Dissecting the effects of co-exposure to microplastics and sulfamethoxazole on anaerobic digestion.

Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotics are frequently and simultaneously detected in sewage and sludge, raising global concerns in recent years. However, their combined effects on anaerobic digestion (AD) remain unclear. Herein, we evaluated the effects of the combinations of different MPs (i.

Variations in antibiotic resistance genes during long-term operation of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been widely detected in the environment. Anaerobic digestion (AD) has the potential ability to remove ARGs, and a comprehensive study is needed on the variations in ARGs during AD. In this study, variations in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial communities were investigated during the long-term operation of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor.

Effect of antibiotic mixtures on the characteristics of soluble microbial products and microbial communities in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket.

Two upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors (UASBs) were used to investigate the effects of three antibiotic mixtures (erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline) on reactor performance, soluble microbial products (SMPs) composition and microbial community. One reactor (UASB) was fed with antibiotic mixtures, whereas another reactor (UASB) was used as a control without the addition of antibiotic mixtures. Compared with those in UASB, UASB show lower chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency and biogas content.

Defect Engineering: Electron-Exchange Integral Manipulation to Generate a Large Magnetocaloric Effect in NiMnCoSn Alloys.

A promising magnetocaloric effect has been obtained in Ni-(Co)-Mn-X (X = Sn, In, Sb)-based Heusler alloys, but the low isothermal magnetic entropy change Δ restricts the further promotion of such materials. Defect engineering is a useful method to modulate magnetic performance and shows great potential in improving the magnetocaloric effect. In this work, dense Ni vacancies are introduced in NiMnCoSn alloys by employing high-energy electron irradiation to adjust the magnetic properties.

High-Pressure and High-Temperature Synthesis and Pressure-Induced Simultaneous Optimization of the Electrical and Thermal Transport Properties of Nonstoichiometric TiO.

We developed suitable high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) conditions for improvement of the thermoelectric properties of nonstoichiometric TiO. X-ray diffraction, scanning transmission microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet spectral measurements demonstrate that the crystal structures and microstructures are strongly modulated by our HPHT. The electrical properties and thermal conductivity are improved simultaneously by raising the reactive sintering pressure.