Publications by authors named "Mei-Qiang Cai"

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor after the corresponding author pointed the Editor to comments from an anonymous reader. The article reports electron micrographs of different preparations while showing identical images as used in previous publications by the same authors. The particles in Fig.

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Enhancing activated sludge dewaterability is of scientific and engineering importance in the face of accelerated urbanization and stringent environmental regulations. In this study, we investigated the integration of acidification and ultrasound (A/US) treatment for improving sludge dewaterability at both bench- and pilot-scales. Our results showed that the A/US process exhibited significantly improved sludge dewatering performance, characterized by capillary suction time, cake moisture, and water/solid content of sludge cake.

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Bimetallic oxide CuFeO as a new heterogeneous catalyst has shown much higher catalytic ability for activating peroxide than single-metal oxides. The present work demonstrated a synergistic microwave (MW) enhanced Fenton-like process with CuFeO for rapid decolorization of azo dye Orange G (OG). The MW irradiation dramatically enhanced the OG degradation efficiency, achieving 99.

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A planar graphene oxide-based magnetic ionic liquid nanomaterial (PGO-MILN) was synthesized. The prepared PGO-MILN was characterized by transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). The results of adsorption experiments showed that the PGO-MILN had great adsorption capacity for 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6-TeCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP).

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A new facile, rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive method for the analysis of six trace trichlorophenols in seawater samples was developed by magnetic micro-solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Core-shell covalently functionalized ferroferric oxide coated with aminated silicon dioxide and decorated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes was applied as an adsorbent to perform the extraction process. The effect of factors including solution pH, contact time, adsorbent amount, and ionic strength were investigated in detail.

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In this study, graphene oxide-encapsulated core-shell magnetic microspheres (GOE-CS-MM) were fabricated by a self-assemble approach between positive charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA)-modified Fe3O4@SiO2 and negative charged GO sheets via electrostatic interaction. The as-prepared GOE-CS-MM was carefully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer analysis (VSM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and was used as a cleanup adsorbent in magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) for determination of 15 trace-level environmental phenols in seafood coupled to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The obtained results showed that the GOE-CS-MM exhibited excellent cleanup efficiency and could availably reduce the matrix effect.

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Microcystins (MCs), a group of cyclic heptapeptide heaptoxins and tumor promoters, are generated by cyanobacteria occurring in surface waters, such as eutrophic lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. In this present study, a novel double-sided magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer modified graphene oxide (DS-MMIP@GO) based magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method was developed for fast, effective and selective enrichment, and recognition of trace MCs in environmental water samples combined with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The synthesized novel DS-MMIP@GO was used as the adsorbents in this work and was carefully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectra.

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A novel planar-structure amine-functional magnetic polymer modified graphene oxide nanocomposite (NH2-MP@GO) was synthesized. The properties were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). The obtained adsorption results showed that the NH2-MP@GO had great adsorptive ability toward five chlorophenols (CPs), including 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6-TeCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP).

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In this work, the decolorization of azo dye Orange G (OG) in aqueous solution by aluminum powder enhanced by ultrasonic irradiation (AlP-UI) was investigated. The effects of various operating operational parameters such as the initial pH, initial OG concentration, AlP dosage, ultrasound power and added hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration were studied. The results showed that the decolorization rate was enhanced when the aqueous OG was irradiated simultaneously by ultrasound in the AlP-acid systems.

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A novel amphiphilic polymeric ionic liquid membrane containing a hydrophilic bromide anion and a hydrophobic carbonyl group was synthesized in dimethylformamide (DMF) systems using the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide (BVImBr) and the methylmethacrylate (MMA) as monomers. The prepared amphiphilic ploy-methylmethacrylate-1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide (MMA-BVImBr) was characterized by a scanning electron microscope and an infrared spectrum instrument. The results of solid-phase micro-extraction membrane (SPMM) experiments showed that the adsorption capacity of membrane was about 0.

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A novel liquid chromatography-atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-APCI/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of four sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids (wilfortrine, wilfordine, wilforgine and wilforine) in human plasma. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Shim-pack XR-ODS column using an ammonium acetate buffer solution-acetonitrile in a gradient program. The detection was achieved by an ion trap mass spectrometry in the positive selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode.

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Measurement of indandione rodenticides is important in the diagnosis and treatment of accidental rodenticide ingestion. Current assays lack effective measurements for simultaneous analysis of the indandiones, especially the isomers. The intent of this study was to establish a novel and selective method for the simultaneous determination of indandione-type rodenticides (diphacinone, chlorophacinone, valone, and pindone) in human serum by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

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This paper describes a simple method for the simultaneous determination and confirmation of the indandione rodenticides in serum. After samples were extracted with 10% (v/v) methanol in acetonitrile and cleaned by solid-phase extraction, chromatographic separation was performed on an IonPac AS11 analytical column (250 x 4.0 mm) using gradient KOH eluent with 10% (v/v) methanol as organic modifier.

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Valone is a chronic anticoagulant rodenticide that has come into wide use in China. Current literature lacks analytical methods for the determination of valone. In this paper, a sensitive and selective assay was established for the identification and quantification of valone in serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

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Valone has a chronic and toxic anticoagulant rodenticide that has widely used in China and has resulted in some accidental and intentional intoxication in recent years. The literature reported so far lacks sensitive and selective method for the confirmation of valone. The purpose of this study was to establish a novel assay for the identification and quantification of valone in serum by ion chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (IC-MS/MS).

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A sensitive method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of triptolide, tripdiolide, and tripterine in human serum using hydrocortisone as an internal standard (IS). After triptolide, tripdiolide, and tripterine in human serum were extracted with ethyl acetate, the extracts were separated on an XDB C(18) column (30 mm x 2.1-mm i.

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The effect of ultrasound on the leaching process, in which Geniposide is leached from the Gardenia fruit by deionized water at 20 degrees C, was investigated. The phase equilibrium and the dynamics were measured at static, stirring, and ultrasonically assisted conditions, respectively. The experimental results show that the extraction yield of Geniposide with ultrasound at 0.

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