Solar-Driven Multistage Device Integrating Dropwise Condensation and Guided Water Transport for Efficient Freshwater and Salt Collection.

Interfacial solar vapor generation (ISVG) is an emerging technology to alleviate the global freshwater crisis. However, high-cost, low freshwater collection rate, and salt-blockage issues significantly hinder the practical application of solar-driven desalination devices based on ISVG. Herein, with a low-cost copper plate (CP), nonwoven fabric (NWF), and insulating ethylene-vinyl acetate foam (EVA foam), a multistage device is elaborately fabricated for highly efficient simultaneous freshwater and salt collection.

In vitro hepatic metabolism of polychlorinated biphenyls with different chlorine-substituted structures in rats and humans: Kinetics, metabolism, and potential nuclear receptor affinities.

In this study, the biotransformation behavior and potential nuclear receptor affinities of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with different chlorine-substituted structures (PCB 77/110/136/174) were explored using human and rat liver microsomes (HLM and RLM). The rate constants (k) of PCBs showed the variations in the order patterns for the HLM (PCB 136 > PCB 110 > PCB 174 > PCB 77) and RLM (PCB 110 > PCB 136 > PCB 174 > PCB 77). However, studied PCBs showed similar metabolite profiles and enantioselective of PCBs between HLM and RLM.

A Composite Fabric with Dual Functions for High-Performance Water Purification.

The dilemma of diminishing freshwater resources caused by water pollution has always impacted human life. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology has the potential for freshwater production via solar-driven distillation. However, in solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology, it is difficult to overcome the problem of wastewater containing various contaminants.

A flexible and biocompatible bombyx mori silk fibroin/wool keratin composite scaffold with interconnective porous structure.

The paper describes the preparation of a porous bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF)/wool keratin (WK) composite scaffold with mimic structure and function for cartilage tissue engineering. A porous composite scaffold made from SF/WK in an appropriate concentration and mass ratio was prepared using a freeze-drying technique. Results showed that the composite scaffolds are water-insoluble; possess good mechanical properties, porosity above 80%, and pore size above 200 μm.

Simultaneous determination of compound-specific isotopic compositions of acyclic isoprenoids and n-alkanes in light crude oil.

Stable carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios of individual n-alkanes and acyclic isoprenoids are important tools in petroleum geochemistry. However, the analysis requires baseline separation and peak profiles using gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry to obtain accurate compound-specific isotope data. Time-consuming isolation or purification is typically conducted to separate the compounds to avoid co-elution with other compounds or matrices in crude oils.

Mechanistic Aspects Regarding the Ultraviolet Degradation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Different Media: Insights from Carbon and Chlorine Isotope Fractionation.

In this study, the carbon and chlorine isotope fractionation during ultraviolet-photolysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, including PCB18, PCB77, PCB110, and PCB138) in n-hexane (Hex), methanol/water (MeOH/HO), and silica gel was first investigated to explore their mechanistic processes. We observed a significant variation in Λ (ε/ε) for the same PCBs in different photochemical systems, implying that PCB degradation processes in various photoreaction systems could differ. Although all substrates showed normal apparent carbon/chlorine kinetic isotope effects (C-/Cl-AKIE >1), the putative inverse C-AKIE of nondechlorinated pathways was suggested by C depletion of the average carbon isotope composition of PCB138 and corresponding dechlorinated products in MeOH/HO, which might originate from the magnetic isotope effect.

Probing Legacy and Alternative Flame Retardants in the Air of Chinese Cities.

An increasing number of alternative flame retardants (FRs) are being introduced, following the international bans on the use of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) commercial mixtures. FRs' production capacity has shifted from developed countries to developing countries, with China being the world's largest producer and consumer of FRs. These chemicals are also imported with e-waste to China.

Characterisation of copal resin and amber by negative-ion electrospray ionisation Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

Copal resin and amber from Columbia were analysed by negative-ion electrospray ionisation (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), with particular focus on polar compounds with relatively high molecular weights. A total of 4038 and 2755 compounds were identified between m/z 150 and 1,000 in the spectra of the copal resin and amber DCM extracts, respectively. The CHO classes were the most abundant species in the detected polar compounds.

Chlorine and Bromine Isotope Analysis of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Using Gas Chromatography-Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

A compound-specific chlorine/bromine isotope analysis (Cl-/Br-CSIA) method was developed using gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are toxic to human health and are frequently detected in various abiotic and biotic media. For PCB congeners, the molecular ion method for a concentration of 0.5-10.

Observable carbon isotope fractionation in the photodegradation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers by simulated sunlight.

In the present study, carbon isotope effects were investigated during the photodegradation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA). Five PBDE congeners (BDE 85, 99, 100, 153 and 154) in n-hexane were individually exposed to simulated sunlight for as long as 15 h, except for BDE 100 (24 h). Consecutive debromination of PBDE by photolysis in n-hexane was confirmed by the clear C enrichment of mother congeners and successive depletion of δC values for the photodegradation products with decreasing degree of bromination, which can be attributed to mass-dependent isotope fractionation.

Comprehensive exploration of the ultraviolet degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls in different media.

As one of the most important natural transformation processes, photodegradation deserves more attention and research. In the current work, we comprehensively explored the photochemical behaviors of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in n-hexane (Hex), methanol/water, and silica gel under UV-irradiation. Photodegradation rates were found to be faster in methanol/water than in Hex.

Tracing the sources and microbial degradation of PCBs in field sediments by a multiple-line-of-evidence approach including compound-specific stable isotope analysis.

Comprehensive monitoring is crucial for tracing micropollutants in the natural environment. To better evaluate the sources and natural attenuation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), three composite sediment cores were sampled from a closed pond near e-waste recycling plants, and a multiple-line-of-evidence approach (MLEA) including quantification, enantiomer analysis, microbial community profiling, and compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) was used to investigate the fate of PCBs in sediment cores. The difference in the maximum PCB concentrations and associated depths between sites 1/2 and 3 and the corresponding significant (p < 0.

Separation of crocetane and phytane and measurement of their compound-specific carbon isotopic compositions.

Crocetane and phytane are two isoprenoids isomers with similar molecular structures and often present together in methane-seep sediments and some Palaeozoic crude oils. Their commonly co-elution on gas chromatography is challenging for quality and quantity analysis, making it impossible to determine their compound-specific isotopic composition, and thus, insight their geological and geochemical significance. A new gas chromatography method is reported here using a DB-17MS column (50%-phenyl-methyl polysiloxane as the stationary phase) that successfully achieved baseline separation of crocetane and phytane and can be used to accurately identify and quantify them on gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Chemometric Unmixing of Petroleum Mixtures by Negative Ion ESI FT-ICR MS Analysis.

Identification and quantification of mixed sources of petroleum reservoirs as well as the sources of oil spills generally requires the molecular composition information about the mixture. In this study, the relative concentrations of a series of polar acidic compounds, semiquantified by negative ion ESI FT-ICR MS, were calculated using alternating least-squares (ALS) to unmix a group of oil mixtures prepared in the laboratory using three endmember oils. It was shown that the ALS results were accurate based on the relative concentrations of polar acidic compounds, regardless of whether endmember oils and several samples were removed from the sample set.