Can In-Line Iodine Value Predictions (NitFomTM) Be Used for Early Classification of Pork Belly Firmness?

Commercial technologies for assessing meat quality may be useful for performing early in-line belly firmness classification. This study used 207 pork carcasses to measure predicted iodine value (IV) at the clear plate region of the carcass with an in-line near-infrared probe (NitFomTM), calculated IV of belly fat using wet chemistry methods, determined the belly bend angle (an objective method to measure belly firmness), and took dimensional belly measurements. A regression analysis revealed that NitFomTM predicted IV (R2 = 0.40) and belly fat calculated IV (R2 = 0.52) separately contributed to the partial variation of belly bend angle. By testing different NitFomTM IV classification thresholds, classifying soft bellies in the 15th percentile resulted in 5.31% false negatives, 5.31% false positives, and 89.38% correctly classified soft and firm bellies. Similar results were observed when the classification was based on belly fat IV calculated from chemically analyzed fatty acid composition. By reducing the level of stringency on the percentile of the classification threshold, an increase in false positives and decrease in false negatives was observed. This study suggests the IV predicted using the NitFomTM may be useful for early in-line presorting of carcasses based on expected belly firmness, which could optimize profitability by allocating carcasses to specific cutout specifications.

Piezoelectric catalytic, photocatalytic and adsorption capability and selectivity removal of various dyes and mixed dye wastewater by ZnO nanoparticles

The C-O functional group decorated ZnO nanoparticles with high UV absorption and VIS/NIR reflectance were synthesized by a simple wet chemistry method using various chelating agents. This study attempts to explore the internal mechanism of the piezoelectric catalytic activity, photocatalytic activity and adsorption performance of ZnO nanoparticles. The phase purity, particle size, optical band gap and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles showed strong chelating agent - dependent behavior. The ZnO nanoparticles prepared by using EDTA as a chelating agent exhibits smallest particle size, highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange, methylene blue and rhodamine B, high adsorption capacity for the adsorption of Congo red and high vibration-catalytic performance for the vibration degradation of rhodamine B. The synergies mechanism among piezoelectric catalysis, photocatalysis and adsorption capacity of ZnO nanoparticles are discussed on the basis of the experimental results.

High resolution plutonium-239/240 mixture alpha spectroscopy using centrifugally tensioned metastable fluid detector sensor technology

This paper presents a novel and rapid, wet chemistry technique for spectroscopically detecting trace (∼10−3 Bq mL−1) level alpha emitting radionuclides mixtures with under 10 keV alpha energy resolution – with 100% gamma–beta rejection.

Synthesis and Characterization of New Guanine Complexes of Pt(IV) and Pd(II) by X-Ray Diffraction and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis

The aim of the work was to synthesize new perspective compounds of palladium and platinum with nitrogenous bases (guanine), promising for use in biomedicine and catalysis. The article describes the synthesis of new [PdCl2(HGua)2]Cl2·H2O and [PtCl5(HGua)]·2H2O compounds using wet chemistry methods. The structure of the obtained single crystals was established by the method of single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes have an M-N bond, and the organic ligand is included in the first coordination sphere. The analysis of Hirshfeld surfaces for the obtained complexes and their analogues for the analysis of intermolecular interactions was carried out. In the palladium complex we obtained, π-halogen and π-stacking interactions were found; in analogues, such interactions were not found. π-halogen and halogen interactions were found in structure of platinum complex and its analogues.

Magnetic-Based Coreshell Nanoparticles as Potential Adsorbents for the Removal of Cu2+ Under Ultraviolet (UV) Light

The magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (γFe2O3) nanopartides, magnetite-silica-silver chloride (Fe3O4-SiO2-AgCl) and maghemite-silica-silver chloride (γFe2O3-SiO2-AgCl) coreshell structures have successfully been synthesized by using a simple wet chemistry method. The efficiency of these particles as the adsorbents for the removal of copper ion, Cu2+ in aqueous solution under UV light was investigated. Two different parameters were studied, namely the adsorbents contact time (60, 120, 180, 240 and 300s) and the solution-stirring rate (100, 200 and 300 rpm). From the results, the removal percentage of the copper ions from the solution were above 90% after 5 hours of adsorption process at 300 rpm by using Fe3O4 (94%) and γFe2O3 (92%) nanoparticles. The maximum removal of copper ions was nearly 100% when yFe2O3-SiO2-AgCl & Fe3O4-SiO2-AgCl coreshell particles were used. The samples that were prepared without magnetic core such as AgCl-SiO2, AgCl and SiO2 particles, showed lower percentage of the copper ions removal (78%, 60% and 20%, respectively). This situation shows that the magnetic nanoparticles plays and important role during the adsorption process due to their large active sites for the adsorption to occur.

Uptake of Be(II) by Cement in Degradation Stage I: Wet-Chemistry and Molecular Dynamics Studies

The uptake of beryllium by hardened cement paste (HCP, with CEM I 42,5 N BV/SR/LA type) in degradation stage I was investigated with a series of batch sorption experiments with 10−6 M ≤ [Be(II)]0 ≤ 10−2.5 M and 2 g·L−1 ≤ [S/L] ≤ 50 g·L−1. All experiments were performed under Ar atmosphere at T = (22 ± 2) °C. Solubility limits calculated for α-Be(OH)2(cr) in the conditions of the cement pore water were used to define the experimental window in the sorption experiments. Beryllium sorbs strongly on HCP under all of the investigated conditions, with log Rd ≈ 5.5 (Rd in Lkg−1). Sorption isotherms show a linear behavior with a slope of ≈ +1 (log [Be(II)]solid vs. log [Be(II)]aq) over four orders of magnitude (10−8 M ≤ [Be(II)]aq ≤ 10−4 M), which confirm that the uptake is controlled by sorption processes and that solubility phenomena do not play any role within the considered boundary conditions. The similar uptake observed for beryllium in calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) phases supports that the C-S-H phases are the main sink of Be(II) in cement. The strong uptake observed for Be(II) agrees with the findings reported for heavier metal ions, e.g., Zn(II), Eu(III), Am(III), or Th(IV). The exceptional sorption properties of beryllium can be partially explained by its small size, which result in a charge-to-size ratio (z/d) of the same order as Eu(III) or Am(III). Kinetic experiments confirm the slow uptake of Be(II), which is characterized by a two-step process. In analogy to other strongly sorbing metal ions such as Zn(II) or Th(IV), a fast surface complexation (t < 4 days) followed by a slower incorporation of Be(II) in the C-S-H structure (t ≥ 60 days) are proposed. The surface complexation was studied in detail with molecular dynamic simulations, and the most common surface species are identified and described. This work provides the first experimental evidence supporting the strong uptake of Be(II) by HCP in degradation stage I, further extending previous findings on C-S-H phases and HCP in degradation stage II. These results overcome previous conservative estimates assuming no or only a weak uptake in cementitious systems and represent a relevant contribution for the quantitative assessment on the retention/mobilization of beryllium in the context of nuclear waste disposal.

Preparation of Powders Containing Sb, Ni, and O for the Design of a Novel CO and C3H8 Sensor

In this work, powders of NiSb2O6 were synthesized using a simple and economical microwave-assisted wet chemistry method, and calcined at 700, 800, and 900 °C. It was identified through X-ray diffraction that the oxide is a nanomaterial with a trirutile-type structure and space group P42/mnm (136). UV–Vis spectroscopy measurements showed that the bandgap values were at ~3.10, ~3.14, and ~3.23 eV at 700, 800, and 900 °C, respectively. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), irregularly shaped polyhedral microstructures with a size of ~154.78 nm were observed on the entire material’s surface. The particle size was estimated to average ~92.30 nm at the calcination temperature of 900 °C. Sensing tests in static atmospheres containing 300 ppm of CO at 300 °C showed a maximum sensitivity of ~72.67. On the other hand, in dynamic atmospheres at different CO flows and at an operating temperature of 200 °C, changes with time in electrical resistance were recorded, showing a high response, stability, and repeatability, and good sensor efficiency during several operation cycles. The response times were ~2.77 and ~2.10 min to 150 and 200 cm3/min of CO, respectively. Dynamic tests in propane (C3H8) atmospheres revealed that the material improved its response in alternating current signals at two different frequencies (0.1 and 1 kHz). It was also observed that at 360 °C, the ability to detect propane flows increased considerably. As in the case of CO, NiSb2O6’s response in propane atmospheres showed very good thermal stability, efficiency, a high capacity to detect C3H8, and short response and recovery times at both frequencies. Considering the great performance in propane flows, a sensor prototype was developed that modulates the electrical signals at 360 °C, verifying the excellent functionality of NiSb2O6.

Electrical Response of the Spinel ZnAl2O4 and Its Application in the Detection of Propane Gas

Nanoparticles of the semiconductor ZnAl2O4 were prepared using a microwave-assisted wet chemistry method in the presence of ethylenediamine and calcination at 250 °C. The material’s crystallinity and purity were verified by X-ray diffraction. The pure phase of the ZnAl2O4 presented a cubic crystalline structure with cell parameters a = 8.087 Å and space group Fd-3m (227). Dynamic tests in propane atmospheres were carried out on pellets (~500 µm in diameter) manufactured with ZnAl2O4 powders. In the tests, the oxide showed variations with time in electrical resistance when injecting air-propane at an operating temperature of 250 °C. The pellets showed good stability, high sensitivity, and an optimal dynamic response as a function of time. On the other hand, a mathematical model was proposed to describe the chemical sensor’s dynamic behavior based on the electrical response and linear systems theory. The sensor’s transient response was obtained with the model by exposing the oxide to air and propane gas; its stability was checked, and the stabilization time was calculated. Subsequently, an operating point was selected, and, with it, a propane gas detector was designed. The sensor operated flawlessly at 250 °C at a concentration of 1000 ppm, with a response time of three seconds. The developed device is inexpensive and easy to implement.