Evaluation of Performance and Stability of a Gel-Type Polymer Sorbent for Recovery of Phosphate from Waste Streams.

Phosphorus (P) fertilizer is an essential component of our food system with the majority of all mined P rock processed to make mineral fertilizers. Globally however P rock stocks are declining-both in quality and quantity-with poor P management creating a linear economic system where P is mined, globally redistributed into products and eventually discharged into the environment leading to eutrophication. To enable establishment of a circular P economy, whereby P can be recovered from waste for its industrial reuse, requires the development of effective P recovery technologies.

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer with a methacrylate derivative monomer for the isolation of ethyl -methoxycinnamate as an active compound from L. extracts.

rhizome is traditionally used as a treatment for various diseases. Ethyl -methoxycinnamate (EPMC), which constitutes up to 31.77% of the total essential oil, is the main/marker compound.

A High-Throughput Experimental Approach to Screening Gas Sorption by Liquids and Solids.

High-precision measurement of gas uptake from single or mixed feeds in solid and liquid sorbents traditionally requires time-consuming experimental procedures and/or complex and costly equipment. A simple and cost-effective headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) approach for the fast, universal experimental screening of sorbents for gas uptake and/or determination of their real gas separation selectivity has been developed and is demonstrated for pressures up to 2500 mbar and temperatures above 30 °C. This method allows screening of solids and both volatile and nonvolatile liquid materials, physisorbents, and chemisorbents using both single and mixed permanent gases that can include CO, CH, H, and NH, for gas uptakes as low as 0.

Quantifying OH radical generation in hydrodynamic cavitation via coumarin dosimetry: Influence of operating parameters and cavitation devices.

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) has been extensively investigated for effluent treatment applications. Performance of HC devices or processes is often reported in terms of degradation of organic pollutants rather than quantification of hydroxyl (OH) radicals. In this study, generation of OH radicals in vortex based cavitation device using coumarin dosimetry was quantified.

Atropselective synthesis of -aryl pyridones dynamic kinetic resolution enabled by non-covalent interactions.

The dynamic kinetic resolution of C-N atropisomeric pyridones was achieved asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis, exploiting a rotational barrier-lowering hydrogen bond in the starting materials. X-ray and NMR experiments revealed the presence of a barrier-raising ground state CH⋯π interaction in the product, supported by DFT calculations. A co-crystal of the quinidine-derived phase-transfer catalyst and substrate reveals key substrate-catalyst non-covalent interactions.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) by the addition of HO.

Photocatalytic remediation technology has been shown to be a favorable approach for the removal of a range of environmental pollutants in water treatment. While this approach can often achieve complete degradation, often overlooked are reaction intermediates that are potentially as harmful as the original parent compound. In the case of photocatalytic oxidation of the herbicide 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), we have recently shown that 4-chloro-2-methylphenol (CMP) is formed as the primary intermediate.

Stoichiometric molecular imprinting using polymerisable urea and squaramide receptors for the solid phase extraction of organo-arsenic compound roxarsone.

The design, preparation and evaluation of molecularly imprinted polymers for roxarsone (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylarsonic acid), an organo-arsenic swine and poultry feed additive, using bi-substituted ureas and squaramide receptors as the functional monomers, are demonstrated. Pre-polymerisation studies of the template-monomer complexation performed by H NMR experiments show that squaramide-based monomers provide association equilibrium constant values higher than urea-based monomers. Equilibrium rebinding experiments in methanol show that two squaramide-based materials have good molecular recognition properties towards roxarsone, with high affinity (K = 16.

The potential for polyphosphate metabolism in Archaea and anaerobic polyphosphate formation in Methanosarcina mazei.

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is ubiquitous across all forms of life, but the study of its metabolism has been mainly confined to bacteria and yeasts. Few reports detail the presence and accumulation of polyP in Archaea, and little information is available on its functions and regulation. Here, we report that homologs of bacterial polyP metabolism proteins are present across the major taxa in the Archaea, suggesting that archaeal populations may have a greater contribution to global phosphorus cycling than has previously been recognised.

Molecularly imprinted 'traps' for sulfonylureas prepared using polymerisable ion pairs.

A novel approach towards recognition of sulfonylureas based on a polymerisable ion pair is presented. A solution association constant >10 M between the model target glibenclamide and 4-vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium methacrylate is measured, and the formation of 1 : 1 complexes verified. Subsequently prepared stoichiometrically imprinted polymers exhibit exceptionally high affinity and binding capacity for glibenclamide, owing to synergistic binding of both the neutral and deprotonated form of the drug by the ion pair monomer.

Evolutionary clade affects resistance of Clostridium difficile spores to Cold Atmospheric Plasma.

Clostridium difficile is a spore forming bacterium and the leading cause of colitis and antibiotic associated diarrhoea in the developed world. Spores produced by C. difficile are robust and can remain viable for months, leading to prolonged healthcare-associated outbreaks with high mortality.

Biological Phosphorus Removal During High-Rate, Low-Temperature, Anaerobic Digestion of Wastewater.

We report, for the first time, extensive biologically mediated phosphate removal from wastewater during high-rate anaerobic digestion (AD). A hybrid sludge bed/fixed-film (packed pumice stone) reactor was employed for low-temperature (12°C) anaerobic treatment of synthetic sewage wastewater. Successful phosphate removal from the wastewater (up to 78% of influent phosphate) was observed, mediated by biofilms in the reactor.

Stoichiometric molecularly imprinted polymers for the recognition of anti-cancer pro-drug tegafur.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) targeting tegafur, an anti-cancer 5-fluorouracil pro-drug, have been prepared by stoichiometric imprinting using 2,6-bis(acrylamido)pyridine (BAAPy) as the functional monomer. Solution association between tegafur and BAAPy was studied by (1)H NMR titration, which confirmed the formation of 1:1 complexes with an affinity constant of 574±15M(-1) in CDCl3. Evaluation of the synthesised materials by HPLC and equilibrium rebinding experiments revealed high selectivity of the imprinted polymer for the pro-drug vs.

Advanced Materials for the Recognition and Capture of Whole Cells and Microorganisms.

Selective cell recognition and capture has recently attracted significant interest due to its potential importance for clinical, diagnostic, environmental, and security applications. Current methods for cell isolation from complex samples are largely dependent on cell size and density, with limited application scope as many of the target cells do not exhibit appreciable differences in this respect. The most recent and forthcoming developments in the area of selective recognition and capture of whole cells, based on natural receptors, as well as synthetic materials utilising physical and chemical properties of the target cell or microorganism, are highlighted.

Polymorphism in sulfadimidine/4-aminosalicylic acid cocrystals: solid-state characterization and physicochemical properties.

Polymorphism of crystalline drugs is a common phenomenon. However, the number of reported polymorphic cocrystals is very limited. In this work, the synthesis and solid-state characterization of a polymorphic cocrystal composed of sulfadimidine (SD) and 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA) is reported for the first time.

Artificial receptors for the extraction of nucleoside metabolite 7-methylguanosine from aqueous media made by molecular imprinting.

A series of imprinted polymers targeting nucleoside metabolites, prepared using a template analogue approach, are presented. These were prepared following selection of the optimum functional monomer by solution association studies using (1)H NMR titrations whereby methacrylic acid was shown to be the strongest receptor with and affinity constant of 621±51Lmol(-1)vs. 110±16Lmol(-1) for acrylamide.

Molecularly imprinted polymers for the isolation of bioactive naphthoquinones from plant extracts.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) targeting shikonin, a potent antioxidant and wound healing agent, have been prepared using methacrylic acid (MAA) and 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) as functional monomers. An investigation of solution association between shikonin and both acidic and basic functional monomers by UV-vis titrations, suggested stronger affinity towards the basic functionality. Strong inhibition of the co-polymerisation reaction of such basic monomers was observed, but was overcome by reduction of the amount of template used during polymer synthesis.

Synthesis of caffeic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid molecularly imprinted polymers and their application for the selective extraction of polyphenols from olive mill waste waters.

Using caffeic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid as templates, two molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared that were used for isolation of polyphenols from olive mill waste water samples (OMWWs) without previous pre-treatment. For the preparation of the caffeic acid MIPs 4-vinylpyridine, allylurea, allylaniline and methacrylic acid were tested as functional monomers, ethylene glycol dimethylacrylate (EDMA), pentaerythritol trimethylacrylate (PETRA) and divinylbenzene 80 (DVB80) as cross-linkers and tetrahydrofuran as porogen. For p-hydroxybenzoic acid 4-vinylpyridine, allylurea and allylaniline were tested as functional monomers, EDMA and PETRA as cross-linkers and acetonitrile as porogen.

Polymeric receptors for the recognition of folic acid and related compounds via substructure imprinting.

A range of 2-acrylamidopyridines, showing subtle differences in solution binding toward carboxylic acids, has been investigated as functional monomers in molecular imprinting. Imprinting of N-Z-L-glutamic acid with one such monomer is shown to be effective in the creation of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) with recognition properties for its template and also for larger molecules containing glutamic acid residues. In comparison to a MIP prepared via a more "traditional" approach, the new polymeric receptors exhibit reduced nonspecific binding.

Improved imide receptors by imprinting using pyrimidine-based fluorescent reporter monomers.

[reaction: see text] Optically responsive receptors toward imides based on 6-substituted 2,4-bis(acrylamido)pyrimidines are presented. The monomers were readily prepared in good yield. Solution binding to 1-benzyluracil (BU) monitored by 1H NMR appeared lower than a previously reported pyridine-based monomer.

Urea host monomers for stoichiometric molecular imprinting of oxyanions.

A series of urea-based vinyl monomers was synthesized and investigated for their ability to function as polymerizable hosts for the molecular imprinting of N-Z-D- or L-glutamic acid in polar media (DMSO or DMF). The monomers were synthesized in one step from a polymerizable isocyanate and a nonpolymerizable amine or vice versa, with yields typically over 70%. Prior to polymerization their solution binding properties vis-a-vis tetrabutylammonium benzoate in DMSO were investigated by 1H NMR, UV-vis and fluorescence monitored titrations.

An enantioselective imprinted receptor for Z-glutamate exhibiting a binding induced color change.

Using 1-(4-styryl)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)urea as host monomer for the imprinting of Z-(D or L)-Glu, a polymeric receptor exhibiting strong enantioselectivity and a change in color intensity upon binding of the guest was obtained.

A substructure approach toward polymeric receptors targeting dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors. 2. Molecularly imprinted polymers against Z-l-glutamic acid showing affinity for larger molecules.

The preparation of a molecularly imprinted polymer against N-Z-L-glutamic acid using a novel bis-urea functional monomer is described. The polymer exhibits affinity for the template over N-Z-protected aspartic acid and glycine and, further, is capable of binding larger molecules, e.g.