Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
Published: September 2021
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Article Abstract
Photochemical activation is proposed as a general method for controlling the crystallization of sparingly soluble carbonates in space and time. The photogeneration of carbonate in an alkaline environment is achieved upon photo-decarboxylation of an organic precursor by using a conventional 365 nm UV LED. Local irradiation was conducted focusing the LED light on a 300 μm radius spot on a closed glass crystallization cell. The precursor solution was optimized to avoid the precipitation of the photoreaction organic byproducts and prevent photo-induced pH changes to achieve the formation of calcium carbonate only in the corresponding irradiated area. The crystallization was monitored in real-time by time-lapse imaging. The method is also shown to work in gels. Similarly, it was also shown to photo-activate locally the formation of barium carbonate biomorphs. In the last case, the morphology of these biomimetic structures was tuned by changing the irradiation intensity.
In freshwater lakes and rivers, cyanobacteria belonging to the family Leptolyngbyaceae bore > 1 mm deep into limestone pebbles by dissolving carbonate at the tip of their 3-8 μm-thick filaments. The abundance of these borings decreases downward while it is so high at the rock surface that micrometric debris is formed. Moreover, the disintegrated material on the pebbles' surface can be easily removed, for instance, when pebbles are grinding against each other due to wave or current action or when insect larvae settle and scratch loosened grains from the surface while constructing their cases.
Introduction: Astragali Radix is the dried root of Astragalus mongoliae or Astragalus membranaceus, a leguminous plant. Since ancient times, Astragali Radix has been widely used in Chinese traditional Chinese medicine. As people become more health-conscious, the market demand for Astragali Radix grows and its popularity is increasing in the international market.
Jiangxi Provincial Engineering Research Center of Bamboo Advanced Materials and Conversion, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, China. Electronic address:
Natural building blocks like chitins for self-assembling into complex materials have garnered significant interest owing to the inherent and diverse functionalities. However, challenges persist in the assembly of chitin-based composites, primarily stemming from chitin's poor solubility and compatibility. Herein, a quercetin-mediated multiple crosslinking strategy was developed to enhance compatibility by quercetin-mediated interfacial interactions between chitin and inorganic materials, achieving a series of chitin-based composite hydrogels with high performances.
Objectives: Alcoholic bone disease has been recognized in contemporary literature as a systemic effect of chronic ethanol consumption. However, evidence about the specific influence of alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) on mandible bone quality is scarce. The aim of this study was to explore microstructural, compositional, cellular, and mechanical properties of the mandible in ALC individuals compared with a healthy control group.
In this study, we assessed the changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil samples collected from the artisanal and small-scale limestone mining site in Sohra (Cherrapunjee), Meghalaya, by comparing them with the non-mining site. Eleven distinct soil parameters, namely pH, electrical conductivity (EC), texture (ST), moisture content (MC), bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), water holding capacity (WHC), organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), and exchangeable potassium (EK), were evaluated seasonally (winter, pre-monsoon, and post-monsoon) for 2 years. The results showed that limestone mining has significantly affected the soil quality.
