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Schisandra Sphenanthera polysaccharides fractions (SSPs), namely SSP40, SSP60, and SSP80, were obtained by gradient precipitation with 40 %, 60 %, and 80 % (v/v) ethanol, respectively. It was found that gradient ethanol precipitation (GEP) significantly affected the physicochemical and structural characteristics of SSPs, including molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and surface morphology. Compared to fractions SSP40 and SSP60, SSP80 was observed to have a lower molecular weight (22.58 kDa) and certain specific monosaccharide composition, such as lower glucose content and higher galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, and galacturonic acid content. Furthermore, the apparent porosity of the SSPs increased with increasing ethanol concentration in GEP. After fermentation at 37 °C for 48 h, fraction SSP80 prominently promoted the production of more short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), increasing from an initial 1.39 ± 0.08 to 26.75 ± 0.54 mmol/L. The SSP fraction types extracted by GEP greatly affected the modulation of the intestinal microflora at different levels. The SSP80 fraction with excellent structure demonstrated the best ability to modulate the intestinal microflora by increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium and Dialister and decreasing the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella. The remarkable differences in modulating the intestinal microflora confirmed the importance of carefully selecting GEP to fraction SSPs that promote health.

AbstractThe global economy's continuous development has intensified the challenges associated with industrial wastewater treatment. This study synthesizes bentonite‐loaded zero‐valent aluminum (B‐ZVAl) materials using physicochemical methods and explores their application for adsorbing and degrading pollutants in dye wastewater. The process exploits the intrinsic electron transfer capability of zero‐valent aluminum (ZVAl) alongside the generation of active free radicals and flocs during the reaction. Orthogonal experiments were conducted to assess the impact of key factors including material loading, reaction pH, dosage, reaction temperature, and settling time on the decolorization efficiency of dye wastewater. Under optimal conditions (50% loading, 90‐min settling time, pH 3, 2.5 g/L dosage, and 20°C reaction temperature), the decolorization rate of acid red dye wastewater reached 98.07%. Additionally, chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced by 72.36%, total organic carbon (TOC) by 65.34%, with an effluent pH of 7.38 and an aluminum concentration of 0.024 mg/L. Reusability tests indicated that the material retained significant decolorization and adsorption performance after three cycles. Characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS), and x‐ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the stability of the B‐ZVAl material before and after reactions, while UV‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and three‐dimensional excitation‐emission matrix (3D EEM) analysis further demonstrated the composite material's efficiency in decolorizing dye wastewater and reducing pollutant levels. In conclusion, the novel composite material not only overcomes the issue of ZVAl oxidation but also ensures a low residual aluminum concentration in the treated water, thereby reducing the potential risk of biological toxicity.

Thermal hydrolysis pretreatment increases the organic loading rate by releasing organics into the liquid phase. However, high solid anaerobic digestion often faces ammonia stress, which inhibits methanogenic performance. This study explored the feasibility of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) in improving the performance of anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS) under ammonia stress. Furthermore, when incubated with ethanol, COD removal efficiency decreased from 95 ± 4 % under conventional ammonia nitrogen conditions to 75 ± 3 % under ammonia stress. Similarly, 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride-electron transport system activity declined by 16 % under ammonia stress. Microbial community analysis revealed a shift in DIET partners, from Geobacter - Methanothrix to unclassified genus from family Anaerolineaceae, order Bacteroidales, and family Clostridiaceae - Methanosarcina under ammonia stress. Methanothrix deficiency under ammonia stress altered the spatial structure of AnGS. Therefore, reconstructing spatial structure of AnGS by providing filamentous methanogens skeleton could improve DIET performance under ammonia stress.

This minireview highlights the relation of halide redistribution, phase heterogeneity, and carrier dynamics to strengthen the performance of wide-bandgap perovskite-based photovoltaics.

AbstractIn recent years there has been a growing interest in biochar as an efficient adsorbent for heavy metal wastewater treatment because of its unique physicochemical properties and broad applicability. Biochar, produced through the pyrolysis of waste biomass, exhibits a well developed pore structure, a high specific surface area, and abundant surface functional groups, which collectively confer its high capacity for the adsorption of heavy metals. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on biochar preparation methods, properties, and adsorption mechanisms for heavy metal removal. It highlights the impact of biochar characteristics such as pore‐size distribution, surface functional groups, and pyrolysis temperature, on its adsorption performance. It also examines the influence of solution conditions, including pH, temperature, and ionic strength, on biochar adsorption. The review explores the synergistic effects of biochar with other wastewater treatment technologies, such as anaerobic digestion and membrane technology, to enhance treatment efficiency. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in optimizing biochar adsorption capacity, regeneration, and recycling. This study provides comprehensive insights into the potential and limitations of biochar in heavy metal wastewater treatment; it identifies knowledge gaps and outlines future research directions. By elucidating the relationship between the properties of biochar and its performance in heavy metal removal, the aim of this review is to guide the selection of appropriate biochar for various wastewater treatment applications.

Gas-medium annealing simultaneously accomplished crystallization and surface passivation, contributing to high-quality perovskite films with much fewer defects from bulk to surface. A minimized energy loss of 0.29 eV was obtained for efficient PSCs.

The sn-2 monoacylglycerol (MAG) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) can be used as a health-promoting ingredient in functional foods. However, the lack of a good recovery method to prepare high-purity 2-EPA MAGs has limited their application. In this study, circular ethanolysis and glycerolysis were repeated three times to synthesize 2-EPA MAGs and obtain a high recovery of EPA in them. Ethanolysis was carried out using 12 % of Lipozyme 435 and an ethanol-to-triacylglycerol (TAG) ratio of 60, which led to a TAG conversion rate of 97.3 %. Glycerolysis was then carried out using 16 % of CL "Amano" IM and a substrate-to-glycerol ratio of 9 (under vacuum), which led to a conversion rate of ethyl ester to TAGs of 96.8 %. After three ethanolysis-glycerolysis cycles, a relatively high recovery of EPA in the 2-MAG (72.1 %) was obtained. After purification, a high purity 2-EPA MAG product (EPA: 92.2 ± 1.8 %; 2-MAG: 91.50 ± 0.14 %) was obtained.