Strengthening nitrogen removal of rural wastewater treatment in humus biochemical system under low dissolved oxygen conditions: Sludge and microbial characteristics.

To achieve efficient and cost-effective treatment for the rural wastewater, a novel humus biochemical system (HBS) process derived from humus bio-functional material was proposed to treat rural wastewater under low dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions, and the operational performance, sludge characteristics, and microbial community in HBS were systematically investigated in this study. The results indicated that the HBS reactor could be operated stably under low DO levels of 0.2-0.

Machine learning for the identification of neoantigen-reactive CD8 + T cells in gastrointestinal cancer using single-cell sequencing.

Background: It appears that tumour-infiltrating neoantigen-reactive CD8 + T (Neo T) cells are the primary driver of immune responses to gastrointestinal cancer in patients. However, the conventional method is very time-consuming and complex for identifying Neo T cells and their corresponding T cell receptors (TCRs).

Methods: By mapping neoantigen-reactive T cells from the single-cell transcriptomes of thousands of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, we developed a 26-gene machine learning model for the identification of neoantigen-reactive T cells.

Chemical Composition Modulation Realizing Remarkable Improvement of Thermoelectric Performance in CuInTe-Based Alloy.

CuInTe (CIT) is one of the typical ternary chalcogenides known for its characteristic mixed polyanionic/polycationic site defects, making it a subject of continuous interest in the field of thermoelectrics. In this work, we propose a chemical composition modulation strategy for CIT by alloying GeTe and then introducing a copper deficiency (denoted by V). This strategy aims to unpin its Fermi level () and shift into the valence band (VB) while simultaneously enabling coupling between the optical and acoustic phonon, thereby providing an extra phonon scattering path at low frequencies.

Biostimulants in dissolved organic matters recovered from anaerobic digestion sludge with alkali-hydrothermal treatment: Nontarget identification by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry.

Recovering high-value biomaterials from anaerobic digestion sludge (ADS) has attracted considerable attention. However, the molecular features and biological effects of abundant dissolved organic matters (DOMs) in ADS are still unclear, which limits the efficient recycling and application of these bioproducts. This study investigated the molecular composition and transformation of DOMs recovered from ADS through a mild-temperature alkali-hydrothermal treatment (AHT) with ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and energy spectroscopy, and the fertilizing effects of DOMs were evaluated by rice hydroponics.

Molecular composition and chemodiversity of dissolved organic matter in wastewater sludge via Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry: Effects of extraction methods and electrospray ionization modes.

High-resolution mass spectrometry was extensively applied in molecular composition and transformation pathways of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in wastewater sludge treatments. Sample pretreatment methods and electrospray ionization (ESI) modes significant affect the accuracy of molecular characterization for DOM. This study investigated the effects of pretreatment methods (styrene divinyl benzene polymer (PPL), octadecyl (C18), and electrodialysis (ED)) on molecular characteristics of DOM in two typical wastewater sludges (waste activated sludge (WAS) and anaerobic digestion sludge (ADS)) analyzed by FT-ICR MS in both positive ESI (ESI (+)) and negative ESI (ESI (-)) modes.

Band Structure and Phonon Transport Engineering Realizing Remarkable Improvement in Thermoelectric Performance of CuSnSe Incorporated with InTe.

CuSnSe (CTS) ternary chalcogenides have potential applications in thermoelectrics for they crystallize in a high-symmetry cubic structure and consist of earth-abundant and eco-friendly elements. However, the pristine CTS does not have optimal thermoelectric (TE) performance (ZT = 0.35 at ∼700 K), so further investigation is required in this regard.

Improved Thermoelectric Performance of p-Type Argyrodite CuGeSe via the Simultaneous Engineering of the Electronic and Phonon Transports.

Guided by the concept of "phonon-liquid electron-crystal", many n-type argyrodite compounds have been developed as candidates for thermoelectric (TE) materials. In recent years, the p-type CuGeSe (CGS) compound has attracted some attention in TEs due to the presence of very strong atomic vibrational arharmonicity inside the sublattice, which is caused by the weak bonding between Cu ions and [GeSe]. However, its TE performance is still poor, with a value of only 0.

Improved Thermoelectric Performance of P-type SnTe through Synergistic Engineering of Electronic and Phonon Transports.

SnTe has been regarded as a potential alternative to PbTe in thermoelectrics because of its environmentally friendly features. However, it is a challenge to optimize its thermoelectric (TE) performance as it has an inherent high hole concentration (∼2 × 10 cm) and low mobility (μ∼18 cm V s) at room temperature (RT), arising from a high intrinsic Sn vacancy concentration and large energy separation between its light and heavy valence bands. Therefore, its TE figure of merit is only 0.

Obtaining high-value nitrogen-containing carbon nanosheets with ultrahigh surface area from waste sludge for energy storage and wastewater treatment.

Recovering high value-added resources from waste activated sludge (WAS) is a potential way for the sustainable wastewater treatment. In this study, hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C was used to simultaneously improve sludge dewaterability and recover sludge organic matters (SOMs). The recovered SOMs were subsequently employed as precursors to prepare nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets via a facile stepwise synthesis method.

Synergistic Optimization of the Electronic and Phonon Transports of N-Type Argyrodite AgSnGaSe ( = 0-0.6) through Entropy Engineering.

The argyrodite compound, AgSnSe (ATS), which is one of the promising thermoelectric (TE) candidates, is receiving growing attention in thermoelectrics recently. However, its TE performance is still low and phases are unstable as the temperature varies. In this work, inspired by entropy engineering, we eliminate the β/γ phase transformation at ∼355 K via alloying Ga, thus extending its high-temperature cubic phase from 320 to 730 K.

Mechanistic insights into the effects of biopolymer conversion on macroscopic physical properties of waste activated sludge during hydrothermal treatment: Importance of the Maillard reaction.

In this study, the molecular transformation of sludge biopolymers during hydrothermal treatment with the temperature ranging from 25 °C to 200 °C was examined and was seen to significantly affect the macrophysical properties (dewaterability and rheological property) of sludge. The results showed that the sludge dewaterability and flow ability under high shear stress deteriorated by a hydrothermal process at 25 °C to 120 °C, but the deterioration alleviated above the temperature threshold of 120 °C. The consistence of changes in sludge dewaterability and rheological property in HT process was mainly attributed to the variation in gel properties of soluble biopolymer.

Improved thermoelectric performance of solid solution CuSnS through isoelectronic substitution of Se for S.

Cu-Sn-S family of compounds have been considered as very competitive thermoelectric candidates in recent years due to their abundance and eco-friendliness. The first-principles calculation reveals that the density of states (DOS) increases in the vicinity of the Fermi level (E) upon an incorporation of Se in the CuSnSSe (x = 0-2.0) system, which indicates the occurrence of resonant states.

Unequal bonding in Ag-CuInSe-based solid solutions responsible for reduction in lattice thermal conductivity and improvement in thermoelectric performance.

Owing to their unique crystal and band structures, in thermoelectrics increasing attention has recently been paid to compounds of the ternary I-III-VI chalcopyrite family. In this work, unequal bonding between cation and anion pairs in Cu Ag InSeTe solid solutions, which can be effectively used to disturb phonon transport, has been proposed. The unequal bonding, which is represented by the difference of bond lengths Δ, Δ = - and anion position displacement from its equilibrium position Δ = - 0.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of a chalcopyrite compound CuInSeTe (x = 0~0.5) through crystal structure engineering.

In this work the chalcopyrite CuInSeTe (x = 0~0.5) with space group through isoelectronic substitution of Te for Se have been prepared, and the crystal structure dilation has been observed with increasing Te content. This substitution allows the anion position displacement ∆u = 0.

Engineering Band Structure via the Site Preference of Pb(2+) in the In(+) Site for Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of In6Se7.

Although binary In-Se based alloys have in recent years gained interest as thermoelectric (TE) candidates, little attention has been paid to In6Se7-based compounds. Substituting Pb in In6Se7, preference for Pb(2+) in the In(+) site has been observed, allowing Fermi level (Fr) shift toward the conduction band, where the localized state conduction becomes dominant. Consequently, the Hall carrier concentration (nH) has been significantly enhanced with the highest nH value being about 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the Pb-free sample.

Lattice defects and thermoelectric properties: the case of p-type CuInTe2 chalcopyrite on introduction of zinc.

I-III-VI2 chalcopyrites have unique inherent crystal structure defects, and hence are potential candidates for thermoelectric materials. Here, we identified mixed polyanionic/polycationic site defects (ZnIn(-), VCu(-), InCu(2+) and/or ZnCu(+)) upon Zn substitution for either Cu or In or both in CuInTe2, with the ZnIn(-) species originating from the preference of Zn for the cation 4b site. Because of the mutual reactions among these charged defects, Zn substitution in CuInTe2 alters the basic conducting mechanism, and simultaneously changes the lattice structure.