viz., Ti-C bonds. The recyclability of the photocatalyst was ascertained over four consecutive cycles, indicating the stability of the photocatalyst. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the photocatalyst could be easily separated after the reaction using a simple magnet. Thus, we believe that this study may open a new way to prepare low-cost, noble-metal-free magnetic materials with TiO₂ for sustainable photocatalytic H₂ production.

pH-Dependent photocatalytic performance of modified bismuth vanadate by bismuth ferrite

The photoelectrochemical performance of bismuth vanadate (BVO) improved by a thin layer of bismuth ferrite (BFO).

Sonochemical-driven ultrafast facile synthesis of WO3 nanoplates with controllable morphology and oxygen vacancies for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Among the various synthetic techniques, the sonochemical method has emerged as an interesting method for fabricating different photocatalysis materials with unique photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties. In comparison with the classical method without sonication, this study examines the promoting effect of ultrasonic irradiation during the synthesis of tungsten oxide (WO₃) nanoplates within short reaction times (15 and 30 min). The shorter ultrasonic reaction time (15 min) was sufficient for the uniform growth of thin and compact layers of WO₃ nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of a tungsten foil. In the classical method, however, partial cracks or patches formed when WO₃ samples underwent acid treatment for either 15 min or 30 min at 90° C. The WO₃ nanoplates fabricated with 15- or 30-min sonication followed by 15- or 30-min deposition (U-15/30-15/30) showed much higher photocurrent density than the WO₃ samples fabricated with the classical method without sonication (C-15/30) at 90 °C. The as-prepared monoclinic WO₃ with 30-min ultrasonication and 30-min deposition (U-30/30) showed a maximum photocurrent density of ∼6.51 mA/cm² under simulated solar light at 1.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl, which was 2.12- to 2.93-fold higher than that of the two classical samples. The ultrasonic samples exhibited extraordinarily high stability for water oxidation by maintaining 98% of their initial photoactivity for 2200 sec, as compared to the low stability (66-61%) of both classical samples. The WO₃ nanoplates prepared by sonication method had many advantages, such as facile synthetic route, compact, porous and uniform nanoplate morphology, decreased electron-hole pairs recombination rate and controlled oxygen vacancies for greatly enhanced PEC water splitting performance and stability over extended time.

Ternary cross-coupled nanohybrid for high-efficiency 1H-benzo[d]imidazole chemisorption

1H-Benzo[d]imidazole (BMA) has been considered as an emerging pharmaceutical organic contaminant, leading to the increasing BMA detection in wastewaters and need to be removed from ecosystem. This study investigated a highly synergistic BMA chemisorption using a novel ternary cross-coupled nanohybrid [γ-APTES]-Fe₃O₄@PAN@rGO. Magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) were in situ core-shell co-precipitated with polyacrylonitrile polymer (PAN). Then, the prepared Fe₃O₄@PAN was decorated on hexagonal arrays of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) inside the framework of γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane ([γ-APTES]). The final nanohybrid [γ-APTES]-Fe₃O₄@PAN@rGO produced adjacent inter-fringe distances of 0.2-0.4 nm corresponded well to (111), (220), and (311) parallel sub-lattices with two oblique intersections at 90° right angle and 60° triangle. The BMA adsorption was favorable in neutral pH 7, aroused temperature (50 °C), and controlled by endothermic process. The identified maximum adsorption capacity of 221.73 mg g^-1 was 30% higher than the reported adsorbents. The adsorption mechanisms include ion exchange, hydrogen bond, dipole-dipole force, π-conjugation, electrostatic, and hydrophobic interaction. Graphical abstract The synthetic route of novel nanohybrid [γ-APTES]-Fe₃O₄@PAN@rGO was investigated. After BMA adsorption, the adsorbent surface was entirely changed, thus an efficiently facile magnetic separation within 8s. [γ-APTES]-Fe₃O₄@PAN@rGO formed different oblique intersections of 60° and 90° sub-lattices.

Methanol-dispersed of ternary Fe3O4@γ-APS/graphene oxide-based nanohybrid for novel removal of benzotriazole from aqueous solution

A novel nanohybrid: Fe₃O₄ coated with γ-APS polymer deposited on graphene oxide (F@γ-A/G), to remove an emergent heterocyclic contaminant benzotriazole (BTA) from solution. F@γ-A/G was synthesized in methanol-dispersion via aminosilanization under ultra-sonication. We newly found that F@γ-A/G crystallite lattice has a 2D triangular-network intersection with angle of 60° in three types of d₃₁₁, d₂₂₀ and d₁₁₁ planes with different interplanar spacings. Textural characteristics did not affect BTA adsorption, which was desired at high temperature (40 °C), neutral solution (pH = 6) and controlled by endothermic process. Considering the maximum BTA adsorption capacity of 312.5 mg/g, which was much higher than previously reported adsorbents, the plausible mechanism was attributed to hydrophobic, electrostatic and π-π interaction. Effects of pH and temperature are significant on BTA adsorption to F@γ-A/G. Methanol was the best solvent for multiple cycle regeneration with only 2% loss of BTA removal efficiency even after five cycles of F@γ-A/G.

Novel fabrication of a robust superhydrophobic PU@ZnO@Fe3O4@SA sponge and its application in oil-water separations

We report a novel superhydrophobic material based on commercially available polyurethane (PU) sponge with high porosity, low density and good elasticity. The fabrication of a superhydrophobic sponge capable of efficiently separating oil from water was achieved by imitating or mimicking nature's designs. The original PU sponge was coated with zinc oxide (ZnO), stearic acid (SA) and iron oxide particles (Fe3O4) via a facile and environmentally friendly method. After each treatment, the properties of the modified sponge were characterized, and the changes in wettability were examined. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements confirmed the excellent superhydrophobicity of the material withhigh static WCA of 161° andlow dynamic WCA (sliding WCA of 7° and shedding WCA of 8°). The fabricated sponge showed high efficiency in separation (over 99%) of different oils from water. Additionally, the fabricated PU@ZnO@Fe3O4@SA sponge could be magnetically guided to quickly absorb oil floating on the water surface. Moreover, the fabricated sponge showed excellent stability and reusability in terms of superhydrophobicity and oil absorption capacity. The durable, magnetic and superhydrophobic properties of the fabricated sponge render it applicable to the cleanup of marine oil spills and other oil-water separation issues, with eco-friendly recovery of the oil by simple squeezing process.

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in a Patient with Cardiac Arrest after Glyphosate-Surfactant Herbicide Poisoning

Intractable hypotension is a major cause of death after glyphosate-surfactant herbicide poisoning. However, there is no specific treatment besides conservative care. Herein, we report a patient poisoned by glyphosate-surfactant herbicide experiencing cardiac arrest but was successfully resuscitated and treated with continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF). The 60-year-old patient was brought to our emergency department after ingesting glyphosate-surfactant herbicide. He developed pulmonary oedema, severe metabolic acidosis (pH 6.960), and hyperkalaemia (serum potassium 8.8 mmol/L). Although he experienced cardiac arrest for about 12 minutes, the use of CVVHDF improved the metabolic acidosis and hyperkalaemia, and finally stabilised his vital signs. He regained an alert mental state after therapeutic hypothermia. CVVHDF, which is a better tolerated renal replacement therapy than haemodialysis in haemodynamically unstable patients, should be considered in glyphosate-surfactant poisoned patients of intractable hypotension with severe metabolic acidosis or hyperkalaemia.

Low intensity-ultrasonic irradiation for highly efficient, eco-friendly and fast synthesis of graphene oxide

High quality graphene oxide (GO) with low layer number (less than five layers) and large inter-layer space was produced via a new and efficient method using environmentally friendly, fast and economic ultrasonic radiation. The ultrasonic method neither generated any toxic gas nor required any NaNO₃, which have been the main drawbacks of the Hummers methods. The major obstacles of the recently reported improved Hummers method for GO synthesis, such as high reaction temperature (50°C) and long reaction time (12h), were successfully solved using a low intensity-ultrasonic bath for 45min at 30°C, which significantly reduced the reaction time and energy consumption for GO synthesis. Furthermore, ultrasonic GO exhibited higher surface area, higher crystallinity and higher oxidation efficiency with many hydrophilic groups, fewer sheets with higher spaces between them, a higher sp³/sp² ratio, and more uniform size distribution than classically prepared GO. Therefore, the new ultrasonic method could be applicable for the sustainable and large-scale production of GO. The production yield of the ultrasonic-assisted GO was 1.25-fold greater than the GO synthesized with the improved Hummers method. Furthermore, the required production cost based on total energy consumption for ultrasonic GO was only 6.5% of that for classical GO.

Selective separation of ABS/PC containing BFRs from ABSs mixture of WEEE by developing hydrophilicity with ZnO coating under microwave treatment

This study reports a simple and facile method to separate plastic wastes of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and ABS-based plastics (blends of ABS) in waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) by froth flotation after inducing hydrophilization by ZnO coating under microwave treatment. ABS-based plastics containing brominated flame retardants (BFRs) can release hazardous substances, such as hydrogen bromide and brominated dioxins, during disposal or recycling activities. ABS and ABS-based plastics are typical styrene plastics with similar properties and it is, therefore, difficult to separate them selectively for recycling. We used 2-min microwave treatment to rearrange and change the molecular mobility on the surface of the ZnO-coated ABS with increased hydrophilic surfaces, which eased the selective separation of the ABS/polycarbonate (PC) blend containing BFRs from the remaining plastics. Therefore, the combined ZnO coating and microwave treatments can facilitate the selective separation of ABS/PC blend plastics with a recovery and purity of 100% and 91.7%, respectively, in a short flotation time of 2min. Based on these findings, the combination of ZnO coating-microwave treatment and froth flotation can be applied for the selective separation of ABS-based plastics, leading to improved plastic recycling quality.

Performance of the simplified acute physiology score III in acute organophosphate poisoning: A retrospective observational study

The performances of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II and simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II have previously been evaluated in acute organophosphate poisoning. We aimed to compare the performance of the SAPS III with those of the APACHE II and SAPS II, as well as to identify the best tool for predicting case fatality using the standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) in acute organophosphate poisoning. A retrospective analysis of organophosphate poisoning was conducted. The APACHE II, SAPS II, and SAPS III were calculated within 24 h of admission. Discrimination was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The SMRs were calculated as 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In total, 100 cases of organophosphate poisoning were included. The in-hospital case fatality was 19%. The median scores of the APACHE II, SAPS II, and SAPS III were 20.0 (10.0–27.0), 41.0 (28.0–54.8), and 53.0 (36.3–68.8), respectively. The AUROCs were not significantly different among the APACHE II (0.815; 95% CI, 0.712–0.919), SAPS II (0.820; 95% CI, 0.719–0.912), and SAPS III (0.850; 95% CI, 0.763–0.936). Based on these scores and in-hospital case fatality, the SMRs for the APACHE II, SAPS II, and SAPS III were 1.01 (95% CI, 0.50–2.72), 1.01 (95% CI, 0.54 -2.78), and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.33–1.99), respectively. The SAPS III provided a good discrimination and satisfactory calibration in acute organophosphate poisoning. It was therefore a useful tool in predicting case fatality in acute organophosphate poisoning, similar to the APACHE II and SAPS II.

Great improvement on tetracycline removal using ZnO rod-activated carbon fiber composite prepared with a facile microwave method

New composite materials of activated carbon fiber (ACF) coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) were obtained by applying a green, cost-effective and rapid synthetic route using a commercial microwave oven. ZnO rods with a uniform and stable structure and an average diameter of 0.3-0.5μm and length of 1.0-1.5μm were achieved after only 3-min microwave treatment. The properties of ZnO were efficiently transferred to ACF, such that the resulting material, termed ZnO rod-ACF, demonstrated a promising potential as an efficient photocatalyst and simultaneously as an adsorbent. Pharmaceutical tetracycline at a concentration of 40mg/L was used to evaluate the organic pollutant removal capacity of the synthesized materials. At pH 8, ZnO rod-ACF exhibited excellent removal capacity (over 99%) and mineralization (90.7%) of tetracycline in aqueous solution within 1h under UV irradiation. The stability of ZnO rod-ACF was maintained and the mineralization of tetracycline was also maintained at 81.35% after multiple usage cycles. The photodegradation pathways of tetracycline were proposed based on the identified reaction intermediates.

Development of hydrophobicity and selective separation of hazardous chlorinated plastics by mild heat treatment after PAC coating and froth flotation

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) containing chlorine can release highly toxic materials and persistent organic pollutants if improperly disposed of. The combined technique of powder activated carbon (PAC) coating and mild heat treatment has been found to selectively change the surface hydrophobicity of PVC, enhancing its wettability and thereby promoting its separation from heavy plastic mixtures included polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) by means of froth flotation. The combined treatments helped to rearrange the surface components and make PVC more hydrophobic, while the remaining plastics became more hydrophilic. After the treatments at 150°C for 80s the contact angle of the PVC was greatly increased from 90.5 to 97.9°. The SEM and AFM reveal that the surface morphology and roughness changes on the PVC surface. XPS and FT-IR results further confirmed an increase of hydrophobic functional groups on the PVC surface. At the optimized froth flotation and subsequent mixing at 150rpm, 100% of PVC was recovered from the remaining plastic mixture with 93.8% purity. The combined technique can provide a simple and effective method for the selective separation of PVC from heavy plastics mixtures to facilitate easy industrial recycling.